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I recently posted about the banjo bolt problems. While I'm in there, I'm gonna adjust the valves. I used to do it on my old Z28 camaro but I think this setup is slightly different. I have never been in there, I just know I need the valve cover gasket, feeler gauges, and my Bently. What I don't know is... are there any tricks of the trade? What is this special BMW tool I need to turn the rocker arm eccentric? Can I royally screw anything up? If so how do I prevent this?
Thanks in advance guys!!!

This is a very good step-by-step.

It is for an m20, but it is basically the same. Use the specs for an m30, of course. You don't need the valve adjust tool. I use a small allen key. To turn the engine over, either turn the crank with a ratchet (need to remove some stuff), roll the car in 4th gear, or bump the starter with the main and fuel relays disconnected. For the firt two techniques, it will be easier if you remove the spark plugs.

It's a fairly easy job. Be patient, careful, and confident, and you'll get it!

You don't need any special BMW tool to do anything. Get yourself a small allen wrench. It always worked for me on both M20 and M30 engines.

BE SURE TO DO THE VALVE ADJUSTMENT WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. As in, has been sitting overnight. Do not start it up to move it 3 feet. Leave it be. Wherever you want to do the valves the next day, that's where you're parking it overnight.

Bob S. may have some insight on this. I remember a post he made to Roadfly (or was it MyE28?) a year or two back that had some excellent wisdom. Bob, do you remember what all you said? I remember something about removing the valve cover the night before and leaving a towel over the head so that the temp of the head would be exactly that of the atmosphere the next morning.

To turn the engine, you can bump the starter by jumping two pins on the diagnostic connector. Plenty of people know which two pins, but not me! Just be sure you've removed the main relay and have the car in park / neutral when you do it!

Also, check each valve 3 times. Go through all 12 valves and then go back and check them once, making any needed adjustments, and then check them again. Keep checking them until you can do a full turn of the engine without needing to make any adjustments. I always have to adjust a couple two or three times.

Good luck!

In response to cranking the engine by hand. If you put a rachet on the alternator you can rotate the engine by hand without having to remove anything.

Note: might not work with plugs still threaded in the head, I did it while they were removed.

[Edit by csp23 on [TIME]1109200795[/TIME]]

I know the pins to jump it. But is it OKay to do it in cold temp. I'm in Syracuse NY working outside, I won't have a chance to move it to my parents garage cause they are 30 miles away and I'm worried about those loose banjo bolts so I'm not starting it until that is done.

:)I'll give ya some help. BTW, we used to live in Syracuse; My dad was in the USAF and we lived on Hancock AFB. I guess it's now just an airport... ~_~

1. Car should be "overnight-cold".
2. Always replace (4) washers on the oiling tube banjo bolts. Torque to 100 in-lbs.
3. Use the diagnostic port and hook up a remote starter (see archives).
4. I set the valves on the M30 to .012" using a 45 degree (bent) feeler gauge.
5. Clearence is measured between the eccentric and the valve tip.
6. You don't need the "BMW Tool"; a bent piece of clothes hanger works well.
7. Using the remote starter, rotate the engine until the "opposite" valves are pointing up. (ie: #1 cyl. intake and exhaust lobes are equally pointing up at a shallow "V".). In this position, you can adjust the #6 valves (intake and exhaust). Loosen the eccentric bolt (10mm) and rotate the eccentric to get an even, "tight" pull with the gauge. I strive for a consistant pull through all 12 valves! Tighten but don't over-tighten the eccentric bolt. I have broken the stud. Don't do it!
8. Opposite cylinders are as follows:
#1 & #6
#2 & #5
#3 & #4
Set one cylinder in overlap to adjust the other. Alwas set an exact overlap or the setting will feel different. I found this out the hard way. Strive for perfection!
9. Once you have gone completely through the rotation, start over with a check.
10. If you have to readjust any cylinders, recheck them all.
11. The more meticilous your proceedure, the nicer the engine will run!
12. Always use a new Valve Cover Gasket, and tighten the VC bolts in "Torquing-Sequence" (see Bentley).

Hope that helps!

Regarding the cold engine, I witnessed something interesting this last summer: several of the local M5 guys got together and rented the shim kit to adjust their valves, and I went over to help out. They all had brought their cars over the night before so the engines could cool down, except for one guy who showed up that same morning.

He had measured the valve gaps the previous day so he knew where they were to start with, and it turned out that after four hours of sitting, the valve gaps had returned to the exact same values as they had been when the engine was stone cold.

I think it's still best to let the car sit overnight, but it worked out for him alright.

Not to stir a bunch of controversy, but .012 is a tad loose. The specs say ".010 to.012", but if you are a good BMW owner and check your valve adjustment a couple times a year, go with a loose .010, i.e., the .010 gauge fits easy, the .011 wants to but won't quite. Valve train will be quieter, performance will be better. This might be less noticable on a FI car, but trust me -- on a dual carb M30, that .002 matters.

I don't have a small torque wrench. Can I do this with a large 1/2 inch torque. Is it nessesary to go buy a little one for the job?

[QUOTE="smackmybutter535i"]I don't have a small torque wrench. Can I do this with a large 1/2 inch torque. Is it nessesary to go buy a little one for the job?[/QUOTE]
Well, the 100 in-lbs that JBort mentions works out to 8.33 ft-lbs -- I doubt your 1/2" torque wrench goes that low. I've always done it by hand, but torquing is best.



[Edit by Shawn D. on [TIME]1109618932[/TIME]]

The wrench goes as low as 10lbs. Is that acceptable, or a big no no?

10/8.33 = 1.20

In other words, even at its lowest setting, your torque wrench will apply 20% more torque than specified.

I wouldn't do it.

Thanks. Thats what I needed to know!! I guess I'm gonna need to go buy a torque wrench.

[QUOTE="smackmybutter535i"]Thanks. Thats what I needed to know!! I guess I'm gonna need to go buy a torque wrench.[/QUOTE]

WTF are you guys torquing, the valve cover nuts? Crazy talk.
I've never used a torque wrench on those little buggers, and none of my many BMW engines has ever leaked or cracked a valve cover. My basic rule of torque wrench use -- if the part can fall off and the car won't stop running or crash, it doesn't require a torque wrench.

I believe the 100 in-lbs was for the banjo bolts.

I think I can get about 10 ft-lbs with a screwdriver assuming there is no head stripping or anything. 6-7 ft-lbs is a good rule of thumb for the torque that is typical of screwdriver type tools or hand drive tools that do not have a lever arm. Although it would be nice to have a light torque wrench I bet you can get away without it.

What is the issue with the torque on the banjo bolts? Do you crush the oil spray bar and black oil flow if you over tighten? Or is it a matter of stripping the aluminum threads in the head?

Valve clearance on the M30 motor should be .013" dead cold.

[QUOTE="Techboy"]Valve clearance on the M30 motor should be .013" dead cold.[/QUOTE]

Fugedaboudit. .013 will rattle like Grampa's dentures crossing a cattle guard. As long as you check the clearance regularly, you can go as tight at .010 with no problem. Give me two totally stock engines with valves set at .013 and .010 and I'll show you the performance difference too.

[QUOTE="smackmybutter535i"]Thanks. Thats what I needed to know!! I guess I'm gonna need to go buy a torque wrench.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE="Velocewest"]WTF are you guys torquing, the valve cover nuts? Crazy talk.
I've never used a torque wrench on those little buggers, and none of my many BMW engines has ever leaked or cracked a valve cover. My basic rule of torque wrench use -- if the part can fall off and the car won't stop running or crash, it doesn't require a torque wrench.[/QUOTE]
Oil sprayer bar Banjo can't be messin round with too much on those