BMW E46 VANOS DIY INSTRUCTIONAL INFORMATIVE PART 5

[engineeringftw]

Crows foot on a torque wrench will screw up your torque readings. Not much...but it will.

[Nsimy1]

Great videos, very imformal!!! Thanks for taking time to do it. I used them for doing my vanos. A great help, thank you.

[6thgsledge]

Question, near the end of the video you show how to adjust the cam with everything thightened down .At this point, isn't the camshaft physically connected to the chain with the helical gear and gear hub?

Thumbs up on the videos!

[hutch430]

If your engine is making an unusal loud noise around your Vanos, it sometimes indicates loose cam gear bolts. If those bolts shear it will take out your engine. Shame on you, BMW! Although I love my E46 M3 with all it s quirks. I'm fortunate I know how to work on cars. I can't imagine how many customers are and were lied to about this issue. Definitly will never buy another BMW again.

[handoverfest]

Thanks for any suggestions/confirmations.

[handoverfest]

Symptoms:

Just purchased car 2 months ago, 2003 M3 has 39101 miles now, due for an oil change in 300 miles..

Poor guess mileage in my mind, should get like 310 miles on a full tank but am getting 250 miles now

SES light came on, then rough idling started, jumps up and down on idle

also the car rocks side to side on idle

SMG trans, car jerks when slowing down but is fine when giving gas

no noise under the hood or from VANOS

Showing code P0012

car seemed under powered for an M3 in my opinion.

[hutch430]

@handoverfest I had that code a long time back. I relaced the Vanos solenoid. Took care of my problem.

Your might be the same or might be your Intake cmashft position sensor. Although, diagnosing over the net is often hit or miss. Good luck.

[handoverfest]

nice, awesome ending... :)

Thanks for the video, I am trying to learn as I think I am having Vanos issue. I was wondering if you could tell me if the systems on my car would leads to point out the Vanos needs to be worked on or not?

[hutch430]

@handoverfest You can have a bad cam position sensor and throw your Vanos off. There is no way of diagnosing over the net with your problem. Sometimes when the Vanos throws a code it could disapear after a couple of driving cycles, or it can be if the vanos keeps throwing a code, it's usally the Vanos solenoid.

I had no problems with mine. But definitly check your cam gear bolts. I replaced mine with the updated ones from BMW. They are aware of the problem but keeping it hush-hush.

[handoverfest]

@hutch430 thank you for responding. I did clear off the code and started the car back up and the SES light did not came back on. I have driving the car about 30 miles since then and the SES light/code has not returned and the car is running normal. Now from that trouble shooting I have read indicates that it would most likely will be the Solenoid Valve control unit. What do you think..I was thinking of taking it to the dealer and have them run a VANOS test run on it. Is that a good suggestion?.

[handoverfest]

@hutch430 by the way I have not changed the Solenoid valve control yet...I want to be close to 100% sure that it is the problem before changing it....

[handoverfest]

@hutch430 do you think that the BMW dealer will be able to pin point the problem when they ran a VANOS test???

[hutch430]

@handoverfest If your cam bolts are loose it might show up on the Vanos test. But the dealer will want to charge you for replacing a perfectly good working Vanos. I don't trust dealers or BMW. This will be the last BMW I ever buy. With all its little quirks, it's still the best. I'm fortunate I know how to work on cars. I can't imagine how many, many people being lied to and being ripped off.

[handoverfest]

@hutch430, a late update to my problem. My VANOS Solenoid was bad and soon as I replaced it with a rebuild one supplied by Beisan Systems. The problem was fixed and the codes went away on their own in matter of 30 seconds after starting her up. Thanks for your detailed DIY..