DIY: One way to check if your DISA valve

I was reading a couple threads in which members were asking how to check to see if the DISA valve was the cause of the tapping noise heard in the engine bay. I shot this quick video on how I tested mine.

Update: Below you will find two more videos on how I inspected and rebuilt the DISA.

Here are the updated part numbers:

M54 2.5: 11 61 7 544 806
M54 3.0: 11 61 7 544 805

The cheapest place I found it so far is Tischer (www.getbmwparts.com) for $179.

Hope this helps.

nice post man

I just leave mine unplugged

Oh man that sounds EXACTLY like mine!!! Thats the first thing I'm doing when I get home tonight. Stupid valve. Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by Raine

I just leave mine unplugged

Wouldn't unplugging it cause you to lose a bit of performance? I thought the DISA was there to modify the intake flow for better performance?

Originally Posted by Raine

I just leave mine unplugged

I think that would cause it to remain in the open position which could affect your low end torque and cause a rough idle. Some have ended up with a loss of performance but I wouldn't want it coming apart on me

I'm gonna take mine out tomorrow and see what cleaning it will do until I get a replacement in. I'll snap some pictures.

awesome test bro' i am going out right to check... thx

Update:

Here's the DISA (Adjuster) valve removed. It shows the slippage and how to determine failure.

Coming soon! How to rebuild a broken DISA

Change the new

My DISA was sticking, so I went and removed the DISA and actually removed the flap that rotates back and forth with the help of my dremel. The only issue that I have now is on cold starts it idles kind of rough but just blimpin the throttle a couple times solves that then it idles perfect. No notice in low end power loss and no CEL.

later

How to rebuild:

I've been driving around all weekend with it rebuilt and the car is running great. Low end feels GREAT, the car revs quicker and sounds livelier. While I was in there I also cleaned the Mass Air Flow sensor (MAF), Idle Control Valve (ICV) and the throttle body. I'm going to check tomorrow to see if the two codes I erased are back or not ( 0174 & 0171 ). These are suppose to be associated with a bad DISA.

great stuff man!

checked my DISA valve today and its not making any noise but im glad to see that its an easy fix. gonna save a lot of people money here.

Wow great fix, keep us updated. Did you need a new gasket or anything?

Great job!

Thanks guys!

Originally Posted by acpstunts

Wow great fix, keep us updated. Did you need a new gasket or anything?

Nope. Luckily my gasket was intact after a thorough cleaning. The gasket is not replaceable so if it's shot, the whole DISA is useless.

The only thing I needed to buy was a $4 tube of Loctite Epoxy Putty found at Walmart. I mixed it until it turned an "off-white" color, droped a pea sized ball into the bottom of the flap and reassembled. I also put a teenie bit on the bottom of the top pin. Be careful if you do this because the top pin is suppose to pivot with the flap. Once it was all together it was solid. No rattling.

I also highly recommend you buy a can of Mass Air Flow cleaner for another $7 (found at your local parts store). This worked great for cleaning the DISA, MAF, IAC, throttle body, intake tubes, and everything I couldn't scrub with a rag.

I swear to god I should just pay you money. I just noticed a nasty ticking noise coming EXACTLY from that side of my engine, from listening real close, it sounded like valve lifter tick or something horrendous. I even went so far as to remove the DISA valve and check it out, whereupon i noticed that when I moved the flap all the way closed, that there was a strange popping suction noise. So not wanting to mess with it, I re-installed it, and carefully looked to see if it was moving at all, since no parts were moving, I didn't think that would be the issue, but for some reason never even though of disconnecting it to see if the sound went away, you are GOD!!!!! this just made my entire feeling about my car so much better, thanks for posting!

Glad to have helped

I just subscribed myself to this thread so if anyone has any questions I should be back to answer within a day.

Great write up about to go epoxy mine back in thanks. hopefully just saved me 200 bucks I'll report back if it works!


Been a day now no rattle sounds good