vinkodex.N20 2.0 petrol: breaking timing chain guide
Typically between 90,000 and 216,000 km. It does not show up on every car.
critical
severity
between 90,000 and 216,000 km
mileage
4
sources
4 sources next to the write-up.
The fault
How you spot it
The chain guide of the early N20 engines is brittle: if it breaks, the chain goes slack, and from then on the timing is imprecise. The symptom is initially a high pitched whistle or drone from the front of the engine that rises with the revs: many people take it for the supercharger or a pulley noise. Later a metallic rattle on a cold start joins it.
The fault concentrates on engines built between 2012 and early 2015; after February 2015 they got an improved guide. In the 3 Series the 320i and the 328i are affected.
You can hear the noise before the chain jumps.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Engines and transmissions
Engine
N20B20
vinkodex.Checklist
N20 2.0 petrol: breaking timing chain guide
What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.
Before you buy
Checklist
What you tick stays on this device only.
Sources
How we know
Europarts360BMW N20 & N26 Timing Chain Failure: Symptoms, Affected Models & FixA whine from your BMW's 2.0T could be N20 timing chain failure. Learn the warning signs, which 2012-2015 models are affected, and the genuine OEM chain kit that fixes it.
motronixBMW N20 Timing Chain Repair | Guide to Failure Symptoms & CostsHearing a whining noise from your BMW N20 engine? Our expert guide covers the timing chain failure symptoms, catastrophic risks, and the complete repair process.
Carlsbad Auto ServiceBMW N20 Timing Chain Issues Explained - Carlsbad Auto ServiceThe N20 motor gained a reputation for this catastrophic issue. Here's the rundown on what it is and what to do if you experience it!- static.nhtsa.govNHTSA panasz-adatbázis (2020–2024), mérve: 196 BMW-panasz vezérműlánc-panasz a 2011–2016 modellévekre, futásteljesítmény p10–medián–p90 = 90–138–216 e km; ebből 1 tűzzel vagy sérülésselstatic.nhtsa.gov
Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
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