DISA fitting

[enuff_zed]

Hopefully just a quick check.
I've just fitted the X8R DISA upgrade kit to wifey's M54 2.5i.
On removal, I was surprised to see no O-ring seal around the mating face, yet the X8R video clearly shows one.
I have had no evidence of any leaks, no hissing noises, all seems well.
So, thinking someone has been there before me and forgotten to fit it, I have duly fitted the new seal from the kit.
Now, when I come to put it back in place the DISA assembly is sitting slightly proud of the mating face.

Need some feedback really from others who've done this job please.
Is the seal definitely supposed to be there.
Am I supposed to do it up tight enough to pull it all flush or does the seal tend to hold it back slightly.
Thank you.

 

[bigwinn]

Hi bud

On mine, there was no 'o-ring' when I took it off, there was however a good seal from the factory fitting (I presume) which was red in colour and sat in the groove, I'll try to find a pic

When I refitted the new rubber o-ring it sat slightly proud, so when i mated the DISA unit to the intake, it only went back in when doing up the torx- it sits in the inner diameter of the recess if that makes sense?

 

[bigwinn]

dammit I've not got any photos of that I thought I had

Deffo right that yours took effort to re-mate in my opinion-

 

[enuff_zed]

dammit I've not got any photos of that I thought I had

Deffo right that yours took effort to re-mate in my opinion-

That'll do for me mate, as you're being my guinea pig for all these jobs this weekend.
I've tweaked it up as tight as it'll go and I can still see the O-ring seal, squished up tight against the mounting face.
I'm assuming as yours was the same and you've had no trouble with it then that must be ok.

Now on to the VANOS and water pump.
In fact, let me pick your brain again if I can?

To remove the VANOS assembly I have to unbolt the drivers side engine mount and jack it up about an inch. Correct?
Will that movement then give me enough clearance to take the water pump off as well do you think?

 

[bigwinn]

Happy to be the test case!

No issues with my DISA since doing and I just made sure it was nipped up tight!

I didnt do the engine mounting on the VANOS- however I did have it in my back pocket IF I needed clearance, fully expecting it to be needed but was gobsmacked when it came out as follows

I found that to do the vanos, the combination of undoing the crossmember bolts and an assistant achieving leverage at the waterpump area, gave enough mm clearance to avoid the studs. You could 'feel' the flex of the engine front to back was enough to yield...

You going for it this weekend?

 

[enuff_zed]

Happy to be the test case!

No issues with my DISA since doing and I just made sure it was nipped up tight!

I didnt do the engine mounting on the VANOS- however I did have it in my back pocket IF I needed clearance, fully expecting it to be needed but was gobsmacked when it came out as follows

I found that to do the vanos, the combination of undoing the crossmember bolts and an assistant achieving leverage at the waterpump area, gave enough mm clearance to avoid the studs. You could 'feel' the flex of the engine front to back was enough to yield...

You going for it this weekend?

Ah damn! I got it the wrong way round. You have to raise the engine to get the water pump out! Then wonder if it'll be enough to clear the VANOS too.
As I'm doing both together, I think I'll try jacking the engine and get the VANOS off first as that'll give better access to the water pump, I hope.

Yup, doing it all this weekend. Got the DISA off after work yesterday and overhauled that. Popped it back on a couple of hours back and just those 'simple' two items at the front to do now.

 

[bigwinn]

Righto- stood by on mobile if you need any assistance chief!

Go for it!!

IIRC the engine mount (for water pump) is a up/down sort of movement and the crossmember/levering is front to back movement- although if you are truly in a corner it will make a difference!

Good luck

 

[colb]

Realoem parts site has picture of the Disa unit the only seal/gasket shown is the red coloured rubber seal around the joint face of the unit. That should seal in the round opening when the unit is put back on the intake manifold.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT32-EUR-07-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_25i&diagId=11_2879

 

[rdgreen]

From the X8R website. Step #8 shows the original 'O' ring (the one that wasn't there on yours) being replaced by the new one. Granted it's still not perfectly clear.....when I pull mine apart (hopefully today) I will let you know.

https://www.x8r.co.uk/ebay_x8r/instructionspdf/Bmw-DISA-Valve-Unit-Rattle-Repair-Fix-Kit-Rattling.pdf

 

[rdgreen]

Hmmmmm. You were right....there is no 'O' ring originally so not sure why they have included one to replace one that wasn't there in the first place. :? However there is a chamfer in the intake manifold, so even though I was tempted to leave it out, it seems to seal up ok without distorting the Disa body.

 

[DMike]

I’ve been checking and cleaning my DISA every year at the same time as the air filter is changed - a routine that takes only a couple of minutes. Since reading about the O-ring last year I took some pictures and oem (I’m 1st owner) there’s only the orange seal ring. My X8R kit is still in the mail and can’t compare the seals, but here’s oem:



For the record, the orange seal for the flap has this peculiar notch that looks like a piece is missing - but on closer inspection is by design.

 

[DMike]

By looking at the the design of the seals that go around the DISA flap frame it seems inevitable that adding an extra O-seal at the base (X) will cause air leaks elsewhere (Y and Z on the image).

 

[enuff_zed]

Thanks for all the input.
Well now I'm in a quandary to be honest.
I put it back together with the seal and it has pulled up perfectly tight and looks like half that seal is in the recess now. I'll see how it goes.[ref]bigwinn[/ref] has fitted the seal and reports no issues. I'll report back if it doesn't work like that for me.

 

[Bmwforachange]

I bought the xr8 kit, removed the original orange factory seal and replaced it with the black seal supplied. It fitted back together well and I've had no problems with it. Cheers mark

 

[ARCS]

I bought the xr8 kit, removed the original orange factory seal and replaced it with the black seal supplied. It fitted back together well and I've had no problems with it. Cheers mark

+2

done the same with mine and not had any issues.

 

[rdgreen]

I have had a longer, closer look at the way it seals and realised that the extra 'O' ring is going to cause more problems than it may potentially fix, in that because the DISA mounting face now sits slightly proud of the intake manifold face (about 1-2mm) it may cause the face to distort when the bolts lock it down as enuff_zedd mentioned in the original post. This can't be good, and is poor engineering, so I will be removing the 'O' ring today and replacing with suitable RTV sealant...if in fact it needs anything at all. The instructions are misleading as they tell you to remove the existing seal (and that can only mean the orange seal...there aren't any others) which appears to be moulded into the DISA, and isn't a removable part as such, and the pictures quite clearly show the seal being used in addition too, not in place of, the old seal. Confused now?

 

[enuff_zed]

I have had a longer, closer look at the way it seals and realised that the extra 'O' ring is going to cause more problems than it may potentially fix, in that because the DISA mounting face now sits slightly proud of the intake manifold face (about 1-2mm) it may cause the face to distort when the bolts lock it down as enuff_zedd mentioned in the original post. This can't be good, and is poor engineering, so I will be removing the 'O' ring today and replacing with suitable RTV sealant...if in fact it needs anything at all. The instructions are misleading as they tell you to remove the existing seal (and that can only mean the orange seal...there aren't any others) which appears to be moulded into the DISA, and isn't a removable part as such, and the pictures quite clearly show the seal being used in addition too, not in place of, the old seal. Confused now?

Well I have an idle issue now, so will be taking that seal off to see if that cures it.
The video quite clearly shows them removing an o-ring seal though. Bit odd.