So I've started the Vanos work UPDATED

Congrulations for success! I have this same thing waiting for me in march (hooray..) :rofl:
I am choosing the engine lift/lower method.. i will tell then my story of the job.
Vanos seals indeed give best performance after 200km in city driving when they sit properly.
 
AnttiO said:
Congrulations for success! I have this same thing waiting for me in march (hooray..) :rofl:
I am choosing the engine lift/lower method.. i will tell then my story of the job.
Vanos seals indeed give best performance after 200km in city driving when they sit properly.
Click to expand...

If you check out my post on replacing the water pump (http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=72054&p=1056898&hilit=water+pump#p1056898) you will see I found a very simple way of raising the engine enough using a small standard scissors jack (photos included). This can then all be done with the car on the ground instead of having to jack it up. Hope it may be of help to you.
 
Stratts said:
I started work today building up to replacing the Vanos seals. As I have a whole two weeks off work I figured I would take my time, but nothing prepared me for how much of a ballache this job is. I started at 10am and by 2pm I had given up for the day.
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Hi mate I have 2003 3.0i and it's done 93K so I think I might get mine done before spring next year. I probably wont be doing this myself as i don't have the room or the time really so I would hope that for my mate who is a mechanic this would not be too long a job :D :D

Can you tell me exactly what parts I need to do this or a link to where you ordered your ones from or is it best to get the BMW parts?

Stu :driving:
 
How long it takes is all down to how easy the Vanos unit is to remove, as per my earlier post it's down to how long the studs are and if you're lucky it pulls straight out. I had to lever back the bulkhead a little to get mine out.

Parts-wise, all you need is:

New Vanos seal kit (I got mine from i6 Automotive for £22)
Vanos gasket - BMW part number 11 36 1 433 817 (£5)
Replacement screws x2 - BMW part number 11 36 1 748 745 (£2)
Oil line banjo washers x2 - BMW part number 32 41 1 093 596 (£2)

You must have the following tools (just in case you didn't know this...):
Sockets with varying extensions (I needed about 4 different extensions) as all of the nuts are in differnt places
Angle pliers (90 and 45 degree)
T30 Torx bit
10mm hex bit and/or allen key

I'd budget for a day's work. Good luck, shout if you need any help.
 
Stratts said:
I'd budget for a day's work. Good luck, shout if you need any help.
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A day's work?!? :o
If he's a proper mechanic he'll do it in 3 hours tops...
Removing the vanos is a really simple job if you know how compared to what you're used to if you're a mechanic. With removing the vanos you won't come across rust&bolts that are completely seized up etc. Thàt takes time (exhaust, driveshafts/undercarriage etc). This is straight foreward spannering, no setbacks to be expected. Just be careful not to snap the brittle (hardened) torx screw from the vanos (so use proper tools, a proper torque wrench that can properly torque the small bolts etc)

Midhurstman said:
you will see I found a very simple way of raising the engine enough using a small standard scissors jack (photos included). This can then all be done with the car on the ground instead of having to jack it up. Hope it may be of help to you.
Click to expand...
You don't have to raise the engine, you have to lower it in order for the vanos to clear the studs. So you have to remove the engine mounts (the rubber bobbins). For that you have to remove the nuts on the underside (both intake&exhaust side). The top nuts you can do from within the engine bay (long socket extensions). With the nuts removed, you raise the engine, take the mounts out and then lower it so that the sump sits on the subframe. Then the vanos clears the studs if you remove the left vanos actuator solenoid (spanner 32).
If you follow these steps you have the vanos out in no time. Even the aluminium reinforcement plate on the underside can stay I think; I think you can jack the engine up through the oilplug hatch.
 
Stratts said:
How long it takes is all down to how easy the Vanos unit is to remove, as per my earlier post it's down to how long the studs are and if you're lucky it pulls straight out. I had to lever back the bulkhead a little to get mine out.

Parts-wise, all you need is:

New Vanos seal kit (I got mine from i6 Automotive for £22)
Vanos gasket - BMW part number 11 36 1 433 817 (£5)
Replacement screws x2 - BMW part number 11 36 1 748 745 (£2)
Oil line banjo washers x2 - BMW part number 32 41 1 093 596 (£2)

You must have the following tools (just in case you didn't know this...):
Sockets with varying extensions (I needed about 4 different extensions) as all of the nuts are in differnt places
Angle pliers (90 and 45 degree)
T30 Torx bit
10mm hex bit and/or allen key

I'd budget for a day's work. Good luck, shout if you need any help.
Click to expand...

Hi mate thanks for that I'm going to order my bits ready I think. Sorting DISA out too in the spring so with both of these done it's peace of mind and should notice a nice difference like you did. Mind you it drives and pulls beautifully now but just have to DISA rattle so this job is first and I'll be doing that myself.

I notice on i6 website they do a rattle kit too? My vanos is quiet so I take it their is no need to do these or did you do yours at the same time?
 
Good old Speedy Gonzalez over there... :D

For those of us doing this job on the driveway, it would take most of the day if you're methodical like me. For an experienced mechanic, yes maybe it's a lot quicker. If the OPs mate has never done this job before, it would take a lot longer than 3 hours.

OP - you'll need a rocker cover gasket as well by the way.

I didn't get the anti-rattle kit, it's a lot harder to fit as you need to replace bearings and I don't have the required vice. I think Guido fitted it so he can advise on that bit.
 
Anti rattle is easy, but you definately need the plastic viseliners as they suggest on beisan (you can get them on ebay too), and you definately need an impact gun.

I had no problem opening my vanos pistons with the (cheap air) impact gun (I did need more than 3 hammersblows from the gun, maybe 15 or so), but no damage whatsoever. I did not tighten my vise really hard, I was afraid that I would deform the aluminium piston. Just normal tighten; while the impact gun blows, the piston rotates ever so slightly with each blow, but it will come loose (at least, with my pistons it did, but maybe vanosses differ....)

I do know that some can really struggle with opening the piston, especially on z3's (where the nut is also more shallow I think).
 
Rocker cover gasket from GSF Car Parts is a Victor Reinze one and is £35.

Your can use the old one if it's fairly new, but often you'll damage it taking it off as it will be a little brittle.
 
I think I'll get a new one then. That place is only 10 mins up the road from me so might drive down on Friday

Any excuse for a first blast in 2015 in the Z :driving:
 
Stratts said:
Rocker cover gasket from GSF Car Parts is a Victor Reinze one and is £35.
Click to expand...

GSF have a discount of 20% at the moment so instead of £31 it's just over £26 :D Doesnt say Victor Reinze so not sure if they don't do this one now maybe?
 
I am preparing my car for vanos seal project. Would you like to tell me which is best way to empty enough coolant. I suppose i have to remove lower radiator hose from water pump?
1. Drain all coolant from radiator screw?
2. Just open that connector from bottom rad hose and take that coolant splash, after that clean with water engine bay.. in that way not all coolant have to be replaced?

Or is it really necessary to remove bottom coolant hose from the water pump, for accessing vanos unit.?

Thanks
 
only just caught up on this but the vanos is on a long list of stuff to do (albeit at the bottom). so the only major problem is getting the unit over the studs as IF they are too long it will hit that front bulkhead?

question is why not remove the stud then and thread lock it back in when you refit?
 
domsz4 said:
only just caught up on this but the vanos is on a long list of stuff to do (albeit at the bottom). so the only major problem is getting the unit over the studs as IF they are too long it will hit that front bulkhead?

question is why not remove the stud then and thread lock it back in when you refit?
Click to expand...

That seems to be one solution. Personally i am too scared to drop stud in the inside the engine. Safer option have to be that enginemount / jack option to lower engine enough.
 
AnttiO said:
domsz4 said:
only just caught up on this but the vanos is on a long list of stuff to do (albeit at the bottom). so the only major problem is getting the unit over the studs as IF they are too long it will hit that front bulkhead?

question is why not remove the stud then and thread lock it back in when you refit?
Click to expand...

That seems to be one solution. Personally i am too scared to drop stud in the inside the engine. Safer option have to be that enginemount / jack option to lower engine enough.
Click to expand...

funny! i see lowering the engine like that as a more risky option for me.... more likely to go wrong :D. it didn't look like that was over the engine itself more just down the front of it (or am i back to front the orientation)

i see from the photos that BMW didn't use studs that have a handy torX head.... would have been nice.
 
Here http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=394732 somebody used a crowbar to get more room.
Not sure if it's safe to water pump?
 
I am little bit cautious for that method. It might work .. but as GuidoK wrote it is not big deal lower engine little bit, then you have enough room to remove vanos unit.
But we see when i attempt it what happens..
 
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