Removing and installing timing-case cover

Removing and installing timing-case cover on 4.8-liter DFI engines

Preliminary work

1. Remove engine.
2. Remove engine from transmission and let it hang on the assembly support.
3. Drain engine oil.
4. Remove drive belt.
5. Remove coolant hoses in front of the timing-case cover. Don't forget the holder.

Coolant hose package

6. Remove both valve covers.
7. Remove vibration damper.
8. Remove joint flange behind the vibration damper and do not re-installed old flange.
9. Remove oil pan and oil guide housing.

Information

Component overview

Timing-case cover seals

1 - Timing-case cover
2 - Timing-case cover seal, outer right (fill openings with sealant, see 6)
3 - Timing-case cover seal, inner
4 - Timing-case cover seal, rib
5 - Timing-case cover seal, outer left (fill openings with sealant, see 6)
6 - Applying sealant to timing chain housing; Loctite 5900 (000.043.204.35 status 04/07)
A - Direction of travel

Chain tensioner, joint flange

1 - Joint flange (oil sealing lip with engine oil); align with sleeve or vibration balancer
2 - M6 screw
3 - M6 screw
4 - Sealing ring
5 - Chain tensioner

Removing timing-case cover

Notice
Timing-case cover removed incorrectly
Risk of damage to seal between oil pan and crankcase
Risk of engine leaks

- Always reseal the oil pan when removing the timing-case cover.

1. Remove belt tensioner and deflection rollers on the timing-case cover. To do this, lever off the cover and loosen the screws.

Belt drive

1 - Deflection roller
2 - Hydraulic belt tensioner; tensioner at the lever, tensioning roller at the tensioning lever
3 - M8 screw; complete lever on timing-case cover and cylinder head; belt tensioner and timing-case cover at the console
4 - Deflection roller
5 - Dual poly V-belt

2. Unclip vacuum lines at the cable duct -arrows-

Unclipping vacuum lines at the cable duct

3. Release cable duct at the front right.
3.1. Unscrew fastening screw on oil dipstick -11- (-arrow-).
3.2. Unscrew fastening screw -12- on the cable duct -arrow-.

Releasing cable duct at the front right

4. Remove guide tube with oil dipstick.
5. Remove chain tensioner.
6. Remove timing-case cover. To do this, loosen all screws in reverse order.

Tightening sequence for timing-case cover

A - M6 screw
B - M6 screw; inner timing-case cover to upper part of crankcase and cylinder head; timing-case cover to cylinder head
C - M8 screw; timing-case cover (chain tensioner position) to upper part of crankcase and cylinder head
D - The timing-case cover must be level with the lower part of the crankcase (use a steel rule or dial gauge)

7. Carefully remove timing-case cover. Lever off gently if necessary (bonded with sealant).

Installing timing-case cover

Caution
Leaks due to components being at too low a temperature or at different temperatures!
If components that are cold or at different temperatures are sealed together by the application of sealant, adhesion problems and leaks can arise due to the build-up of condensation water or component distortion.

- Components must have reached at least 17 degrees C throughout.
- Components must not be too hot (distortion).
- Spare parts that are stored in the cold or heat (strong sunlight), must be brought to room temperature or the same temperature as other parts before installation.

Information
Acetone can be used to clean the sealing faces. Ventilate this for 5 minutes before applying more sealant

1. Clean dirt and grease off the sealing faces of the engine and timing-case cover.
2. Fit the new metal seals on the timing-case cover. Fill the openings in the metal seals with sealant. Apply sealant at the specified markings on the engine. Apply the sealant in such a way that no excess sealant can expand into the engine when the timing-case cover is fitted (blocked oil ducts).

Applying sealant (fill openings in metal seal with sealant)

3. When fitting the timing-case cover, press the tensioning rail away from the sprocket (cylinder 1) towards the timing chain using a screwdriver (second worker required).
4. Fit timing-case cover straight on without letting it slip out of place.
5. Screw down all fastening screws by hand. At this stage, the screw heads should not be all the way down.

Information
The timing-case cover must be aligned using a dial gauge or steel gauge.
The timing-case cover must not project over the lower part of the crankcase. Even the slightest projection must be corrected.
It must not be less than (-dimension A-) 1/10 mm (-dimension A 1/10 mm-).

6. Press the timing-case cover upwards slightly and tighten the fastening screws (approx. 1 - 2 Nm (0.5 - 1.5 ftlb.) so that the timing-case cover is slightly jammed. Then align the timing-case cover.

Aligning timing-case cover with a dial gauge

Information
The timing-case cover must not project over the crankcase. The maximum offset is - Length: 0.1 mm.

1. Insert the dial gauge into the universal dial gauge bracket and position it so that the dial gauge has a preload of about 1 mm.

Adjusting the preload

2. Set dial gauge scale to 0. To do this, place the dial gauge bracket on a completely flat surface (e.g. crankcase flange) and turn the dial gauge scale until the pointer is at 0.

Resetting dial gauge scale

3. Measure offset. To do this, push with the bracket starting from the lower part of the crankcase towards the timing-case cover (the base of the dial gauge bracket is not located on the same component as the dial gauge probe) and measure the offset. The timing-case cover must not be set back by more than 0.1 mm. Even the slightest projection must be corrected.

Measuring the setback distance

4. Align the timing-case covers by tapping lightly with a rubber hammer.

Aligning timing-case cover

5. Once you have aligned the timing-case cover, tighten two fastening screws on the left and right of the timing-case cover base hand-tight. Then check the position of the timing-case cover again using the dial gauge.

Checking position

Securing timing-case cover

Securing timing-case cover up to October 2008

1. Tighten the remaining fastening screws to the appropriate torque in the order shown.

Tightening sequence for timing-case cover

A - Screw, M6 x 25 - Tightening torque: 13 Nm (9.5 ftlb.)
B - Screw, M6 x 50; inner timing-case cover to upper part of crankcase and cylinder head - Tightening torque: 13 Nm (9.5 ftlb.) timing-case cover to cylinder head - Tightening torque: 13 Nm (9.5 ftlb.)
C - Screw, M8 x 50; timing-case cover (chain tensioner position) to upper part of crankcase and cylinder head - Tightening torque: 23 Nm (17 ftlb.)
D - The timing-case cover must be level with the lower part of the crankcase (use a steel rule or dial gauge)

Carry out further assembly work

2. Secure cable duct at the front right.
2.1. Route cable duct on the timing-case cover.
2.2. Secure cable duct on the timing-case cover with the fastening screw -12- (-arrow-). - Tightening torque: 10 Nm (7.5 ftlb.)
2.3. Fit guide tube with oil dipstick.
2.4. Secure oil dipstick with the fastening screw -11- (-arrow-). - Tightening torque: 10 Nm (7.5 ftlb.)

Securing cable duct at the front right

3. Clip in vacuum lines at the cable duct -arrows-.

Clipping in vacuum lines at the cable duct

4. Fit belt tensioner and deflection rollers on the timing-case cover. Fit screws and cover.

Belt drive

1 - Deflection roller - Tightening torque: 32 Nm (24 ftlb.)
2 - Hydraulic belt tensioner; tensioner to lever - Tightening torque: 32 Nm (24 ftlb.) tensioning roller to tensioning lever - Tightening torque: 32 Nm (24 ftlb.)
3 - Screw, M8 x 96; complete lever to timing-case cover and cylinder head - Tightening torque: 32 Nm (24 ftlb.) belt tensioner and timing-case cover to bracket - Tightening torque: 32 Nm (24 ftlb.)
4 - Deflection roller - Tightening torque: 32 Nm (24 ftlb.)
5 - Dual poly V-belt

Subsequent work

1. Install oil guide housing and oil pan.
2. Fit new joint flange behind the vibration damper.
3. Set the timing. To do this, connect the vibration damper.
4. Fit vibration damper.
5. Install both valve covers.
6. Fit drive belt.
7. Fit coolant hoses in front of the timing-case cover. Don't forget the holder.

Coolant hose package

1 - Coolant pipe
2 - Coolant hose
3 - Holder
4 - Screw, M6 x 12 - Tightening torque: 10 Nm (7.5 ftlb.)
5 - Screw, M6 x 20 - Tightening torque: 10 Nm (7.5 ftlb.)
6 - Connect tab on oil/coolant heat exchanger
B - Clip on to support bracket
A - Direction of travel

8. Fill in engine oil.
9. Mount engine on transmission.
10. Install engine.