SWARF IN OIL

[lizzie]

Hi I have adding onto Drummerboy's thread ' is it my timing chain' but thought I would start my own thread as more things happening. I have pasted my first post ref timing chain below.
' Hi thought I would tap on to this thread as just had to put the X into my garage as making awful noise hard to describe bit between clicking vibrating sort of sound. Mechanic had a listen and reckons something to do with timing chain one side where the oil filler cap is. Just had oil and filter change done last week. first one done since had car [3months]. Its done 114500 miles. Mechanic reckons cost could be up to £1000 so hoping its not going to be that bad.Just wondered if anyone had any other ideas what it might be. Thanks Liz

My mechanic found signs of wear on main timing chain also low oil pressure. He says the wrong oil has been put into the car and funny enough the noise only started a couple of days after having this done. I was recommended the oil by a oil retailer and my hubby did the change.
Yesterday mechanic drained all the oil out and found swarf and bits of aluminium in it. Oil filter clogged [that was changed as well] and the bits had managed to get through the bottom filter up into the oil filter. Hope I'm explaining this ok. Just wondered if anyone has had the same problem and what happened and was the car ok when put back together?
Thanks Liz

[X5Sport]

Lizzie, not had the same issue, but swarf in an engine is never a good sign. It will depend upon what it has come from and what it has got to, and how big the particles are, and how long it was running in that state. The main worry has to be main bearing shells on the crank and camshafts, and any other rotating components into which the swarf might have got and been dragged. If nothing got in there then the damage should be at the lower end of the scale.

What oil were you recommended? There's very few that should be used. My 2005 states that all oils must meet BMW LL04 Spec. I only use either Castrol or Mobil 1 for Diesel engines.

If the God of motoring is on your side then you get away with it and the damage is very minimal. If not then it could be expensive. Until the engine has been fully flushed to ensure there's no more in there, refilled and carefully checked there is just no really quick and easy way to tell. If it was mine, I'd have the top and bottom covers off and have a careful look at the shafts, and see how much debris is in the oil sump.

Hopefully you'll be OK. Keep us informed.

[IanP]

Sorry Liz, but it really sounds like the cam chain tensioner system is going. Your mechanic is going to have to take the engine covers off and have a look, there is no way round it. Whatever you do, do not drive it again until it is checked out . I drove mine as I had no other way of moving it, and the tensioner blade snapped which was/is expensive. I have no doubt your mechanic is up to speed, but the pump suction filter needs checking when you have done the repairs, it may look clear but the filter itself is about twice as big as the suction inlet, so rubbish can get stuck round the edge which you cant see. Found it easier to buy a new one.
My tensioner died after an oil chamge as well, so maybe the new oil loosens some rubbish in the engine which then gets stuck in the tensioner?? The oil system is a bit convoluted on these engines so who knows?

[lizzie]

Thanks for your swift replies. He is going to take the sump off and give it a through flush through and I believe strip it down. He's said that I will have to have the oil changed again in a 1000 miles to keep a check onit and then maybe every 5000 for a couple of times, rather do that than put a new engine in. He thinks at the moment that maybe a guide tensioner has gone but obviously until he totally gets it stripped he won't know. Haven't driven it since I heard the noise, took it straight to garage and left it. To keep cost down he's doing it in and out of other work.
The oil I was sold was Motul 5W 40 and said BMW LL04 on front but apparently it should have had either 0W 30 or 5W 30 and spoke to BMW and they said that having wrong oil in could cause this.
Ian did you say that this happened to yours? What was your outcome and cost if you don't mind me asking?
Out of interest I asked BMW how much for a remanufactured engine and this was the price £10,893.62
Have found a second hand engine out of a 2003 with 65k on it for £2000 + VAT so do have that option if need be.
Thanks Again Liz

[IanP]

Hi Liz
The cost of doing the camchains etc was around £2500 I seem to remember, but as the tensioner had died there was rather a lot of bits inside the engine with the result that the oil pump pickup became blocked and knocked a bottom end out. If you check my thread 'My v8 engine rebuild' you will see what came next. I too looked at a new engine (£16000 for a 4.6), and a second hand engine, which are hard to find. I decided not to do the second hand route as you dont know what you are getting, and the 'warranty' would have been 1 month from purchase which does not leave much time to get it fitted and tested. There are reconditioned engines available, but as I know how much it costs to rebuild an engine , I cant see how they are doing the work correctly for the price quoted.

[lizzie]

Thanks Ian for your quick reply. I will keep this thread going until an outcome is achieved. Won't know anymore till next wk.


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[lizzie]

Hi all well here's the update of my engine. After starting to strip the engine a bit the tensioner was at its max, the v part is what was wearing and the chain was out slightly but not broken. Does anyone know what the cause of this might be?
Also has anyone heard of 'The Engine Centre' Brent Road, Southall and how good/bad are they? Looks like it's going to be off the road for a while.
Thanks Liz