My name is Earl, and I have a Stainless Steel bolt fetish =)

[Earl]

Rowleym said:

Even if the motor is slightly out of time, you won't hit any valves/pistons together. So turn it over at free will(if it's tensioned)!!! And if it hits anything, stop and do it again I would advise to do so before you actually put it in/together.

Thanks for the heads up. Should I install the tensioner with the old plug and washer for now just to check this out?

REKIII said:

Adams Rotors?  They look like Earls Rotors to me!  see what I did there?

I see what you did there=)

[jc43089]

Just leave the tension tool in there, turn it a couple turns and check that the cam lock tool fits back on or is dang close.  You won't wreck anything turning it by hand, you would feel if something hit.

[Earl]

I have a new tensioner since the m42 one exploded when I removed it. lol I will get it in this weekend and see what is up. So I will know if it is timed right if it spins over without hitting anything correct? I just want to make sure I am getting this right.

[jc43089]

Yep, you are way over thinking it, it's super easy.

[Earl]

I feel much better about this now=) I love this forum=D

[jc43089]

Even the vanos timing on the m50/52 is really easy if you think about what you are doing.  I have done it several times and never even use the cam locks, a straightedge works great the only tool you need is the threaded tool for the chain tensioner.

[Rowleym]

Earl said:

I feel much better about this now=) I love this forum=D

Yea Ive taken apart a running m20 that was two teeth off and no problems(ran like poopy). There is some slack before valve/piston interferance.

[Laishes]

Rowleym said:

Yea Ive taken apart a running m20 that was two teeth off and no problems(ran like poopy). There is some slack before valve/piston interferance. 

What do you mean by teeth? M20s utilize a timing belt rather than a timing chain like their m30 counterparts?

[jc43089]

^the teeth/lugs on the belt.

[Rowleym]

Laishes said:

Yea Ive taken apart a running m20 that was two teeth off and no problems(ran like poopy). There is some slack before valve/piston interferance.

What do you mean by teeth? M20s utilize a timing belt rather than a timing chain like their m30 counterparts?

Hahahah technicalities technicalities.

You know what I meant dammit!

[Laishes]

Rowleym said:

Hahahah technicalities technicalities. You know what I meant dammit!

Just giving you a hard time

Gotta keep em' on there toes!

[YoungCR]

It was awesome seeing this in person last weekend Earl! Good to know that the timing should be down

[Earl]

Thanks Chris=) It was nice having you out

[Earl]

It seems I am having a hard time working with Adams Rotors on getting the right ones made. For some reason, Centric doesn't show that Compacts had the option for vented front rotors unless it was a 98 or 99. Adams Rotors goes by what Centric says instead of the RealOem diagram that I supplied.

I just want to recoup some of the cost so I can get the proper fronts. Get someone to buy these please:
 

http://www.wibimmers.com/board/index.php?/topic/2398-feeler-e36-front-rotors/

[jc43089]

Are the Adams rotors made from Centric blanks?

[Earl]

From what I can gather that is correct. They are the largest OE supplier of rotors and somehow do not know that compacts before 1998 had the option  for either solid or vented fronts. It seems I am getting parts of the blame for that for who knows what reason. Centric only shows few I's and then IS's got vented fronts that are the same diameter as mine.

[jc43089]

Tell them to take them back, too bad, so sad for them.  It's not like they are interchangeable, I imagine the calipers are different to accommodate the quite different thickness between vented and non vented.

[Earl]

They're definitely very different thickness wise. I only see one caliper option so I would imagine you get pads that are thicker to take up the slack.

[jc43089]

That seems very strange, unless the steel backing plate was thicker the pad would wear until the ears on the pad disengage from the grooves in the caliper and the pads would come out.

[andyhundley]

Here's a few pics from Saturday.