Thoght on G.A.S DISA Rebuild Kit

Yeah JB weld I know it sounds crazy. But its totally encapsulated between the shaft and the flap it cant get loose. It glues the pieces together and fills any looseness in the shaft to flap interface. If it ever fails its no worse then where you were before the "fix"

Originally Posted by E46Mango

You sure it's a design "deficiency" as opposed to just wear and tear?? At any rate, you will (at most) only need to change this part once in your car's life time. Mine is pushing 11 years old, 130k miles and I've verified it's super tight, noise free, and holds vacuum very well. ///MPR77 had 293k miles on his when he replaced it as PM and even his orginal DISA was still going strong.

What's this deficiency you speak of? In that light, every other part on our cars have a "deficiency."

What's its deficiency? The fact that the DISA can blow up the motor when it fails. That's a very poor design.

Wear and tear failure would a singular failure mode, for example the vacuum failing, so the DISA flaps around but doesn't disintegrate.

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Like I said, you're new here. Sound advice is what I do. Not saying your method was necessarily a bad one, but it isn't good, either. Results are mixed at best. Safe bet is to just replace it. Listen to JFOJ

Seems as though you did to me.

I am curious if it's possible to replace DISA diaphragm. Has anyone tried to take one apart to see what's involved?

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Sorry but this post is so good I must quote it in its entirety. It deserves its own post!

That post isn't good at all. All he was doing is simply naming all the parts that make up the DISA and saying they could break. That's just silly. I could name EVERY part on the ENTIRE car and say how they COULD break. That doesn't mean they are going to. I don't see how the vacuum pot could fail. It's completely encased save for very small hole that's inside mainfold. And if such were true, then EVERY hose under the hood is exposed to the same environment and should therefore fail at the exact same rate.

I fixed and prevented future failure of a part that plagues almost every m54 motor that BMW made. Hence the reason for the rebuild kit. I say that loosely as I've read that yours is fine.

It seems that as a "senior member" of this forum, you should know how to behave like an adult. Your posts from the beginning were irrelevant and negative. I told you that I used this wonderful kit with success and you say, "I would have done such and such." I don't care what you would have done. I'm saying what I did so that if people are on wondering what they will get when ordering this kit, they will know how satisfied I was.

Donalde

Originally Posted by DonaldE

That post isn't good at all. All he was doing is simply naming all the parts that make up the DISA and saying they could break. That's just silly. I could name EVERY part on the ENTIRE car and say how they COULD break. That doesn't mean they are going to. I don't see how the vacuum pot could fail. It's completely encased save for very small hole that's inside mainfold. And if such were true, then EVERY hose under the hood is exposed to the same environment and should therefore fail at the exact same rate.

I fixed and prevented future failure of a part that plagues almost every m54 motor that BMW made. Hence the reason for the rebuild kit. I say that loosely as I've read that yours is fine.

It seems that as a "senior member" of this forum, you should know how to behave like an adult. Your posts from the beginning were irrelevant and negative. I told you that I used this wonderful kit with success and you say, "I would have done such and such." I don't care what you would have done. I'm saying what I did so that if people are on wondering what they will get when ordering this kit, they will know how satisfied I was.

Donalde

The diaphragm can break, there are many documented cases of it happening.

I am sure with any amount of effort something like that can be replaced, however, not sure it would be worth the time and effort.

I have an old DISA floating around here somewhere. I recall that the diaphragm housing is snapped together around it entire perimeter and may be a bit difficult to take apart without damage.

There are some things that you just do not need to spend your time on in my opinion.

Things like water pumps, fuel pumps, DISA, AC compressors, fan motors, wiper motors, MAF's and such are just consumables and if you have a failure you either junkyard some of the items, but most are things you do not want failing on you again and my be labor intensive to replace, so just step up and replace it.

The thing with the DISA removal and installation is easy and it will not likely leave you stranded unless you have a catastrophic failure and rear pin ingestion. If you could get a cheap used DISA, it is easy enough to access, it would be worth the effort to go this route in my opinion. But it is hard to say for sure how good a used DISA may be and how long it may last.

Originally Posted by jfoj

I am sure with any amount of effort something like that can be replaced, however, not sure it would be worth the time and effort.

I have an old DISA floating around here somewhere. I recall that the diaphragm housing is snapped together around it entire perimeter and may be a bit difficult to take apart without damage.

There are some things that you just do not need to spend your time on in my opinion.

Things like water pumps, fuel pumps, DISA, AC compressors, fan motors, wiper motors, MAF's and such are just consumables and if you have a failure you either junkyard some of the items, but most are things you do not want failing on you again and my be labor intensive to replace, so just step up and replace it.

The thing with the DISA removal and installation is easy and it will not likely leave you stranded unless you have a catastrophic failure and rear pin ingestion. If you could get a cheap used DISA, it is easy enough to access, it would be worth the effort to go this route in my opinion. But it is hard to say for sure how good a used DISA may be and how long it may last.

That seems like kind of a big deal. You and Mango just blow it off. So what am I missing?

Originally Posted by jfoj

I am sure with any amount of effort something like that can be replaced, however, not sure it would be worth the time and effort.

I have an old DISA floating around here somewhere. I recall that the diaphragm housing is snapped together around it entire perimeter and may be a bit difficult to take apart without damage.

There are some things that you just do not need to spend your time on in my opinion.

Things like water pumps, fuel pumps, DISA, AC compressors, fan motors, wiper motors, MAF's and such are just consumables and if you have a failure you either junkyard some of the items, but most are things you do not want failing on you again and my be labor intensive to replace, so just step up and replace it.

The thing with the DISA removal and installation is easy and it will not likely leave you stranded unless you have a catastrophic failure and rear pin ingestion. If you could get a cheap used DISA, it is easy enough to access, it would be worth the effort to go this route in my opinion. But it is hard to say for sure how good a used DISA may be and how long it may last.

Well according to prior posts, they last forever considering the amount that senior members have seen go by unaffected. Atleast so I was told a few hours ago. I myself find it fun and informative to fix things myself and to take things apart to see how it was engineered and if it could be improved on to fit my needs. I did just that. I left the parts alone that I felt satisfactory (Vacuum Pot), and replaced the parts I felt that were the opposite. I don't see what is so hard to understand about this.

I do believe that the pin issue is a bit overplayed as I find it hard for that to fall out; however, when removing my DISA, the pin did fall out on it's own. So that could be an actual concern.

The bad DISA I have laying around here had a totally rounded drive arm so the butterfly would spin on the shaft AND the vacuum diaphragm was leaking, not fully blown, however, it would not hold a vacuum.

As I recall it came off a 2003 325xi wagon with about 115k miles on it and this was about 18 months ago.

Since it was a customer car, I was not willing to deal with a "repair". Also if it was my personal car, I would not likely repair the DISA. There was an updated part number for all the DISA's at one point, however, I do not know the details as to what the differences were.

Great that the OP went the GAS route and it worked for you. The pricing has come down slightly from the original pricing. But there were a lot of folks that were sucked in and failed to understand the bigger picture. Then GAS came up with the guarantee that if anything else failed on the DISA you installed a repair kit on withing 5 years, they would credit the repair kit purchase price toward one of their upgraded "gold" DISA's. Many jumped the the conclusion they they would get a replacement DISA withing 5 years without reading the fine print that you would have to spend about $225 more for the GAS "gold" DISA, when you could get an OEM DISA for $175.

Frankly if the original DISA lasted close to 10 years, if I was to install a new OEM DISA now, would I even need to worry about it for the length of time that I may still own the car?? How many on this forum will still be driving our E46 on its 20th anniversary? Who knows, but there are very few things that last forever other than PCB's and DDT!

As for the rear pin ingestion there are 2 issues, the pin falls out when the DISA is removed and the person removing the DISA is unaware the pin fell out and the DISA self destructs and wears the rear of the DISA so bad that then the butterfly valve finally breaks free the DISA pin can either come out with the butterfly valve or will fall out shortly after due to vibration, thermal changes and vehicle cornering. The catastrophic problem does not happen often and I would hope someone would address the noisy valve long before it comes apart, but in the real world, anything is possible!

To the OP, in case you have not read any of the links in my signature, suggest you check them out. You may find some of the info interesting?

Originally Posted by DonaldE

I myself find it fun and informative to fix things myself and to take things apart to see how it was engineered and if it could be improved on to fit my needs.

+1. Spoken like a true engineer. In a few years, you'll be one of our "senior members", trying to pass on advice to new members who like to take things apart to see how they work.

Originally Posted by wildirish317

+1. Spoken like a true engineer. In a few years, you'll be one of our "senior members", trying to pass on advice to new members who like to take things apart to see how they work.

I feel as though I might be.
I truly love this car and the idea of the e46 in general.
I really actually find the successor to be quite ugly.
Thank you for your kind words.
I can assure you though that I will be much less negative and belittling to any member on this board without just cause.

Donalde

P.S. I minored in Automotive Engineering at UTA while obtaining my MEP BA

And I HAVE read through your "solve your codes" thread.

The infamous DISA "Gold" valve from G.A.S... this thing is the bee's knees. I added it as well as a Dr Vanos-rebuilt VANOS unit shortly after acquiring my ZHP earlier this year, as preventative maintenance.

Those mods are fine and dandy--but better on a NEW DISA unit as opposed to rebuilding your old broken down one. Don't think anyone would argue that.

ZHP, as far as the pin, I already quoted Terraphntm as having the best response for that. did you see it??

Oh well, if my original DISA ever fails, I'll just buy a new one and I'll be good for another decade at least.

Originally Posted by E86 FTW

The infamous DISA "Gold" valve from G.A.S... this thing is the bee's knees. I added it as well as a Dr Vanos-rebuilt VANOS unit shortly after acquiring my ZHP earlier this year, as preventative maintenance.

BTW, "infamous" implies its known for something bad. I don't think that's what you were trying to say??

Unfortunately DISA prices have gone up by $100 recently -- kind of a screwy move by bmw considering how this item doesn't last particularly long

I'm curious about exactly what particular driving habits would be contributing to the failure of DISA's for some people, and what habits are allowing others to keep theirs for 10+ years?
There are people on here who still insist that all ET failures are due to overfilling, even though that is clearly not the case. If I have learned anything on here, it's that a large percentage of people neglect their cars, rather than constantly topping off fluids such as the coolant. The fact that there are many posts about ET failures written by people who have obviously never even bothered to flush their coolant makes that assumption ridiculous.

Originally Posted by tech4tech

Unfortunately DISA prices have gone up by $100 recently -- kind of a screwy move by bmw considering how this item doesn't last particularly long

WOW, that SUX!!!

No more $175 DISA, now it is $254!!!!!!!!!!! - http://www.bmwmercedesparts.com/part...&siteid=215771

GAS Gold DISA is now $399-$414 - http://germanautosolutions.com/product.php?product=116

Looks like a junkyard DISA is getting more and more appealing??

Originally Posted by jfoj

WOW, that SUX!!!

No more $175 DISA, now it is $254!!!!!!!!!!! - http://www.bmwmercedesparts.com/part...&siteid=215771

GAS Gold DISA is now $399-$414 - http://germanautosolutions.com/product.php?product=116

Looks like a junkyard DISA is getting more and more appealing??

What? They were $190 or so over Thanksgiving. I paid about $250 at the dealer.

Originally Posted by MJLavelle

I'm curious about exactly what particular driving habits would be contributing to the failure of DISA's for some people, and what habits are allowing others to keep theirs for 10+ years?
There are people on here who still insist that all ET failures are due to overfilling, even though that is clearly not the case. If I have learned anything on here, it's that a large percentage of people neglect their cars, rather than constantly topping off fluids such as the coolant. The fact that there are many posts about ET failures written by people who have obviously never even bothered to flush their coolant makes that assumption ridiculous.

Assume DISA lifespan can be impacted by driving style? Stop and go/city driving likely works the DISA far more than someone that drives primarily highway miles? Also be interested to see if there is a different on manual vs automatic transmission cars? The last one I changed was on an automatic.

As for the expansion tank failures, there are many failure modes of the tank, most split a seam or on the side. Plastic does temper and become brittle with many temp cycles. But there are many documented failures where the ET blew the day or 2 after cooling system work was performed on the car and/or the coolant level was topped off. Overfilling is not the only failure, but it is a common failure that does impact older/neglected cooling systems as well. If I had an unlimited amount of money and time, I would get the air compressor and video camera out and have fun blowing up ET in my off hours!

Not sure why BMW put a 2 Bar cap on these system. There is entire thread here where all the Jr. Scientists claim the E46 cooling system will function up to 3-4 bar??? These guys are out of their minds, there is no reason the cap would even hold that level of pressure, much less the coolant system need or operate at this pressure/temp.

2 Bar is 29 PSI!!! I have never seen any cooling system run a pressure cap this high! Most run about 15 PSI tops. I am guessing BMW put this arbitrary number on the ET cap expecting the ET to function as it is designed and likely the pressures never exceed 10-14 or about 1 Bar?? But over fill the ET, then the 2 Bar pressure limit quickly becomes a possibility. If I was so inclined I would put a fitting in a spare cap or the bleeder screw port and monitor the cooling system pressure on a properly filled ET under typical driving conditions. The Jr. Scientist spent all their time and effort running calculations for thermal expansion and volume, but what these guys fail to understand, run all the calcs you want, you need to prove either with a real model or live device that your calcs were both correct and you did not forget to include assumptions and other real world exterior factors. You could only imagine what the classroom group never learns by never spending 1 day in the field!!