Cam chain tensioner tool issue

[Paul4450]

I did a service today on my ‘14 RTW which included a delayed valve clearance check and cam shaft position check (essentially part of the 12k service). Boxflyer, if you see this, your videos are fantastic and gave me the confidence to do it and buy the tools. 
 

The issue I had with the cam chain tensioner tool was that after screwing it into the hole then engaging the 3 prongs on the bottom, the detents would not “skip” as I increased the tension on the chain. It’s as if the spring that sets the detent pressure was too much to allow them to “skip/jump” and make the three clicks. I ended up just tightening it till the slack in the cam chain was gone. 
 

I did not try to back off the screw at the bottom of the tool that appears to set the detent pressure. I thought I would post this first and see if anyone had this issue and the solution. 
 

By the way, I’m open to lending these tools out to anyone on this forum in the San Jose, CA area if they want to check their cams. 

[Bernie]

The one time I used it, it required quite a bit of force. But I was able to turn it with my fingers.  

[Boxflyer]

Hi Paul,

I'll try to do some testing on my cam chain tensioner to see if I can determine what it takes for the click over to occur.

 

[Paul4450]

Thank you Boxflyer. The lower piece with the 3 slots won’t move/rotate at all. You’d think it would have some rotational play between the detents, but it feels frozen. The preload spring is not coil bound. I may try backing out the Allen bolt that preloads the detent spring, keeping count of the turns, just to see if the bottom piece even rotates. But I don’t have the correct size Allen wrench. Yet. 

[LAF]

Looks like you had pliers on it.  In the 30 something checks, that is 60 something times turning it until it clicks, and it has never been an issue. I have done  it and used my fingers only. 

 

Brad should be able to tell you lbs of pressure or something you can use as a guide.  I guess someone could tell you clicks and that should be close.  But it does beak loose when you hit the correct pressure. 

 

It is a bear but unless you have some issue like arthritis or other grip health issues you should be able to turn it to the spin free point by hand.

 

First report of this tool breaking so I am pretty interested in what you find.

 

I have to ask have you lent the tools out to anyone? 

 

I assume you are using the TDC tool and the correct pin size, and it is snapping into the flywheel with a positive click, and no slop in trying to move the rear wheel.

 

I hope you get it figured out and please post up your findings.

[Rockosmith]

I have used mine several times and it does put a fair amount of pressure on the cam chain, meaning the tool gets difficult to turn by hand but it is doable.  I just put an 8mm socket on the bottom of the knurled 3 pronged piece and it becomes easy to get the clicks.  

[Paul4450]

Hi all.  Tool was supposed to be brand new and it was in a sealed bag. i had not taken any tools to it; I presume that “marks” are from the machining process during manufacturing. Despite the appearance, I could not feel any serrations where you see the horizontal lines.  I had not loaned out the tools.  This was the first time I used them. I did had the TDC tool in place using the large pin.  There was still a bit of “slop”/free play from the gaps between the transmission gear dogs.  
 

I was able to find a 3 mm Allen wrench, covered the lower piece with the slots with a cloth and gripped it with a small, 6” channel lock near the top away from the slots as lightly as I could, then turned the Allen bolt holding the tension spring. Lo and behold, it broke free!  Now I can rotate the lower piece between detents easily. The Allen bolt is threaded into to upper piece and never turned relative to that piece. When it broke free, the upper piece turned with it. Thankfully, I did not scratch the lower piece when I gripped it with the channel lock. 
 

I can only assume there was a small burr from machining that had locked the pieces together or perhaps some thread lock. But it’s free now!  The amount of rotational torque to get it to “ click” feels appropriate now, compared to what I was feeling when I tightened the other day to put tension on the cam chain.
 

The offer to use the tools is still there.  Of course if you damage or lose them, you must replace. If you would like help the first time, I’d be open to that as well. 
 

Thanks to all who replied. 

[Boxflyer]

Glad you worked it out.

Hope you feel better about doing the service yourself...it's very rewarding!

 

Thanks again to Lee for teaching me how to do this in the first place.

[LAF]

17 hours ago, Paul4450 said:

Hi all.  Tool was supposed to be brand new and it was in a sealed bag. i had not taken any tools to it; I presume that “marks” are from the machining process during manufacturing. Despite the appearance, I could not feel any serrations where you see the horizontal lines.  I had not loaned out the tools.  This was the first time I used them. I did had the TDC tool in place using the large pin.  There was still a bit of “slop”/free play from the gaps between the transmission gear dogs.  
 

I was able to find a 3 mm Allen wrench, covered the lower piece with the slots with a cloth and gripped it with a small, 6” channel lock near the top away from the slots as lightly as I could, then turned the Allen bolt holding the tension spring. Lo and behold, it broke free!  Now I can rotate the lower piece between detents easily. The Allen bolt is threaded into to upper piece and never turned relative to that piece. When it broke free, the upper piece turned with it. Thankfully, I did not scratch the lower piece when I gripped it with the channel lock. 
 

I can only assume there was a small burr from machining that had locked the pieces together or perhaps some thread lock. But it’s free now!  The amount of rotational torque to get it to “ click” feels appropriate now, compared to what I was feeling when I tightened the other day to put tension on the cam chain.
 

The offer to use the tools is still there.  Of course if you damage or lose them, you must replace. If you would like help the first time, I’d be open to that as well. 
 

Thanks to all who replied. 

Thank you for the follow up. 

 

I bought the tools 5 years ago they were expensive then.  From what I understand they have gone up in price since then.

 

I am very happy it works for you but I would still drop a note to the selling dealer.  I would assume the BMW tools have a 1 year warranty on them?

 

Anyway good news and again thank for the follow up!