The day has arrived!

[Dr. Z]

I have a replacement lump for the E34!

I shall be prepping tomorrow evening and then fitting it during the day on Monday (day off at long last!) and possibly well into the night if things don't go to plan.

If anyone is in the area and is good mechanically, feel free to pop over to lend a hand / encouragement / make tea :p

[Darrin]

Good luck with it. Just please, please, please remember to put oil and water/antifreeze into their respective places BEFORE hooking up the battery!!

*don't ask me why I needed to say that*

[Burble]

Let's hope the cam chain is better than on the old lump.

[leowyatt]

Good luck mate :D Afraid I can't offer any mechanical assistance :(

[Zirax]

On the point of the chain.... just to be sure, can you buy replacement chains?

[lostkat]

Should be able to. They still need replacing like cam belts, just not nearly so often. Still can't believe your luck Martin. The 200SX had a chain and I remember Leon saying that they hardly ever go and even if they do, you get plenty of warning first (rattling etc.). Hope the weather sorts itself out for you and everything goes well. If you lived considerably nearer, we have an engine hoist you could have borrowed. Good luck :)

[Burble]

Some manufacturers say that a cam chain is a lifetime item that never needs to be replaced. I'm not convinced because chains still stretch. Admittedly they're less likely to snap than a cam belt but has DRZ has unfortunately proved they do still fail.

[Dr. Z]

I wouldn't have been surprised at it failing IF I had had ANY of the usual early warning signs. There was no rattle from the chain, no clunking, nothing to suggest the timing was even slightly off due to the tensioners not doing their job or anything like that. It was THE smoothest M50 lump I have *ever* heard (until it went bang!).

:(

[Darrin]

My Datsun 280Z and my Chevy LUV were the same way. No warning, no noise. Just *clunk* - replace engine.