Cam bolts

[Das882]

I’ve just finished checking and reshimming my engine, thankfully everything seem in good order.....3 exhaust and 3 inlet valves were on their lower limit the rest were bang in the middle tollerence. I also checked the cam sprocket bolts for tightness and found that they were 10.9 hex bolts....I was somehow expecting them to be capscrews, are these the original bolts, and what grade were they if they’re not? The white paint is where I had marked the bolts that I’d torqued.

 

[AndyBeech]

If they've got 'P B S 10.9' written on them (which I think yours do), then they should be the originals though they did get updated in 2007 I believe.

 

[Das882]

If they've got 'P B S 10.9' written on them (which I think yours do), then they should be the originals though they did get updated in 2007 I believe.

I’ve just checked and they do indeed have PBS on them, when I saw the 10.9 grade bolts and not the weaker 8.8 I wrongly assumed that they maybe had been upgraded. So are the likes of Besian using 12.9 bolts for their upgrade kits?

 

[AndyBeech]

If they've got 'P B S 10.9' written on them (which I think yours do), then they should be the originals though they did get updated in 2007 I believe.

I’ve just checked and they do indeed have PBS on them, when I saw the 10.9 grade bolts and not the weaker 8.8 I wrongly assumed that they maybe had been upgraded. So are the likes of Besian using 12.9 bolts for their upgrade kits?

Think it's the sprocket sleeve bolts your thinking of (which are the TORX type), they are generally the issue with loosening etc and there is an upgraded set available from BMW which Besian etc. recommend.

The upgraded cam bolts are still 10.9 from BMW but they were upgraded as well in 2007 and that's what I had replaced as they are only about £8 so worth it (if your doing a rebuild) though they are less troublesome I believe.
All available from BMW and is what Besian / Hack use in a rebuild.

 

[Beedub]

i need to whip the cam cover off mine to double check, I'm pretty sure i have the ones that fail.

 

[Das882]

My Cam cover gasket set came today which I fitted along with new plugs and coil packs. Maybe it’s the Placebo effect but I’m positive the engine idles much quieter!!, which kind of surprises me as the clearances were on the lower limit.
Dave.

 

[srhutch]

Are you doing your own servicing from now on?

 

[Das882]

Yes, I’m doing my own servicing, I’m a trained mechanic, most of my work during the past 30 + Years Offshore has been involved in the maintenance and repair of Gas Compressors, Pumps etc. ... basically all types of rotating equipment, The S54 engine is not that different to what I’m used to.....it’s just a case of being methodical and using best engineering practices. I’m sure I take more care than some mechanics either independent or even BMW who rarely see these engines. I’m fully aware that some people will ridicule the fact that the service history will be incomplete so to that end I will probably take the car to an Indie to have them re-check the valve clearances and have that so called important stamp.

 

[Beedub]

Yes, I’m doing my own servicing, I’m a trained mechanic, most of my work during the past 30 + Years Offshore has been involved in the maintenance and repair of Gas Compressors, Pumps etc. ... basically all types of rotating equipment, The S54 engine is not that different to what I’m used to.....it’s just a case of being methodical and using best engineering practices. I’m sure I take more care than some mechanics either independent or even BMW who rarely see these engines. I’m fully aware that some people will ridicule the fact that the service history will be incomplete so to that end I will probably take the car to an Indie to have them re-check the valve clearances and have that so called important stamp.

Well done!! don't forget to take pics of what your doing to add to the service file, still get your stamps for the additional check if you want to keep the service book stamped up.... i do interim VC checks but still service on the normal schedule and feel very pleased with the additional security of my own thorough checks on things.

 

[srhutch]

Yes, I’m doing my own servicing, I’m a trained mechanic, most of my work during the past 30 + Years Offshore has been involved in the maintenance and repair of Gas Compressors, Pumps etc. ... basically all types of rotating equipment, The S54 engine is not that different to what I’m used to.....it’s just a case of being methodical and using best engineering practices. I’m sure I take more care than some mechanics either independent or even BMW who rarely see these engines. I’m fully aware that some people will ridicule the fact that the service history will be incomplete so to that end I will probably take the car to an Indie to have them re-check the valve clearances and have that so called important stamp.

I’m with you. Just crazy that we have to get the book stamped when we’d do a better job on our own cars than most mechanics.

 

[Das882]

Thanks guys, nice to have some positive feedback
Next on the list of jobs to do in the New Year.....I’m off to France for 3 months, will be an overhaul of the Vanos and upgrade the Cam bolts. There does not appear to be much room between the front of the engine and the front panel to pull the Vanos....perhaps those of you who who have done this can enlighten me?
Regards
Dave.

 

[Beedub]

Thanks guys, nice to have some positive feedback
Next on the list of jobs to do in the New Year.....I’m off to France for 3 months, will be an overhaul of the Vanos and upgrade the Cam bolts. There does not appear to be much room between the front of the engine and the front panel to pull the Vanos....perhaps those of you who who have done this can enlighten me?
Regards
Dave.

i think their is just enough room to pull the vanos, funnily enough i will be pulling mine this winter as i want to add a redrilled pump disc with the smaller engagement holes so the exhaust tabs are getting bashed to hell..... BMW leave too much play between these parts! While its off ill do the usual vanos over-hall updates. The parts for the vanos are not cheap.

 

[Das882]

Thanks guys, nice to have some positive feedback
Next on the list of jobs to do in the New Year.....I’m off to France for 3 months, will be an overhaul of the Vanos and upgrade the Cam bolts. There does not appear to be much room between the front of the engine and the front panel to pull the Vanos....perhaps those of you who who have done this can enlighten me?
Regards
Dave.

i think their is just enough room to pull the vanos, funnily enough i will be pulling mine this winter as i want to add a redrilled pump disc with the smaller engagement holes so the exhaust tabs are getting bashed to hell..... BMW leave too much play between these parts! While its off ill do the usual vanos over-hall updates.

I for one will be following your progress with interest, there must be enough room to pull the Vanos forward......it’s a pity that the panel doesn’t unbolt as it would have made life much easier, for sure the parts are expensive especially the modified oil pump drive (just to drill 2 holes) !!!

 

[Mangozac]

i think their is just enough room to pull the vanos, funnily enough i will be pulling mine this winter as i want to add a redrilled pump disc with the smaller engagement holes so the exhaust tabs are getting bashed to hell..... BMW leave too much play between these parts! While its off ill do the usual vanos over-hall updates. The parts for the vanos are not cheap.

While it certainly helps, redrilling the pump disc is still only a band-aid solution. A BMW tech friend of mine did it to his and 25k kms later it's developing play again. The only permanent solution is to upgrade the hub to an improved model like the Turbotoys one.

 

[Beedub]

i think their is just enough room to pull the vanos, funnily enough i will be pulling mine this winter as i want to add a redrilled pump disc with the smaller engagement holes so the exhaust tabs are getting bashed to hell..... BMW leave too much play between these parts! While its off ill do the usual vanos over-hall updates. The parts for the vanos are not cheap.

While it certainly helps, redrilling the pump disc is still only a band-aid solution. A BMW tech friend of mine did it to his and 25k kms later it's developing play again. The only permanent solution is to upgrade the hub to an improved model like the Turbotoys one.

i think calling it a band aid solution is somewhat unfair, their have been 100s of thousands of s54 units produced, how many have actually had the vanos exhaust tabs fail even in the bone stock config? 2000?? 3000?? the failure rate is actually acceptable, HOWEVER, how many have i seen in the UK thats failed??? less than 100 easily. i believe the failure rate would be much less without the play between the male and female parts in this case.

the turbo toys hub, seems like a great solution BUT... how are they balanced?? with the two pieces welded together like that how many have failed? ( and yes their have been afew of these fail too and its a seriously beefy looking piece!)

i would like to see someone produce a one piece item like o.e but beefed up like turbo toy, the key being one piece!

 

[Mangozac]

i think calling it a band aid solution is somewhat unfair, their have been 100s of thousands of s54 units produced, how many have actually had the vanos exhaust tabs fail even in the bone stock config? 2000?? 3000?? the failure rate is actually acceptable, HOWEVER, how many have i seen in the UK thats failed??? less than 100 easily. i believe the failure rate would be much less without the play between the male and female parts in this case.

the turbo toys hub, seems like a great solution BUT... how are they balanced?? with the two pieces welded together like that how many have failed? ( and yes their have been afew of these fail too and its a seriously beefy looking piece!)

i would like to see someone produce a one piece item like o.e but beefed up like turbo toy, the key being one piece!

I've heard plenty to suggest that the hole size isn't the only contributing factor. Like I said, redrilling certainly helps but still isn't a 100% solution, hence my "band-aid" comment.

I've not heard of any of the TT hubs failing yet. IIRC there were several iterations of the Beisan Cryo treated hubs and I don't remember if they reached a point of acceptable reliability. I can't answer your questions regarding balance and reliability, but people doing massive horsepower S54 builds are confident with them. The other big benefit of the TT design is that if a tab does shear the additional material on the hub ensures that the broken tab stays captive in the pump disc so there's no risk of it jamming in the timing chain.