BMW Timing Chain Problems: Symptoms, Causes, Engines Affected & When to Fix Them (A Specialist Guide)

n20 failed timing chain and blocked oil pickup

Let’s talk about the famous ‘ Timing Chain Rattle’

If you think you have a rattle on cold start, it is quite likely timing chain related, and something you should get checked out immediately.

That being said, a lot of the time and some of the worst cases of timing chain failure that we see do not suffer from chain rattle, they go completely under the radar.

Preventative work will always be the cheapest work! If you’re wondering what the common issues are with your engine do get in touch with our friendly team, we are happy to advise you on your engine requirements.

bmw n20 in for timing chain repair 420i

So what causes this disaster? The thin plastic guide simply breaks down over time and the chain stretches with wear. This combined exacerbates the wear on the guides and they simply fail and snap. Catching this early not only can avoid you the cost of the sump removal, but also an entire engine rebuild!

Engines affected? A lot of BMW engines suffer from timing chain problems, mainly the N47 diesel, found commonly in 320d, 318d, 118d, 120d, 520d and a few more. N57 is the 6 cylinder sister engine of the N47 but has a few more issues such as the oil pump defect and excessive wear on the big end bearings. You can find more information on that here This is found in 330d X5 and X3 models commonly.

The N13 engine is commonly overlooked but also has major timing chain issues. They often flag up as drivetrain errors and engine codes about camshaft correlation, but the story is the same. This is found in the 114i and 116i f series engines.

With all that said, the N20 is unique here as it is the most brittle of all the chains in our opinion. We are seeing cars with failed guides with mileages as low as 40,000miles. If you have one of these engines and have not replaced your timing chain yet then it should be high on your priority list. At Element Performance, we have huge experience with all of these engines, we can perform a lot of petrol engine timing chains same day too and for a highly competitive price. We like to stand alone from our competitors and as such we offer a 3 year warranty on our timing chains. We only use OE parts and are proud to stand by our work and quality of parts.

Contact Us

Here at Element Performance we see BMW timing chain failures every single day, routinely replacing N20, N47, N57 timing chains and more every week.

That being said, everyone has heard of the N47 notorious diesel timing chain problems, but the silent killer is the new BMW N20 engine, which we are seeing more of every month and in very bad condition, often with little to no warnings.

Let’s talk about the image on the right here: This is an exploded view of a timing chain removed from a 420i, this car had no noticeable chain rattle noise, no drivetrain error and no codes, luckily the owner had researched the engine and decided to get this work carried out preventatively. What we found was a timing chain that was broken down to a point where it was structurally weak and the plastic guide pieces were blocking the oil pickup completely. This is the plastic ‘strainer’ in the centre of the image. At the point, the oil pressure was being compromised as the oil fought its way past the plastic pieces, it was a very good thing that we reached this car when we did, before any major damage happened, which is was only moments away from!

Here at Element Performance, we value your peace of mind, that’s why we replace the full kit, all new plastic guide pieces, new chain, tensioner and all new sprockets and bolts. We do also recommend to drop the sump is any guide pieces are missing, before any damage happens, whilst there we do recommend replacing the oil pump chain drive on N20 engines, as these are notorious for failing and getting very noisy, the plastic for this guide does also like the break down, in the same way to the timing chain guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

n20 timing guide with broken pieces

  • Yes! We frequently carry out same day petrol timing chains. It is worth bearing in mind that if the sump needs removing due to missing guide pieces or you have a diesel engine this will run onto a second day.

  • The best answer is to get in touch with our friendly team, we can be reached on 01845 600105, one of our advisors will be able to help you in the right direction and help keep your BMW alive for many more years to come.

  • We like to be upfront and transparent with our customers, no-one likes surprises. Prices vary depending on models, petrol engine chains are located on the front of the engine and are normally around £895, diesel engines the chains are located on the back behind the gearbox and are around £1395. It is always best to get in touch so we can quote you accurately.

  • It is most likely timing chain noise, especially if you have one of the above mentioned engines. It is always worth getting professional advice to double check, getting the problem addressed as soon as possible is the cheapest and safest option. Give our friendly team a call today.

  • We are based in North Yorkshire, just near the M1, in the beautiful market town of Thirsk. We may not be your closest BMW specialist but peace of mind is always worth the extra mile! We frequently work with customers who travel all over the country for us, due to our long warranties and great reviews.