A BMW N45 timing chain kit should be selected from the engine fitted to the car and the repair your workshop has diagnosed. A badge such as 116i, 316i or 316Ci is useful background, but it is not a complete parts specification. Before ordering, establish the full engine code, check the VIN against the relevant parts catalogue and agree which components the workshop intends to replace.
RunningRoo lists a four-piece package for specified N45 and N40 applications: one chain, one tensioner and two guides. This guide explains how to turn that short contents list into a useful purchasing decision. It also explains what the list does not establish, including the condition of existing sprockets, any additional sealing materials and the suitability of the package for an individual vehicle.
Start with the RunningRoo BMW N45/N40 timing chain kit and its matching RunningRoo eBay listing. For friendly support from an Australian-operated business, call 0425 890 125. Melbourne local pickup is available in Blackburn by appointment; ask about confirmed stock and fast dispatch arrangements before committing to a workshop date.
The buying question: is a four-piece kit the right repair scope?
Four pieces describe the advertised package, not the total number of parts needed to complete every possible timing repair. The important question is whether the chain, tensioner and guides cover the components your technician has identified for replacement. A workshop may approve that scope, or inspection may show that other components also need attention. Those are different repair decisions and should appear separately on the quotation.
For example, an owner might receive an estimate that says only “timing chain replacement”. Ask the workshop to explain whether that means replacing the chain alone, installing this four-piece package or completing a wider repair. An itemised estimate makes the comparison meaningful. Without one, the price of a small parts package can be mistaken for the cost or scope of the entire job.
The same principle applies when comparing online kits. A package containing additional gears is not automatically a better purchase for your car, and a package with fewer components is not automatically inadequate. The workshop’s findings determine the required scope. Compare equivalent contents after compatibility is established, rather than ranking kits simply by their advertised piece count.
N45, N40 and the limits of a model badge
The RunningRoo listing names N45B16A applications in selected E81, E87, E46 and E90 vehicles, as well as N40 applications in selected E46 models. These are seller catalogue descriptions that help identify a candidate part. They do not replace a VIN-specific check, and the broad years shown on a listing should not be treated as proof for every market or production variation.
Write down the engine code exactly as confirmed by the workshop. If the paperwork says only “BMW 1.6 petrol”, ask for the missing identification before ordering. If the vehicle has had an engine replacement, tell the parts supplier: the VIN describes the original vehicle configuration, while the installed engine also needs to be identified. Preserve both pieces of information in the enquiry.
Likewise, do not extend this page to another BMW engine because the badge, capacity or guide colour looks similar. This article is specifically about the advertised N45/N40 package. Other BMW chain kits should have their own application checks. A clear engine-specific enquiry is more useful than sending several visually similar listings and asking which one “looks right”.
Advertised contents and the questions they answer
The table below follows the written package description on the current RunningRoo product page. It is a purchasing checklist, not a fitting diagram. Confirm the contents of the actual supplied package when ordering, especially if your workshop has specified additional parts or a particular component revision.
| Listed component | Advertised quantity | What to clarify before purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Timing chain | 1 | Match the required chain application to the identified engine |
| Chain tensioner | 1 | Confirm the supplied tensioner is correct for the repair |
| Chain guides | 2 | Compare the required guide assemblies with the package |
| Camshaft or crankshaft gears | Not listed | Ask the workshop whether existing gears are acceptable |
| Additional seals, fasteners or fluids | Not listed | Obtain a separate workshop requirements list |
| Installation tools and service instructions | Not established by the contents list | Confirm the workshop has the appropriate equipment and procedure |
Do not read “not listed” as a statement that every excluded item must be replaced. It means the package description does not establish its inclusion. The workshop should distinguish compulsory replacement items in the applicable procedure from components that can be assessed and retained. That distinction helps avoid both an incomplete order and unnecessary purchases.
A good order confirmation can be brief: identify the vehicle, name the engine, give the product link and ask the supplier to confirm the chain, tensioner and two guides. If your repair estimate includes another component, list it separately. This prevents a broad phrase such as “complete kit” from concealing different expectations between the owner, supplier and installer.
What BMW service information contributes
An archived copy of BMW AG TIS for the N45 chain tensioner warns against starting or cranking the engine with the tensioner removed and specifies renewal of its sealing ring. This demonstrates why the tensioner is not merely an accessory that can be substituted without regard to procedure. The source is BMW service material reproduced by an independent archive, not a current BMW parts approval for this RunningRoo kit. See the BMW TIS chain-tensioner instruction.
The practical purchasing implication is to ask the installer which service information applies to your exact engine and what additional items it requires. This article deliberately does not supply torque settings, timing positions or a shortened installation sequence. Those details must come from the correct workshop procedure, including its linked instructions and any later revisions, rather than from a generic shopping guide.
A technical source and a product listing answer different questions. The former explains service requirements within its stated application; the latter describes what is being sold. Reading both is useful, but neither alone proves that a specific kit will suit a particular car. The final match requires the vehicle identity, the required OE references and the supplier’s confirmation.
Make the diagnosis useful for ordering
Ask the workshop to describe the reason for recommending a timing repair in plain language. A recording of a noise or an owner’s description can help explain the complaint, but the order should follow professional assessment. Keep the original complaint and the technician’s conclusion separate, so an uncertain symptom does not become a definite failed-part claim as the information passes between people.
Useful records include when the concern occurs, the vehicle’s service history, any previous timing work and the written inspection result. If diagnostic trouble codes were recorded, retain their exact wording and numbers rather than translating them into “needs a chain”. Let the technician decide what further checks are necessary under BMW’s procedures. The supplier can help identify parts, but a remote catalogue enquiry is not a substitute for inspection.
For an engine that has already been dismantled, ask the workshop for clear photographs of identifying marks and the components it wants replaced. Avoid cleaning away useful markings or discarding the original parts before the comparison is complete. Photographs support a part-number check; they should not be the sole basis for approving compatibility.
Prepare one clear fitment enquiry
A complete enquiry saves repeated messages and reduces the chance that one person is discussing an N40 while another is assuming an N45. Include the VIN, full engine code, model and build information, any engine-swap history, the OE references supplied by the workshop and the link to this four-piece package. Registration details may help the supplier, but should accompany rather than replace the engine information.
You can write: “Please check the linked N45/N40 four-piece chain kit against my VIN and confirmed engine code. My workshop requires a chain, tensioner and two guides. These are the OE references it has identified. Please confirm the supplied contents, current stock and collection or dispatch options.” Add the actual vehicle details privately when sending the enquiry; there is no need to post your VIN in a public comment.
Use the RunningRoo website product enquiry, check the corresponding eBay item, or phone 0425 890 125. RunningRoo’s Melbourne location makes an agreed Blackburn pickup practical for local customers. Appointment confirmation matters: a local address is not an invitation to arrive without arranging collection.
Compare the complete repair quotation
For this package, a useful quotation separates diagnosis, supplied chain-kit components, any additional parts, labour and final checks. Ask who is supplying each item and who will confirm that it matches the engine. If you purchase the kit yourself, agree that arrangement with the installer before ordering, including the process for inspecting the package when it arrives.
Do not assume a low advertised parts price predicts a low final repair bill. Equally, do not accept an unexplained total when you need to understand what has been authorised. A workshop can identify which work is confirmed, which work is conditional on inspection and how it will obtain approval if the scope changes. This makes the decision easier without inventing a universal repair price.
Check the current terms on the chosen sales channel at purchase. The website and eBay may show different prices, delivery choices or promotions. Compare the actual item and written contents rather than a search-result thumbnail. Keep the order confirmation with the workshop estimate so that the part supplied and the work authorised can be traced together later.
Receiving the kit and arranging the workshop handover
Before the fitting appointment, compare the delivered package with the order confirmation. Check that the expected chain, tensioner and two guides are present, retain the labels and ask the workshop to complete the application comparison before installation. If something is unclear, contact the supplier while the parts are still unused and the packaging remains available.
For Melbourne pickup, confirm the collection time, order reference and the person collecting. For delivery, give a complete address and a contact number through the chosen checkout. Fast dispatch concerns the seller’s handling of a confirmed order; it is not a guarantee of arrival at a particular hour. Ask about the available service if the car occupies a workshop bay or a booking depends on the delivery date.
After the repair, retain the invoice and the workshop’s findings. A useful handover explains what was replaced, whether the final scope differed from the original quotation and what follow-up maintenance the installer recommends for that vehicle. That record is more valuable than a general promise that a replacement chain will last for a particular number of kilometres.
Related RunningRoo video
Watch RunningRoo: Timing Chain Rattle—Wear Symptoms & When to Replace for related general education. The video can help an owner organise questions for a workshop, but it is not an N45/N40 installation instruction and does not establish that the products shown are the same as this four-piece package. Use the confirmed engine and component references to make the purchase decision.
Frequently asked questions
Does this kit fit every BMW 116i or 316i?
No blanket fitment claim is made here. The listing identifies selected N45 and N40 applications, and the vehicle badge alone is insufficient to approve the kit. Send the VIN, confirmed engine code and required OE references to RunningRoo before ordering. Tell the supplier if the engine has been replaced or the car is an import with unusual paperwork.
Are gears included in the four-piece package?
The written contents list specifies one chain, one tensioner and two guides. It does not list replacement gears. Ask your workshop whether its diagnosed repair requires any gears and obtain a separate confirmed quotation for those items if necessary. Do not assume an illustration or the word “kit” adds components that are absent from the written list.
Can I use this guide to install the kit myself?
This is an ordering and repair-planning guide. It does not contain a complete BMW repair procedure, tool list or engine-specific tightening data. Professional installation should follow the correct service information for the identified engine. The archived TIS reference explains one relevant caution; it is not a complete set of fitting instructions.
Should I buy the kit before the workshop diagnoses the car?
It is better to establish the required repair scope first. A premature order may be the wrong application or may omit parts identified during assessment. If the workshop is waiting for parts, ask it to provide a clear list and the necessary engine and OE details so RunningRoo can check the proposed package efficiently.
Is Melbourne pickup available, and can the kit be dispatched?
RunningRoo offers Melbourne local pickup in Blackburn by appointment and support with dispatch options. Contact the team to confirm current availability, the collection arrangement or the handling time for your order. Ask about fast dispatch when timing matters, while allowing separately for the carrier’s delivery service and your workshop’s booking schedule.
Order the right N45/N40 package with confidence
The useful starting point is a confirmed engine identity and an itemised repair scope. Compare that scope with the RunningRoo four-piece BMW chain kit, review the matching eBay listing, and request fitment and stock confirmation. Australian-operated RunningRoo provides friendly support, Melbourne pickup by appointment and fast dispatch options subject to confirmation. Call 0425 890 125 to discuss the parts your workshop has specified.