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Warning: That "bargain" BMW 328i near Austin has a cracked timing chain guide
Went with a buddy to check out a 2013 328i on Craigslist last Saturday. Seller wanted $6,000, which seemed too good. Car drove smooth for 10 minutes. Then I popped the hood and heard a faint rattle on cold start. That's the N20 engine plastic timing chain guide problem. It's a known failure point around 80k miles. When it goes, the chain eats the engine. Has anyone else dodged a bullet on these by listening before buying?
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jessica_dixon6d ago
And what about the oil filter housing gasket on those? It leaks onto the belt and that can get sucked into the timing cover, making the whole problem a lot worse.
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carr.blake6d ago
Yeah, that oil filter housing gasket thing is real. A buddy of mine had a 328i a few years ago and ignored a small oil leak. The belt slipped off and got sucked into the timing cover, which then grenaded the whole engine.
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