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Hey folks, it's been a while!

 

So, currently tearing into the head to try and get to the bottom of my white smoke problem. I've been chatting a lot with Ken Blasko at Vintage BMW Racing (he's my local mechanic and knows the car well), and the goal here is to get the head out and over to him so he can take a look at it.

 

Now, this is my first car I've ever wrenched on and this is the furthest I've dug into it, so I have a couple uber-noob questions:

 

1. I feel like a total idiot, but for the life of me I can't figure out what to do next.

 

Here's my current progress:

Jango-Head-3551.jpg

Jango-Head-3552.jpg

Jango-Head-3554.jpg

 

Carb, distributor, header, valve cover off. It's my understanding that the last thing I need to do is remove the timing chain tensioner and upper timing cover, but for the life of me I can't figure out where/what to do there. I'm guess it's just the front part hanging off the head? But I'd rather not just go about tearing things apart without knowing anything (I've already done plenty of that). Haynes and search haven't been much help. If someone could give me a "for dummies" photo or visual that would be super helpful.

 

2. Apparently I was supposed to set cylinder one to TDC. Definitely didn't do that. I'm assuming I'll have to throw the distributor back on and do so - if I don't, please let me know. Is there a way to set TDC without moving the car? The only way I know how to do so is to put the car in gear and roll it until it lines up.

 

3. For those who don't know my white smoke circumstances (probably most), it's this: car was initially just puffing white smoke out exhaust on high RPM decel (I assumed valves). A couple days later it started smoking heavily from the rear header area at all times. Fairly high oil usage.

 

I ran a compression test and it all cylinders were 121-125 except cylinder 4, which was mid 130s. When I got the header off today there was a lot of oil in cylinder 4. The rest were clean. I suppose I'll know as soon as I get the head off, but any idea what's going on here?

 

 

Appreciate all your help folks!

Edited by mikethevilla
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First and foremost, set the timing to TDC on plug #1.  With the distributor back in, (you can remove the head with the distributor in and the cap off), the rotor should point to the #1 plug wire on the cap.  You can also see if you have a timing mark on the front pulley for TDC and their is a line on the Camshaft that lines up with the oil bar in the middle of your head at the front.  When you remove the timing chain upper sprocket, you will see the line.  You can also pull the plugs and stick a wire down the #1 spark plug hole and feel the piston move to the TDC position.  When #1 is in TDC position, both intake and exhaust valves should be closed, (not on a Cam lobe).  Once you are fairly certain that you are at TDC on #1, you can proceed by moving that upper hose and removing the bolts on the upper timing cover, take note of which bolt goes where.  Then carefully remove the timing chain sprocket, (there are tabs that hold the bolts in place that must be tapped off the bolt head with a screwdriver).  Once the bolts are off the sprocket, you should be able to rock the sprocket off the Cam, but make sure you keep tension on the chain in an upward direction, because you don't want to have it slip off the lower sprocket.  Hold the chain up maintaining tension and remove the sprocket, then use a cord or wire with one end attached to the chain and the other to the hood latch to suspend the chain so it doesn't slip of the lower crankshaft sprocket.  Then loosen and remove the 8 head bolts and you should be able to remove the head.  It may take some rocking, a rubber mallet or upward pressure on the intake manifold to free it from the block.

 

Others may have additional tips...

 

Good Luck,

 

 

Mark92131

1970 BMW 1600 (Nevada)

 

 

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With the car out of gear, you can use a large hex wrench on the crankshaft pulley to turn the engine over, and this is easier with the plugs out. Use the "copper wire down the sparkplug hole" method to determine TDC, and verify that the line on the pulley lines up as Mark describes.

 

Good luck, you're nearly there!

 

Cris

Edited by tups
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You need to line up the markings on the camshaft cog with timing mark under the oiling bar. Once you have your timing marks lined up, remove the front timing chain cover, then unbolt the timing chain cog from the camshaft. When removing the timing chain cog, MAKE SURE the cog stays in the chain and the cog doesn't move on the chain or else you will mess up your timing. Zip tie the chain to the cog and then use a bungie cord to hold the cog and chain tensioned hanging from the hood.

 

Do not ever let the chain get loose on the bottom lower timing cog or else you will have a hell of a time getting your timing fixed. The idea is to remove the top cog keeping constant upward tension on the chain so the bottom of the chain doesnt move on the bottom cog and then use the bungie cord to maintain the upward tension.

 

Then undo the big head bolts and at that point you should be able to remove the head from the block!!

Edited by Stevenc22

1976 BMW 2002 Chamonix. My first love.

1972 BMW 2002tii Polaris. My new side piece.

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I would strongly suggest you invest $20 in a Haynes manual from on line supplier, delivered ASAP. That will give you step by step instructions for taking apart and putting back together.

How is your brake fluid level?

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Thanks for all the help folks. Going to assume this is TDC. There's actually a 1 and a 2 on the stock cam, but I'm guessing those are for the individual cylinders. The 1 lines up with the other dot on by the timing chain.

 

IMG_7967.jpg

 

And for those asking, still a reasonable amount of brake fluid left, so I don't think it was that.

 

Wish me luck on the rest.

Edited by mikethevilla
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The 1 and 2 on the stock Cam have nothing to do with the individual cylinders.  You just need to make sure the line on the front of the Cam lines up with the front of the Oil Bar on the top of the head.  When the head comes back from Ken and you re-install it, the line needs to be in this original position with the #1 cylinder at TDC.  Otherwise, really, really bad things will happen when you try to restart it, (broken/bent valves, etc.).  Because you pulled the Distributor without taking note of the rotor position, you may be challenged to get it installed properly when it's time to restart the car, but we can help with that later.

 

I attached a photo of where to look for the line on the front of the Cam (in the picture, it looks like the alignment line is on the left, it needs to be in the middle of the oil bar).  If yours isn't present in this location, don't proceed until it is lined up with the Oil Bar.  Also, when you send your head to Ken, include the upper timing cover so they can resurface it with the head if you have warpage.

 

Good Luck,

 

 

Mark92131

post-33686-0-57957900-1436997916_thumb.j

1970 BMW 1600 (Nevada)

 

 

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Actually, after looking at your picture, what you are calling #1 on the Cam, could be your line.  Don't use the dot, use the line.  I would spin it around one more time to make sure their wasn't another definative line on the Cam, and then line up the line with the oil bar and call it a day.  Also, your Oil Bar may be installed backward, usually the crimped end is forward, so the oil holes line up and their is a special washer and bolt that attaches it to the head.

 

Good Luck,

 

 

Mark

Edited by Mark92131

1970 BMW 1600 (Nevada)

 

 

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Well, here's the thing.  If the head is coming completely off, you don't need to panic about putting everything at TDC and aligned.  That is an issue when you go to put the head back on, but it is not a bad idea to do it before disassembly.  Here is a nutshell type of description of what I would do.

 

Definitely drain the coolant and oil first

Disconnect the heater hose lines that go to the intake manifold and pull both intake and exhaust manifolds

Remove cam chain tensioner - DO NOT ROTATE THE ENGINE ANYMORE!!!!!  Once you pull the tensioner, you can make things skip teeth and mucho no bueno stuff starts to happen.

Remove the upper timing case cover and stuff a rag down the cam chain galley in case anything wants to go swimming in your oil pan

Remove the cam gear - A helpful hint if you do put everything at TDC is to put some assembly paint on a link and the gear.  Makes it much easier to align on re-assembly.

Pull all the head bolts and get the head off

 

When you re-assemble, be ABSOLUTELY sure you understand how to put the crank at TDC and align the cam to TDC.  Then be very careful as you put the cam gear and chain back on.  Remember that the chain on the side without the tensioner has to have no slack in it.  Once you put the cam chain tensioner back in and give it a successful revolution with everything staying aligned, you are good to re-assemble in any order that makes sense to you.

 

Jose

Edited by DaHose
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I have a wedge (that I seem to have to make every time I do this) that I jam down the center of the chain itself.  It shoves the tensioner open, and eventually locks itself in place.  A loop of safety wire through the chain, (or tie wraps) and it's secure.

 

Or you can just freehand it, and retime it before you reassemble. The only real way to hurt things is to spin the cam or the crank without the other,

set the head down on the open valves, or try to reassemble it when it's not timed.  Or forget to put the washers on the oil sprayer.  Or forget to put oil in...

 

t

"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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Thanks guys. I found the mark on the cam (not the 1 or 2), lined everything up, and yanked the head. Everything went smoothly. Reassembly will likely be less so, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. 

 

Driving the head over to Ken tomorrow.

 

In the meantime, some photos from the teardown (because why not?):

 

For those taking notes, a 36" bungee cord is the perfect length to run between chain and hood.

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3560.jpg

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3565.jpg

 

And we're off!

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3569.jpg

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3581.jpg

 

Valves and springs look like valves and springs to me! (Don't know what I'm looking for)

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3583.jpg

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3584.jpg

 

Inside is looking.... toasty. Carbon buildup? Normal? Something worse?

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3585.jpg

 

Gasket came off in pieces.

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3571.jpg

 

Pistons also look toasty to me. But again, not sure what they're supposed to look like.

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3591.jpg

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3592.jpg

 

Not terribly shiny, but not terribly textured either.

Jango-Head-7.16.15-3594.jpg

 

That's all for today. Thanks for helping!

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