G.A.S. DISA Gold Valve

[BJoe]

Hi everyone,

Yestarday morning I checked the DISA valve in my car (M54) and noticed that the pin that holds the flapper is really loose and I am afraid it might go inside the motor. In addition to that, I manually rotated the flapper and it is not moving the horizontal pivot in the valve.

I started looking to replace the valve and I found the G.A.S. DISA gold valve as an option. (Expensive though).

http://www.germanautosolutions.com/b...gold_valve.php

Is somebody running this modified valve? What's your opinion about it?

[Shipkiller]

The OEM part (P/N:11617544805) can be had for anywhere from $150 to $300.

[BJoe]

What about the advantages this gold valve claim to provide? For instance it is possible to avoid the metallic pin issue. I'll buy a new valve but curious about this "upgrade". Is that really worth it?

[Shipkiller]

How many miles on your car? 50K, 80K?
How long do you plan on keeping it?

These are the factors that you must weigh on. Is it worth it to spend more money when realistically a new OEM part will last 50K+.
The majority of DISA valves never fail.

[BJoe]

It has about 75k miles and I am planning to keep it for a while . 70k more miles would be great! Hehehe. I searched on ebay for brand new oem disa valves and the price is aprox. $250. Tomorrow I'll call the dealer to ask about it and compare. Do you know another place, site with better prices?

[Clearancediver]

Repair kit... http://www.amazon.com/D059RK-Repair-.../dp/B009PTY36Y

It's a rebuild to OEM style. The inexpensive upgrade repair kit that I used to upgrade my DISA valve, which is similar to the expensive aftermarket upgrade mentioned earlier, doesn't seem to exist now... Bummer....

[WAMz4]

I solved my DISA valve problem in my 2004 z4 by trading it in for a 2006 z4, The DISA was completely redesigned after 2006.

[jeebus87]

From what I remember, the replacement DISA valves were fixed by BMW to avoid falling apart. You should just get the oem version.

[psygnosis]

The membrane in my DISA tested good so I just got the GAS repair kit. It's nice and solid now.

The gold one is just their upgraded design on a new DISA unit. Buy the upgrade for your current unit and if the DISA fails later (don't worry, it wont be the new flapper falling apart) move the upgraded flapper to a replacement DISA unit.

[donoman]

I am running the DISA repair kit as my DISA was failing and rattling (hey, better than VANOS problems, right?!). It's just a flap. I would go for the cheapest solution possible now that I've done it. At the time I wanted to get the GAS kit because it was made out of metal but if I were to do it again I'd just get the OEM part and be done with it. It took me a good hour to clean the old gaskets off the original unit... waste of time and effort in my opinion.

[Shipkiller]

Originally Posted by donoman

I am running the DISA repair kit as my DISA was failing and rattling (hey, better than VANOS problems, right)

On the non-///M's, if you have a 2003-2005 MY, you do have a VANOs issue. You just do not know it. The internal O-rings are faulty. You just do not have the possible VANOs issues that ///M cars might have.

[donoman]

Originally Posted by Shipkiller

On the non-///M's, if you have a 2003-2005 MY, you do have a VANOs issue. You just do not know it. The internal O-rings are faulty. You just do not have the possible VANOs issues that ///M cars might have.

Well, I did purchase a VANOS gasket kit a while back, but haven't put it into my '03 yet. I figure when the VANOS goes, I'll hear the marbles and then I'll start taking the car apart. It doesn't do one of those grenade failures, does it?

[Shipkiller]

You are confusing S54 VANOs issues with M54 VANOs issues. The two are not the same.
The M54 does not 'grenade'.... The S54 only 'grenades' when one of the broken exhuast hub tabs falls into the timing chain or both tabs break...
The 'marbles in a can' mainly on the S54 and is caused by the exhuast gear bolts...
The M54 VANOS repair kit is not a 'gasket kit' but new Viton O-rings. There are other things that could be replaced but the Viton O-rings are the big items.

[bignosejim]

Both exhaust tabs breaking off will not grenade your engine (unless one of them rides the timing chain around for a lap), but if all your intake sprocket bolts break all of your intake valves will get bent and toast the S54. Those are the ones responsible for the 'marbles in a can' noise.

[BJoe]

Considering your comments I am going to buy the OEM DISA valve. Once here, I'll install it immediately and let you know my comments. Thanks a lot!