VCG replacement planned - anything else I should do?

My '01 325i has about 125k miles on it. Runs great and no complaints or worries.

I'm going to perform the VCG replacement this week while I'm on vacation. While I'm in there doing that...is there anything else I should go ahead and accomplish while I've got it taken apart? Figured if there's anything else I could knock out I might as well do it now while I'm under there.

You could consider doing your vanos seals...

This, however, will make the job take about 2 to 3 times longer than VCG alone.

Let me know if you want any pricing. Black Friday the whole site is setup to give UP To 90% OFF.

This is a job I need to accomplish in 1 morning/afternoon because I can't be without my car for more than a day. I've seen the "how to" video, and I don't suspect it will take much more than a couple hours to do the VCG.

A lot of people consider doing their plugs with the VCG. I personally don't feel like plugs are that difficult to do that doing them with VCG really saves you much effort. But, if yours are due - might as well do them.

If you are doing VCG and VANOS seals plus the plugs hasnt been done. Its a good time to do both, may be add O2 sensors if you want to.
It will take around 4-6 hours if you do the VANOS together with VCG.
Try not to use victor reinz VCG. I changed mine in march and it leaked in August.
Now I put the Elring gasket, hopefully it wont leak.

PS: Use a torque wrench. Do not try to guess the torques on the VC bolts, you will break them. And those studs and capnuts are almost $10 a set from the dealership. You need 15(if you break them all), so careful with them.

Sh*t, I just bought a victor reinz gasket from BMA...

VANOS seals are a good idea, since they're under the valve cover. Spark plugs can be done without taking the valve cover off.

Originally Posted by FenderGuy05

Sh*t, I just bought a victor reinz gasket from BMA...

VANOS seals are a good idea, since they're under the valve cover. Spark plugs can be done without taking the valve cover off.

May be victor reinz rectified the issue. May be it was just a bad batch. However, there were many people experiencing leaky VCG after replacing it with Victor reinz within a couple of months. Includes me too.

Right on the plugs. But since OP is doing it as a PM, he might as well do the plugs and VANOS seals.
I would never want to visit that area of the engine again, so I'd wrap up the plugs and VANOS seals.

But I had to visit the same area 8 times in 6 months due the leaky VCG. Now I can do the VCG in an hour and half.

That sucks...I don't have any leaks, but figure at 100k it's time to just do it preventatively.

Originally Posted by FenderGuy05

That sucks...I don't have any leaks, but figure at 100k it's time to just do it preventatively.

I would not touch VCG if it's not leaking or you are doing VANOS seals. I did VCG and VANOS together because i had a small leak. I just compounded the leak it seems. May be the VC warped, but that is one place I would not recommended going in as a preventive maintenance. Other's have had success, me not so lucky.

There are some items where preventative maintenance could save your ass. VCG is not one of them.

Originally Posted by lab rat

There are some items where preventative maintenance could save your ass. VCG is not one of them.

+1
Dont touch it if you are not leaking.