DISA Repair kit - good or bad ones....

[paullyjay]

I'm thinking about doing some preventative maintenance...Has anyone used any of these kits or can say which kits are good?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-0-DISA-Valve-Intake-Adjuster-Unit-Aluminium-Repair-Kit-11617502275/161027574098

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-BMW-DISA-Valve-Rebuild-Aluminium-Repair-Fix-Kit-Overhaul-M54-3-0-ltr/222256111739

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-DISA-Valve-Rebuild-Aluminium-Repair-Fix-Flap-Kit-Overhaul-M54-2-5/382433191916

Cheers!

 

[Jakg]

I haven't used any, BUT I used the X8R VANOS kit and was impressed with the quality.

I'd go for the cheapest one though and save £20!

EDIT - In fact I wouldn't replace it at all unless it was actually faulty - mine works fine so left alone.

 

[ben g]

I bought and fitted the i6 automotive one years ago. Seems to be doing a fine job I didn't realize anything was wrong with my original disa valve until I removed it. It was stuck almost completely closed. Replaced it with the i6 version and it now works great.

 

[MalNCH]

I'll be doing mine soon and have the X8R one ordered, it looks the best kit.

 

[bz4kev]

I fitted the X8R kit really great quality it was fitted easily and was fitted as a preventative measure as it is a fixed pin so no chance of it falling apart and imploding engine

 

[adam1985]

Just be careful you order the right one iirc the 3.0 engine is different from the smaller engines. the first link is to the one for a 2.5 but the other 2 are for the 3.0

 

[tomrdy]

I used the i6 kit and it's been fine. The kits look almost identical (and probably are bar manufacturing).

Worthwhile job as it's pretty easy. I too didn't notice too much issue until i fixed it. The power and torque once fixed... much more dramatic difference than the VANOS job. The motor just felt tight in the right places 8)

Mine was unknowingly super broken (free spinning flap and loose nuke-pin).

EDIT - In fact I wouldn't replace it at all unless it was actually faulty - mine works fine so left alone.

As what I said above, I would certainly check the DISA due to the scare-stories of the pin falling in and destroying the engine completely. But, at the point with the intake and the DISA out, you might as well replace the known bad parts so you can set and forget.

To note, those stories about the pin falling in and destroying the engine seem 100% plausible in my mind. I basically disassembled the pin and flap with minimal effort and just my fingers.

 

[GuidoK]

To note, those stories about the pin falling in and destroying the engine seem 100% plausible in my mind. I basically disassembled the pin and flap with minimal effort and just my fingers.

I dont know if that's possible.
I think the pin can only fall out in one direction can't it?
And isn't that side blocked up by the structure of the inlet manifold?

Regardless of this, a non working disa is still a non working disa :lol:
But the internal vacuum diaphragm can also fail (so that the vacuum actuator itself doesnt work anymore).
There's also a fix for that but thats quite a difficult job I think.

 

[IAmOrion]

+1 for the X8R version
(https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-BMW-DISA-Valve-Rebuild-Aluminium-Repair-Fix-Kit-Overhaul-M54-3-0-ltr/222256111739)

That's what I used on my 3.0i - really nice quality IMO

Also looks (at least to me) like the higher quality version out of the links you provided too

 

[tomrdy]

I dont know if that's possible.
I think the pin can only fall out in one direction can't it?
And isn't that side blocked up by the structure of the inlet manifold?

Happy to never actually find out the actual answer to this!

 

[ben g]

I dont know if that's possible.
I think the pin can only fall out in one direction can't it?
And isn't that side blocked up by the structure of the inlet manifold?

Happy to never actually find out the actual answer to this!

When I replaced mine. I checked to see how it would be possible for the pin to fall into the engine. On the M54 3.0 at least, it isn't possible. Must be different on other engines. It only becomes loose when removed.

 

[paullyjay]

Thanks everyone for all the replies

I've ordered an X8R kit - perhaps I'll get it fitted this weekend (if it arrives tomorrow) - the weather looks nice!

 

[Jakg]

You've got me rethinking this now

I used the i6 kit and it's been fine. The kits look almost identical (and probably are bar manufacturing).

Worthwhile job as it's pretty easy. I too didn't notice too much issue until i fixed it. The power and torque once fixed... much more dramatic difference than the VANOS job. The motor just felt tight in the right places 8)

Mine was unknowingly super broken (free spinning flap and loose nuke-pin).

EDIT - In fact I wouldn't replace it at all unless it was actually faulty - mine works fine so left alone.

As what I said above, I would certainly check the DISA due to the scare-stories of the pin falling in and destroying the engine completely. But, at the point with the intake and the DISA out, you might as well replace the known bad parts so you can set and forget.

To note, those stories about the pin falling in and destroying the engine seem 100% plausible in my mind. I basically disassembled the pin and flap with minimal effort and just my fingers.

You've got me rethinking this now...

 

[Zoomer]

I6 was fine on my last Z4 . I think they all better than the standard unit

 

[Mike6]

As I understand it, the pin is held in captively so cannot fall out in use. Its when people are removing the unit to check the pin that it can fall out into the intake and when reinstating that the pin can drop out. However I am open to correction as I have still to get round to using the repair kit I purchased last year.

 

[Haggisman]

I used the i6 kit and it's been fine. The kits look almost identical (and probably are bar manufacturing).

Worthwhile job as it's pretty easy. I too didn't notice too much issue until i fixed it. The power and torque once fixed... much more dramatic difference than the VANOS job. The motor just felt tight in the right places 8)

Mine was unknowingly super broken (free spinning flap and loose nuke-pin).

EDIT - In fact I wouldn't replace it at all unless it was actually faulty - mine works fine so left alone.

As what I said above, I would certainly check the DISA due to the scare-stories of the pin falling in and destroying the engine completely. But, at the point with the intake and the DISA out, you might as well replace the known bad parts so you can set and forget.

To note, those stories about the pin falling in and destroying the engine seem 100% plausible in my mind. I basically disassembled the pin and flap with minimal effort and just my fingers.

I was looking at the Dr Vanos key, where did you get the i6 one? Cheers

 

[tomrdy]

When I replaced mine. I checked to see how it would be possible for the pin to fall into the engine. On the M54 3.0 at least, it isn't possible. Must be different on other engines. It only becomes loose when removed.

I can agree with this - that it's the removal/reinstall process that it has a chance of dropping in. I suppose that being the case, if you had a loose pin and never touched it, then nothing will happen (but then you wouldn't be able to repair it).

With that said, I still maintain its highly worthwhile to do the repair, especially before it deteriorates completely (which would then create a risk when you DO go for the repair). From what I found in research, it's almost guaranteed that the original parts will fail eventually.

I was looking at the Dr Vanos key, where did you get the i6 one? Cheers

Picked mine up directly from i6 - https://www.i6automotive.co.uk/bmw-disa-valve-intake-adjuster-unit-aluminium-repair-kit-3-0-only.html

Relatively quick postage from UK to Aus.

 

[Haggisman]

When I replaced mine. I checked to see how it would be possible for the pin to fall into the engine. On the M54 3.0 at least, it isn't possible. Must be different on other engines. It only becomes loose when removed.

I can agree with this - that it's the removal/reinstall process that it has a chance of dropping in. I suppose that being the case, if you had a loose pin and never touched it, then nothing will happen (but then you wouldn't be able to repair it).

With that said, I still maintain its highly worthwhile to do the repair, especially before it deteriorates completely (which would then create a risk when you DO go for the repair). From what I found in research, it's almost guaranteed that the original parts will fail eventually.

I was looking at the Dr Vanos key, where did you get the i6 one? Cheers

Picked mine up directly from i6 - https://www.i6automotive.co.uk/bmw-disa-valve-intake-adjuster-unit-aluminium-repair-kit-3-0-only.html

Relatively quick postage from UK to Aus.

Great, thanks for that.