Vanos bad or setup wrong - need help.

RedTRex · 12-16-2009, 05:31 PM

Hi All,
New to this forum, but not BMWs (my current garage has a 2008 135i and a 187 325ic with M50 swap and I have owned about 10 over the years.

Anyway, I have a 99 323i with a M52TU (dual Vanos), bought with a blown headgasket (overheat?), I had the head rebuilt and sourced a new shortblock since the headbolts kept pulling threads.
I took pictures during dis-assembly and when I reassembled the VANOS, I set the gears and all on the wear marks and per the pictures I used on teardown. Cams were set perfect, but when I rotated the crank through the cams moved on the VANOS stuff and I assumed once the engine ran and oil got up there it would sort itself out.
So, the engine runs, seems to idle just fine, air pump runs for a couple of minutes and then quites. in neutral engine seems to rev okay, but in gear it responds very very very slowly until about 4k rpm , then takes of like a banshee.
I am confident it has something to do with the cams advanced too much or not enough. However, I have no experience with VANOS so I do not know how to troubleshoot, or do I know if I even set it up correctly - although must be close as engine does run.
ohhhh - when running gives me a code of CAM posit sensor bank 1 bad, so I ordered and replaced Intake cam sensor - no change in performance though.

Well, sorry for being long winded but I thought more info would help you to help me.
Thanks
Rick

mrshelley · 12-17-2009, 08:13 PM

If you don't have the Vanos tools to set the cam timing, you'll never get it right and the car will never run correct.

RedTRex · 12-17-2009, 09:56 PM

Well that was helpful.

mrshelley · 12-17-2009, 11:05 PM

Look here:
http://www.baumtools.com/pdf/bmw_cam-timing.pdf

Purchase #B1160K and #113240.

Then buy this shop manual:
http://www.bentleypublishers.com/bmw...ir-Manual.html

smolck · 01-01-2010, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrshelley

If you don't have the Vanos tools to set the cam timing, you'll never get it right and the car will never run correct.

nevermind

RedTRex · 01-01-2010, 07:03 PM

so I had some discussion with Rajaie after I discovered his site and bought a VANOS seal kit.

I also bought the tool set from eBay, it just came Wed (30 Dec) but I wasn't able to get to the car until today.

Anyway - I am a believer! You cannot set the VANOS up correctly without the Jigs (tools). That is a fact.

My intake cam was 2 teeth retarded. Never would have figured it out with the tool.

I will rebuild the VANOS in the and get the rest back together in the AM.

Sooooo.....Thanks ALL.

bigjae1976 · 01-02-2010, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrshelley

Look here:
http://www.baumtools.com/pdf/bmw_cam-timing.pdf

Purchase #B1160K and #113240.

So how much are these tools? I don't see a price on their site.

RedTRex · 01-02-2010, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

So how much are these tools? I don't see a price on their site.

Here is the same set I bought....it is nicely built.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-C...item5637ecabc5

nikoloza · 02-19-2010, 10:48 AM

After I saw this thraed I'm really confused with that vanos becouse I am going to
get that vanos kit from beisan and replace camshaft position sensors .
Do you still need this tool to
or change the cam sensors and vanos seals needs?

RedTRex · 02-19-2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikoloza

After I saw this thraed I'm really confused with that vanos becouse I am going to
get that vanos kit from beisan and replace camshaft position sensors .
Do you still need this tool to
or change the cam sensors and vanos seals needs?

No - the "tools" are only needed if you mess with the chains/gears......

12-17-2009, 08:13 PM	#2
mrshelley Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 914 My Ride: 2004 330i View My Garage	If you don't have the Vanos tools to set the cam timing, you'll never get it right and the car will never run correct. __________________

12-17-2009, 11:05 PM	#4
mrshelley Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 914 My Ride: 2004 330i View My Garage	Look here: http://www.baumtools.com/pdf/bmw_cam-timing.pdf Purchase #B1160K and #113240. Then buy this shop manual: http://www.bentleypublishers.com/bmw...ir-Manual.html __________________

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12-16-2009, 05:31 PM	#1
RedTRex Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 7 My Ride: 05 330ci ZHP View My Garage	Vanos bad or setup wrong - need help. Hi All, New to this forum, but not BMWs (my current garage has a 2008 135i and a 187 325ic with M50 swap and I have owned about 10 over the years. Anyway, I have a 99 323i with a M52TU (dual Vanos), bought with a blown headgasket (overheat?), I had the head rebuilt and sourced a new shortblock since the headbolts kept pulling threads. I took pictures during dis-assembly and when I reassembled the VANOS, I set the gears and all on the wear marks and per the pictures I used on teardown. Cams were set perfect, but when I rotated the crank through the cams moved on the VANOS stuff and I assumed once the engine ran and oil got up there it would sort itself out. So, the engine runs, seems to idle just fine, air pump runs for a couple of minutes and then quites. in neutral engine seems to rev okay, but in gear it responds very very very slowly until about 4k rpm , then takes of like a banshee. I am confident it has something to do with the cams advanced too much or not enough. However, I have no experience with VANOS so I do not know how to troubleshoot, or do I know if I even set it up correctly - although must be close as engine does run. ohhhh - when running gives me a code of CAM posit sensor bank 1 bad, so I ordered and replaced Intake cam sensor - no change in performance though. Well, sorry for being long winded but I thought more info would help you to help me. Thanks Rick

12-17-2009, 09:56 PM	#3
RedTRex Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 7 My Ride: 05 330ci ZHP View My Garage	Well that was helpful.

01-01-2010, 07:03 PM	#6
RedTRex Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 7 My Ride: 05 330ci ZHP View My Garage	so I had some discussion with Rajaie after I discovered his site and bought a VANOS seal kit. I also bought the tool set from eBay, it just came Wed (30 Dec) but I wasn't able to get to the car until today. Anyway - I am a believer! You cannot set the VANOS up correctly without the Jigs (tools). That is a fact. My intake cam was 2 teeth retarded. Never would have figured it out with the tool. I will rebuild the VANOS in the and get the rest back together in the AM. Sooooo.....Thanks ALL.

02-19-2010, 10:48 AM	#9
nikoloza Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Long island NY Posts: 84 My Ride: 325i View My Garage	After I saw this thraed I'm really confused with that vanos becouse I am going to get that vanos kit from beisan and replace camshaft position sensors . Do you still need this tool to or change the cam sensors and vanos seals needs?