BMW N47 timing chain stretch dealership test.

swarlb · 22-06-2019 12:43pm

I have a 2008 318 with 220,000km on the clock. No unusual rattles from engine. All that's ever been done is regular servicing and maintenance. Does this model have that N47 engine or a different one ? It's a 4 cyl. I know nothing about BMW's. I've only ever had 2 of them, this one and a 1970's 2002 a long time ago.

Whocare · 22-06-2019 12:44pm

huggy15 wrote: »

I ended up getting the dealership to do the test for stretch in the timing chain on my 3 series. Best thing I ever done. The car failed the test and required a new timing chain. But the lady in the service who was dealing with me said that it shouldn't have not on a 2013 and said they were going to try and get the fitting of a new chain covered under goodwill from BMW.

Well I just collected the car yesterday, new chain fitted top and bottom. It didn't cost me a single cent. So anyone with a car that has the n47 engine maybe think about getting the test done and perhaps you could be as lucky as myself and they will cover the cost of a new chain.

Did you have full bmw sevice history .I wonder if you hadn't would have covered it

RustyNut · 22-06-2019 1:02pm

w211 wrote: »

These days everything are "life time", what can means only 200 000km or what ever mileages.

I think for manufacturers "life time" means the life time of the warranty or that seems to be the way it works out for a lot of people anyway.

huggy15 · 22-06-2019 3:36pm

Whocare wrote:

Did you have full bmw sevice history .I wonder if you hadn't would have covered it

No. BMW service history up until 87000 miles when I bought the car. This was back in 2017. Car had 122000 miles when they took it in to do the chain. I've only ever serviced it with my indy mechanic. They didnt even mention not having a full service history.

huggy15 · 22-06-2019 3:36pm

swarlb wrote:

I have a 2008 318 with 220,000km on the clock. No unusual rattles from engine. All that's ever been done is regular servicing and maintenance. Does this model have that N47 engine or a different one ? It's a 4 cyl. I know nothing about BMW's. I've only ever had 2 of them, this one and a 1970's 2002 a long time ago.

Yes that will have the n47 engine.

swarlb · 22-06-2019 5:04pm

huggy15 wrote: »

Yes that will have the n47 engine.

Emm... maybe it's the exception that proves the rule..

bazz26 · 22-06-2019 5:22pm

If it has stop/start then it's a N47 engine. They don't all fail though.

Whocare · 22-06-2019 6:01pm

huggy15 wrote: »

No. BMW service history up until 87000 miles when I bought the car. This was back in 2017. Car had 122000 miles when they took it in to do the chain. I've only ever serviced it with my indy mechanic. They didnt even mention not having a full service history.

Did they look for any proof of servicing.

huggy15 · 22-06-2019 6:15pm

No. I told the lady in the service that I'd been servicing it with my indy regularly. She didnt seem too concerned that it wasnt serviced with the dealership since I had it and was pretty confident that the goodwill gesture would be approved. She initially said that BMW may look for a contribution of a few hundred euro, but in the end up they covered the lot. If they had of asked for receipts I had them there to show anyway and I've only ever used genuine parts when servicing (filters etc.) but they never asked.

I think the fact that my car had the technical update and was supposedly meant to have been 'fixed' of the timing chain problems that earlier model n47 engines had was the main factor towards them covering the cost. And the fact the dealer had done the workshop test and they had official evidence of a faulty timing chain. They also provided me with a loaner car for the 2 weeks they had my car. All in all a great service.

Leonard Hofstadter · 22-06-2019 7:38pm

swarlb wrote: »

I have a 2008 318 with 220,000km on the clock. No unusual rattles from engine. All that's ever been done is regular servicing and maintenance. Does this model have that N47 engine or a different one ? It's a 4 cyl. I know nothing about BMW's. I've only ever had 2 of them, this one and a 1970's 2002 a long time ago.

Depending on how early in 2008 it is, it may have the old engine (which does not have this problem, although even if it did, its chain is at the front of the engine, so it would be much cheaper to repair if it was to fail).

The ones with the N47 engine have a chrome exhaust pipe not a matt one, also if it's a manual, it will have auto start/stop if it's got the N47. The older cars with the M47 engine do not do this.

CalamariFritti · 22-06-2019 7:41pm

huggy15 wrote: »

I've a 2013 bmw 3 series with the n47 engine. My indie mechanic has advised to change the timing chain in a few thousand miles, even though there are no rattles coming from it at all. It's an expensive job and something id rather not do if I thought it didn't need done.

Anyway I've booked the car in with BMW because I heard they can do a test of some sort to determine if the chain is ok or is needing replacement. Does anyone know what is actually involved in the test?

Change your indy. Thats nonsense.

Edit: Read to the end of the thread and it seems it makes me look silly. However I still maintain the whole timing chain thing is way overstated. Especially on a 2013 model. I got one myself and there isn't anything sounding untoward. In any case I imported my one and there's zero chance of getting any good will from my local dealer. Last time I was there their first question was did you buy the car here and after that they were almost hostile.

zurbfoundation · 22-06-2019 9:05pm

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Last time I was there their first question was did you buy the car here and after that they were almost hostile.

I know next to nothing about the issue only that when i walk past any bmw parked up i expect the chain to drop on the floor based on what i have heard. Not just n47s

But i have heard this reaction from dealers when cars were not bought from them. Volvo and BMW to name two.

huggy15 · 23-06-2019 10:50am

My car didn't have any rattles or ticking noise coming from the engine, no nothing. I was well aware of the timing chain problems with the n47 so I was always listening to it when hot or cold to see if I could hear anything. Even my indy said it didn't have any noise coming from it but that's not to say there still might be stretch in the chain and it could fail. Whatever test it is the dealership does it failed I am not sure whether they remove the rocker cover to get access to the chain or what the test involves. And by the way my car was an import as well, I got it out of England in 2017 so I doubt that should make any difference whatsoever.

At the end of the day BMW is going to be paying the dealer to do the repair if the good will gesture is approved so in my mind the dealer would be pushing for it because they obviously know you aren't going to go to them to get it changed if you were paying for it yourself, because you could go to an indy and get it done for half the price or cheaper at least. It is in there interests to try and get it for you.

dieselbug · 23-06-2019 9:30pm

"Whatever test it is the dealership does it failed I am not sure whether they remove the rocker cover to get access to the chain or what the test involves."

I doubt that BMW would take off the rocker cover and inspect the chain for €80 but I could be wrong.
I suspect they look at the cam and crank signals to see how well they sync. A slack chain will probably show them to be erratic.

Anyone remember the timing chain issues on the old Renault 5 and the desperate shortcut some took to avoid taking out the engine.:)

pale rider · 21-07-2019 7:05pm

My understanding is the chain defect was rectified in BMW n47 engines manufactured after 03/11.

I bought a new 520d in 2007, I changed it in 2008 with the Ssia savings scheme, a colleague bought my 07 one from the garage, , both cars had stretched chains after I got rid, I know of three other 520d the same.

My wife had a Petrol Mini Cooper new in 2008, her third Mini, the chain was replaced after six years at 77kms at a cost of €1100 to me.

These cars were over serviced, they had chain faults that BMW ignored, I fought hard with them and got nowhere, a BMW product will never be in my driveway again.

greasepalm · 21-07-2019 10:44pm

People never do enough research on german engineering and its costly misfortunes in the future when they buy one.

pale rider · 21-07-2019 11:35pm

greasepalm wrote: »

People never do enough research on german engineering and its costly misfortunes in the future when they buy one.

Tad harsh, I’ve driven the same Mercedes for almost six years, I have not changed a bulb and have no plan to change the car but when I do it will be German and Mercedes....

bazz26 · 21-07-2019 11:41pm

Lol, google Mercedes Kompressor engine timing chains.

Henry Ford III · 22-07-2019 7:36am

bazz26 wrote:

Lol, google Mercedes Kompressor engine timing chains.

People in glass houses.....

pale rider · 22-07-2019 7:48am

Henry Ford III wrote: »

People in glass houses.....

Can only talk about my direct experience, when repairs cost you money due to an engine design fault you tend to remember the pain of it, hope I havn’t Put a hex on my good run...

Henry Ford III · 22-07-2019 8:36am

pale rider wrote:

Can only talk about my direct experience, when repairs cost you money due to an engine design fault you tend to remember the pain of it, hope I havnâ€™t Put a hex on my good run...

I was referring to BMW ðŸ˜€

bazz26 · 22-07-2019 11:09am

Henry Ford III wrote: »

People in glass houses.....

Maybe have another read of the previous posts for context rather than just jumping in at the first opportunity attempting to seek clever brownie points.

Henry Ford III · 22-07-2019 12:44pm

bazz26 wrote: »

Maybe have another read of the previous posts for context rather than just jumping in at the first opportunity attempting to seek clever brownie points.

Thanks for the advice

krissovo · 22-07-2019 8:41pm

bazz26 wrote: »

Lol, google Mercedes Kompressor engine timing chains.

No need, my old 2003 E200 died a horrible death in her prime when she slipped a tooth. It finally destroyed the engine when in the in garage for a new chain. Had to crush the car in the end

BMW N47 timing chain stretch dealership test.

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