Buying a car is a big budget for many people, however, to this one you will have to add the routine service of your motor vehicle, and for some routine service works the bill can be quite high. It is therefore logical to ask yourself when is the right time to accomplish these repairs and not do them “for nothing”. On this page we are going to explain to you when to replace the timing belt on your BMW 3 Series? For that, to begin with, we are going to discover why it is essential to do this process of routine service, then, when to do the timing belt of your BMW 3 Series , then, we are going to quickly explain to you how this replace is done, and, finally, how much it costs to do the timing belt of a BMW 3 Series.
Why do we need to replace the timing belt of an BMW 3 Series?
As we told you in introduction, changing a timing belt on a BMW 3 Series represents a significant budget, so we figure out that you are hesitant to do it and to allow you to figure out the importance of this repair, so we will quickly explain why it is so important to do it on time.
Your BMW 3 Series’s timing belt function
The timing of a BMW 3 Series has an essential role in the smooth running of your engine. Indeed, it will have the mission to synchronize the valves and pistons, and to make the link between the camshaft, the water pump, the crankshaft and the injection pump . It will allow the engine unit to work effectively, and avoid any risk of engine breakage. The shorter the distance your vehicle travels, the more your belt will be solicited when starting the engine unit.
What are the risks if the timing belt is not changed in time?
The problem with the timing of a BMW 3 Series is that it is internal to the engine unit. And as a result, unlike an accessory belt, it is impossible to visually check its condition. So you might think that this belt is just an insignificant part, but the risks you take if you don’t replace it in time are big. If the timing of your BMW 3 Series breaks, you will most definitely have to replace the engine of this one. Indeed, the pistons will hit the valves and damage them, and the camshaft will also break. The faster the engine is running at the moment of the breakage, the more serious the consequences are. It is therefore crucial to make your timing belt on time .
When to do the timing belt of its BMW 3 Series?
We will now answer the question that you all have to ask yourselves, when to produce the timing belt of a BMW 3 Series? It is necessary to know that each engine is different and as we mentioned earlier, we must not miss on the replacement of this part. The more we advance in time the more the manufacturers improve the timing belt and normally the more recent your BMW 3 Series will be the less you will have to worry about your belt. Nevertheless, check out your BMW 3 Series’s service book to get the exact life and maximum mileage you can achieve before you do the timing . Typically, timing belts have a life of 5 to 10 years and a maximum mileage between 80, 000 and 200, 000km .
How to replace the timing belt of an BMW 3 Series?
As the timing belt of a BMW 3 Series represents a high budget, one can logically question if it is not possible to replace it oneself. Unfortunately it is very hard to access and only the most knowledgeable amateur mechanics and the most equipped with tools will be able to consider this procedure, we will however quickly summarize the different steps to be executed to replace this timing belt:
- Place the BMW 3 Series on stands, and depending on your engine unit you may have to remove a wheel. Take out the timing gearboxes
- To do this, you must buy the timing kit so that all the engine unit components remain in the right position, otherwise your engine unit will break. Take out the other components that bother you (damper pulley for example).
- Take out the old distribution after loosening the tension rollers. Before positioning the new one, you must remove all the tensioning rollers and the water pump.
- Mount the new water pump.
- Mount the new tension rollers, pay attention to the location of each one.
- Mount the new distribution of your BMW 3 Series by respecting the markers.
- Tension the belt as outlined by the manufacturer’s specifics.
- Put the rest of it back together.
- Verify that the engine is running effectively.
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Replacing the timing belt how much does it cost?
And finally, we’ll try to give you an idea of the price if you want to replace the timing belt of your BMW 3 Series . Be aware that if you do it at the garage of the brand or at a motor vehicle center like Feu Vert the price can vary quite a lot, but generally we estimate that the price of the distribution varies between 400 and 900 euros , depending on the place where you do it and your engine unit. Take note that the kits include the belt, idlers and water pump.
To get more tips on the BMW 3 Series, take a look at the BMW 3 Series category.
