BMW M2 Forum - View Single Post - Malo industries crank seal plate/crank seal guard

F87source · 03-12-2021, 04:01 PM

Credit: F87source

Abstract:

This is going to be a really long article covering not only the review of the Malo industries crank seal plate and why I believe it is the best option available, but also covering the issue of how serpentine belt slippage or failure occurs, what happens when a belt fails, and why a crank seal plate like this is so important.

Credits:

Images used in this review are all property of their rightful owners as credited below each image, I am just using them for the purpose of this review but if you (the owner of the image) would like them removed please let me know via pm. Otherwise thanks to the owners (I made sure to credit your online name and link where I found the photo) of the photos, without you this review would be so much more bland.

Index:

1) Quick summary - For those of you who don’t like reading too much

2) Introduction

3) Background - Engine architecture, what causes belt failures that lead to engine failures

4) Solution - And why in my opinion the Malo industries plate is the best plate

5) Brief Installation overview

6) Reserved space for personal installation photos and final thoughts

Quick Summary:

For those of you that do not like reading pages of text I will do my best to summarize what I have written, but please feel free to skim along this article and look at images of the product.
1) If oil (common gasket leaks, oil change), fluids (coolant leaks, rain from a vented hood), or debris gets on your serpentine belt it can slip off of the harmonic dampener and get caught behind it and end up being forced into your engine causing catastrophic engine failure. On rare instances belts can break during track use and also end up in your engine. The solution is a crank seal plate and the one I chose and like the most is the Malo industries plate.

2) Made in Canada (at the time of this writing from what I know only 3 plates are made in North America: Malo, Vac/Kies (can have fitment issues due to the ridge), Oxwerkz - not cnc constructed) - meaning good quality and great tolerances which is important because the fitment must be perfect or it will rub against the harmonic dampener and if it is not tight enough around the crank hub the belt fragments can still make it past the plate rendering it useless.

3) CNC from a single piece of billet aluminium meaning the plate is extremely strong which is important because the stresses of a belt break and being forced behind the dampener is immense.

4) Does not have the alignment ridge which may cause fitment issues because it hits the crank seal.

5) Is extremely affordable at ½ the price of many made competitor plates that are also made in North America (Vac/Kies - same plate) and made out of cnc billet aluminum.

6) Extremely robust tab design with alot of supporting material compared to other billet plates, and the mounting holes are circular allowing for easier alignment.

Ok now onto the full review of the plate for those of you that are like me and are hungry for details and indepth information.

Introduction:

As you guys can see by the title I am going to review the malo industries crank seal plate for my 2017 bmw m2 with the n55 engine, but note that this plate is also compatible with the s55 engine, and n54 engine. So for those of you guys with an m2c, m2cs, m3, m3cs, m4, m4cs, m4 gts, m235i, 335i, 435i, and any other car with the engines listed above this plate will fit your car.

Here is the link for these to their site if you would like to purchase a plate: https://maloindustries.com/

Before I get started on this review I would like to extend a big thank you to Malo industries for sponsoring my review, I will however remain as unbiased as possible during this review. Despite them sponsoring me this would have been the crank seal plate I would have bought regardless of the alternative options which should show how much I like this plate vs. all the others.

Note this is a review of the product first, and install will come in the spring/summer time. Fitment on the N55 has been confirmed (by Bavarian magazine and a few N55 owners on the online groups) as well incase you guys were wondering. Note: the only difference between N55’s is the variation of intake, crank shaft, bearings, piston rings, intake placement etc. But the block itself is the same.

Credit: Maloindustries instagram and Bavarian magazine.

Background:

So why should anyone even purchase a crank seal plate? Well to answer that question we must examine the bmw n55 (applicable to the n54 and s55 engines as well) architecture a little bit closer.

Credit: BMW AG m2 technical/training documents

If you take a look at this first image you can see the engine block and the main areas of concern: the oil filter housing, just beneath the engine cover the coolant flange for the head (commonly known as the mickey mouse - here’s the thread I did on that part: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1773412), the serpentine belt, the harmonic dampener, and behind the harmonic dampener the crank seal and crank hub.

Credit: BMW AG m2 ETK

If you look at this image you can see an expanded view of the harmonic dampener and crank hub with its timing sprocket (gear like object), there should also be a second oil pump sprocket there too.

So now with the engine architecture out of the way we can begin to focus on the main issue that can occur with these engines.

Well the first common issues are mainly caused by poor maintenance:

Credit: BMW AG ETK

1) Oil filter housing gasket leaks: This occurs when the oil filter housing gasket (#4 in the above image) starts to crack and leak due to old age and repetitive heat cycling. This allows oil and possibly coolant to leak down the side of the block and onto the serpentine belt.

2) Oil thermostat gasket leak: This occurs when the thermostat gasket (#5 in the above image) starts to crack and leak due to old age and repetitive heat cycling. This allows oil to leak downwards and onto the serpentine belt.

3) Coolant flange leak: This occurs when the coolant flange going to the head cracks and leaks coolant. The coolant will then run downwards and get onto the harmonic dampener and belt. This failure is also due to aging, and heat cycling dry rotting the plastic flange and causing it to fail. Again you can read more on how to prevent this issue in this thread I created last year: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1773412

4) Oil spilled from the oil filter housing lid while performing an oil change: this occurs due to negligence when changing the oil filter during an oil service. Generally the oil filter housing lid is removed too quickly causing oil to spill from the oil filter all over the serpentine belt, you can solve this issue by covering the housing area with towels and removing the filter slowly and away from the belt area.

5) Oil spilled from the oil filter housing lid due to cracks (more on this in my review on the malo industries billet aluminium oil filter housing lid): this occurs again due to the plastic oil filter housing lid to crack over time due to heat cycling and old age. This allows for high pressure oil to spray all over the engine bay and potentially get onto the serpentine belt.

6) Old serpentine belts failing: This occurs again due to old age and repetitive heat cycling of the serpentine belt causing it to get stiff and potentially fail. What most people do not realize is that these new continental belts are made of a new material that does not crack as they get old - so visual indicators are not a means to determine belt health. These belts actually wear thinner (ribs wear down) when being used - like a tire, so the only way to really tell if your belt is wear is with a belt wear tester that continental makes: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-conti-te...ntitester~con/ When speaking to continental they also told me that these belts have a life of 5-6 years before oxidation and heat cycling damages these belts, and then it is recommended to replace the belts. So in conclusion the only way to check your belt is via a belt wear tester, and belts need to be replaced around 50,000 km (imo) or 5-6 years whatever comes first. This is important because most people think the belt only needs to be replaced based on mileage and not time, which is incorrect.

7) Improper belt installation: This can occur if the serpentine belt is installed with parts of the belt sitting off of the pulley ridge or some of the belt ribs not being seated. So when the belt starts moving it can hop off of the pulleys and cause issues.

8) Maybe even a vented hood allowing rain onto the belt causing slippage: This is an unproven claim but it could be possible that a vented hood allows rain, or detergent (during a car wash) to get onto the belt and cause slippage.

But as you can see in the above points what generally happens is the belt slips off of the harmonic dampener, due to slippery fluids getting onto the belt or belt failure or improper install. This causes the belt to slip backwards (towards the engine block) off of the dampener because the front edge of the dampener is higher than the rear (as seen in the image below) so it forces the belt to go off backwards. This means the belt is wedged between the dampener and the engine block and the rotating motion sucks the belt downwards and pushes in past the crank seal and crank hub (image below as well). This then causes the belt to be sliced up by the timing and oil pump sprockets sending belt fragments into the oil pan and potentially clogging up the oil pump pick up causing catastrophic engine failure. Parts of the belt can also be sucked up to the head via the timing chain and end up damaging components there as well. This all results in serious engine damage (if the engine is not stopped immediately after belt failure) and expensive repairs.

Credit: ECS tuning: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...r/11237573655/

Credit: EAS from this thread: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1624017

The next issue is more related to extreme use cases like hard track days or drag strip races, this can cause extreme stress on the belts from: the engine accelerating to 7k rpm + (and since the belt is attached to the dampener which is attached to the crank it also has to spin that fast) which also forces the belt to spin up and have to drive all the components (ac compressor, alternator) attached to the belt putting alot of load on it because it has to speed up objects with alot of inertia. Frequent downshifts also cause a rapid increase in belt speed and again all the objects it must drive putting alot of strain on the belt, and the heat from being sandwiched next to the engine block and radiators does stress out the belt material. All this stress can cause belt failures (especially on old belts), albeit rare this phenomenon can occur for instance these track used cars:

1) https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1624017
2) https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1506045

As you can see their belts failed on the track or from picking up debris which could have been from the track, however these cars had low mileage showing that sometimes these belts can fail due to reasons other than poor maintenance. Either way when the belt fails the same thing occurs as if the belt failed due to improper maintenance, which is the belt still gets sucked in past the front crank seal causing catastrophic engine failure or expensive repairs.

Solution:

So you may be asking how do we prevent this issue from occurring? Common knowledge says to properly maintain your car by replacing belts and seals before leaks and failures can cause this issue. I myself thought that was the way to go as well, until I saw there was a chance for these belts to fail on track (even worse it occurred on an m2) which means despite good maintenance habits this issue can still occur.

So we are still left looking for a fool proof solution, and this is where I introduce the malo industries crank seal plate.

Credit: f87source

Credit: f87source (note this is the instructions for the RHD cars because malo accidentally sent me the wrong one, but when the mention the left bolt it means the left bolt when looking at the crank hub straight on).

So this is the malo industries solution to the serpentine belt being sucked into the engine. The kit comes with 2 stainless steel bolts to replace the factory bolts, stainless steel washers, blue loctite, and a nice CNC aluminium crank seal plate. The finish I chose was the standard machined finished, but they also offer a tumbled finish too, and they might be offering different anodized colors as well according to images on their instagram but I am unsure about that.

You may ask what makes me like this plate so much more than any other plate, so let me elaborate:

1) This plate was made in Canada (if I’m not mistaken this is one of only 3 plates made in North America - Kies/Vac (they’re the same plate), Oxwekz, and the malo industries plate and it is the cheapest one of the bunch)! This means supporting local small businesses especially in North America. The quality control is also much much better having it be made in Canada compared to made in China (don’t even get me started about the amount of stuff I got from US vendors but were made in China that does not fit properly). The customer service (I’ve been talking to them for awhile and they were quick to reply via instagram and patiently answered all of my questions) is also leaps and bounds better than other Bmw vendors and Chinese companies (again don’t get me started about aliexpress garbage, but lets just say I bought a carbon front lip that came damaged and they wouldn’t offer me a full refund unless I sent them the lip back which would have costed more than the lip was worth - the whole communication process also took 2 fricken weeks). Finally shipping was quick too, being shipped from BC and not dropped shipped from overseas.

2) This crank seal plate is made from a block of billet aluminium on a Mazak 3-axis CNC mill. This means that the plate is made from a single piece without welds so the tabs are extremely strong compared to cheap ebay plates and some brand name plates like oxwerkz iirc with welded tabs. The particular CNC machine in use allows for tolerances that are extremely tight meaning perfect fitment, and a gap that is as small as possible around the crank hub meaning better protection. This cannot be said about those cheap ebay plates that have hand welded tabs that are flimsy and offer questionable tolerances. Overall the plate is extremely strong when held in the hand (no flex in the plate or the tabs), and there are no rough spots. This overall is good news because when a belt failure occurs and it is being shoved up against the crank seal plate there is alot of force involved and you need the plate to be strong.

Here are some images of a cheap ebay plate that has failed because of the weak construction:

Credit: Slow335is post#12 (https://www.sp oolstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917 )

Credit: Slow335is post#12 (https://www.sp oolstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917 )

3) The price is extremely reasonable compared to other CNC plates like VAC and Kies (over 50% cheaper), and equal to those cheap welded tab plates found on ebay.

4) The tabs are round allowing for easier alignment of the plate with the face of the block. Also the tabs on the malo plate have alot of material connecting it to the plate portion (the only billet cnc plate matching it is vac/kies but it is 2-3x more expensive and has potential fitment issues) and since it is made of a single piece of aluminum due to the cnc process it is extremely strong.

5) No protrusion on the back, this is a slightly controversial one because on some very rare instances N55 and S55 engines can have a flush crank seal or seals that are not recessed far enough, this means the crank seal plates with the guide ring that aligns the plate will not fit. So I personally prefer to just have a flat plate that way you do not need to pull the harmonic dampener to check if your crank seal is recessed and if it is recessed enough, before making a purchase.

New addition (while writing this review I added this extra part): Also note that there has now been one confirmed case where the seal is recessed but not far back enough causing fitment issues, so even if you pull your dampener to check for a recess it may not be enough. So IMO it is better to buy a plate without a guide ring.

Credit: BMWHoochie post #82 (https://www.spo olstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917)

In this image you can see the small gap between the surface of the block and the plate due to the crank seal hitting the alignment ring.

Credit: BMWHoochie post #82 (https://www.spo olstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917)

In this image you can see the kies motorsports plate (vac manufactured) sitting crooked once one bolt is installed because it was initially sitting too far forwards (due to the crank seal not being recessed far enough back) so the bolt holes do not line up. So when you pull the plate back so the hole does line up it causes the plate to tilt. A slotted bolt hole would fix this issue. However bolt hole alignment is not an issue if the plate sits flush against the block (this area is identical in N54’s, N55’s, and S55’s iirc) which is how every plate is designed to sit or else all the forces of a belt failure will be deflected towards the tabs which may fail. Also if the plate doesn’t sit flush against the block it will hit the harmonic damper as the clearance in that area is extremely tight. So in the instance of a properly installed plate a slotted bolt hole could be a detriment imo as it can cause the plate to be harder to install, create a weaker tab area (as there is less material supporting the bolt) and even possibly move upon belt failure.

6) Stainless bolts: this kit includes stainless steel bolts which is extremely nice to have due to the amount of corrosion you would see in this area on older cars. This will also prevent corrosion from weakening the bolts over time to the point where the bolts could potentially break when the crank seal plate is exposed to high forces - like a belt being forced up against it during belt failure. Also a stronger bolt like a steel grade 12.9 bolt is not necessary in this area because the aluminium threads within the block will likely strip long before the bolt can fail.

7) Loctite: this is pretty cheap to buy alone but a nice touch that it is included so you don’t have to buy a tube if you don’t have any at home. Loctite should be used because bmw’s factory bed plate bolts are torque to yield. The reason why they are torqued and then yielded is to stretch the threads and essentially keep them from easily being backed out due to vibrations. Since you cannot replace the factory bolts without buying an entire bed plate bolt kit, and even if you could they would be too short, and you also cannot torque to yield a stainless steel bolt (unless you like stripping threads so don’t do it) the next best solution to stop bolts from backing out due to vibration is blue loctite. This solution will keep the bolts in place despite vibrations and is also fully removable. When discussing this with Malo they recommend using blue loctite because they have heard reports of other plates moving when bolts were only torqued in, so they decided to include loctite with their kits. Again a nice touch that they didn’t cheap out here - especially on a really affordable kit.

Overall this plate is absolutely fantastic in terms of build quality and included accessories, it was extremely well designed and manufactured.

Installation:

Before beginning the installation I would recommend you have access to ISTA incase you need it for torque specs or double checking how to do install and remove some certain parts that I will not go over indepth. Full disclosure I have not yet installed this plate on my own car, but I have practiced last year (by removing the harmonic dampener) when my car was on jack stands during my GFB DV+ install. Also make sure you have the mechanical ability to do this install, I am not responsible for any damages to your car or property, and I will not be responsible for injuries to you or any other person(s) involved, do this install at your own risk.

First let's discuss the easiest installation method, which is the top down method. This is best shown by Fritz Ramos on youtube:

and it is on a 2 series as well which is more representative of what we will see on an m2.

So for the top down method here is what we would do:
- Remove the driver side strut brace
- Remove the intake
- Use a T60 socket to turn the belt tensioner to relieve pressure on the belt
- Use a drill bit to secure the belt tensioner arm by inserting it into the little hole, this will allow you to let go of the tensioner without it springing back. Becareful on this step as it can be extremely dangerous with the amount of tension this arm has.
- Remove the drive belt, but note the direction the belt is routed (ISTA has the diagram if you need it)
- Use a ratchet that will allow access to the harmonic dampener bolts, Fritz used a ¼” ratchet + ¼” to ⅜” adapter and a socket which allowed the proper reach. Note this may pose a challenge when using a torque wrench because ¼” drive torque wrenches may not be able to reach a high enough torque setting to tighten these bolts, and a ⅜” drive torque wrench with an extension may be too long and hit the fan shroud. So test your torque wrench fitment first before you start removing the harmonic dampener bolts. DO NOT touch the center bolt on the dampener because that will release the crank hub and cause timing to be lost.
- Remove the dampener, there is no orientation despite what other install guides may say. If there was an orientation to the dampener there would be an alignment dowel on the dampener and the crank hub, and it would specify on ISTA. If you are paranoid mark your dampener.
- Remove the 2 bolts on the bed plate with an E Torx socket.
- Check the block area where the screws came out for any burs from the engine being casted, if there are you might need to file it out before installing the plate - check the plate first before you file.
- Place the plate against the block and put a small dab of loctite on the screws and finger tighten the screws in while pressing the plate against the block.
Tighten the bolts to the torque specs and by the pattern malo specifies on their installation guide.
- Reinstall the harmonic dampener (torque it according to ista) and serpentine belt and you are good to go.
- I would also start the engine to verify the dampener doesn’t scrape against the plate as per the advice of the n54 guys who have installed these plates.

This is the second install method, and the one I will be doing - I refer to it as the bottom up method. This is an extremely time consuming method so I don’t really recommend it. Follow ISTA procedures carefully for the below processes pertaining to factory bmw parts:

- Jack up your car
- Remove the front underbody panel (the panel infront of the stiffening plate)
- Remove the driver side strut brace and passenger side strut brace
- Remove the intake
- Remove the turbo outlet, turbo inlet, and intercooler
- Lift up the radiator fan until the support tab hits the coolant hose
Remove the serpentine belt

From here it is the same as the top down method we previously discussed but now you can look through the front grille and see the harmonic dampener bolts.

- Since we lifted the fan shroud a bit we have more room to access the bolts on the harmonic dampener from either the bottom of the car or the top, so remove those bolts and take off the dampener again do not touch the center bolt.
- From the bottom this time remove the bed plate bolts.
- Install the crank seal plate the same way as you would in the above instructions, and according to the malo industries instructions, use the youtube video linked above for reference.
- Now we can torque the plate from the bottom.
- Reinstall all the parts you removed and you are done.
- Again you can start the engine to test if the plate rubs.

Congratulations on bulletproofing another part of your m2! There is more to come!

Tags: Bmw crank seal plate, crank seal guard, bmw n55, s55, n54, m2, m3, m4, m235i, m235ir, 335i, 435i, xdrive, rwd, manual transmission, E series, F series.

03-12-2021, 04:01 PM	#1
F87source Major General 7252 Rep 7,429 Posts Drives: Bmw M2 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: . iTrader: (1)	Malo industries crank seal plate/crank seal guard Credit: F87source Abstract: This is going to be a really long article covering not only the review of the Malo industries crank seal plate and why I believe it is the best option available, but also covering the issue of how serpentine belt slippage or failure occurs, what happens when a belt fails, and why a crank seal plate like this is so important. Credits: Images used in this review are all property of their rightful owners as credited below each image, I am just using them for the purpose of this review but if you (the owner of the image) would like them removed please let me know via pm. Otherwise thanks to the owners (I made sure to credit your online name and link where I found the photo) of the photos, without you this review would be so much more bland. Index: 1) Quick summary - For those of you who don’t like reading too much 2) Introduction 3) Background - Engine architecture, what causes belt failures that lead to engine failures 4) Solution - And why in my opinion the Malo industries plate is the best plate 5) Brief Installation overview 6) Reserved space for personal installation photos and final thoughts Quick Summary: For those of you that do not like reading pages of text I will do my best to summarize what I have written, but please feel free to skim along this article and look at images of the product. 1) If oil (common gasket leaks, oil change), fluids (coolant leaks, rain from a vented hood), or debris gets on your serpentine belt it can slip off of the harmonic dampener and get caught behind it and end up being forced into your engine causing catastrophic engine failure. On rare instances belts can break during track use and also end up in your engine. The solution is a crank seal plate and the one I chose and like the most is the Malo industries plate. 2) Made in Canada (at the time of this writing from what I know only 3 plates are made in North America: Malo, Vac/Kies (can have fitment issues due to the ridge), Oxwerkz - not cnc constructed) - meaning good quality and great tolerances which is important because the fitment must be perfect or it will rub against the harmonic dampener and if it is not tight enough around the crank hub the belt fragments can still make it past the plate rendering it useless. 3) CNC from a single piece of billet aluminium meaning the plate is extremely strong which is important because the stresses of a belt break and being forced behind the dampener is immense. 4) Does not have the alignment ridge which may cause fitment issues because it hits the crank seal. 5) Is extremely affordable at ½ the price of many made competitor plates that are also made in North America (Vac/Kies - same plate) and made out of cnc billet aluminum. 6) Extremely robust tab design with alot of supporting material compared to other billet plates, and the mounting holes are circular allowing for easier alignment. Ok now onto the full review of the plate for those of you that are like me and are hungry for details and indepth information. Introduction: As you guys can see by the title I am going to review the malo industries crank seal plate for my 2017 bmw m2 with the n55 engine, but note that this plate is also compatible with the s55 engine, and n54 engine. So for those of you guys with an m2c, m2cs, m3, m3cs, m4, m4cs, m4 gts, m235i, 335i, 435i, and any other car with the engines listed above this plate will fit your car. Here is the link for these to their site if you would like to purchase a plate: https://maloindustries.com/ Before I get started on this review I would like to extend a big thank you to Malo industries for sponsoring my review, I will however remain as unbiased as possible during this review. Despite them sponsoring me this would have been the crank seal plate I would have bought regardless of the alternative options which should show how much I like this plate vs. all the others. Note this is a review of the product first, and install will come in the spring/summer time. Fitment on the N55 has been confirmed (by Bavarian magazine and a few N55 owners on the online groups) as well incase you guys were wondering. Note: the only difference between N55’s is the variation of intake, crank shaft, bearings, piston rings, intake placement etc. But the block itself is the same. Credit: Maloindustries instagram and Bavarian magazine. Background: So why should anyone even purchase a crank seal plate? Well to answer that question we must examine the bmw n55 (applicable to the n54 and s55 engines as well) architecture a little bit closer. Credit: BMW AG m2 technical/training documents If you take a look at this first image you can see the engine block and the main areas of concern: the oil filter housing, just beneath the engine cover the coolant flange for the head (commonly known as the mickey mouse - here’s the thread I did on that part: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1773412), the serpentine belt, the harmonic dampener, and behind the harmonic dampener the crank seal and crank hub. Credit: BMW AG m2 ETK If you look at this image you can see an expanded view of the harmonic dampener and crank hub with its timing sprocket (gear like object), there should also be a second oil pump sprocket there too. So now with the engine architecture out of the way we can begin to focus on the main issue that can occur with these engines. Well the first common issues are mainly caused by poor maintenance: Credit: BMW AG ETK 1) Oil filter housing gasket leaks: This occurs when the oil filter housing gasket (#4 in the above image) starts to crack and leak due to old age and repetitive heat cycling. This allows oil and possibly coolant to leak down the side of the block and onto the serpentine belt. 2) Oil thermostat gasket leak: This occurs when the thermostat gasket (#5 in the above image) starts to crack and leak due to old age and repetitive heat cycling. This allows oil to leak downwards and onto the serpentine belt. 3) Coolant flange leak: This occurs when the coolant flange going to the head cracks and leaks coolant. The coolant will then run downwards and get onto the harmonic dampener and belt. This failure is also due to aging, and heat cycling dry rotting the plastic flange and causing it to fail. Again you can read more on how to prevent this issue in this thread I created last year: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1773412 4) Oil spilled from the oil filter housing lid while performing an oil change: this occurs due to negligence when changing the oil filter during an oil service. Generally the oil filter housing lid is removed too quickly causing oil to spill from the oil filter all over the serpentine belt, you can solve this issue by covering the housing area with towels and removing the filter slowly and away from the belt area. 5) Oil spilled from the oil filter housing lid due to cracks (more on this in my review on the malo industries billet aluminium oil filter housing lid): this occurs again due to the plastic oil filter housing lid to crack over time due to heat cycling and old age. This allows for high pressure oil to spray all over the engine bay and potentially get onto the serpentine belt. 6) Old serpentine belts failing: This occurs again due to old age and repetitive heat cycling of the serpentine belt causing it to get stiff and potentially fail. What most people do not realize is that these new continental belts are made of a new material that does not crack as they get old - so visual indicators are not a means to determine belt health. These belts actually wear thinner (ribs wear down) when being used - like a tire, so the only way to really tell if your belt is wear is with a belt wear tester that continental makes: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-conti-te...ntitester~con/ When speaking to continental they also told me that these belts have a life of 5-6 years before oxidation and heat cycling damages these belts, and then it is recommended to replace the belts. So in conclusion the only way to check your belt is via a belt wear tester, and belts need to be replaced around 50,000 km (imo) or 5-6 years whatever comes first. This is important because most people think the belt only needs to be replaced based on mileage and not time, which is incorrect. 7) Improper belt installation: This can occur if the serpentine belt is installed with parts of the belt sitting off of the pulley ridge or some of the belt ribs not being seated. So when the belt starts moving it can hop off of the pulleys and cause issues. 8) Maybe even a vented hood allowing rain onto the belt causing slippage: This is an unproven claim but it could be possible that a vented hood allows rain, or detergent (during a car wash) to get onto the belt and cause slippage. But as you can see in the above points what generally happens is the belt slips off of the harmonic dampener, due to slippery fluids getting onto the belt or belt failure or improper install. This causes the belt to slip backwards (towards the engine block) off of the dampener because the front edge of the dampener is higher than the rear (as seen in the image below) so it forces the belt to go off backwards. This means the belt is wedged between the dampener and the engine block and the rotating motion sucks the belt downwards and pushes in past the crank seal and crank hub (image below as well). This then causes the belt to be sliced up by the timing and oil pump sprockets sending belt fragments into the oil pan and potentially clogging up the oil pump pick up causing catastrophic engine failure. Parts of the belt can also be sucked up to the head via the timing chain and end up damaging components there as well. This all results in serious engine damage (if the engine is not stopped immediately after belt failure) and expensive repairs. Credit: ECS tuning: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...r/11237573655/ Credit: EAS from this thread: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1624017 The next issue is more related to extreme use cases like hard track days or drag strip races, this can cause extreme stress on the belts from: the engine accelerating to 7k rpm + (and since the belt is attached to the dampener which is attached to the crank it also has to spin that fast) which also forces the belt to spin up and have to drive all the components (ac compressor, alternator) attached to the belt putting alot of load on it because it has to speed up objects with alot of inertia. Frequent downshifts also cause a rapid increase in belt speed and again all the objects it must drive putting alot of strain on the belt, and the heat from being sandwiched next to the engine block and radiators does stress out the belt material. All this stress can cause belt failures (especially on old belts), albeit rare this phenomenon can occur for instance these track used cars: 1) https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1624017 2) https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1506045 As you can see their belts failed on the track or from picking up debris which could have been from the track, however these cars had low mileage showing that sometimes these belts can fail due to reasons other than poor maintenance. Either way when the belt fails the same thing occurs as if the belt failed due to improper maintenance, which is the belt still gets sucked in past the front crank seal causing catastrophic engine failure or expensive repairs. Solution: So you may be asking how do we prevent this issue from occurring? Common knowledge says to properly maintain your car by replacing belts and seals before leaks and failures can cause this issue. I myself thought that was the way to go as well, until I saw there was a chance for these belts to fail on track (even worse it occurred on an m2) which means despite good maintenance habits this issue can still occur. So we are still left looking for a fool proof solution, and this is where I introduce the malo industries crank seal plate. Credit: f87source Credit: f87source Credit: f87source Credit: f87source (note this is the instructions for the RHD cars because malo accidentally sent me the wrong one, but when the mention the left bolt it means the left bolt when looking at the crank hub straight on). So this is the malo industries solution to the serpentine belt being sucked into the engine. The kit comes with 2 stainless steel bolts to replace the factory bolts, stainless steel washers, blue loctite, and a nice CNC aluminium crank seal plate. The finish I chose was the standard machined finished, but they also offer a tumbled finish too, and they might be offering different anodized colors as well according to images on their instagram but I am unsure about that. You may ask what makes me like this plate so much more than any other plate, so let me elaborate: 1) This plate was made in Canada (if I’m not mistaken this is one of only 3 plates made in North America - Kies/Vac (they’re the same plate), Oxwekz, and the malo industries plate and it is the cheapest one of the bunch)! This means supporting local small businesses especially in North America. The quality control is also much much better having it be made in Canada compared to made in China (don’t even get me started about the amount of stuff I got from US vendors but were made in China that does not fit properly). The customer service (I’ve been talking to them for awhile and they were quick to reply via instagram and patiently answered all of my questions) is also leaps and bounds better than other Bmw vendors and Chinese companies (again don’t get me started about aliexpress garbage, but lets just say I bought a carbon front lip that came damaged and they wouldn’t offer me a full refund unless I sent them the lip back which would have costed more than the lip was worth - the whole communication process also took 2 fricken weeks). Finally shipping was quick too, being shipped from BC and not dropped shipped from overseas. 2) This crank seal plate is made from a block of billet aluminium on a Mazak 3-axis CNC mill. This means that the plate is made from a single piece without welds so the tabs are extremely strong compared to cheap ebay plates and some brand name plates like oxwerkz iirc with welded tabs. The particular CNC machine in use allows for tolerances that are extremely tight meaning perfect fitment, and a gap that is as small as possible around the crank hub meaning better protection. This cannot be said about those cheap ebay plates that have hand welded tabs that are flimsy and offer questionable tolerances. Overall the plate is extremely strong when held in the hand (no flex in the plate or the tabs), and there are no rough spots. This overall is good news because when a belt failure occurs and it is being shoved up against the crank seal plate there is alot of force involved and you need the plate to be strong. Here are some images of a cheap ebay plate that has failed because of the weak construction: Credit: Slow335is post#12 (https://www.sp oolstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917 ) Credit: Slow335is post#12 (https://www.sp oolstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917 ) 3) The price is extremely reasonable compared to other CNC plates like VAC and Kies (over 50% cheaper), and equal to those cheap welded tab plates found on ebay. 4) The tabs are round allowing for easier alignment of the plate with the face of the block. Also the tabs on the malo plate have alot of material connecting it to the plate portion (the only billet cnc plate matching it is vac/kies but it is 2-3x more expensive and has potential fitment issues) and since it is made of a single piece of aluminum due to the cnc process it is extremely strong. 5) No protrusion on the back, this is a slightly controversial one because on some very rare instances N55 and S55 engines can have a flush crank seal or seals that are not recessed far enough, this means the crank seal plates with the guide ring that aligns the plate will not fit. So I personally prefer to just have a flat plate that way you do not need to pull the harmonic dampener to check if your crank seal is recessed and if it is recessed enough, before making a purchase. New addition (while writing this review I added this extra part): Also note that there has now been one confirmed case where the seal is recessed but not far back enough causing fitment issues, so even if you pull your dampener to check for a recess it may not be enough. So IMO it is better to buy a plate without a guide ring. Credit: BMWHoochie post #82 (https://www.spo olstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917) In this image you can see the small gap between the surface of the block and the plate due to the crank seal hitting the alignment ring. Credit: BMWHoochie post #82 (https://www.spo olstreet.c om/threads/who-has-this-crank-seal-protection-plate.5221/page-5#post-108917) In this image you can see the kies motorsports plate (vac manufactured) sitting crooked once one bolt is installed because it was initially sitting too far forwards (due to the crank seal not being recessed far enough back) so the bolt holes do not line up. So when you pull the plate back so the hole does line up it causes the plate to tilt. A slotted bolt hole would fix this issue. However bolt hole alignment is not an issue if the plate sits flush against the block (this area is identical in N54’s, N55’s, and S55’s iirc) which is how every plate is designed to sit or else all the forces of a belt failure will be deflected towards the tabs which may fail. Also if the plate doesn’t sit flush against the block it will hit the harmonic damper as the clearance in that area is extremely tight. So in the instance of a properly installed plate a slotted bolt hole could be a detriment imo as it can cause the plate to be harder to install, create a weaker tab area (as there is less material supporting the bolt) and even possibly move upon belt failure. 6) Stainless bolts: this kit includes stainless steel bolts which is extremely nice to have due to the amount of corrosion you would see in this area on older cars. This will also prevent corrosion from weakening the bolts over time to the point where the bolts could potentially break when the crank seal plate is exposed to high forces - like a belt being forced up against it during belt failure. Also a stronger bolt like a steel grade 12.9 bolt is not necessary in this area because the aluminium threads within the block will likely strip long before the bolt can fail. 7) Loctite: this is pretty cheap to buy alone but a nice touch that it is included so you don’t have to buy a tube if you don’t have any at home. Loctite should be used because bmw’s factory bed plate bolts are torque to yield. The reason why they are torqued and then yielded is to stretch the threads and essentially keep them from easily being backed out due to vibrations. Since you cannot replace the factory bolts without buying an entire bed plate bolt kit, and even if you could they would be too short, and you also cannot torque to yield a stainless steel bolt (unless you like stripping threads so don’t do it) the next best solution to stop bolts from backing out due to vibration is blue loctite. This solution will keep the bolts in place despite vibrations and is also fully removable. When discussing this with Malo they recommend using blue loctite because they have heard reports of other plates moving when bolts were only torqued in, so they decided to include loctite with their kits. Again a nice touch that they didn’t cheap out here - especially on a really affordable kit. Overall this plate is absolutely fantastic in terms of build quality and included accessories, it was extremely well designed and manufactured. Installation: Before beginning the installation I would recommend you have access to ISTA incase you need it for torque specs or double checking how to do install and remove some certain parts that I will not go over indepth. Full disclosure I have not yet installed this plate on my own car, but I have practiced last year (by removing the harmonic dampener) when my car was on jack stands during my GFB DV+ install. Also make sure you have the mechanical ability to do this install, I am not responsible for any damages to your car or property, and I will not be responsible for injuries to you or any other person(s) involved, do this install at your own risk. First let's discuss the easiest installation method, which is the top down method. This is best shown by Fritz Ramos on youtube: and it is on a 2 series as well which is more representative of what we will see on an m2. So for the top down method here is what we would do: - Remove the driver side strut brace - Remove the intake - Use a T60 socket to turn the belt tensioner to relieve pressure on the belt - Use a drill bit to secure the belt tensioner arm by inserting it into the little hole, this will allow you to let go of the tensioner without it springing back. Becareful on this step as it can be extremely dangerous with the amount of tension this arm has. - Remove the drive belt, but note the direction the belt is routed (ISTA has the diagram if you need it) - Use a ratchet that will allow access to the harmonic dampener bolts, Fritz used a ¼” ratchet + ¼” to ⅜” adapter and a socket which allowed the proper reach. Note this may pose a challenge when using a torque wrench because ¼” drive torque wrenches may not be able to reach a high enough torque setting to tighten these bolts, and a ⅜” drive torque wrench with an extension may be too long and hit the fan shroud. So test your torque wrench fitment first before you start removing the harmonic dampener bolts. DO NOT touch the center bolt on the dampener because that will release the crank hub and cause timing to be lost. - Remove the dampener, there is no orientation despite what other install guides may say. If there was an orientation to the dampener there would be an alignment dowel on the dampener and the crank hub, and it would specify on ISTA. If you are paranoid mark your dampener. - Remove the 2 bolts on the bed plate with an E Torx socket. - Check the block area where the screws came out for any burs from the engine being casted, if there are you might need to file it out before installing the plate - check the plate first before you file. - Place the plate against the block and put a small dab of loctite on the screws and finger tighten the screws in while pressing the plate against the block. Tighten the bolts to the torque specs and by the pattern malo specifies on their installation guide. - Reinstall the harmonic dampener (torque it according to ista) and serpentine belt and you are good to go. - I would also start the engine to verify the dampener doesn’t scrape against the plate as per the advice of the n54 guys who have installed these plates. This is the second install method, and the one I will be doing - I refer to it as the bottom up method. This is an extremely time consuming method so I don’t really recommend it. Follow ISTA procedures carefully for the below processes pertaining to factory bmw parts: - Jack up your car - Remove the front underbody panel (the panel infront of the stiffening plate) - Remove the driver side strut brace and passenger side strut brace - Remove the intake - Remove the turbo outlet, turbo inlet, and intercooler - Lift up the radiator fan until the support tab hits the coolant hose Remove the serpentine belt From here it is the same as the top down method we previously discussed but now you can look through the front grille and see the harmonic dampener bolts. - Since we lifted the fan shroud a bit we have more room to access the bolts on the harmonic dampener from either the bottom of the car or the top, so remove those bolts and take off the dampener again do not touch the center bolt. - From the bottom this time remove the bed plate bolts. - Install the crank seal plate the same way as you would in the above instructions, and according to the malo industries instructions, use the youtube video linked above for reference. - Now we can torque the plate from the bottom. - Reinstall all the parts you removed and you are done. - Again you can start the engine to test if the plate rubs. Congratulations on bulletproofing another part of your m2! There is more to come! Tags: Bmw crank seal plate, crank seal guard, bmw n55, s55, n54, m2, m3, m4, m235i, m235ir, 335i, 435i, xdrive, rwd, manual transmission, E series, F series. __________________ Click on the link below to see a compiled list of every review I have ever written: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...2#post30368242 Last edited by F87source; 03-12-2021 at 10:40 PM..
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