Bavarian-Board.co.uk - BMW Owners Discussion Forum Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Technical & Model Specific Forums > BMW ///M Power
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Vanos unit
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Forum LockedVanos unit

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
tonyc View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 14-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 26
Direct Link To This Post Topic: Vanos unit
    Posted: 04-December-2002 at 18:46

Seen a few topics where the Vanos unit is mentioned and very expensive to replace if it goes wrong. My question is there anything to look out for or prevention of the unit packing up, I've got an M3 96 Evo which has 69k miles and looking back at the history the vanos was change at 47k miles (or 2 years ago) FOC by BMW. Is there any chance of it packing up again? Also I don't fully understand how the vanos works, can anyone help here?

Thanks in advance

Back to Top
Sponsored Links


Back to Top
jaseb View Drop Down
Senior Member II
Senior Member II


Joined: 11-November-2002
Status: Offline
Points: 237
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-December-2002 at 09:11

There's been some VANOS discussions on this site under "Other M cars" (or something similar) on their forum - might help?!

http://www.bm3w.co.uk/

Back to Top
M3AG View Drop Down
Really Senior Member II
Really Senior Member II
Avatar
7 series & e36 m3 registrar! (Madness)

Joined: 17-October-2002
Location: Good Old Hertfordshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1644
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-December-2002 at 09:52
I'm trying to prepare an article for the club mag that will cover the vanos unit and it's fault, so at present just getting as much info as I can on this. It's a bit of an invisible fault as it appears so suddenly, and can let go without prior warning,  with the possibility of trashing the engine in the process when it does go.
Back to Top
m3kuk View Drop Down
Really Senior Member I
Really Senior Member I


Joined: 19-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 267
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-December-2002 at 11:22

I've just had mine replaced @52k miles on my 96 EVO coupe.Total cost £1700! BMW(GB) paid £600 towards it a lot of pestering by me and my dealer.I've been keeping the club updated with my progress(took 3 months to get a contribution off BMW!),and togther with Andrew from the club (M3AG) were trying to put together the ultimate guide to VANOS for the club magazine and website hopefuly.I've got some info on single VANOS operation so i'll post it or supply a link.As for warning signs the noise from my motor what alerted me to a poss. problem turned out to be something else.Look out for a pronounced step in power delivery where the VANOS operates.Approx 2000 and 5000 rpm.Unfortunately if you have this your unit is probably failing already.

  

Back to Top
m3kuk View Drop Down
Really Senior Member I
Really Senior Member I


Joined: 19-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 267
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-December-2002 at 22:06
Here is that VANOS link.http://www.bmw-m.net/FAQs/whatis.htm
Back to Top
tonyc View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 14-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 26
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-December-2002 at 11:48

Thanks m3kuk,

Nice site

Tony

Back to Top
m3kuk View Drop Down
Really Senior Member I
Really Senior Member I


Joined: 19-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 267
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-December-2002 at 21:26
No probs, any more info needed,give us a shout.
Back to Top
tonyc View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 14-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 26
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-December-2002 at 08:22

Do you know why there problem with reliability?

Back to Top
bennymac View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 19-October-2002
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 32
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-December-2002 at 17:28

ok now you guy's have me worried.

I have 44k on my 99 Car but it's still under warrantee untill the end of January.

BM want nearly £500 to extend this for another year and i was sure i was saying no but now i'm not so sure.

I had the car ran up on the rollers and it was making good power on unleaded fuel.

not as much as the quoted figures would suggest but it was partly due to me deliberately running on unleaded fuel to see if it causing any detonation problems.

The guy's i use in Glasgow want to fit Twin Turbo's ........... god that would be fun

Anyway they didn't mention anything wrong with my vanos but i am wondering if they would know what to look for?

Is the failure likely to occur at around the 50 to 60k mark? if so i will extend the warrantee

Back to Top
barty View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 08-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 19
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-December-2002 at 21:43

hi

 i'am to now very scared by all this talk of reliability with the vanos unit. my m3 is an M reg non evo with 100k miles and it has full bmw history. there does'nt seem to be any mention of the unit been changed in the history and am now worried as £1700 sounds like a hell of alot of cash. 

 

phil

Back to Top
tonyc View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 14-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 26
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-December-2002 at 09:36
Benny, from what I've read these go between 35k-50k. What I'm trying to gather is it down to a manufacturing problem or driver abuse. I seems that quite a few have been change by BMW free of charge if the car is still under warrantee and is not a wear and tear issue
Back to Top
M3AG View Drop Down
Really Senior Member II
Really Senior Member II
Avatar
7 series & e36 m3 registrar! (Madness)

Joined: 17-October-2002
Location: Good Old Hertfordshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1644
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-December-2002 at 10:49

I have had a few reports where the vanos has let the car down on more than one occasion, some times at 20k sometimes at 70k, and had to be changed, where as on others, the original is still present. So mileage can't be the benchmark.

I'm a firm believer in the BMW warranty, £500 seems a lot though, mine is £400 per year, £7.70 per week is not a lot to pay for piece of mind! However it only covers the car up to a 100k.

You can get the unit checked every time it's serviced or if you prefer every 6 months, the dealer will charge, but at least you are for-warned!

we're the Sweeney son, and we ain't had our dinner.....
Back to Top
DarrenW View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 09-December-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 34
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-December-2002 at 22:04

Can anyone tell me where under the bonnet is the vanos unit located? What does it do? If the vanos fails does it render the car useless or is it just a handfull at low revs? What does it sound like when it is on its way out? If my research is correct there were about 32K E36 M3's built. What sort of percentage has been affected? I hope that BMW's R&D has resulted in a solid design and that the vanos failure i not on the same scale as the nicasil lining issue 

I test drove a '91 M5 before buying a '96 m3 Evo. I notices at tickover the engine seemed lumpy but after some investigation concluded that this was probablr down to the engine design. I have noticed that the M3 is similar, albeit slightly smoother, is this normal. I would be surprised if a car with such power and torque should be silky smooth on tickover.

As with other members iam very concerned about this issue and am really looking forward to reading a detailed article in a (very) future members mag. If budgets did not allow a dealership repair are there any other viable options - self fit, secon hand parts etc.

 

Darren.

Back to Top
m3kuk View Drop Down
Really Senior Member I
Really Senior Member I


Joined: 19-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 267
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-January-2003 at 12:44

Right at the front of the engine on the left hand side.It has a little Rolls-Royce badge on it!They developed the unit with BMW for the Mclaren F1.

Even the best drop a b##lock now and again!

I would take out the Warranty if available.Also would you trust anyone but BMW to fit the unit?If they balls it up it can F##k up the motor!

My unit was fitted by BMW-it came with 2yrs warr.

Back to Top
Guests View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-January-2003 at 17:09

here is another vanos link if its of use to you

http://www.bmwworld.com/technology/vanos.htm

 

Back to Top
wilde55 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 08-January-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 1
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-January-2003 at 21:03

I have just had an Inspection II carried out on my E36 M3, everything was fine, but when I asked about the slight ticking\rattling noise coming from the engine bay they said it was due to the wear of the gearing in the vanos unit. Obviously, I was concerned and asked what symptoms I should look out for, BMW were rather short with any reply. I don't have much problem with the noise, but I would like to know if there are precautions that I can take to help prevent further wear? Do high revs damage the vanos? How do you know if the vanos has completely gone? Does the wear on the vanos effect other parts of the engine?

Thanks in advance for any assistance\advice you can offer

Shane Wilde, Hampshire UK

Back to Top
m3kuk View Drop Down
Really Senior Member I
Really Senior Member I


Joined: 19-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 267
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-January-2003 at 11:33

First of all how old is your car,If it's less than 4 years old you have a good chance of claiming off BMW for a new unit (or at least a contibution).

The only symptoms I know of are a step in the power at around 2K and 5K where the Vanos operates.Also the car will rev more freely with a new Vanos.7600 rpm approx max! Obviously high revs will not help the unit or the engine for that matter! I believe in exteme wear cases a fault is stored in the engine diagnostics so the dealer should read this and let you know.I'd have it looked at again at your next service and then decide what to do.This info applies to Evo cars with twin Vanos.Single Vanos cars can go as well but it is cheaper to fix! £1000 single Vanos,£1700 Twin + labour(£350).

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.316 seconds.