Timing belt and radiator

[underDAWG]

Do you folks take the radiator off to do your timing belt. Mine is long overdue for 50K or so.

Later,

 

[Auslander RML]

Don't all E30's use a chain as opposed to a belt?[???1] Anyways, when it was time to take care of mine, the mechanic (too big a job for me!) took off the radiator... i cant imagine being able to work in there with it still in place. But hey, you probably needed to replace those hoses anyways, right?

 

[vlad]

The e30's have a timing belt.

Yes, I do remove the radiator. While it may take more time to remover the radiator, but you'll have more space to work and you won't have to worryy about damaging the fins.

 

[underDAWG]

Yes, I do remove the radiator. While it may take more time to remover the radiator, but you'll have more space to work and you won't have to worryy about damaging the fins.

Thanks vlad.

It looks like that the job is getting bigger by the day. Starting the notion of chainging the timing belt, and then the water pump. Now the radiator will be out, I may as well to have it flushed. Things never change, [fake] no wonder why Wifey always has hard to understand.

Later,

 

[mytan85_325e]

I took the hood off too. That made it alot easier for me to be able to work from the front of the car and not have to reach from the sides. I found the job to be pretty easy. If I was you i'd replace the water pump and cam seal at the same time.......

 

[Auslander RML]

The e30's have a timing belt.

When my timing system went out on the '84 318i, and I was looking for the correct parts, Bavarian Autosport surprised me by telling me that it used a chain, instead of a belt. Do you know if that is something unique to the 4-cylinder, or just the early E30's? I know, I know, Im such a newbie...

 

[rjp325i]

All of the BMW M10 engines including those in the 1984 and 1985 318i models use a timing chain instead of a belt. The M20 6 cyl engines all use belts.