2.5d camchain tensioner retaining pin

Still haven't replaced my cylinder head gasket. well I have the proper tool at last to lever the tension from the camchain, but am unable to insert a pin in the hole to hold it back. It seems as though the lever does not move far enough as it does release the tension but not actually move much. I must be doing something wrong, but have followed RAVE and mmm..
any advice gratefully received. Thanks

Anyone there ? I cant get the camchain off without this ... Help !!!!:doh:

you've probably seen these pages BMW TIS - 11 12 100 - Removing and installing cylinder head (M51)
it does look like there should be a good few mm of movement before you put the pin in...

Hi Jonbill, thanks I have. There are a few mm movement, and the tension is removed, but the bottom of the lever (I am using the special tool) still seems to cover the hole where I need to put the pin in.
In the link you sent it looks as though the lever rotates around the right hand retaining bolt when this is fully inserted, in RAVE it seems to rotate around the bolt where partially removed - at this point it is thinner. I was hoping this might do the trick, but it does not seem to work that way - there is insufficient leverage using the thinner part of the bolt.
This seems like one of those things that will be easy when you know how to do it the right way
Have you actually managed to do it yourself ?

Hi, no, I've not had the pleasure of doing it myself
looking at the BMW pictures, it seems that the hole where the retaining pin goes is lower than where the tensioner tool goes - but I'm not sure.
to take a different tack - my other car is a Datsun 260z,which also has a cam chain and a popular technique with that when removing the head is to drive a wooden (or plastic) wedge (with a long retaining wire) down between the two sides of the chain to hold it against the tensioner on one side and the timing case on the other side. This stops the tensioner coming out and chain from slipping while the head is off. Do you think there is room to get such a thing in there?

I can find a picture if needed I think.

Thanks. I used a small mirror to see into the inspection hole & locate the actual hole for the retaining pin. Now done. But now I can't get one of the 5 bolts securing the cylinder head to timing cover out. 4 came out easily, the fifth is very tight. The head of the nut is turning but not the bolt. I am going to try some Plusgas & give it a while. Thanks again.

might be worth putting the other 4 back in semi tight while you loosen the 5th if its under any tension.

it snapped off, or rather about the top 1/2" has, the rest is stuck in the head. Actually this may not be so much of a problem as they aren't supposed to be that tight, not like the cylinder head bolts, so if I can't get it out I'll just leave it. BUT now I am having problems getting the head off itself, it seems to be stuck on that bolt. However it is in the corner, so I am going to try to lift the head and turn it around the bolt so hopefully with plenty of Plusgas this will free it.

Yippee, the head is off. The question now is how can I tell if it was really the gasket causing the water pressure ?
The gasket is complete, no gaps or marks that are obvious. However there seems to have been some gasket cement used as there is white at one end and nowhere else. This is only a thin layer, but wondering if this could have been where cylinder pressure was leaking into the water.

So what next. Do I need to find someone who can pressure test the head and also check to see if it needs to be skimmed.

Anyone who has changed their head gasket - what did it look like and how did you decide that it was not the head but the gasket ?

Rather than just put it all back together with new gaskets, in case there is still a problem, how can I tell ?