Bmw m42 engine to fit a camshaft sprocket to a camshaft

View this site for help in setting the timing.

There are no timing marks on this engine - the engine has to be "locked" using special engine locking / setting kit which you wil have to obtain to do the job.

I will give you the instructions to do the job for when you have the locking kit to do the job.. as follows:

Removal

1. Raise and support front of vehicle.
2. Remove:
   • • RH front wheel.
     • RH inner wing panel.
     • Air filter assembly.
3. Support engine.
4. Remove:
   • • RH engine mounting and bracket.
     • Timing belt upper cover,
     • AC receiver/drier (if fitted). DO NOT disconnect hoses.
     • Timing belt lower cover.
     • Auxiliary drive belt.
     • Support bracket between gearbox and cylinder block (Palio).
5. Palio: Remove bell housing cover plate. Fit flywheel locking tool. Tool No.1.867.029.000. or equivalent commercially available.
6. Remove:
   • • Crankshaft pulley bolts
     • Crankshaft pulley
     • Spark plug leads.
     • Ignition coil and bracket.
     • Spark plugs.
7. Fit dial gauge and adapter to No.1 cylinder. Tool No.1.860.895.000.
8. Turn crankshaft to TDC on No.1 cylinder. Set dial gauge to zero.
9. Ensure notch in rear of camshaft aligned as shown.
10. Install camshaft aligning tool. Tool No.1.870.823.000
11. 
    NOTE: If camshaft aligning tool cannot be fitted: Turn crankshaft one turn clockwise.

Installation

1. Ensure No.1 cylinder at TDC by turning crankshaft slightly clockwise and anti-clockwise. Use dial gauge .
2. Ensure camshaft aligning tool fitted correctly
3. Hold camshaft sprocket. Use tool No.1.860.831.000/001
4. Slacken camshaft sprocket bolt
5. Fit timing belt in following order:
   • • Crankshaft sprocket.
     • Water pump sprocket.
     • Camshaft sprocket.
     • Tensioner pulley.
   NOTE: Observe direction of rotation marks on belt.
6. Fit tensioning tool locating pegs to tensioner pulley holes -Tool No.1.860.745.100/300. Ensure tensioning tool arm is horizontal.
7. Set weight at 70 mm mark on scale bar.
8. Hold camshaft sprocket
9. Tighten camshaft sprocket bolt - Tightening torque: 70 Nm.
10. Remove aligning tool
11. Turn crankshaft two turns clockwise.
12. Ensure No.1 cylinder at TDC by turning crankshaft slightly clockwise and anti-clockwise. Use dial gauge
13. Ensure camshaft aligning tool can be fitted - If not: Repeat installation procedure.
14. Tighten tensioner nut to 28 Nm
15. Remove:
    • • Tensioning tool
      • Camshaft aligning tool
      • Dial gauge
16. Install components in reverse order of removal.
17. Tighten crankshaft pulley bolts - Tightening torque: 20 Nm + 90°.

THESE ARE THE TOOLS U NEED TO HAVE AND PROCEDURE!!GOOD LUCK AND BEWARE THE TIMING..REPLACE BOTH CHAIN AND TENTIONER!!!!!!



















Special tools and workshop equipment required
t Dial gauge -VAS 6079-
t Puller -T10094 A-
t Dial gauge adapter -T10170-
t Camshaft clamp -T10171-
t Counterhold tool -T10172-
t Locking pin -T40011-
t Spark plug spanner -3122 B-
t Counterhold tool -3415-
t Torque wrench (5...50 Nm) -V.A.G 1331-
Procedure
- Remove valve timing housing > Chapter.
- To turn crankshaft, reinstall bearing bush, crankshaft pulley -2- and crankshaft bolt -3- and securely tighten crankshaft bolt (use counterhold 3415).
- Remove spark plug from No. 1 cylinder. Use puller -T10094 A- and spark plug wrench 3122 B.
- Screw dial gauge adapter -T10170- into spark plug hole to stop.
- Screw dial gauge -VAS 6079- and extension -T10170/1- in to stop and lock in position with lock nut -arrow-.
- Turn crankshaft in direction of engine rotation, to TDC No. 1 cylinder. Note position of small needle on dial gauge.
- Then turn crankshaft back 45° opposite direction of engine rotation.
- Press tensioning guide rail -1- in direction of arrow and lock piston with locking pin -T40011-.
- Mark direction of rotation of timing chain -3- using felt-tip marker.
- Remove bolts -2- and remove camshaft sprocket -1- with timing chain -3-. Counterhold using counterhold tool -T10172-.
- Renew bolts -2-. Tighten bolt -2- to 50 Nm (use counterhold -T10172-).
- Turn inlet and exhaust camshafts until camshaft clamp -T10171- can be pushed into holes in camshaft to stop.
Locking pins -arrows 1- must engage in holes -arrows 2-. Inscription "TOP"-arrow 3- must be readable from above.
Note
Camshafts must not be pushed axially whilst turning.
- Install a M6 bolt -arrow- hand-tight (do not tighten) to secure camshaft clamp -T10171-.
- Remove camshaft sprocket bolts. It is absolutely necessary to use counterhold tool -T10172- for this.
Note
Camshaft clamp -T10171- must not be used as a counterhold tool.
- Remove one camshaft sprocket.
- Place timing chain over camshaft sprockets, observing chain direction of rotation, and install camshaft sprocket again.
- Tighten camshaft bolts until camshaft sprockets can still just be turned on camshafts.
- Tension timing chain by removing locking pin -T40011-.
- Turn crankshaft in engine direction of rotation to TDC No. 1 cylinder. Permissible deviation from TDC No. 1 cylinder: ±0.01 mm.
Note
If crankshaft is turned more than 0.01 mm past TDC, then turn crankshaft back 45° against engine direction of rotation. Then turn crankshaft in direction of engine rotation to TDC No. 1 cylinder.
- Hold camshaft sprockets -1- and -4- in this position with counterhold -T10172- then tighten bolts -2- to 50 Nm.
Note
Crankshaft must not move and timing chain -3- must remain tensioned on both sides when tightening camshaft bolts.
- Remove camshaft clamp -T10171-.
- Turn crankshaft two rotations in direction of engine rotation to TDC No. 1 cylinder. Permissible deviation from TDC No. 1 cylinder: ±0.01 mm.
- Insert camshaft clamp -T10171- to stop in camshaft openings.
If camshaft clamp -T10171- cannot be fitted
- Repeat adjustment.
If camshaft clamp -T10171- can be fitted
- Remove camshaft clamp -T10171-, hold camshaft sprockets with counterhold tool -T10172- and tighten bolts -2- a 1/4 turn (90°) further with a rigid wrench.
Note
Camshaft sprockets must not move on camshaft whilst tightening.
- Turn crankshaft two rotations again, in engine direction of rotation, to TDC No. 1 cylinder. Permissible deviation from TDC No. 1 cylinder: ±0.01 mm.
- Insert camshaft clamp -T10171- to stop in camshaft openings.
If camshaft clamp -T10171- cannot be fitted
- Repeat adjustment.
Further assembly is basically the reverse of the dismantling procedure. In the process, note the following:
t Installing valve timing housing > Chapter.
t Installing poly V-belt > Chapter.
t Renew oil seals for camshaft sealing cover and oil them before fitting.

You must use a special tool which bolts onto the cylinder head. It is designed to hold the camshafts in the proper position. It goes over the flats on the camshafts to hold the camshafts in the correct position. This tool can be rented. Look on EBay or check with your local Snap On Tools, Mac Tools, or Matco Tools dealers to rent one. See the link below for photos of properly aligned timing marks for your engine.

1994 BMW M42 timing chain alignment marks Google Search

it should tell you in the manual which piston should be top dead centre before you ajusting the timeing belt

Timing marks on the 3L motor are: (looking from the front of the engine) right side camshaft sprocket (1 dot on sprocket and the cylinder head); left side camshaft sprocket (1 dot on sprocket and clyinder head); crankshaft sprocket (arrow on the block and an inverted arrow on the face of the sprocket) and of course the timing belt cover

During most engine rebuilds, a completely new timing assembly should be installed. If wear exists on any component, replacement of the entire assembly is necessary. Wear in the chain, gears, or sprockets means a timing lag, which results in poor engine performance.
The timing chain or belt is generally installed with the gears in their correct positions. Before installing a new chain, soak it in oil.
OHC (Overhead Cam) Engines
Some OHC engines use a chain drive; others use a belt drive. Removing the cover on some OHC engines that have timing chains is more difficult, because the cover often fits between the oil pan and the cylinder head. There are special procedures for replacing cam timing components in these engines.
Before a chain repair job, perform a leakage test on non-freewheeling engines to check for bent valves, so that an accurate repair estimate can be made.
OHV (Overhead Valve) Pushrod Engines
On many OHV pushrod engines, the crankshaft sprocket is installed on the crankshaft nose and the crankshaft is rotated to position piston #1 at TDC. At this point, a mark stamped onto the crankshaft sprocket is pointing directly upward (toward the camshaft).
The camshaft sprocket is then temporarily bolted to the cam and used to rotate the cam until a mark stamped on the cam sprocket is pointing directly downward (toward the crankshaft). The sprocket is then removed from the cam (without allowing the cam to rotate).
The timing chain is looped over the cam gear, the mark on the cam gear is positioned directly downward, and the chain is looped around the crankshaft sprocket. When the cam sprocket is attached to the cam, the timing marks on the crank and cam sprockets should be pointing toward one another. NOTE THIS IS FOR 2WD 4.0

Each gear has an arrow and a dot. The chain should have two differently colored links. Position the crankshaft sprocket so the arrow is pointed up with the dot to your right. Position the camshaft sprocket with the arrow pointed straight down at the crankshaft sprocket and it's dot should also be to the right. The colored links on the chain should be lined up with the dots.

Remove the cam cover, remove the spark plugs, turn the engine to number 1 TDC, put a pencil in spark plug hole number one and twist the crank back and forth and make doubly sure you are at TDC. Now loosen the four bolts at the front of each cam sprocket, check TDC again with the pencil and rocking the crank, now take the pencil and lay it across the flats at the back of each cam. Twist the cams very carefully so that the pencil sits flat on each cam square. Snug up the sprocket bolts and use the pencil to check TDC again! Now check the cams again. Repeat the procedure until you have the cams flat and the engine at TDC.

to do it correctly you need a tension gauge, however it is possible without. make sure your timing marks are correct,flywheel locked and camshaft locking tool in place. slacken camshaft sprocket bolt and turn clockwise to stop. fit timing belt in an anticlockwise direction starting at the crankshaft, ensure belt is taught on the non tensioned side between sprockets. turn tensioner pully anticlockwise, untill you can turn belt 90 degrees with finger and thumb pressure. tighten tensioner. tighten camshaft sproket bolt to 63nm. Remove all locking tools. turn engine 2 revolutions from the crankshaft pulley by hand. DO NOT START AT THIS STAGE!!!!!!!! refit all locking tools, if at any stage the engine locks or the tools will not refit, you have done something wrong. Go back to stage one. Check belt tension finger and thumb method, retension as required. turn again by hand. re fit all components and start. If you have whining noises the tension is too tight. Flapping or banging noises too loose. This is not a fool proof method and you have to be aware of the failings of fitting timing belts without the correct tools etc. ENGINE DAMAGE WILL OCCUR IF FITTED INCORRECTLY. A good garage should charge no more than 2.5 hours for this work to be carried out, with a warranty. Hope this helps