TorqFix

E 30, 36 cylinder head removal M42 — BMW

E 30, 36 cylinder head removal M42 on BMW: 32 steps, engines M42B18. What to remove, in what order, and what to check after.

This page deals with cylinder head removal on the BMW E30 and E36 318is with the M42B18 twin-cam four-cylinder. The recorded steps are brief and focus on the timing side rather than the full strip-down. The water hose and thermostat body come off, the timing cover is removed, and the engine is turned to TDC on cylinder 1. The crankshaft is then blocked and both camshafts locked before the chain guide is loosened and the camshaft gearwheels are dealt with, so the timing is held while the head comes free. Refitting reverses the order, with the cover aligned and the thermostat refitted. What decides the job on this engine is locking the crank and cams at TDC before anything on the chain is disturbed, and keeping them locked until the head is back on.

32 steps 1 engine code

🧭 Before you start

Disconnect the water hose, remove the thermostat body and the cover, and set the engine to TDC for cylinder 1. Block the crankshaft and lock the camshafts, loosen the chain guide and release the camshaft gearwheels. After the head work, refit and align the cover and thermostat; everything else goes back in reverse order of removal.

Fits: platform code 318IS

  • Timing position: the crankshaft or camshaft is set and locked during this job

Don't miss

  • Set cylinder 1 to TDC before locking anything.
  • Lock both crankshaft and camshafts before touching the chain guide or gearwheels.
  • Align the cover correctly on refitting.
  • Before releasing the locks, turn the engine by hand and recheck timing, as general workshop practice.

Written for this job from the workshop steps below · TorqFix editorial.

🔧 Engine codes this applies to

M42B18

📋 Procedure

  1. Disconnect the water hose
  2. Remove the thermostat body
  3. Remove the cover
  4. Turn the crankshaft to TDC for cylinder 1
  5. Block the crankshaft
M42B18? Steps differ between engine variants — check this job against your exact car before you commit to it. Check my car — free →
  1. Lock the camshaft
  2. Lock the camshaft
  3. Lock the crankshaft
  4. Refit the cover
  5. Loosen the chain guide
  6. Align the cover
  7. Refit the thermostat
  8. Further refitting is in the reverse order of removal

Other BMW procedures

Who makes these pages, and how

TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.

The figures on this page come from manufacturer workshop documentation and are shown as they are. The page is assembled automatically from that data — it is not written by an AI. The AI works in the chat, where it answers for your specific car. It writes nothing here.

Variants of the same model differ. Cross-check torque against the factory manual for your engine before final tightening.

Seen a figure that does not match your manual? Write to us — we correct it and note when. support@torqfix.com

The story behind TorqFix →

Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.