Mini timing chain question

[AbbeyNormal]

This might a stupid question but i am going to ask it anyway.

The timing change on an n12/n14 engine is a world of pain to change but looking at a couple of youtube videos i was asking myself why is the chain all one piece without some way of linking it up one it had been dropped into place . i.e. so that you only have to take the rocker cover off to change it? Is there an engineering reason for it?

Feel free to laugh but i assumed that all chains could be linked in some way.

[E-bmw]

AbbeyNormal said:

This might a stupid question but i am going to ask it anyway.

Feel free to laugh but i assumed that all chains could be linked in some way.

Not as common as you may think, a great deal, if not the vast majority are "endless".

[pigface1001]

They would snap if they had a "master" link, as it would be the weak "link"

[CarsOrBikes]

you wouldn't want to do that anyway on these because the guide cassette is often broken causing half the known issues

[SlimJim16v]

The sprockets also wear.