info on the DISA valve, READ!!!!

Thanks for the thread OP! I replaced my DISA O-Ring yesterday with the aforementioned replacement one from O'Reilly's Auto. I noticed that after I installed the new o-ring, it didn't sit flush with the intake port. I lined it up as best as I could, coated the new o-ring with motor oil, and tightened the screws back and fourth to ensure an even fitment. After doing that, I took what I like to call a "dentist mirror" lol and checked underneath the DISA and I noticed that I can see the bottom of the new o-ring as it's not a completely flush fitting with the port. I did however remove the DISA again and tried to reseat it to see if I can get a better fit, but it ended up being the same. I don't know if over time that exposed portion will detoriate due to the elements from the engine bay, but only time will tell. I thought I'd share my personal experience with this. Also wanted to note, I noticed that my low-end torque is a little bit more consistent than it was before.

HMMM, that stinks it didnt sit flush.... mine did..... but it may not matter...

KrisR,

You have something wrong with your O-ring/DISA installation.

A few things -

1. You need to clean out the old orange silicon sealer in the outer DISA grove, it does not need to be 100% clean, but you cannot have a larger amount of the original silicon still in the groove.

2. You need to clean the main DISA opening well with paper towels to get any of the carbon, oil and deposits cleared out.

3. You need to lube the new O-ring with WD40, oil, silicon spray or silicon grease before re-installation.

4. You need to make sure you do not have a problem with your DISA or something in the back of the DISA slot holding the DISA out of the intake path.

5. You should remove the O-ring and "dry fit" the DISA without the O-ring and make sure the DISA fully seats easily. The DISA will sit flush with the intake opening without any pressure.

6. If something is still not correctly, take pictures and post here. Maybe someone has been in your DISA before and has done something to cause the DISA not to fully seat and/or the DISA opening to be a problem?

The DISA O-ring is a very simple and easy job to do, I find it hard to understand how there can be any installation issue with it?

Suggest you look over my post carefully, I have a lot of DISA pictures so you can see how the O-ring installation should look.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...616&highlight=

^ Will do thanks bro!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...95&hg=11&fg=40

i didnt think it was available

Originally Posted by Optio

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...95&hg=11&fg=40

The realoem for the 325 does not show an o-ring, disa valve has a different part number and look too

I wonder if the o-ring would still work...

It will

well ill be trying this o-ring out from pep boys in a few days. thanks for the tip.

Originally Posted by Kris.R

Thanks for the thread OP! I replaced my DISA O-Ring yesterday with the aforementioned replacement one from O'Reilly's Auto. I noticed that after I installed the new o-ring, it didn't sit flush with the intake port. I lined it up as best as I could, coated the new o-ring with motor oil, and tightened the screws back and fourth to ensure an even fitment. After doing that, I took what I like to call a "dentist mirror" lol and checked underneath the DISA and I noticed that I can see the bottom of the new o-ring as it's not a completely flush fitting with the port. I did however remove the DISA again and tried to reseat it to see if I can get a better fit, but it ended up being the same. I don't know if over time that exposed portion will detoriate due to the elements from the engine bay, but only time will tell. I thought I'd share my personal experience with this. Also wanted to note, I noticed that my low-end torque is a little bit more consistent than it was before.

I have something similar to you, except I used the Felpro O-ring for the fords mentioned somewhere on these forums. Since the o-ring is a little thicker than the oem stuff, I can still see a tiny bit of the o-ring if I look at the reinstalled DISA valve from the top closely and shine a light on it. By tiny I mean like maybe 1mm or less. The o-ring stays in position and does not roll off. Otherwise, the two bolts are secured tightly. Is this normal?

Another question, since we are now using the o-rings and not the 1-time-seal factory stuff, can we now remove the DISA valve as many times as we like?

Just did all this tonight as well as an 'attempt' to change the lower intake boot; was too much of a pain so I gave up..instead I ran my fingers through the cracks as thorough as possible feeling for tears and cracks, so far so good. Might try this another day..Oh and when all said and done, tried to start the car and voila battery too low to crank. So now I must wait until next morning lol.

I would say, the DISA can be removed as many times as you like now. As far as the fitment, just be sure you have ALL the old gasket material out -- then once you get the material out and fit the new o-ring I took some time to compress it into the valley --- meaning I just didnt pop it on and stick it in - ha! yea...I know....

anyway, even if you can see a little bit, I doubt your having any leakage, so, as long as it does not bother you, I would suggest to leave it alone

what trouble did you have with the boot? I did mine also when I did the DISA, it was a tad tricky but got it, --- did you have issues with the hose clamps? If so, they are put on 'backwords' from the factory, and you have to get to the heads from the bottom, or, get an extension, stick your hand under and go up (meaning you dont need the car up in the air, but that may be easier) I had mine apart NOT on a lift when I discovered this, so I had to make do, -- it took me about 90 minutes to take it apart and then 5 minutes to put it back together with the heads of the hose clamsps facing up. I had a hole in my lower, so, it had to be done. When you are putting it back together, just make sure everything lines up snug, or else you will be doing it all over again !

good luck!

Yeah haha I'm not sure I got 100% of the orange stuff out but I cleaned it out ok I guess...still some specs on the sides but nothing thick at all..Main groove is clean. Re-Clean?

As for the lower intake, yeah both of the retaining clamps were upside down, one on the smaller elbow and one on the main one that connects to the manifold. I was able to unscrew the upper clamp on the small elbow, but wasn't able to UNPLUG it from the hole LOL. It felt like it was glued on..Yes I was frustrated and it got late and I ran out of time..and god knows how I'm going to get the other one out, but I guess the smaller elbow needed to go out first?

I did it! Car problem fixed. In summary:

One winter's day 'someone' decides to move my car an inch for room and turn my car on and off within 15 seconds. I tried to start the car up the next day and...
-Rough/shaky idle, RPMs dropping...dropping..stall
-Read a few of misfire codes on cylinders 3,4,5. (P1349, 1346, 1350)
-Car would stall within 10 seconds on subsequent startups, eventually coming to a point where it would crank but not turn on

To fix this...
-Ordered an O-Ring for the DISA Valve off ebay---> Fel-Pro part number - 35489
-Scraped the old seal off the DISA and replaced it with this o-ring
-Reinstall DISA. (while you're doing this, its good to inspect/replace your upper and lower intake boots if it has any tears)
-Profit

Also, my car had startup issues not pertaining to the DISA o-ring leak. After the DISA fix, the battery of my car became weak. My car wouldn't crank at all, but I could hear the starter. (Not a dead battery though because I didn't have that 'click click click' sound and my electronics were powered). Charged the battery over night. Tried to start her up but this time it would crank but not start. Fuel pump is audible on key position 2. For those of you who have similar issues and is NOT alternator/battery/fuel system related, your cylinders are flooded. To fix this I...

-Pedal to the metal (FLOOR GAS PEDAL)
-Turn key to crank the car while pedal floored, and let it crank for about 5 seconds. This will shut off fuel delivery, and while cranking it will burn off the fuel trapped in the cylinders. If the car doesn't turn on, wait a minute and repeat. After the second try my crank speed gradually increased and then.....I profited.

Idled for 25 minutes no problems, no misfires.

Car is January 2001 BMW 325CI with 106k miles. Repairs within 3 months include spark plugs and intake camshaft position sensor. Combined mileage is about 7.9L/100KM in the winter, 7.5L/100KM in the summer or ~30 MPG.

P.S.
With cylinder flooding, I may suspect some of the gas may leak past the rings and into the oil. My dipstick has a hint of gasoline smell on it, and my oil gas cap even moreso, now with yellow stuff from condensation. Oil level is now a little above the maximum mark (if I remember correctly, I topped it off to the middle of the min/max level). Is an oil change required?

after 104k miles my disa valve finally gave in, i spent $300 for the indy to replace it with oem part of course.

Originally Posted by pinoybmr3

after 104k miles my disa valve finally gave in, i spent $300 for the indy to replace it with oem part of course.

yep, anyone doing this should inspect the end and make sure the pin is in good condition.

Originally Posted by geoffriehl

ok guys, I finally have something to contribute! After chasing misfire and lean codes, and installing an air pump I did not need, I finally located and fixed my issue. If you get lean codes, misfires, at cold start up a little of a choppy idle but THAT bad, maybe a slight lack of acceleration, but not that bad...plugs and coils are good...check the DISA valve gasket! (sorry, dont have pics)

easy to remove, anyone reading this can figure it out...once it is out, and you can see flat spots...scrape the old orange gasket out....clean it real well, go to Advance, and buy a $2.00 Fel Pro gasket PN 35489 for a 1991 to 1994 Ford Probe...it fits like a glove! Seat the gasket in there, coat it in oil, set the valve and alternate tightening the bolts up, it fits PERFECT and AIR TIGHT!

Fixed me right up! and thanks to the guys on here for the suggestion to check that

Any questions, hit me up

Geoff

Thank you so much for this fix. I bought two gaskets from Advance Auto last night and the car now runs great. No more P0171 or P0174 codes so far. I think that the problem is finally gone.

Did mine yesterday, I see why a few people had trouble.
Using the fel pro gasket you can't seat it by hand. You need to use the bolts and tighten side to side. Mine did seat flush/fully, I lubricated the o-ring and cleaned/lubed the intake plenum. Make sure the o ring is not twisted on the disa valve. It does go in hard, I could see an old/brittle disa valve cracking. It is def sealed however!

Has anyone tried the BMW o ring? I wonder if it is a better fit.

I'm gonna try this

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Bimmer App

I tried this as well on my X5 3.0 and 325i and I had the same probs even after cleaning out the recess very very good with a surgical pick and an xacto knife. Upon reinstalling and lubing up with some white lithium grease, it still didn't sit flush in the manifold. I was still able to see the orange from the o-ring and after tightining in a criss-cross manner, it started to bend the disa valve towards the rear (top) bolt. Instead, I picked up this: http://www.oringsandmore.com/servlet...Orings-/Detail and it fits like a glove. $4.25 shipped for 5 Viton pieces!

whats the diameter of the o rings?