N20 timing chain replacement - how often?

jamesgarbett · Post by **jamesgarbett** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 9:23 am

Mileage or age

flybobbie · Post by **flybobbie** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 9:59 am

Why would anyone want that hassle. Stick to the six pots.

mr.tourette · Post by **mr.tourette** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:57 am

As he already has an n20 I guess he already has it

Sorry James can't help but sure one of the blower crew will be along to help soon enough

MACK · Post by **MACK** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 11:46 am

jamesgarbett wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 9:23 am Mileage or age

Only if it becomes an issue. Its not like water pumps on the non turbo 6 pots where they all fail. Only some of them fail which is usually limited to a few early n20's before the revised parts were introduced. Alot of these have been replaced by now as well. You can usually tell if it needs replacing due to the noise it starts to make

Deepseaskateboard · Post by **Deepseaskateboard** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 11:50 am

The chain is supposed to last for the life of the engine.

Unless, you are referring to the N20 timing chain guides issue.

If you have just purchased the car, and there are symptoms, you can have it repaired for free at the dealers.

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:06 pm

Deepseaskateboard wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 11:50 am The chain is supposed to last for the life of the engine.

Unless, you are referring to the N20 timing chain guides issue.

If you have just purchased the car, and there are symptoms, you can have it repaired for free at the dealers.

That doesn’t apply to the uk, it was litigation driven in the states.
Rob

jamesgarbett · Post by **jamesgarbett** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:30 pm

Thanks all

So is there not a recommended replacement mileage/age even if there are no symptoms?
As in preventative maintenance instead of forking out for a new engine if it does go pop.

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:36 pm

jamesgarbett wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:30 pm Thanks all

So is there not a recommended replacement mileage/age even if there are no symptoms?
As in preventative maintenance instead of forking out for a new engine if it does go pop.

Turning off the stop/start function (or coding it off permanently) is a preventative action you can take, as previously mentioned it wouldn’t just go pop anyway & would make a distinctive noise if it’s on the way out.
Changing the oil more often than bmw recommend is another step you can take, plenty of high mileage n20 cars around with no issues as this doesn’t affect all of them.
Rob

MACK · Post by **MACK** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:38 pm

jamesgarbett wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:30 pm Thanks all

So is there not a recommended replacement mileage/age even if there are no symptoms?
As in preventative maintenance instead of forking out for a new engine if it does go pop.

The simple answer is no. However of course you still could if you wanted to. But you may well be replacing something that was perfectly fine and not going to fail and we're talking circa £1500 at an indie. Not exactly cheap preventive maintenance

jamesgarbett · Post by **jamesgarbett** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:40 pm

Got it thanks both.
My car is an auto so no stop/start anyway.

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 4:04 pm

As others have said a diet of not more than 5k miles or per annum changes whichever comes first will help..

How many miles / owners has it had?

Service record?

True-Blue · Post by **True-Blue** » Mon May 03, 2021 7:28 pm

Does anyone know when BMW changed the chain followers, as in, from which model year?

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Mon May 03, 2021 7:53 pm

True-Blue wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 7:28 pm Does anyone know when BMW changed the chain followers, as in, from which model year?

The first known date of the new timing chain on N20s fitted to E89s was 1/1/2015 according to real oem..

Various other sub components were changed in the period Jan 2015 through April 2015..

When you mean chain followers I assume you mean guides...

True-Blue · Post by **True-Blue** » Mon May 03, 2021 7:57 pm

Pbondar wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 7:53 pm
True-Blue wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 7:28 pm Does anyone know when BMW changed the chain followers, as in, from which model year?
The first known date of the new timing chain on N20s fitted to E89s was 1/1/2015 according to real oem..

Various other sub components were changed in the period Jan 2015 through April 2015..

When you mean chain followers I assume you mean guides...

Yes, chain guides, thank you.

So for complete peace of mind I guess you’d need to be buying a 65 plate or newer really, on the basis that a 15 plate could have been built earlier.

It’s a bit of a moot point as I don’t think the person I’m asking for has the budget for a car that late anyway, but cheers all the same

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Mon May 03, 2021 8:20 pm

True-Blue wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 7:57 pm
Pbondar wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 7:53 pm
True-Blue wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 7:28 pm Does anyone know when BMW changed the chain followers, as in, from which model year?
The first known date of the new timing chain on N20s fitted to E89s was 1/1/2015 according to real oem..

Various other sub components were changed in the period Jan 2015 through April 2015..

When you mean chain followers I assume you mean guides...
Yes, chain guides, thank you.

So for complete peace of mind I guess you’d need to be buying a 65 plate or newer really, on the basis that a 15 plate could have been built earlier.

It’s a bit of a moot point as I don’t think the person I’m asking for has the budget for a car that late anyway, but cheers all the same

To be pedantic it’s the date of manufacture not registration...mine for example was built August 2012 but first registered May 2013..so mine is the last of the 2012 MY not the 2013 MY...

Compounding this BMW often did detailed changes with no relevance to MY changes..

As SmartBear says and others experience it’s not the predictability of doom of say the 35i HPFP, injectors, waste gates etc

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