Vanos seals

[Jamturbo]

Hi,

Hope this finds people safe and well.

I am planning on tackling the vanos seals and piston bearings but I understand that the vanos is tricky to remove in the Z4 because of tightness of space.

An option I want to avoid is cutting any bolts. The alternative I believe is loosening the cross member to gain a bit more clearance.

This is my main question - is it difficult to move the cross member?

Thanks

 

[bigwinn]

Hi bud

I found this to be fairly simple with no cutting or removing x-members

Was expecting it to be worse, but I did loosen the bolts holding the cross member in, and with a mate using a pry bar on the front of the block we easily had space to remove the vanos unit

Stuart

 

[patriot66]

Just loosen these 3 bolts at each end of the cross-memberand then get a mate to pull on a long pry bar with the end of it on the water pump centre and levering against the cross-member. This will give you JUST enough room to remove and replace the Vanos unit. Slip a piece of split rubber hose over the edge of the cross-member to protect it

 

[Old-Duckman]

Just loosen these 3 bolts at each end of the cross-member3 crossmember bolts.jpgand then get a mate to pull on a long pry bar with the end of it on the water pump centre and levering against the cross-member. This will give you JUST enough room to remove and replace the Vanos unit. Slip a piece of split rubber hose over the edge of the cross-member to protect it prybar.jpg

Thanks for that photo, I thought it was the bolts running down the sides...appreciate!

 

[Jamturbo]

Thank you for the information. Great advice and pics. It gives me the courage to tackle it whenever the rain stops. It is on a 2004 with 50k but assume that the seals will have deteriorated over time.
Excited to the difference it might make.

 

[Jamturbo]

I have now ordered the full kit from X8R. Working on the basis that I might as well sort inside the pistons too whilst bits and bobs are out.

 

[firebobby]

Sharing tricks like this are what makes this forum great

 

[Jamturbo]

Thanks.

A further question. Is it necessary to remove the fan to access the bolts or can a small ratchet do the job?

Thanks

 

[DMike]

Thanks.

A further question. Is it necessary to remove the fan to access the bolts or can a small ratchet do the job?

Thanks

I’d say yes, remove it for visibility, comfort and safety. The cross member makes things cramped but some bolts can be reached better through the holes in it. Removing and reinstalling the fan takes only a minute or two. I’d also be conserned to bend the cross member with the plastic fan still attached to it. I used a 4ft wooden plank to bend the cross member without any assistance, returns to original shape by itself. Only 5mm or so was needed.

 

[bigwinn]

Agree with Mike deffo for the space it gives you

 

[Jamturbo]

Great thanks. Now to look into fan removal.

 

[domsz4]

Daft question with this but can you not just remove that crossmember given you are loosening it?

Looks like in that pic you’ve dropped the rad out too or is it just the fans

 

[bigwinn]

Crossmember doesn’t come out (if I recall there is welding or similar) but the bolts out does give you flex room to lever

 

[Jamturbo]

All great tips, just need that perfect day which comprises of no work, good weather and no complications. I only worry that the torx bolts holding the vanos don't break. Heard of a few mishaps but hope it is not common.

 

[domsz4]

Crossmember doesn’t come out (if I recall there is welding or similar) but the bolts out does give you flex room to lever

Fair enough. I remember trying to do mine and getting stuck at some bit that needed bent pliers ... not tried since

 

[Joez4]

Reviving an old thread, I've just taken my vanos off my car, I found that the unit nearly cleared the studs without even attempting any of the processes mentioned in this thread and elsewhere, my engine is a 2.2 not sure if that makes any difference.

I undid the driver side engine mount and jacked the engine up a bit and I managed to get the vanos out, i didn't go anywhere near as high as you have to go to remove the water pump so if you've replaced a water pump then the vanos is straightforward.

On inspection of my vanos seals, the amount of play with the pistons was crazy I'm surprised I haven't had any vanos related codes or any rough running that I'm aware of.

Is there anything I should do to the car before the first test fire like reset adaptations, etc?

 

[enuff_zed]

If you can reset the adaptations then the DME will learn a lot quicker. If not it doesn’t matter too much but it may be a rough idle for a minute or two.
Regardless it will take 100 miles or so for it all to settle in properly.

 

[Joez4]

Can anyone recommend a torque wrench that definitively torques left hand thread bolts?

Just found out that mine does not and tightening those bolts with a normal wrench just feels to risky for me, I even tried using the torque wrench to loosen them to see what torque I've got to and I can't get a click at anything above 6nm not sure if that is even an effective way of doing it but i don't want to tighten them anymore just in case they snap,

 

[enuff_zed]

Can anyone recommend a torque wrench that definitively torques left hand thread bolts?

Just found out that mine does not and tightening those bolts with a normal wrench just feels to risky for me, I even tried using the torque wrench to loosen them to see what torque I've got to and I can't get a click at anything above 6nm not sure if that is even an effective way of doing it but i don't want to tighten them anymore just in case they snap,

Honestly, just give them a little tweak.

 

[Joez4]

So you think the torque is not critical and just do them up tight within reason?