BMW E90 3 Series N47 Timing Chain Rattle — 318d 320d
The N47 diesel in E90 318d and 320d develops rear timing chain rattle from cold start as the chain stretches and guides wear. The rear-mounted chain requires gearbox removal to access on most variants, making this an expensive repair at £1,500-3,200. Cold start rattle lasting more than 5 seconds is the diagnostic indicator. Do not drive further — chain jump causes immediate engine destruction.
Repair / Solution
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⚠️ Wrong Diagnosis?
No commonly reported misdiagnoses for this fault yet. If you have replaced a part that did not fix this BMW 3 Series 2007 problem, submit a wrong diagnosis report — it helps other drivers avoid the same costly mistake.
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