M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 (edited) So this is what's the focus of the garage at the moment: All of the bits and pieces I need to complete the Beisan double VANOS and rattle kit installations. I'm not sure if my VANOS is totally rooted but I consider this preventative maintenance anyway. I am planning to complete it with my brother over the next two days (Wed/Thur) and anybody that wishes to swing round to Hillcrest on the Shore for a look/chat is more than welcome. If seeing a partially disassembled s50b32, watching two guys fumble about, handing over some tools, talking sh*t about cars or even sharing a few beers at the end of the day interests you then flick me a PM and I'll share my details. Anyone is welcome as long as you understand we have a job to do too! Open from 10am to about 7pm... It's the first "semi-internal" job I've ever done on my car so I'm looking forward to the experience and hope I don't need to call one of our trusty sponsors to dig me out of a hole if I cock it up! lol. Will post most details in my PLOG thread (link) I think... Cheers. Edited May 28, 2018 by M3AN 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 My god, Dave, you're organised like a brain surgeon! Unfortunately I'll be of no help with such a repair but there are a few guys floating around with such M-experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 My god, Dave, you're organised like a brain surgeon! Unfortunately I'll be of no help with such a repair but there are a few guys floating around with such M-experience I think the less things I have to worry about on the day the better! If you're going to do it once, do it right eh? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allanw 1071 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 So you're going to invite "enthusiasts" over to talk about stuff while you do work on the engine... I can see this taking a week. Both times. Nah - It's cool that you invite people over - A lot may never have even seen that far into an engine themselves! Well done! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 So you're going to invite "enthusiasts" over to talk about stuff while you do work on the engine... I can see this taking a week. Both times. Nah - It's cool that you invite people over - A lot may never have even seen that far into an engine themselves! Well done! Well we've allowed 2 full days for a 7 hour job so hopefully there's some slack in the schedule! We shall see... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
///MPROVD 131 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 good luck and stuff heaps of rags in and around the engine especially if there is distractions about haha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 I can never function properly if I am talking while doing car work with people standing around. I have to be in a state of solitude so I can maintain focus haha 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
euroriffic 607 Report post Posted January 21, 2014 Good work! I just need to order some seals from BMW then have all the bits to do mine. P.S, can I borrow the cam lock tool one day??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 I would love to be there, although I have no experience with Vanos. Learning about new stuff, and meeting people, is one of the great things about forums. Unfortunately, living near Clevedon and working in Hamilton means 10-7 weekdays isn't likely to work out too well. :-( Best of luck. Look forward to hearing how you get on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) She's open and VANOS is off: First surprise... solenoids are sealed in, this is not what I was expecting... So I'm not sure if some came like this or a repair has already been attempted... hmm. Any ideas? Edited May 28, 2018 by M3AN Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle 1662 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Id be surprised if it came like that from the factory but maybe it was a another E36 cost cutting measure haha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Id be surprised if it came like that from the factory but maybe it was a another E36 cost cutting measure haha. Just got a reply from Beisan Systems and they said it's not OE but it's a very common way to fix the problem with S50 engines punching the solenoids out of the covers. It does mean I can't replace the solenoid o rings but he doubts they'll be able to leak much as they are. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
central3 31 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Good luck with this - did the same on my S54 - internals look very clean - suggests it has been looked after Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Good luck with this - did the same on my S54 - internals look very clean - suggests it has been looked after Cheers. And yes, one of the things I'm very happy about is how clean it is in there, nothing at all besides parts and golden oil. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tidy30 38 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 A good engineer ALWAYS uses the pi rule. Take whatever you're doing, estimate the time it will take, multiply by pi and this is how long it will actually take. I use it jokingly at work, it is surprisingly effective although you need to remain meta-vigilant that you do not account for the pi rule pre-pi rule. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusteee 52 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Very nice looking engine internals, always good to see a well maintained car =) Keen to see how it all goes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FRT 144 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Great Job! i did this on my S50B30 not too long ago and bought the S62 cup washer for behind the splined sprocket housing. I couldn't slide the sprocket off as it wouldnt slide far enough to get it off before it hit the front of the head. Thought it was a B30 Vs B32 thing, as the Besain instructions are all photos of the B32. But looking at your photo you havent got much room to slide them off the cam either, i assume your replacing them as i think i can see them in your first photo on the opposite end of the table from the schooner of wine... Please let me know how you get on or with a photo if you have a clean hand free when you get to that. Good luck with he rest of it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thorburn 121 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 if you need a cam lock tool, i've got them Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) Thanks for all the comments and support guys, you might be surprised how much of a difference that makes! I won't be counting my eggs until it's all back together and running again but progress has been steady. Good work! I just need to order some seals from BMW then have all the bits to do mine.P.S, can I borrow the cam lock tool one day??? Well I was actually thinking of renting them out (all of the special/specific tools) to recover some of my costs... something I need to give more thought to after the fact. Rest assured they'll be available one way or the other. A good engineer ALWAYS uses the pi rule. Take whatever you're doing, estimate the time it will take, multiply by pi and this is how long it will actually take.I use it jokingly at work, it is surprisingly effective although you need to remain meta-vigilant that you do not account for the pi rule pre-pi rule. True this. I'm not sure that you could do this in 7 hours (as quoted for DIY) unless you'd done it before. At the current rate it will be around 14 hours I think assuming it all goes back together okay. We shall see, the timer is running so I will be able to report back on that. Great Job! i did this on my S50B30 not too long ago and bought the S62 cup washer for behind the splined sprocket housing. I couldn't slide the sprocket off as it wouldnt slide far enough to get it off before it hit the front of the head. Thought it was a B30 Vs B32 thing, as the Besain instructions are all photos of the B32. But looking at your photo you havent got much room to slide them off the cam either, i assume your replacing them as i think i can see them in your first photo on the opposite end of the table from the schooner of wine... Please let me know how you get on or with a photo if you have a clean hand free when you get to that. Good luck with he rest of it! Yep, I'm doing both, well spotted! Does the B30 have intake or exhaust VANOS? I can't remember. The exhaust sprocket doesn't come off unless you lift the cam but, in my case, the intake sprocket came off the front quite easily. If you had trouble getting the intake sprocket off that would be odd (based on my singular experience with a B32). And that was a fabulous bottle of Central Otago Pinot Noir... if you need a cam lock tool, i've got them Thanks for the offer. Is there actually a cam lock for the S50B32? I have the crank pin and the cam bridge (plus pin) for checking timing but I wasn't aware there was an actual cam lock for this engine. Indeed I've had to move the cams so often I'm not sure a cam lock would be a help or a hindrance. I know there's a cam lock for the M50 and US-S50 (i.e. M50+) but not the genuine ///M engines. I'm interested in your insight here. Edited January 22, 2014 by M3AN Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard 384 Report post Posted January 23, 2014 how'd things go today. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffbebe 1559 Report post Posted January 23, 2014 Good work, Dave! I didn't have the guts (or skill) to do the M62TU double vanos. Fortunately, Ray to the rescue!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 23, 2014 how'd things go today. Hi Rich, not too bad actually although I haven't finished yet. Today ended up being less productive hours than I planned due to some unforeseen commitments but we made progress nevertheless. We installed the "rattle kit" today and that took longer than expected to get right. The intake gear took 40 minutes, the exhaust one took about 3 hours to get right. The tolerances are very, very fine (~0.05mm) and we had to do some very fractional work to get a satisfactory outcome. End result of today is that the VANOS is totally rebuilt and (very) clean, ready to go back on to the engine tomorrow. Good work, Dave! I didn't have the guts (or skill) to do the M62TU double vanos. Fortunately, Ray to the rescue!! Ray and our other sponsors are heroes really. I have a new found appreciation for their patience! Having said that, if this goes back together well then I would consider it a DIY if you have the correct tools, space and time. If it doesn't go back together well then I'll be calling one of our sponsors for help and cursing myself! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted January 24, 2014 Mini update... I could be screwed... the chain tension will not go back in at all... I've disconnected the aircon pipe for access (the system was already depressurised) and it's a no go. Can't progress until I've sorted this and who knows what that will take. I've flicked an email to Ray to see if he has any ideas otherwise it might be on a flatbed... Much to my dismay everything else, the actual internal VANOS/engine stuff was relatively straight forward (more details to follow on that) but this damn tensioner! Suffice to say the VANOS is a much easier job if you skip the "rattle kit"! Boy... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Young Thrash Driver 1020 Report post Posted January 24, 2014 Bugger! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
euroriffic 607 Report post Posted January 24, 2014 Shame to hear. Hope you get it sorted easy enough Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
