Occasionally, VANOS iosues coan be caused by the non-return valves on the side of the block. Also, it can be caused by mistakenly swapping the exhaust and intake connectors (white wire with red tracer is the exhaust and should go to the lower solenoid, the one with the blue tracer is the intake). One more issue could be the ring that needs to be properly seated at the bottom tip of the oil filter cap. That small green ring closes the oil drain to the pan, which during normal operation should be blocked by that ring. Great content, thanks for posting. Makes one wonder why BMW doesn’t use the teflon seal that you’re recommending.
I just replaced the valve cover due to PCV issue on a my 08 328i N52 with 70k on it. I checked the intake camshaft blocking rings. I could not feel a gouge from the rings, yet there was a wear pattern from the rings rotating. I understand the exhaust cam box can be replaced along with intake and exhaust camshafts. Except, since there is a wear pattern on the intake camshaft head side (first cam journal), that would require a new cylinder head? I no longer have start-up lifter noise since I switched to Castrol Edge 0w-40 five oil changes ago. I change my oil between 4 to 6k. Also I have no codes, rough running or sluggish power delivery, so I am not going to worry about it for now.
So you haven't seen an n52 at all yet that has needed the head replaced due to intake bearing ledge being worn? I have read about quite a bit of ppl replacing heads due to this issue thats why i ask .but I recently purchased a 07 x3 that is giving me intake vanos code on start up only. i switched solenoids and checked and cleaned filters but code still appears on intake side. I was assuming my intake ledge was damaged but upon removing valve cover i found serpentine belt throughout the timing chain area. so my next question is can a partially clogged oil pickup be causing my oil pressure to be low on start up and therefore cause the intake vanos code or would both intake and exhaust side give codes if that was the issue? I know in most cases the engine is recommended to be replaced due to oil passages but after initial start up the car idles perfect with no ticking at all so i plan to drop the pan and clean out all the belt but not sure if thats related to the vanos issue or not. @@Abrhouston
@@micsmith806 Sounds like you have more problems than just a vanos code- if you have belt in the engine, you probably have clogged oil passages causing this.
Please show me a video if trimming the n54 engine from start to end because nobody has, also include how to tripe check or fix being a partial or full tooth off with timing chain replacement, also please make a followup to this video on blocking ring replacement special tools is cool to include
Great video explaining this issue. One thing I noticed though, is you didn't mention the filters in tje side of the head found at the front of the exhaust side. 2 T40 torx bolts that are fine guazes the filter the oil to the vanos solenoids. These often block up on cars that have poor service history and long intervals between oil changes. Otherwise a fantastic video, amd you deserve more subscribers putting out such quality content.
To be honest, we rarely see those get clogged up unless the engine is REALLY sludged.... but you're right it could be something to check but rarely the solution . Thanks for the props!
@@Abrhouston we're based in Western Australia, and if an N52 or N54 is dealer serviced, if it is ever late for it's oil changes we see them sludged. Partly due to the manufacturer making the intervals too long, and partly due to the owners negligence.
Hey, I'm gonna have to stop by your shop one of these days, I just got a 2010 335i n54 x-drive back in dec and I'd like a professionals opinion on how healthy my motor is. Can you do a video on water pumps for the N54 and what all you've experienced with those? Aside from the wastegates, HPFP, and the charge pipes, it seems like the water pump is another high fail item on the N54. Thanks for the videos, it's highly appreciated 👍
Got 2 vanoss codes one on intake and exhaust and cleaned solenoids didnt work well 2 weeks go bye has same codes but now dont start or drive doesn't even turn over
I got it there now. and the previous owner did a head gasket job. find out I had bent valves on the intake side, I just brought a whole new cylinder head
Love the channel. Would love for you guys to do a simple video on replacing the oil filter housing gasket. Attempting to do this myself here soon as BMW has recommended this be done but naturally want to charge $1k to do the repair. I've seen videos of people diy this repair but would be much more comfortable with having a video done by professionals that work specifically on N54s. Thanks!
Thanks for mentioning dirty oil. The first time it happened to me, I changed the oil. I eventually changed the solenoids. If I still have a problem, I will call you.
This is excellent video mam. I have 2007 bmw 328 xi and I have a p0012 code, I have clean oil in the engine and. I replaced camshaft and exhaust valve solined with bmw part and. I also have no vocum leaks ether,any help on how to diagnose p0012 would be greatly appreciated!
Hi. If there are no check engine light, but intake camshaft value is from 60.8 to 61.2 in all RPM range. Does it mean that camshaft rings are bad? If it's possible that vanos are stuck in one position?
i have a question: can i swap n54 cams into n52 engine. i am not swaping heads. only cams. is that possisble, and is there any drow backs or problems with that? thank you
Hello just subscribed to your channel, really good information. Question? I have a 2010 bmw 328i i moved from Washington DC area to hot Florida, I'm using castro 5w30 currently. Should i use a different viscosity oil or continue with what I've been using? Thanks again.
There is no ledge for inlet camshaft like exhaust in n52. So if I replace only the first bearing cap would it help? Or I have to replace whole cylinder head because the rings scratches both sides? What do you think? Please help
I like your way of explanantion.... I got error code 2D5A and 2C58 in N55 engine and my mechanic tried checking the VANOS Solenoids (Changed the Wall cover with a new one) and swapping and found no issues, changed the CAM Shaft sensor Intake, tried realigning the CAMShaft still the same issue and now he's gone change just the Intake VANOS. Any suggestion from your experience would be highly appreciated. The engine has rough idle and Half power sign. The car was not having any issues until the mechanic changed the WallCover as there was an oil leak and a sound coming from PCV valve.
I have a 2008 with the exhaust code that I replaced the blocking rings on. Test drive car and somehow the crank bolt came loose while running. Haven't had a chance to check how much damage it's done yet. I only turned the engine clockwise with the crank bolt about half a rotation to line up cams and put the jig on to take the gears off. I think the engine is toast.
I have an 08' 535xi in the shop that has a VANOS fault codes. it is running seriously rough/low idle, and the timing chain seems to have a lot of slack on it. I have only pulled the valve cover. any reason to believe this could be the same issue you describe? the bad seals on the cams? this engine I was told previously had the accessory belt sucked in through the main seal, and both turbos replaced. I would assume that with the high likely hood of low oil pressure from the belt material in the engine that it destroyed the cam rings. I dont know if the pan was dropped to clean out all the material, I can only assume they did.
Can you explain the special tool and CAM tray alignment more? It seems like the trays have doweling pins to align the trays when putting them back together around the cam shaft. If that's the case wouldn't it be aligned just by the pins?
I understand the confusion. The lower cam tray is aligned by teeth that hook into the head, which makes them sit straight. the top has really, not much to align with. The jigs go over the top of the cam tray and align with machined flats to properly set the bearings and tray in place while you're torquing the bolts.
I have a question, So I have a 2006 bmw 325i and it has 131,000 miles on it and it drops slightly in rpms every single time I come to a stop. Its not huge but it definitely is noticeable. The car will sometimes hiccup kind of bad like jumping rpms and when this happens I usually get vanos intake and exhaust codes but I have changed the solenoids to new ones and this did not help. Any idea what my problem could be?
What oil do you recommend for the N54's? When someone buy's one of your engines what oil do you say to go with? 5W-30? 0W-40? 5W-40? Based on some research and 4 years of ownership, ive used Mobil1 0w-40 Euro Syn. But I've seen some new talk about possibly running 5w-40 from Rotella or Motul Xcess 5w-40...? However, some swear by the BMW recommended Castrol Syn 5w-30. Summer here in NY gets hot 85+ atleast. Could be 100 on hotter days + humid. But winter will get down to 30 and avg's about 40 in winter. Should I be running a different viscosity oil in summer and winter? Any input on this would be great!!! Thank you for the vid Alex!
We run Motul Xcess 5w40. It's an LL01 approved oil. Now, BMW says that they have updated to a 0w30 LL01FE for all N and M engines...... 4 cylinders and B engines are to get a 0w20 LL14FE+ oil...... rumor mill has told me that N63 engines with the 0W30 have been hurting the rod bearings, especially after an oil pan gasket replacement (possible cavitation or draining of the oil pump?)...... so we're in a hard spot. DO we shift with BMW's recommendations to a 0w30 LL01FE on N5x engines, like they said we "should" or stick with what we know works well? Do we shake in our boots with an N63 oil pan job and run 0w30? yes lol. 0w20 LL14FE+ is very expensive and not easily sourced except from the dealership as well. Oil is such a long winded and very opinionated debate....
Got that right. Some in depth studies on this would be nice. I think the proper LL and getting the oil to its operating temp for some miles, is the biggest thing. The money from other companies certainly has something to do with them "updating" recommendations. The engineers knew what they were doing when they built these. Steel rings are the perfect thing to get some money in the hands of the dealers 100k miles down the road, while ensuring short term(warranty period) reliability.. its genius.
The check engine light, possible engine surging and lack of power. On turbo cars, the turbo's will be disabled by the engine computer. It's not going to make the engine die/blow up, but certainly won't let it perform correctly.
I️ have an N55 had similar issue car was soooo sluggish, hiccupped on start up, rough idle. Stealership Replaced valvetronic motor and the camshaft $$$$
Hello, I was seeing the explanation of the failures of the openings. I would like to know if you can guide me to solve several codes that mechanics fail to fix. I have a bmw e60 525i 2006. The fault codes are: * 2A87 Exhaust vanos mechanic. * 2FA4 Incorrect data * 2E7C Bit serial data interface, signal any suggestions?
Hello, while changing CCV(due to high oil consumption), the old hose that went from CCV to crankcase was not even connected, after installing new CCV and connecting all hoses, engine started fine and was driving good. After changing oil, engine went into limp mode, long crank, wanting to stall , very big rpm jumps up and down, check engine light. Mechanic said 3 fault codes leading to bad VANOS, and suggested to have both vanos replaced or serviced? Does that make sense? Engine is N52 I checked for codes with my phone, only got this one: P0341 Camshaft position sensor "A" circuit range/performance (Bank1 or single sensor) Will call a technician to come with computer to get more codes if there are any.
Also he said he hears VANOS rattle on intake side, are N52 vanos service-able ? Would the camshaft grinding grooves on intake side be worst case scenario? Because the intake cam tray and cylinder head are cast together? And would need the whole head replacement?
I wish I could give you solid advise, but unless it was an early model N52, you can't replace the CCV separately. Vanos is not rebuildable, and the exhaust tray can only be replaced- intake is part of the cylinder head. "Call a technician to come with computer" means you probably have it at the house, which probably means your not using a shop, which probably means your going to not get decent results..... Just sayin' consumer beware.
Basically took it to a shop, car was there about 2 days, they told me they adjusted engine timing and I got the car now everything is smooth... All the people on bmw forums told me that I got "scammed" and engine timing adjustment was not needed. My guess is they cleaned solenoids and everything is fine? No idea.
I'm really not sure, mainly because I wasn't there to experience the issue/see the faults/diagnose the problem. Abe Lincoln said it best- "Everything you read on the internet is true", so take forums with a grain of salt.
ABR Houston Your BMW Specialists Well the car runs fine like it did before, but even though ccv was replaced oil is being burned a lot. Im so lost. Cant find honest shop that I can trust. Seems like every shop in my country just cares about money and not the customer...
Could this issue ever cause an N52 to die at idle/stop lights? I have The 2A82 code, but the car isn't sluggish or anything. But it has just started to sputter and sometimes die at stoplights, and low revs starting to go up an incline. And not all the time, just once every drive. After it dies, I start the car and it's fine.
@@TheOfficialKarl1 lemme know how it goes! I already did what you did, no effect. I'm thinking eccentric sensor next, but it happens so rarely I might also just live with it lol
if you have had this procedure done in the past, how long should the repair last? I am getting the 2a82 and 3100 codes on n54 that point back to this issue. It's only been 35k miles!!
So what happened? My car has a 2a82 and 3100 from limp mode. Replaced the solenoids and checked the filter. Then I cleared the code never came back. Now I have a different type of lobed idle after the car warms up.
@@emrecan_m4 I had to sell my car, lost a lot of money on this. I had the bearing ledge/ seal ring procedure done for the second time, and the new piece was completely chewed up. Unacceptable, really. I hope their is a class action suit or something, total failure of @BMW engineering on this one. First repair, had new ledges and rings replaced, maybe around 65K mile mark, way too early for this type of thing. After trying all of the minor stuff (solenoids, filters, etc) we cracked open the engine again at around 100K miles, and the pieces failed again. Maybe I had a lemon, but I can't recommend anyone buy this engine design.
NIce video but on my Bmw 525i i am getting the engine code p0012 and my car keep going into limp mode and my gas mileage has dropped tremendously ....i keep having to turn car off and on but it goes right back into limp mode... what is the cause in that
Anton Ford without proper diagnosis, your guess is as good as mine. If you want to spend a lot of money, find a bad mechanic! Make sure you do your research on the shop you bring it to :)
Anton Ford again, you've not had it properly diagnosed. That's what I'm trying to tell you. someone read the codes out. They've not properly diagnosed it.
I'm having this problem with my car. Sometimes when I push on the gas too much and get above 5k rpm and car starts running sluggish. How much will it cost to fix this problem?
Revised OEM part he said in video... Edit: Nvmnd.. There ya go ^ lol Love these videos you make. Watched them all. When i decide to do my build up of my N54 long block. I KNOW where im shipping my motor too!! ABR Houston Shop!! Thx Alex!
@@Abrhouston wat are they called ? Im in south east asia and most ppl here only know of the metal c rings ... Could u link me please ... Is it an original part or like oem ?
that's what happens when you don't use the right oil/don't change your oil on time. BMW's were made for people who are eager to maintain their vehicle.
More likely dogging it before oil is at a good temp, combined with short trips. If someone has a short commute and never gets the car to a decent temp and spends a little bit of time driving it like that, the condensation never works its way out. Oil type I'm sure has a role to play as well.
Hello Alex, I am having this 2A85 code. Car run perfect with exhaust vanos solenoid unplugged. As soon I plug in the solenoid, the car will run like it burn to the ground and die and will not start if I don't unplugged the exhaust solenoid. Please help advise. Thanks,
Thank you for the video, very good explanation. Do you replace the bearing ledges too i guess? Or just the rings (N52 you cant replance the VANOS intake bearing ledge, i wonder if it would help something to just change the rings...)? Thats why i would never again go for an N52....
The Aluminum is different on the head vs. the cam tray. We've not run into an intake bearing ledge on an N55 or N52 that has caused wear like the exhaust cam tray does. No, absolutely we replace the cam tray when we see wear that would cause a VANOS issue.
Thank you very much for the answer. So i can relax now. I think i might have to do the job but i was worried about the intake side. So i will just replace the exhaust side.
bimmerman3 N20's have an entirely different issue with camshafts. they have a cam recall for the intake not oiling the vacuum pump, and we've seen a few cams gall and lock up the engine...... but no this is not an issue on an N20
bimmerman3 the N20 is not very fun to fix or own......I'd have to verify, but I'm pretty confident they use the same cassette and chain as the 6 cylinders.... if that is the case no NG6 Engine has chain stretching issues..... so something would be doing it N20 specific
With proper diagnosis in our shop, of course we can get you some information on it. Without it being in front of us, it is somewhat difficult to make a correct diagnosis though :(
Occasionally, VANOS iosues coan be caused by the non-return valves on the side of the block. Also, it can be caused by mistakenly swapping the exhaust and intake connectors (white wire with red tracer is the exhaust and should go to the lower solenoid, the one with the blue tracer is the intake). One more issue could be the ring that needs to be properly seated at the bottom tip of the oil filter cap. That small green ring closes the oil drain to the pan, which during normal operation should be blocked by that ring. Great content, thanks for posting. Makes one wonder why BMW doesn’t use the teflon seal that you’re recommending.
Really appreciate you explaining this man.
No problem! Glad you liked it!
Brilliant explanation , couldnt ask for a better demo.
Great stuff, valuable info and clear explanation. Thanks for posting it
another reason why maintainance is VERY important!
I just replaced the valve cover due to PCV issue on a my 08 328i N52 with 70k on it. I checked the intake camshaft blocking rings. I could not feel a gouge from the rings, yet there was a wear pattern from the rings rotating. I understand the exhaust cam box can be replaced along with intake and exhaust camshafts. Except, since there is a wear pattern on the intake camshaft head side (first cam journal), that would require a new cylinder head? I no longer have start-up lifter noise since I switched to Castrol Edge 0w-40 five oil changes ago. I change my oil between 4 to 6k. Also I have no codes, rough running or sluggish power delivery, so I am not going to worry about it for now.
N52 heads don't exhibit this issue on the intake cam. I'd not worry about it
So you haven't seen an n52 at all yet that has needed the head replaced due to intake bearing ledge being worn? I have read about quite a bit of ppl replacing heads due to this issue thats why i ask .but I recently purchased a 07 x3 that is giving me intake vanos code on start up only. i switched solenoids and checked and cleaned filters but code still appears on intake side. I was assuming my intake ledge was damaged but upon removing valve cover i found serpentine belt throughout the timing chain area. so my next question is can a partially clogged oil pickup be causing my oil pressure to be low on start up and therefore cause the intake vanos code or would both intake and exhaust side give codes if that was the issue? I know in most cases the engine is recommended to be replaced due to oil passages but after initial start up the car idles perfect with no ticking at all so i plan to drop the pan and clean out all the belt but not sure if thats related to the vanos issue or not.
@@Abrhouston
@@micsmith806 Sounds like you have more problems than just a vanos code- if you have belt in the engine, you probably have clogged oil passages causing this.
would this be the same to a mini cooper sport and the same way of fixing it as shown in the vid
Great video 👍 thanks for sharing!
Great video very detailed... and btw I think those “trays” are actually referred to as the “camshaft journals”
They technically have Cam journals on them, but Cam trays are the known and accepted name in the industry
Please show me a video if trimming the n54 engine from start to end because nobody has, also include how to tripe check or fix being a partial or full tooth off with timing chain replacement, also please make a followup to this video on blocking ring replacement special tools is cool to include
Great video explaining this issue. One thing I noticed though, is you didn't mention the filters in tje side of the head found at the front of the exhaust side. 2 T40 torx bolts that are fine guazes the filter the oil to the vanos solenoids. These often block up on cars that have poor service history and long intervals between oil changes. Otherwise a fantastic video, amd you deserve more subscribers putting out such quality content.
To be honest, we rarely see those get clogged up unless the engine is REALLY sludged.... but you're right it could be something to check but rarely the solution . Thanks for the props!
@@Abrhouston we're based in Western Australia, and if an N52 or N54 is dealer serviced, if it is ever late for it's oil changes we see them sludged. Partly due to the manufacturer making the intervals too long, and partly due to the owners negligence.
Hey, I'm gonna have to stop by your shop one of these days, I just got a 2010 335i n54 x-drive back in dec and I'd like a professionals opinion on how healthy my motor is. Can you do a video on water pumps for the N54 and what all you've experienced with those? Aside from the wastegates, HPFP, and the charge pipes, it seems like the water pump is another high fail item on the N54.
Thanks for the videos, it's highly appreciated 👍
Smokkedandslammed come on by! I'll come up with something for a water pump video
I am getting occasional codes usually when the engine is hot. Assuming there are smaller groves could Liqui Moly Ceratec additive help?
Yes it could. Even for ticking HVA.
Ceratec takes effect after 800 kms.
Got 2 vanoss codes one on intake and exhaust and cleaned solenoids didnt work well 2 weeks go bye has same codes but now dont start or drive doesn't even turn over
I got it there now. and the previous owner did a head gasket job. find out I had bent valves on the intake side, I just brought a whole new cylinder head
great job and great presentation
Love the channel. Would love for you guys to do a simple video on replacing the oil filter housing gasket. Attempting to do this myself here soon as BMW has recommended this be done but naturally want to charge $1k to do the repair. I've seen videos of people diy this repair but would be much more comfortable with having a video done by professionals that work specifically on N54s. Thanks!
what a great video sir 👍🥂
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great explanation. I'm getting a code 2A9A on a 2008 328i, changed the VC, vanos, solonoids, cam sensor, and still no luck. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Thanks for mentioning dirty oil. The first time it happened to me, I changed the oil. I eventually changed the solenoids. If I still have a problem, I will call you.
Possible a faulty intake vanos solenoid will cause oil to enter combustion camber n foul out spark plug ??
This is excellent video mam. I have 2007 bmw 328 xi and I have a p0012 code, I have clean oil in the engine and. I replaced camshaft and exhaust valve solined with bmw part and. I also have no vocum leaks ether,any help on how to diagnose p0012 would be greatly appreciated!
Hi. If there are no check engine light, but intake camshaft value is from 60.8 to 61.2 in all RPM range. Does it mean that camshaft rings are bad? If it's possible that vanos are stuck in one position?
i have a question: can i swap n54 cams into n52 engine. i am not swaping heads. only cams. is that possisble, and is there any drow backs or problems with that? thank you
Hello just subscribed to your channel, really good information. Question? I have a 2010 bmw 328i i moved from Washington DC area to hot Florida, I'm using castro 5w30 currently. Should i use a different viscosity oil or continue with what I've been using? Thanks again.
thank, great video guys
There is no ledge for inlet camshaft like exhaust in n52. So if I replace only the first bearing cap would it help? Or I have to replace whole cylinder head because the rings scratches both sides? What do you think? Please help
I like your way of explanantion.... I got error code 2D5A and 2C58 in N55 engine and my mechanic tried checking the VANOS Solenoids (Changed the Wall cover with a new one) and swapping and found no issues, changed the CAM Shaft sensor Intake, tried realigning the CAMShaft still the same issue and now he's gone change just the Intake VANOS. Any suggestion from your experience would be highly appreciated.
The engine has rough idle and Half power sign.
The car was not having any issues until the mechanic changed the WallCover as there was an oil leak and a sound coming from PCV valve.
@ I managed to fix it. Timing done again. I started doing many things myself. Started making RUclips videos too 😂😁😁
I have a 2008 with the exhaust code that I replaced the blocking rings on. Test drive car and somehow the crank bolt came loose while running. Haven't had a chance to check how much damage it's done yet. I only turned the engine clockwise with the crank bolt about half a rotation to line up cams and put the jig on to take the gears off. I think the engine is toast.
That sounds ugly.... Not sure how you did that :(
I have an 08' 535xi in the shop that has a VANOS fault codes. it is running seriously rough/low idle, and the timing chain seems to have a lot of slack on it. I have only pulled the valve cover. any reason to believe this could be the same issue you describe? the bad seals on the cams?
this engine I was told previously had the accessory belt sucked in through the main seal, and both turbos replaced. I would assume that with the high likely hood of low oil pressure from the belt material in the engine that it destroyed the cam rings. I dont know if the pan was dropped to clean out all the material, I can only assume they did.
This video is very helpful but I have a 318i 2009 that after a little while starting to make a clunking noise what do I need to do?
Depends on the noise :D
Can you explain the special tool and CAM tray alignment more? It seems like the trays have doweling pins to align the trays when putting them back together around the cam shaft. If that's the case wouldn't it be aligned just by the pins?
I understand the confusion. The lower cam tray is aligned by teeth that hook into the head, which makes them sit straight. the top has really, not much to align with. The jigs go over the top of the cam tray and align with machined flats to properly set the bearings and tray in place while you're torquing the bolts.
I have a question, So I have a 2006 bmw 325i and it has 131,000 miles on it and it drops slightly in rpms every single time I come to a stop. Its not huge but it definitely is noticeable. The car will sometimes hiccup kind of bad like jumping rpms and when this happens I usually get vanos intake and exhaust codes but I have changed the solenoids to new ones and this did not help. Any idea what my problem could be?
That would be your valvetronic motor.
I have the ledge issue what's the cost to repair? I would do it myself but like you said there are a lot of specialty tools.
2009 n54 cars got this upgrade from factory right?
What oil do you recommend for the N54's? When someone buy's one of your engines what oil do you say to go with? 5W-30? 0W-40? 5W-40?
Based on some research and 4 years of ownership, ive used Mobil1 0w-40 Euro Syn. But I've seen some new talk about possibly running 5w-40 from Rotella or Motul Xcess 5w-40...?
However, some swear by the BMW recommended Castrol Syn 5w-30.
Summer here in NY gets hot 85+ atleast. Could be 100 on hotter days + humid. But winter will get down to 30 and avg's about 40 in winter.
Should I be running a different viscosity oil in summer and winter?
Any input on this would be great!!!
Thank you for the vid Alex!
We run Motul Xcess 5w40. It's an LL01 approved oil. Now, BMW says that they have updated to a 0w30 LL01FE for all N and M engines...... 4 cylinders and B engines are to get a 0w20 LL14FE+ oil...... rumor mill has told me that N63 engines with the 0W30 have been hurting the rod bearings, especially after an oil pan gasket replacement (possible cavitation or draining of the oil pump?)...... so we're in a hard spot. DO we shift with BMW's recommendations to a 0w30 LL01FE on N5x engines, like they said we "should" or stick with what we know works well? Do we shake in our boots with an N63 oil pan job and run 0w30? yes lol. 0w20 LL14FE+ is very expensive and not easily sourced except from the dealership as well. Oil is such a long winded and very opinionated debate....
Got that right. Some in depth studies on this would be nice. I think the proper LL and getting the oil to its operating temp for some miles, is the biggest thing. The money from other companies certainly has something to do with them "updating" recommendations. The engineers knew what they were doing when they built these. Steel rings are the perfect thing to get some money in the hands of the dealers 100k miles down the road, while ensuring short term(warranty period) reliability.. its genius.
Awesome Channel! Learned a lot from you guys. I was wondering what oil would you recommend from higher HP N54 engines?
We use Motul. Now, BMW recently changed to 0w30 LL01FE oil, so make sure you use that!
Where can i get them plastic rings from ... Wat are there called ... Could someone link me please ...
First of all, awsome video! What could happen if you have this problem and you keep driving it like this...?
The check engine light, possible engine surging and lack of power. On turbo cars, the turbo's will be disabled by the engine computer. It's not going to make the engine die/blow up, but certainly won't let it perform correctly.
Great video. Quick question where can i get those plastic rings?
The dealer!
Hi I have a n51 a variant of the n52 and I have a fault (vanos activation) 2a80 this seems like I'm having this issue. How much would a shop charge?
Why the plastic rings and not something less prone to failure? Do those last?
Yes, they do
Hello. Does just replacing these metal rings with Teflon ones help? I have a sucking vanos bug. I replaced selenoid and vanos.
If the cam trays are grooved, they must be replaced as well
Thanks for the answer. If there is a groove, should the head be replaced?
This same symptoms is happening to my car. R56 N12.
I️ have an N55 had similar issue car was soooo sluggish, hiccupped on start up, rough idle. Stealership Replaced valvetronic motor and the camshaft $$$$
What means miss firing and faring in 54 and the engine not really strong !?!?
Hello, I was seeing the explanation of the failures of the openings. I would like to know if you can guide me to solve several codes that mechanics fail to fix.
I have a bmw e60 525i 2006. The fault codes are:
* 2A87 Exhaust vanos mechanic.
* 2FA4 Incorrect data
* 2E7C Bit serial data interface, signal
any suggestions?
If you're local yes- we can help! You've got some interesting faults but they'd need to be diagnosed first
@@Abrhouston unfortunately no, i live in dominican republic.
I have some INPA, NCS EXPERT, and WINKFP programs.
Can you help me if I can solve these failures with these programs.
Great info sir. Do you also know the main cause of ticking on n54 motor? It seems like almost every n54 has it.
Direct injection
are you saying that it is caused by injector being directly on top of the cylinder?
Well not that specifically. Direct Injection is know to be noisy
o meu carro esta o mesmo defeito ja troquei os selenoide mais o defeito nao desapareceu
Hello, while changing CCV(due to high oil consumption), the old hose that went from CCV to crankcase was not even connected, after installing new CCV and connecting all hoses, engine started fine and was driving good.
After changing oil, engine went into limp mode, long crank, wanting to stall , very big rpm jumps up and down, check engine light. Mechanic said 3 fault codes leading to bad VANOS, and suggested to have both vanos replaced or serviced? Does that make sense?
Engine is N52
I checked for codes with my phone, only got this one:
P0341
Camshaft position sensor "A" circuit range/performance (Bank1 or single
sensor)
Will call a technician to come with computer to get more codes if there are any.
Also he said he hears VANOS rattle on intake side, are N52 vanos service-able ?
Would the camshaft grinding grooves on intake side be worst case scenario? Because the intake cam tray and cylinder head are cast together? And would need the whole head replacement?
I wish I could give you solid advise, but unless it was an early model N52, you can't replace the CCV separately. Vanos is not rebuildable, and the exhaust tray can only be replaced- intake is part of the cylinder head. "Call a technician to come with computer" means you probably have it at the house, which probably means your not using a shop, which probably means your going to not get decent results..... Just sayin' consumer beware.
Basically took it to a shop, car was there about 2 days, they told me they adjusted engine timing and I got the car now everything is smooth... All the people on bmw forums told me that I got "scammed" and engine timing adjustment was not needed. My guess is they cleaned solenoids and everything is fine? No idea.
I'm really not sure, mainly because I wasn't there to experience the issue/see the faults/diagnose the problem. Abe Lincoln said it best- "Everything you read on the internet is true", so take forums with a grain of salt.
ABR Houston Your BMW Specialists Well the car runs fine like it did before, but even though ccv was replaced oil is being burned a lot. Im so lost. Cant find honest shop that I can trust. Seems like every shop in my country just cares about money and not the customer...
Why do the trays need alignment tool when there are tube dowels to do so?
Dowels can only align so closely. The machined edges that the tools align put the upper and lower journals together perfectly.
@@Abrhouston I'll take measurements. if there's more play than a couple tenths. I'll make the tools in my spare time at work.
@@diyguy6054 or.... Use the tools 😁
@@Abrhouston I'm a toolmaker, I'll make them.
Could this issue ever cause an N52 to die at idle/stop lights? I have The 2A82 code, but the car isn't sluggish or anything. But it has just started to sputter and sometimes die at stoplights, and low revs starting to go up an incline. And not all the time, just once every drive. After it dies, I start the car and it's fine.
I just ran across this same issue! I just changed the oil and cleaned the solenoids. Soo let’s see how this goes!
@@TheOfficialKarl1 lemme know how it goes! I already did what you did, no effect. I'm thinking eccentric sensor next, but it happens so rarely I might also just live with it lol
if you have had this procedure done in the past, how long should the repair last? I am getting the 2a82 and 3100 codes on n54 that point back to this issue. It's only been 35k miles!!
So what happened? My car has a 2a82 and 3100 from limp mode. Replaced the solenoids and checked the filter. Then I cleared the code never came back. Now I have a different type of lobed idle after the car warms up.
@@emrecan_m4 I had to sell my car, lost a lot of money on this. I had the bearing ledge/ seal ring procedure done for the second time, and the new piece was completely chewed up. Unacceptable, really. I hope their is a class action suit or something, total failure of @BMW engineering on this one. First repair, had new ledges and rings replaced, maybe around 65K mile mark, way too early for this type of thing. After trying all of the minor stuff (solenoids, filters, etc) we cracked open the engine again at around 100K miles, and the pieces failed again. Maybe I had a lemon, but I can't recommend anyone buy this engine design.
NIce video but on my Bmw 525i i am getting the engine code p0012 and my car keep going into limp mode and my gas mileage has dropped tremendously ....i keep having to turn car off and on but it goes right back into limp mode... what is the cause in that
Anton Ford without proper diagnosis, your guess is as good as mine. If you want to spend a lot of money, find a bad mechanic!
Make sure you do your research on the shop you bring it to :)
I remember some research was basically talking about cam hook rings may have went bad
get it properly diagnosed, that way we're not guessing
bmw gave me them codes and they said on the printout was a suspected camshaft bearing or oil hook seal was bad
Anton Ford again, you've not had it properly diagnosed. That's what I'm trying to tell you. someone read the codes out. They've not properly diagnosed it.
Hello it looks like I might have this issue and extremely curious what is the the price range on this service. 2011 328I
anywhere from 0 to thousands depending on the situation!
Thanks good information 👌👌👌👍👍👍🇮🇳🇮🇳
This is why I do 5k mile oil changes on my 325i and use nothing accept Castrol 5w30
271 subs?
i honestly expected around 250k
I'm having this problem with my car. Sometimes when I push on the gas too much and get above 5k rpm and car starts running sluggish. How much will it cost to fix this problem?
It all depends what's wrong with it. The first thing is to have a technician diagnose it.
ABR Houston Your BMW Specialists what should I ask them to check? vanos timing?
where to get/buy that aftermarket blocking rings ?
they are factory :)
Revised OEM part he said in video...
Edit: Nvmnd.. There ya go ^ lol
Love these videos you make. Watched them all. When i decide to do my build up of my N54 long block. I KNOW where im shipping my motor too!! ABR Houston Shop!! Thx Alex!
where can i buy those upgrade blocking ring and how do you install them?
Installing is somewhat complicated, and involves multiple special tools. The rings are available from the dealership
@@Abrhouston wat are they called ? Im in south east asia and most ppl here only know of the metal c rings ... Could u link me please ... Is it an original part or like oem ?
that's what happens when you don't use the right oil/don't change your oil on time. BMW's were made for people who are eager to maintain their vehicle.
More likely dogging it before oil is at a good temp, combined with short trips. If someone has a short commute and never gets the car to a decent temp and spends a little bit of time driving it like that, the condensation never works its way out. Oil type I'm sure has a role to play as well.
Gravy job
Hello Alex, I am having this 2A85 code. Car run perfect with exhaust vanos solenoid unplugged. As soon I plug in the solenoid, the car will run like it burn to the ground and die and will not start if I don't unplugged the exhaust solenoid. Please help advise.
Thanks,
E90 generation really gave BMW the Breaks My Wallet name!
Not really. People not maintaining their vehicle is what makes them break most of the time....
Thank you for the video, very good explanation. Do you replace the bearing ledges too i guess? Or just the rings (N52 you cant replance the VANOS intake bearing ledge, i wonder if it would help something to just change the rings...)?
Thats why i would never again go for an N52....
The Aluminum is different on the head vs. the cam tray. We've not run into an intake bearing ledge on an N55 or N52 that has caused wear like the exhaust cam tray does.
No, absolutely we replace the cam tray when we see wear that would cause a VANOS issue.
Thank you very much for the answer. So i can relax now. I think i might have to do the job but i was worried about the intake side. So i will just replace the exhaust side.
Is this pretty common on the N52/N54's? Also have you been in any N20's yet?
bimmerman3 N20's have an entirely different issue with camshafts. they have a cam recall for the intake not oiling the vacuum pump, and we've seen a few cams gall and lock up the engine......
but no this is not an issue on an N20
I've heard about timing chains stretching on the N20's and they're replacing them under warranty or extending that out.
bimmerman3 the N20 is not very fun to fix or own......I'd have to verify, but I'm pretty confident they use the same cassette and chain as the 6 cylinders.... if that is the case no NG6 Engine has chain stretching issues..... so something would be doing it N20 specific
Germans dont even know that, thanks guys
5/5
I GET A CODE FOR 2A7C ANYINFO ON IT
With proper diagnosis in our shop, of course we can get you some information on it. Without it being in front of us, it is somewhat difficult to make a correct diagnosis though :(
Hi can I have ur email please.... need some help in this field ?