This morning I got my cams back in, and started doing the timing end of things. Got everything buttoned up and made 2 crank rotations. Made good compression and timing landed dead on again, sweet.

Not sweet-- tested my vanos, intake cam doesn't budge in either direction with 80psi of air connected.

I'm thinking its the trust washers. This is a later style vanos with those discs and spring.

http://smeraglinolo.com/hosted/turbom3/other/9.png

They are parts 9, 10, and 11. Logically when you tighten those down, you're essentially clamping the cam to the secondary chain sprocket, which will be the same as the exhaust cam, thus never advancing. Maybe I'm tightening it too much? I don't have a tq wrench that goes down to inch lbs. I'm gonna try again, literally hand tight for testing purposes.

Any insight is very much appreciated. Thank you.

-Chris

Did you take the timing blocks off? :ponder

Are you powering the solenoid?

It needs 12V to actuate the VANOS.

They are parts 9, 10, and 11. Logically when you tighten those down, you're essentially clamping the cam to the secondary chain sprocket, which will be the same as the exhaust cam, thus never advancing.


That is not your issue. They should be 10 ft/lbs though.

Did you take the timing blocks off? :ponder

Doesn't matter. It will still advance with the blocks on, trust me. :D

I've done it too many times (leaving the blocks on that is).

The timing blocks are off for sure. ///M3///M5, you do need the cam locks off for the cam to turn / vanos advance.

Matt- You know when you have to turn the secondary chain clockwise? I can do that freely by hand until I get the thrust plates on. If I put those three nuts (Part #12) even FINGER tight, there is drag on the secondary chain. It will no longer move freely. (Which I believe leads to the intake cam not advancing.)

Btw-- I believe the TQ spec is 10nm, which is less than 10 ft lbs.

Thanks for replying guys, its helpful. It was time for a break anyway :)

Just so you guys know, I am giving it 80psi of air, and manually running the unit without the solenoid. I just press in that valve and poof, you hear it doing its thing and see the plunger move out a bit.

The timing blocks are off for sure. ///M3///M5, you do need the cam locks off for the cam to turn / vanos advance.

Matt- You know when you have to turn the secondary chain clockwise? I can do that freely by hand until I get the thrust plates on. If I put those three nuts (Part #12) even FINGER tight, there is drag on the secondary chain. It will no longer move freely. (Which I believe leads to the intake cam not advancing.)

Btw-- I believe the TQ spec is 10nm, which is less than 10 ft lbs.

Thanks for replying guys, its helpful. It was time for a break anyway :)

Yeah sorry 10 NM. And trust me, you should take teh blocks off, but it will still advance with them on.

As for turning with the plates on, of course you cannot do it when it is tight. That is the point. Now M/S50 based motors is a different story.

Just so you guys know, I am giving it 80psi of air, and manually running the unit without the solenoid. I just press in that valve and poof, you hear it doing its thing and see the plunger move out a bit.

You are locking up somewhere because your sprockets are timed incorrectly.

Before installing the VANOS, you turn the secondary chain all the way to the RIGHT-->clockwise. Then you set the VANOS spline initially and begin turning the secondary sprock counter clockwise. VANOS should move IMMEDIATELY. You only turn the secodary chain counter clockwise until the VANOS touches the head; then stop turning. If you keep going you will pull the cup in.

If the above does not help, then your sprockets are not alligned properly and you are hitting the end of one of the slots.

My cam install video (right click, save as):

http://mthreemfive.com/Videos/Cam%20Install%20Video.mov

UPDATE--

Found a spare vanos unit in my garage from my old 325is. That was it!! The cam is now advancing!!

Thanks guys, I thought I was going crazy. So the whole time I've been driving my car, I've had no vanos. I thought something was up because there was an oil stain on one of the thrust discs. I said hmm i woulda thought it would have some evidence of travel.

Thanks for the help ///M3///M5 !! I appreciate it.

Interesting, did your old VANOS make the marbles-in-a-can noise?

Nope. A little noise around 2500, but nothing major.

Before installing the VANOS, you turn the secondary chain all the way to the RIGHT-->clockwise. Then you set the VANOS spline initially and begin turning the secondary sprock counter clockwise. VANOS should move IMMEDIATELY. You only turn the secodary chain counter clockwise until the VANOS touches the head; then stop turning. If you keep going you will pull the cup in.

If the above does not help, then your sprockets are not alligned properly and you are hitting the end of one of the slots.

I just did cams last night and this little tid bit of information was not in any DIY/guide anywhere. I had to figure it out myself and spent hours re-timing until it logically and physically worked out.

I just did cams last night and this little tid bit of information was not in any DIY/guide anywhere. I had to figure it out myself and spent hours re-timing until it logically and physically worked out.

It's in the Bentley.

As well its in TIS.

a32guy, you never did say, were you powering the VANOS solenoid with +12v? If not, thats why it wasn't advancing. Or, did you test your spare solenoid in your first VANOS unit? It may we be a bad solenoid instead of the entire unit.

Just don't throw the whole deal out without testing the old solenoid is all I'm saying ;)

I just did cams last night and this little tid bit of information was not in any DIY/guide anywhere. I had to figure it out myself and spent hours re-timing until it logically and physically worked out.

Yeah, lots of installs are very vague on this part and, as a result, cause many issues.

Nah, I didn't even have the solenoid in. I took the solenoid out, and actuated the plunger it presses, by hand.

I opened the old one up for fun... These things are EXTREMELY simple. Its just a metal diaphragm with an O-ring around it. I wonder how these places refurbish them. Maybe just polish up the metal for smoother action and replace the O-ring?

Nah, I didn't even have the solenoid in. I took the solenoid out, and actuated the plunger it presses, by hand.

I opened the old one up for fun... These things are EXTREMELY simple. Its just a metal diaphragm with an O-ring around it. I wonder how these places refurbish them. Maybe just polish up the metal for smoother action and replace the O-ring?


Probably. I'm sure they also measure the diameter of the area where the vanes move, and perhaps install slightly longer vanes if there is wear??