I have to wait until Weds to get the brake clips I need to start the M5 brake conversion, so......Cant play golf/etc til this leg heals up. I have all the parts for the Vanos seals repair, time to wade in and do it. I will also change oil, replace the oil pan gasket and of course, the valve cover gasket. Sure would be nice if we could do a group repair for this sucka. Ah well, should be fun!

You can't play golf but you can do relatively major work on your car? (c'mon man somebody had to say it)

Anyhow, good luck!

Slightly different movements involved (like I dont have to take a backswing to move a wrench!) Anyway, I will give it a try, maybe I will even get done...:)

Slightly different movements involved (like I dont have to take a backswing to move a wrench!) Anyway, I will give it a try, maybe I will even get done...:)

You do to get the fan clutch off!

I was at 100% when i started my vanos vcg day and it took it's toll on my back...
Good luck and be careful man...
:buttrock

Thanks. The last time I took the fan clutch off it was a short swing with a 2 lb short sledge, came right off. Of course, that probably wont happen this time! I was moving real good yesterday, I woke up this morning and the leg had stiffened so much that I couldnt walk on it without the walker. I will give it a couple of hours and see if it loosens up. If not, guess the Vanos gets postponed too.

its an easy job bro, really straight foreward using the manual. i had a laptop next to me and did it, took a little longer then i expected but thats what i get for takign 50 breaks in between. car cold start issues are gone and runs like a beauty, shes back to how a BMW should run!

Gents--it's great everyone is getting the good out of the Vanos rebuild--if you would
please post over on the Vanos Forum after the repair is made (as well as here) so others there, can see what good this repair is doing. May be of help to many others when contemplating makeing this repair themselves. That whole website is set up just to document the good the new seals
are in helping the problems we have all had. Who knows BMW might even start to pay attention if it gets big enough.

Gents--it's great everyone is getting the good out of the Vanos rebuild--if you would
please post over on the Vanos Forum after the repair is made (as well as here) so others there, can see what good this repair is doing. May be of help to many others when contemplating makeing this repair themselves. That whole website is set up just to document the good the new seals
are in helping the problems we have all had. Who knows BMW might even start to pay attention if it gets big enough.

Thanks Poolman, I had not even thought of doing that. Frankly I did not know that such a forum existed. I will post there as well.

Gents--it's great everyone is getting the good out of the Vanos rebuild--if you would
please post over on the Vanos Forum after the repair is made (as well as here) so others there, can see what good this repair is doing. May be of help to many others when contemplating makeing this repair themselves. That whole website is set up just to document the good the new seals
are in helping the problems we have all had. Who knows BMW might even start to pay attention if it gets big enough.


Exactly where is that located BTW?

Exactly where is that located BTW?

It's hosted by Bimmerboard. You'll have to create a new account, but I think it's worth it to record the improvements that your car has experienced.

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/vanos

Also, if your fan clutch doesn't want to come off with just the sledgehammer, use the screwdriver trick in tandem. Using both methods together has worked much better for me than either method on any e39.

And take it easy on your leg. While I fully enjoy my e39 and I'm sure you do too, your body is a much more important piece of machinery than any car will ever be. Sorry for ending my last sentence in a preposition.

Ah, OK I found it. I will post there as well. I wasnt an english major either so, no worries!

Well, I think I was over optimistic as to my physical abilities today. I just got back from getting tools, gasket sealer etc, etc and I am whooped. Think that is about the extent of what I will get accomplished today. To do more would just set back the healing of this knee. Rats!!!!

It's ok man.. as long as you got the tools.. as soon as your up to it, you can charge in head first. :thumbup:

At least you get a few more days to read up and double check everything too... :)

The knee started to feel a little better this afternoon so I got started on it. Fan clutch came off with the first whack of the sledge! Got the shrowd off and will start the rest in the morning.

I quit yesterday with the fan clutch and shrowd removal. Started today at 10:30 on the rest of the process. I printed out the DIY and am taking pics (I even got one of my cane and new knee!), we will see how long it takes. Good day to do it, its raining and I am bored. I have spent so much time flat on my back this last week I have been dying to do something.

Consider it physical therapy. :stickoutt

Yup, that is what it is. Am preparing to take the Vanos off now.

OK, three hours later with plenty of breaks taken, Vanos is out and ready for seal replacement. The diagnosis area of the DIY was right on, the intake vanos cylinder would slide freely indicating worn/shot seals. Now on to seal replacement.

OK, three hours later with plenty of breaks taken, Vanos is out and ready for seal replacement. The diagnosis area of the DIY was right on, the intake vanos cylinder would slide freely indicating worn/shot seals. Now on to seal replacement.

How many miles you have on the clock? When i took mine out a month or so ago (68k) the cylinder had extremely minor play. It seems just fine. The seals themselves turned plasticky but nothing hardcore like others experiencing brittle seals that fall apart in your hand and what not.

70,000 on the odometer. The seals were definitely hard and the pistons moved freely in the cylinders. I am putting on the new ones now.

70,000 on the odometer. The seals were definitely hard and the pistons moved freely in the cylinders. I am putting on the new ones now.


Try to take pics of the seals when you get them out.

Already have, I will post a few when I am done...

SO are you blazing a path for the 530 owners with this? I don't recall seeing anyone else with a 530 doing this yet.

SO are you blazing a path for the 530 owners with this? I don't recall seeing anyone else with a 530 doing this yet.


I guess....Just know that I have experienced some of the symptoms described in the Vanos repair DIY thread. After removing the unit and examining the seals, they were definitely hard/plasticized and the pistons slid freely in the cylinders. I am reinstalling everything now.

Ok, I am done, spent some time repositioning my power steering reservoir, it was a little too close for comfort to my supercharger pulley. I will do a test drive then post pics.....

Car runs great, noticeable improvement fm 0-2800 rpm, throttle is much smoother. We will see about gas mileage...some pics. 1st one is my knee as it is right now. This job took me all day, but I am moving pretty slow and took a lot of breaks. All in all it wasnt a bad job and I learned a lot about my engine in the process.

Car runs great, noticeable improvement fm 0-2800 rpm, throttle is much smoother. We will see about gas mileage...some pics. 1st one is my knee as it is right now. This job took me all day, but I am moving pretty slow and took a lot of breaks. All in all it wasnt a bad job and I learned a lot about my engine in the process.

Ouch that knee looks gruesome.

Those seals look exactly like mine did. I notice how cleaner the engine is on your car inside. My engine had gunk all over it from the ceratec additive incident.

jesus, i wouldn't even try to do anything on my car if my knee was in that shape, looks pretty painful as it is....

Congrats!!!
:thumbup:

Physical therapy:alright, I am beat.......

Tinpusher--What kind of intake do you have on that mean machine--looks like different injectors as well? Sorta interested in the upgrades you have done to her and would like to see and read more.

Kudos for doing this with that "ouch" knee.
Is that powersteering reservoir stainless steel? Where did you get it from?

Tinpusher--What kind of intake do you have on that mean machine--looks like different injectors as well? Sorta interested in the upgrades you have done to her and would like to see and read more.

The intake is the one I received when I bought the ESS Twin Screw stage 2 supercharger. It is a beautiful intake that was forged at the same factory that Porsche uses for its alloy forged parts. The TS2 system comes preassembled and pressure tested with the blower and intake already mated. The injectors are the same Bosch injectors used in the 911. Had to go to a larger injector with the blower. I also intsalled a Remus exhaust, I needed much more flow from my exhaust system with the amount of air/fuel being pushed through the engine. The ESS kits are really high quality and I am totally impressed with the performance and their support.

Kudos for doing this with that "ouch" knee.
Is that powersteering reservoir stainless steel? Where did you get it from?


Its actually aluminum and it came with the ESS TS2 kit, and thanks! It was a long day but it has been worth it.:redspot