BMW N52 Vanos Unit Replacement

[@dapperdan2614]

Great video. Not sure if you have resolved your issue but I’ll tell you what I’m dealing with. I have the N54 in an ‘08 335i and heard that same loud POP but my engine died immediately and wouldn’t start back up so had it towed. When I opened the valve cover I was expecting to see the timing chain in a mangled mess. Much to my surprise the chain was still intact but the chain guide was broken and I’m still picking plastic fragments out. I was already planning to check the cam bearing ledges and swap to teflon. I was also getting the inlet camshaft code and have been theorizing the top of the engine wasn’t getting oil. Thought maybe I snapped the intake camshaft itself. Much to my surprise I found that my exhaust cam and tray was severely damaged. I also think the connectors to the cam sensors were swapped at some point in the vehicles life and the reason I couldn’t get the 2A87 code to go away. I would pull those cams and inspect

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Thanks for the insight! I'll have to remember to check the connectors for the cam sensors. I did fix mine eventually. It was a faulty set of new vanos units. ebay Broke My Car! | E70 N52 Vanos Repair kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGLYaop3q6h5q80

[@samanthasfrugallife]

So glad it started ok! 👌🏻 I was nervous with you 😮

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

I’m glad too. Just wish it was fixed. Ahhh this car.

[@MusaSudy]

hellow

[@MusaSudy]

hellow, my name is mussa and I am from Tanzania. I have encountered the challenge of engine N52 of bmw x3. when you rotate the engine, camshaft all work fine, but the vanos rotates for a while and then the camshaft rotates, then the vanos rotates, what should I do to help you

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

@@MusaSudy Hi, The vanos and the camshaft can move independent of each other without oil pressure. Is this happening when you back the engine up and then rotate clockwise?

[@Nerey1997]

Are the intake and exhaust cam gears identical/interchangeable? They seem to only differ by one number for intake or exhaust.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

They appear to be identical, but I believe have some internal differences. I’m not sure what, but they can’t be switched. The repair manual says damage will occur.

[@Nerey1997]

@@DrivingForwardBuilds I replaced both cam gears but I'm getting a 2A82 code and P0012 code. I replaced both solenoids as well. Code says the camshaft position timing over retarded. I'm thinking I have a bad intake unit. They are Febi Bilstein units.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

@@Nerey1997 I would do the following. Double-check that the sensor wheels are timed correctly. Verify that you have the stem in the oil filter cap, and check the non-return valves for contamination, and that the oil control rings are intact (under the cam cap)? Then swap the cam sensors. If those all check out I would run the car and watch with a scanner to see where the requested position is, and the actual position is.

[@Nerey1997]

@@DrivingForwardBuilds that's my next step is to check the timing. The check valves have been replaced and the oil cap stem is intact. It could be the control rings, not sure. The car drives fine other than a stumble and stall at startup if the oil pressure is low.

[@captbarb6642]

Great video only watched becauce my n52 had the bolt job carried out by the dealer under a recall. Your problem ? You haven't the vanos solenoid feeds crossed it been done before . Is it an oem type oil filter with the cage and orings fitted . Do you have a scope to start measuring signals . But once agian ive learnt alot from your video iam now a subscriber.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Thanks for watching. I did find the problem in a later video. It was actually the cheap vanos units. They were binding when they would heat up. I installed OE units and everything has been working great.

[@SamanthaJarvie]

We are going to figure this out!!!! I mean I’m sure you will 😅 I’m just here to cheer for you!

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Thanks. I’m gonna get it I’m sure.

[@miketurin5233]

Great video. Doing this job soon. Shouldn’t you be able to slide the pin into transmission once both QR codes are on top?

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

In a perfect world yes. But even with both QR codes up there is a few degrees of manipulation possible, especially with age on the timing chain. That being the case I get the cams close, just before tdc then from underneath I rotate the crank, slowly. There is another opening just before the tdc pin that you have to watch out for. Once the pin drops in I go back up top to verify the timing tool drops on. Sometimes, depending on your vanos unit wear you may have to advance one or both cams slightly to line up. But just a little bit.

[@miketurin5233]

Thanks for your reply. It’s a hell of a job and this video really helps. When you turn the engine by hand, should the cams and all belts rotate straight away? I tried turning mine and only saw the vanos to turn but not the cams.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

@@miketurin5233 That depends. The belts yes. The timing chain yes. The cams, maybe. Because they have the ability to advance/retard timing around 60 degrees they may be advanced when you pull the valve cover off. Meaning you'll start turning the crank and they may not move just yet. Especially if the vanos units are worn internally. What I would do is rotate the engine by hand 1-2 revolutions to bottom out the adjusters. Then everything should move together. I wound up doing this job 4 times on this car because the vanos units I installed from Ebay were junk and that took a lot of diag to figure out. A video about that will be coming out later.

[@miketurin5233]

This seems to be a straight forward job but the PIN locking drives me nuts. 😂 My pin locks much later when the QR codes passed the top position and both plates are tilted on the timing tool to the right. How far would you say could I turn the camshafts back so they align with the timing tool? I would say they are half an inch away when looking at the plates. Yours were only a little

[@miketurin5233]

I am also wondering if I really have to lock the flywheel if I already locked the camshafts?

[@angelnoguera1209]

So I bought one from FCP euro for my N51 it says it'll fit but that metal cover doesn't fit on the new one, it sticks out and im not sure if I need a new metal cover for the vanos or? If it's the wrong part since I believe it's for n52 and I have N51 but the fitment checked out that it'll fit

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Are you saying the timing wheel doesnt fit? When you hold it nect to the old one which dimension is different?

[@garrydzugan1963]

Hey mark my bmw 52 had the same codes you had ,it turned out that the serpentine belt broke and got sucked into the crank seal,and it plugged up the oil pickup tube in the oil pan ,because of low oil pressure it was setting off Vanos codes and camshaft codes and more,it also started up like your bmw

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Dang. Were you able to save it after cleaning up the pickup tube?

[@david_yil1224]

What do you do if the vanos intake camshaft is not angled like the vanos exhaust? What should I do my vanos bold broke on the intake side. Now the timing is different. I want to change the timingchain and both vanos but before I have to get the correct timing.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

I'm assuming the you mean the central gear bolt broke, and not the bolts on the rear of the unit. With this situation there is no easy way of going about it. If the motor was rotating when the bolt broke there is a very good chance you have bent valves. If thats the case the head needs to come off and be repaired. But lets pretend your valves are good. What I would do is remove the intake and exhaust cams from where it's timed now. Then you can rotate the motor over with the valves closed and not have any interference. Make sure to support the timing chain so it doesn't jam up on the crank or guides. Then you can set the motor at TDC #1. From there if the timing chain and guide are not damaged you can reinstall the cams and time the motor. Again all of this is assuming there was no valve contact. Once timed I would proceed with a compression test to verify the valve condition.

[@chilledn52]

My 2007 pre “back bolts can back out” and I had to replace my exhaust sprocket (did both) after enough abuse on the engine

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

It's interesting that the recall only covers a limited year range. I've seen and heard stories of this happening like it did to you on all years of the N52.

[@tylerhamilton181]

Does anyone know if there's a difference in the intake and exhaust vanos Phaser? I bought an x3 with exhaust Phaser codes. Pulled the valve cover and both phasers have the same part number which come back as intake phasers.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

The intake and exhaust phaser/vanos units are different(intake-11367583207) (exhaust-11367583208). The impulse wheels are the same.

[@beyondimpossible2308]

Intake & exaust are different

[@gregsmith332]

I highly doubt that you torque the spark plugs to spec, considering that you use a regular ratchet.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

It’s not shown, but I do always use a torque wrench on all my plugs.

[@marksteyn6527]

Hi mark from south africa check the vanos filters or install the vanos plats that was supplied with the vanos set it mite be thiker on the matting service

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Thanks for the feedback. I’ll look into them.

[@adamus0909]

Hello, and what's going on, I bought a whole set of chain and vanos and I will be replacing them.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Nice. My chain didn’t seem to be loose and the guides were in good shape. Perhaps later I’ll replace those too.

[@adamus0909]

@@DrivingForwardBuilds Hello! Have you already solved this problem? After replacing the timing chain and Vanos gears, after starting the engine it ran smoothly and quietly, but as soon as I started it started to wave and it was impossible to drive it, I read the errors and error 2A98 appeared. I replaced the solenoid valves and error 2A87 appeared :( I don't know what to do anymore, do you have any ideas? I will add that before replacing the timing and gears of the Vanos, I had the error 2A82 in the Vanos intake. I cleaned the Vanos filters, they were terribly dirty. After cleaning, no errors disappeared they didn't appear and I drove for a week and everything was fine. Only after replacing the chain and Vanos wheels, such things happen :/ I don't know what to do with it anymore

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

@@adamus0909yes I have fixed it. It turned out the Vanos units I received were faulty. As they warmed up they got tighter and would bind. I ordered new OE units from FCP Euro and they fixed my issue. If you have quality units I would look into other areas first. Did you inspect the cam control oil rings? They are either steel early design or teflon the updated design. You want to make sure the caps aren’t heavily scored as well. The oil filter housing would be next(is the stem and seal there), and if your vanos filters were really bad even an oil flush can help. The vanos/oil system is sensitive to flow.

[@adamus0909]

@@DrivingForwardBuilds Ok, thanks for the info. I thought that maybe the timing had changed, because before replacing the timing, Vanos gears and cleaning the Vanos filters, the car had no errors, only after replacing the timing and Vanos the errors appeared. Do you think the timing could have changed in some way? Everything was adjusted on the locks, etc. The oil filter housing was also replaced, and the vanos solenoid valves were also replaced with oem BMW ones.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

@@adamus0909 Is it possible you have the Vanos solenoid connectors on backward? They are interchangeable and would cause some weird errors. I would hook a scanner up and log the Vanos values. You want to see the requested value and actual value to confirm they are working properly. Then go from there.

[@cameronlaurent]

How many miles on this engine?

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

178k miles.

[@cameronlaurent]

@@DrivingForwardBuilds Thanks. Good detailed videos!

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

Thanks. Appreciate the comment.

[@miketurin5233]

Mine has 75.000 miles and the same issue. This can occur at any time I guess.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

@@miketurin5233 This is true. I've read reports of it happening at all sorts of miles. It does seem unique in this case that these were still original adjusters at 178k. I guess I'm lucky, or unlucky since I just bought this car. lol

[@gbrobynable]

Hi, I need to relplace my VANOS unit on an e60 n52, aluminium head. What do I need.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

The best way to get your parts right is to use RealOem.com to find part numbers, and then order from a reputable site like FCP, Turner, or ESC.

[@foundinscriptureorg]

Vanos filters need to be cleaned out.😊

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

I did that in a previous video. They were actually pretty clean.

[@theoaguilar1941]

Valvetronic Motor.

[@DrivingForwardBuilds]

That’s a good thought.

[@larryjohnson8168]

Ehh it’s probably those cheap vanos units you used