Chain or Belt? - United Bimmer Community

**LadyJustin** · 09-27-2006, 08:46 AM

Does my 1987 325is have a timing belt or a chain? How can I tell without opening it up? I've been told by a mechanic that I need to have the belt changed on a regular basis ... but I thought I have a chain, and that it's maintenance-free.
I don't always trust what mechanics tell me. They often think I have dumb-blonde syndrome.

witeshark · 09-27-2006, 09:06 AM

The M20 engine is nearly the same as my 89. That has a belt (just changed mine last year)

**celsdogg** · 09-27-2006, 09:44 AM

yeah, its a belt. change it every 60k miles or face our wrath. jk. but you will face a messed up engine if you dont

**TCossuto** · 09-27-2006, 09:57 AM

Right 325is = m20 = belt. My advice is if you care about your car, change it every year, that way you don't even have to think about it. It's very cheap todo, and you can do your valves while your in there.

BMW rates them @ like 60k, what celsdogg said, but I'd change them before 50k. Blown timing belt pretty much means your looking at dropping 500 dollars in, atleast.

**LadyJustin** · 09-27-2006, 11:49 AM

I'm just learning about this particular car.
And I think it's official I may be suffering from dumb blonde syndrome.

**Dudesky** · 09-27-2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyJustin

And I think it's official I may be suffering from dumb blonde syndrome.

How do you figure? Do you know how to open the hood? Then you don't have dumb blonde syndrome

**LadyJustin** · 09-27-2006, 01:02 PM

Thanks for the encouragement. Sometimes I get frustrated that I don't know all of this yet. And yet I keep collecting cars ....

**c1apton** · 09-27-2006, 03:11 PM

Any babe w/4 BMWs can't be a "dumb blonde". If anything you have the "dumb mechanic syndrome" - need to dump the chump.