06 Z4M R Vanos Cam Bolts

[wrose]

I have a 06 M Roadster that is now out of warranty and I would like to replace the vanos bolts that have been known to break while the car is in winter storage. I have a TIS but can't seem to find the repair proceedure/ special tools required to complete this operation. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Wayne

[inTgr8r]

Here's a detailed DIY.


FWIW, proceed with due caution, this isn't the normal run of the mill DIY.
If you don't have experience with engine internals you could easily get in over your head.

[O-cha]

OMG NO, that is NOT an acceptable way of doing that by a long shot. There's no way he managed to keep his timing with those sharpy marks nor did he pretension the vanos on reassembly.

Spinning the engine backwards using the fan is also not acceptable.

[dekaliber]

Originally Posted by wrose

I have a 06 M Roadster that is now out of warranty and I would like to replace the vanos bolts that have been known to break while the car is in winter storage. I have a TIS but can't seem to find the repair proceedure/ special tools required to complete this operation. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Wayne

Haven't read anything about this... References?

[Serious]

Originally Posted by dekaliber

Haven't read anything about this... References?

haha nah he means he wants to replace the bolts while the car is down the for the winter... not that winter storage contributes to the breaking of the bolts.

[Finnegan]

It's looking more and more like a good idea to check/replace these bolts if you have an 06. There really should be a TSB or a recall, but I'm not holding my breath for one to be issued.

Compared to the cost if they go...well, it's not cheap to do but way cheaper than the alternative.

[RBull]

Wayne, let me know if you're going ahead with this. Would like to have some insight into it.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by O-cha

OMG NO, that is NOT an acceptable way of doing that by a long shot. There's no way he managed to keep his timing with those sharpy marks nor did he pretension the vanos on reassembly.

Spinning the engine backwards using the fan is also not acceptable.

So, in other words, this isn't an easy DIY given the nature of the S54 and how difficult it is to time. So that means find a really good indie shop that has all the tools to time this engine, has extensive experience doing timing this engine, and take it there, correct?

In other words, don't try this at home or at the dealer...

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

It's looking more and more like a good idea to check/replace these bolts if you have an 06. There really should be a TSB or a recall, but I'm not holding my breath for one to be issued.

Compared to the cost if they go...well, it's not cheap to do but way cheaper than the alternative.

I agree.
It would also be helpful to know when the bolt change was made on the '07 MY as well.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

So, in other words, this isn't an easy DIY given the nature of the S54 and how difficult it is to time. So that means find a really good indie shop that has all the tools to time this engine, has extensive experience doing timing this engine, and take it there, correct?

In other words, don't try this at home or at the dealer...

Don't try at home, or dealer yes.

I looked at it again though, so long as you move the cams to full stop before disassembely, it is possible to do this without technically re-timing the engine. You cannot do this without the solenoid tool though, and you still have to pretension and follow the rest of the reassembly which that guy did not. He just tried to match everything back up and stick it back together.

The locking tool is also non optional, the slightest bit of play in what you use to lock the engine at TDC will result in improper timing, the BMW tool is precision machined, I've rotated the engine over 10 times before because I kept barely missing the hole.

http://www.adrianteo.com/files/RA%20...ng%20_S54_.pdf


I'll be checking this on a car tomorrow actually.

[JCz04Bimmer]

FWIW, I have an '06 that's been tracked regularly and, knock on wood haven't had any issues and I'm coming up on 50K miles on the car. Every time I start and stop the car from my garage I listen for the issue. So far so good.

PS - Finnegan, are you Wayne who has the half cage I copied? If yes, this is Jared!

[sirmalloc]

My dealer charged me less than $800 to replace them, so if you're like me and not mechanically inclined, I'd suggest finding a good indie shop and you'll likely get it done for less than that. If you are hearing any noise, I'd get it checked out immediately. Here's the pictures of my bolts that were replaced.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by JCz04Bimmer

FWIW, I have an '06 that's been tracked regularly and, knock on wood haven't had any issues and I'm coming up on 50K miles on the car. Every time I start and stop the car from my garage I listen for the issue. So far so good.

PS - Finnegan, are you Wayne who has the half cage I copied? If yes, this is Jared!

No, sorry, not Wayne!

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by sirmalloc

My dealer charged me less than $800 to replace them, so if you're like me and not mechanically inclined, I'd suggest finding a good indie shop and you'll likely get it done for less than that. If you are hearing any noise, I'd get it checked out immediately. Here's the pictures of my bolts that were replaced.

That's not actually that bad for a dealer, I'd probably charge something like 500-600 with parts.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Don't try at home, or dealer yes.

I looked at it again though, so long as you move the cams to full stop before disassembely, it is possible to do this without technically re-timing the engine. You cannot do this without the solenoid tool though, and you still have to pretension and follow the rest of the reassembly which that guy did not. He just tried to match everything back up and stick it back together.

The locking tool is also non optional, the slightest bit of play in what you use to lock the engine at TDC will result in improper timing, the BMW tool is precision machined, I've rotated the engine over 10 times before because I kept barely missing the hole.

http://www.adrianteo.com/files/RA%20...ng%20_S54_.pdf


I'll be checking this on a car tomorrow actually.

Sheesh, you're not kidding, that is a precision job with precision tools...and one that you'd want to make sure the mechanic had some experience with. Certainly NOT something for the "paint by numbers" guys at the dealership or for the home mechanic. Even if you know your way around an engine w/o all the tools, man, it looks like you're toast.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Sheesh, you're not kidding, that is a precision job with precision tools...and one that you'd want to make sure the mechanic had some experience with. Certainly NOT something for the "paint by numbers" guys at the dealership or for the home mechanic. Even if you know your way around an engine w/o all the tools, man, it looks like you're toast.

Notice the precision though, .5mm max variance, that's on a tool that's about 4-5 inches long. Been a while since I have done any trigonometry but I would venture a guess we're talking about fractions of a degree of error allowed.

[dekaliber]

Originally Posted by Serious

haha nah he means he wants to replace the bolts while the car is down the for the winter... not that winter storage contributes to the breaking of the bolts.

Oh good call haha. The English language is funny sometimes.

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

I agree.
It would also be helpful to know when the bolt change was made on the '07 MY as well.

Hopefully you're correct and my '08 should have the new bolts

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by XMetal

Hopefully you're correct and my '08 should have the new bolts

I don't think it's the bolts themselves, Just that when replaced they are torqued properly and locktighted. The bolts are the same grade as far as I know.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Sheesh, you're not kidding, that is a precision job with precision tools..

Oh and,

:serious face: I never kid.

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by O-cha

I don't think it's the bolts themselves, Just that when replaced they are torqued properly and locktighted. The bolts are the same grade as far as I know.

Right, I'm hoping that by the end of the model year, BMW have learned enough about this that locktight and proper torqued were used to build these engines. I'm still somewhat concerned and will definitely have these checked during my valve adjustments.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by XMetal

Right, I'm hoping that by the end of the model year, BMW have learned enough about this that locktight and proper torqued were used to build these engines. I'm still somewhat concerned and will definitely have these checked during my valve adjustments.

They were building them for 6 years before the z4s got them, I'm going to say no.