Cyrus said:
And this should cure the problem?
So whats happening is that the old tensioner has gone slack hence the timing chain has gone slack which in turn isnt turning the oil pump enough bringing down the oil pressure?
If this is the case its a **** good thing I just stopped driving it!
Better go and get tensioer tommorrow.
The timing chain doesn't drive the oilpump, it is driven by a seperate small chain located behind the timingchain. The timingchain goes up from the crankshaft, the oilpumpchain goes down. The only thing they share is the sprocket on which they run, a sprocket with 3 rows of teeth kept on time with a keg, mounted on the crank by the central bolt. Even if the tensioner has fallen apart, which I doubt, the hole in the side of it's housing which lets in the oil in is so small it could never cause a lack of oil-pressure. Not having replaced it for the improved (risk-free) version is something I cannot understand, but is your decision.
From reading your post the only conclusion I can come to is that something momentarily blocked the oil-pump, and is rattling inside or under the pump now. That momentary drop COULD cause the tensioner to release, but proper pressure should reinstate it. If oilpressure is still not up to spec something is in there. Might be 1 demolished chamber it the pump you're hearing. Drop the front sump and find out. Also pull the oilfilter and inspect it. I know the S38 doesn't drop loose bolts in the sump as the V8's are famous for, but I've had my share of bit's flying around the sump..... Caught them before they could hurt me. Pictures on the link are not from one, but TWO 540i's we pulled apart on the same evening.
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=54990
Good luck, I hope she'll survive!
