E36 M3 VANOS diaphgram spring replacement.

[MLee 35]

Since I created such drama with my VANOS refurb, I thought I'd go full hog and replace the intake cam sprocket diaphragm spring whilst I was at it.

However after delving in to the manuals, it looks like they can only be replaced by removing the intake camshaft, and that looks to require a special tensioning and/or timing tool of some sort.

The diaphragm spring is designed to resist play in the helical mesh and reduce rattling. They are known to be completely shot after a wee while.

Has anybody replaced these before? How easy is it to remove and replace S50B30 camshafts? (Surely not too difficult?)

Cheers,
Liam.

[KwS 2425]

I looked into it when i did mine, and didnt find many, if any, people that had actually done it. What i did work out though is that yes the cam needs to be removed as the sprocket doesnt have enough clearance in the head to be removed in place, unlike the B32 which apparently does. I didnt bother and tbh it didnt matter as all my rattle was coming from the helical shaft.

The procedure for the B32 is here, http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/euro_s50_double_vanos_rattle_procedure.htm and from what i could tell it would be similar for the B30 IF you had the space to work with, but you dont.

[MLee 35]

Exactly as I thought. There isn't a lot of space in there.

Don't know where my noise is coming from, can only assume it would be like yours. There wasn't a lot of it to begin with really.

I'm quite happy to forego that madness for the sake of a little [healthy] rattle.

[euroriffic 609]

Did them in my refurb a while ago now. Wasn't too bad to remove cams, didn't use the tools but as described in the besain doing each cap bolt about half a turn at a time untill the pressure is released evenly so not to bend the cam since they're hollow

[MLee 35]

Interesting, will have to have another gander at the Beisan procedures.

Did it make any noticeable difference? I suppose it might be hard to tell if you did it all at once.