S54 Knock problem or just rebuild the engine
 

hello everyone, i have an 02 M3 S54 6SP w/153k. it throws the Vanos code and my mechanic told me $3100 to fix it. at this milage and cost i am thinking it may be better to find a lower milage engine and replace it or i am afraid the cost will too high to rebuild the engine. i love this car and i appreciate if you give me some idea what to do and where i can find these solutions. i live in So California. thanks

Whatttt 3100?!?!? Your mechanic is ripping you a new asshole i got mine replaced with a new vanos from dr. Vanos, all together costed me about 1900...and you also get 400 dollars back when you return your old vanos to them.

Sad news is he has been my mechanic for 15 years. I have been feeling that too. Thanks for the site. Now I have to shop around for labor. My other concern is the car when I got it the engine inside is dirty making me think that the owner did not do proper oil change. But finding a clean used engine is also hard to find. Thanks again.

where are you in so cal?? if youre close to anaheim area go to EAS i get all my work done there, they do such awesome work!! cheapest prices imo.

I live in mission viejo Orange County. Anaheim is ok for me too. Thanks

OP - A dusty engine bay is not concrete evidence of poor service. I will admit, it is easy to be a worry wart about a M3 because there are some well documented issues, and perhaps because we frequent these and other forums a lot, it may just twist the reality of how prevalent one of these issues occurs. If you are concerned about the bearing shells on the big end of the con rod, have a sample of oil analyzed by Blackstone Labs. Many M3 enthusiasts use them, including me. They will tell you the copper conent in your oil and if it registers at a high content, that means the coating on the bearing shell has worn away and the base metal is exposed - now this would be something to worry about, but only after an oil analysis. Any thoughts without hard proof of an oil analysis will only make you turn grey sooner.

True that. My assumption of top rebuild is due to having dirty inside will cause poor oil delivery and causing other issues. So If I am going to spend money fixing a part it maya make sense to fix the entire top. Thanks.