BMW N47 DIESEL ENGINE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE! Things Nobody Told You

BMW N47 Diesel Engine

BMW N47 diesel engines – timing chain failure has become a serious problem for BMW owners

The BMW diesel engines timing chain problems are so common and even become a very serious issue for the BMW owners across the globe and specifically for the UK drivers. Premature failure of the timing chain is one of the most common issues regularly discussed on the forums, websites and in the mechanic circles in the garages. The timing chain failure issue is one of the critical problems that BBC watchdog has also covered in the past and highlighted in their media circles. Visit Used Engines for Sale to read more about BMW N47 Diesel Engine.

The BMW Diesel Engine – Timing Chain Problems

All the BMW diesel engines including the most famous BMW N47 Diesel engines produced from 2006 to 2012 have timing chain failure issues and according to the experts, these issues arise due to the design fault in the engines. These engine design problems actually lead to the timing chain failure. The engine timing chain is very weak and at the time it stretches and finally breaks down.
The N47 engines have been used on different model series of BMW where BMW 1 Series, BMW 3 Series, and BMW 5 Series are most common users of the N47 engines however some of the MINI models also use the same engine but they rarely face timing chain issues. The BMW M57 engines also have timing chain issues. At the same time, BMW petrol engines produced in the same period also face the same timing chain failure issue. We deliver the best quality BMW N47 Diesel Engine for sale all across UK. Search usedenginesforsale.co.uk and get a free price quotes.

Timing chain failure affected models and engine codes

The following table gives a detail of the affected models and engine codes in the BMW model range that actually face the timing chain failure.

2.0 litre Diesel BMW engines – N47

MODEL NO. REG YEAR ENGINE CODE

118d, 120d, 123d, 318d

320d, 520d, X3 2007, 2008, 2009 N47D20A

118d, 120d, 123d, 318d

320d, 520d, X3 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 N47D20C

3.0 litre Diesel BMW engines – M57

MODEL NO. REG YEAR ENGINE CODE

525d, 530d, 535d, X3 2006, 2007, 2008,2009 M57306D1

X3, X5, 730d 2006, 2007, 2008,2009 M57306D1

525d, 530d, 535d, X3 2010, 2011, 2012 M57306D2

X3, X5, 730d M57306D3

525d, 530d, 535d, X3 M57306D4

X3, X5, 730d M57306D5

What Happens When A Timing Chain Fails or BREAKS?

The timing chain collision is not a simple thing; it is an engine break down. When the timing chain breaks, all the inlet valves, and exhaust valves collide with the pistons inside the combustion chambers and resulting from a very serious damage to the engine.

The entire cylinder head and the pistons shatter in parts and pieces. All the 16 valves in the cylinder head bend over and shatter the rocker arms and displace both camshafts at the same time. In BMW engines, the timing chain is usually located at the rear of the engine bay and is not intended to be a serviceable part.

Engine Rebuilds or New Engine?

At this point when you had a bad engine, it is not recommended that you should buy a new engine which will cost you over one-third of the total price of your vehicle. It is highly recommended that you must go for an engine rebuilt at this point. Engine Trust UK has a list of trusted engine reconditioners and rebuilders and they have an individual experience of rebuilding thousands of BMW engines.

Let’s go through the engine rebuilding process which has been practiced over the years. In the timing chain failure, there is only one thing goes a bit high and it is the labour of repairing the catastrophic engine damage. The timing chain is located at the rear if the engine which leads to an entire engine removal from the engine bay.

Then after removing the entire engine from the engine bay, all engine completely strip apart into components. This process discovers all the damaged parts and ensures that every part must be identified and discovered for the restoration and repairs. Every repairable part repaired and every damaged part replaced during the engine rebuilt and reconditioning. The N47 and M57 engines rebuild with new timing chains, chain guides and tensioners to reduce the risk of another failure to almost zero.

If a BMW engine has been damaged by the broken timing chain, it is advised to go for a fully rebuilt engine.

What are the average costs of engine Rebuilt in the UK

Different engine rebuilders charge different prices for a full engine rebuilt but the average cost of rebuilding an engine. Following are the average costs in the UK

An N47D20A diesel engine from (2007-2009) rebuild cost is average £2,000 however if your engine is N47D20C from (2009-2012), the average rebuild cost is £3,000. For the M57 diesel engine (2006-2012) rebuild costs vary from model to model and the prices start from £3,000. During the rebuilt process, every damaged engine assessed to the core of the engine and depending on the condition of the engine, and fluctuations in the prices of the parts can increase the cost but it will definitely remain low if compared to the new engine cost.

Further Information on the Timing Chain Failure Issue

The BBC Watchdog reported on the timing chain failure and consulted by the researchers from the programme. The researchers stated that the real world professional advice is necessary to get the better results. They produced a feature on the BMW timing chain failure issue. The BBC watchdog had been quoted by many unhappy customers and they pushed to produce a report on timing chain failure.

Cheaper Engine Repair Options

If you are looking for an option cheaper than GBP2000 for a so-called reconditioned or remanufactured engine then be very careful and do some research. It is likely that these engines are not rebuilt and or even not remanufactured.

As genuine BMW parts cost more than GBP 1200 for an N47 engine as well as M57 engines. It is a skilled and time-consuming process to correctly repair a damaged engine. Cheap solutions are not reliable even for more than 12 months of the warranty period.