Timing Belt on Z4 production date May 2015

tonyg · Post by **tonyg** » Mon Jun 19, 2023 8:27 pm

Hi

Just checked the production date on my E89 2.0. I'm based in the UK (if that matters) and it says a production date of May 2015 (registration date is 26 June 2015) according to RealOEM.

I've heard several different versions of dates to be wary about in terms of the timing belt problem. Am I likely ok? The car has done £75K miles, is it recommended that I replace this?

Thanks, Tony

B21 · Post by **B21** » Mon Jun 19, 2023 8:46 pm

So..it’s a chain not a belt..repeat it’s a chain not a belt..

99% if it was made May 2015 it has the later version..

Easy to check..

Get a strong torch..remove oil filler cap shine light on plastic parts..if they are a darker brown coffee colour rather than a white which is maybe slightly tainted with oil..then it’s the older cam chain …

matsmith749 · Post by **matsmith749** » Mon Jun 19, 2023 8:48 pm

So reading between the lines - it's a belt right? Not a chain?

chibaka · Post by **chibaka** » Tue Jun 20, 2023 12:44 am

matsmith749 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 8:48 pm So reading between the lines - it's a belt right? Not a chain?

It's a chain

tonyg · Post by **tonyg** » Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:26 pm

Hi, just taken a photo. As indicated above production date is May 2015 (registration date is 26 June 2015) according to RealOEM.

Trying to confirm whether this is the original or updated design belt/chain. (Still not sure from these photos as people say it changes colour from white to brown?!)

B21 · Post by **B21** » Sat Oct 07, 2023 10:38 pm

Strange..that does look the colour of the old plastics…just wondered if it hasn’t benefited from some oil changes..what’s the vin number ?

tonyg · Post by **tonyg** » Sat Oct 07, 2023 10:52 pm

VIN is WBALL32000J083908

Production Month 05/2015 according to RealOEM.

smorris_12 · Post by **smorris_12** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 9:46 am

That's not stained white, that's the older brown.

One thing of note with BMW dates is that they're not a fully hard cut off as parts and engines sit in the system.

For example, with the swirl flap problems of the M47 diesel there was a manifold update at some point. I bought mine thinking that was job #1 but it turned out my May 04 Touring already had the updates from the factory. However, courtesy of the forums where we collected dates and types, we found the changeover was staggered depending on car. In the far less popular Compact they were still getting the old parts six months after mine.

So, being a low volume thing, it might will be the Z4 engines were getting thru stock ahead of bigger volume sellers.

tonyg · Post by **tonyg** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 10:04 am

Are there others here with a similar production date? If so, would you be prepared to take a pic and post? If I’m affected with this production date, then there must be many others into 2015 who are also affected.

B21 · Post by **B21** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 10:45 am

tonyg wrote: ↑Sat Oct 07, 2023 10:52 pm VIN is WBALL32000J083908

Production Month 05/2015 according to RealOEM.

Does seem strange…the definitive answer is to remove the cam box cover and look at the chain..from what I can see if the cam chain it does look like the thinner earlier chain…

tonyg · Post by **tonyg** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 10:51 am

I'll try to get some better pics to see if that helps. It's done 76k miles so a little worried - anyone know of a recommended place and cost to replace - I'm based near Hertford, just north of London. How feasible would it be to get it done in a half/single day as it's almost impossible to get time off work!
Thank you, Tony

Deepseaskateboard · Post by **Deepseaskateboard** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 8:36 pm

Ballpark cost is about £1000 they also recommend you change the oil pump drive and maybe some other bits too.

You can get some oil O-ring picks and check how loose the chain is through the cap. If there is no play in it, it’s probably ok.

It makes a weird noise if there is an issue.

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