Slonik Vanos Hub Covers replacement

[irokwrx]

Anyone have a tip/trick to removing the vanos cover bolt on the passenger side. It's the one closest to the power steering tank. The bolt under the screwdriver in the photo. Thanks!

[irokwrx]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

Finally got my set installed today. Pretty straightforward as DanMpower said. I will say the old covers were super brittle and snapped in two almost immediately.

Please tell me how you got to the bottom bolt on the passenger side of the vanos cover. There is a line right in front of it. Thanks

[Ajolives]

Originally Posted by irokwrx

Please tell me how you got to the bottom bolt on the passenger side of the vanos cover. There is a line right in front of it. Thanks

I used an open ended wrench and did 1/4 turns until I could thread it by hand. There may be a less tedious way with extensions, but that's how i did it.

[Ajolives]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

Same here dude, completely gone. I think it was the plastic cover rotating on startup. I will say for sake of argument my valve covers were leaking prior to the install so loss of oil pressure isn't off the table in my situation.

So I was/am completely wrong. After four days of sitting the chattering noise came back. Back on my list of $hit to fix.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

So I was/am completely wrong. After four days of sitting the chattering noise came back. Back on my list of $hit to fix.

Never had plenty but the chatter I had actually stopped after new covers. Car probably suffer from placebo.

[GORDON.M3]

Originally Posted by DirtyM3

Just placed an order on mine. Wished I've known about this earlier to get them cheaper.

I ordered them 3-4 days before the Black Friday sale and I asked Slon for a price adjustment and he gave me some kinda reply saying "different batches get different prices" and it's not possible to honor it. Anyways, it is what it is.
Slon has been known to have great products but terrible customer service. Not going to let the difference bother me.

[DirtyM3]

Originally Posted by GORDON.M3

I ordered them 3-4 days before the Black Friday sale and I asked Slon for a price adjustment and he gave me some kinda reply saying "different batches get different prices" and it's not possible to honor it. Anyways, it is what it is.
Slon has been known to have great products but terrible customer service. Not going to let the difference bother me.

Absolutely,

At this point, I'm doing it for preventative maintenance cost in the future as well as for the peace of mind sake.

[S55_M3]

Originally Posted by Move Over

I don't use drei bond anymore. It was a source of leaks on my last car and I've not had leaking issues without it on my new covers.

And yes I'm the same Alex on IG/Facebook.

Let me reiterate though, the vanos caps cannot be changed without removing the valve covers. I only removed the lower drivers vanos cover after I spun the motor on the passenger side to find 2 clips not fully seated. After I pulled that lower cover off I found one clip not fully seated on the driver side, so I'm glad I did. But yes, your shop should not have to pull the valve covers to check.

What are you using in place of dreibond? I noticed I had some leaks the last time I did my valve covers and it was at the dreibond application points.

[drwankel]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

So I was/am completely wrong. After four days of sitting the chattering noise came back. Back on my list of $hit to fix.

Still haven't had mine come back, but I won't draw any definitive conclusions until next spring/summer due to the low temperatures we have at this time of the year. The low temperatures add an unwanted variable into the behavior of the oil system.

[Move Over]

Originally Posted by S55_M3

What are you using in place of dreibond? I noticed I had some leaks the last time I did my valve covers and it was at the dreibond application points.

I use a tiny dab of permatex. But, when you replace your timing cover gasket and torque the timing cover to 10nm, a squeeze of whatever the blue gasket maker is, comes out the top. I believe that is designed to seal where the drei bond is supposed to go. Could be wrong though.

Where are you using drei bond? It only calls for it where seam of the timing cover meets the block. I remember 6-7 years ago when I was searching for a DIY on valve covers, guys were telling me to use it on all the half moon areas. I don't believe that is correct with new gaskets.

[Ajolives]

Originally Posted by Move Over

I use a tiny dab of permatex. But, when you replace your timing cover gasket and torque the timing cover to 10nm, a squeeze of whatever the blue gasket maker is, comes out the top. I believe that is designed to seal where the drei bond is supposed to go. Could be wrong though.

Where are you using drei bond? It only calls for it where seam of the timing cover meets the block. I remember 6-7 years ago when I was searching for a DIY on valve covers, guys were telling me to use it on all the half moon areas. I don't believe that is correct with new gaskets.

It's only a dab at the point where valve cover, valve head, and timing cover meet up.

[Scharbag]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

It's only a dab at the point where valve cover, valve head, and timing cover meet up.

Ahh, the typical dab of sealant for BMW timing chain covers. Been like that since the M42/44…. Or even before.

[GORDON.M3]

Originally Posted by Ajolives

It's only a dab at the point where valve cover, valve head, and timing cover meet up.

Yup that's right.
If you look closely at where the OEM valve covers are they have a dab of dreibond pre applied from the factory when assembling the valve cover assembly to the car. When you flip it over you'll see the exact points where its been used and simply replicate it when installing your new ones.
The dreibond is to fill the micropores and crevice where the gasket meets the metal and doesn't sit 100% completely flush, so the dreibond acts like a filler for the split between the valve head/timing cover meets the rubber gasket.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Heads up guys;

Took a quick look today just to find one of the tabs doesn't appear snapped on. The shop claim they are certain all went on. Talking to a mate who did the job himself he says it is easy to believe they are fully on but needs to be double checked. The spring has to be forced all the way tight into the vanos plate to enable the cover to be fully seated.
So new round with the shop...

Heads up 2:

Zooming in closer on the pictures I received from the shop after the job, it's obviouos that the cover isn't placed correctly with the opening over the vanos spring end and its pins.

Blue arrow is where the tab isn't snapped on, with spring end below. Red arrow is opening where spring end should have been. All covers looks to be incorrectly mounted on the pictures.
There are four grooves in the vanos plate where the thick cover "control" tab could be squeezed into, but only one is correct. So everything has to come off again.

Brought all the material even incl drei bond and had a nice (detailed..) talk through with the guys, and still. Hence, if using a shop guide them carefully. If I only had a Deansbimmer or Marek shop over here...

[Redd]

Damn thanks for that warning. Please take a pic of the correct groove where the control tab is supposed to go. I will need to make sure my mech gets it right. You have so much patience to do this. Haha

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Redd

Damn thanks for that warning. Please take a pic of the correct groove where the control tab is supposed to go. I will need to make sure my mech gets it right. You have so much patience to do this. Haha

Haha, thanks Eric, I'm trying hard to be. Shop guy seems like a nice bloke but sure its frustrating when arrogance comes into play. The cover can't be difficult to place correctly.

It's basically only one way to do it, plenty nice pictures in the threads like the one below. Large gap in cover = spring end.

Should gaskets start to leak I'll go back again but right now desperately hope that the covers wasn't harmed from being forced.

Ps. Was hoping to order matt carbon Armaspeed intake, but decided to work my way through this first.

[DirtyM3]

Order was placed on the 23rd of December and they just arrived to the door today.

[Move Over]

Firing up another group buy. Same deal, 525 shipped. 10 slots available pm me if interested

Edit: GB is now sold out

[DirtyM3]

Originally Posted by Move Over

Firing up another group buy. Same deal, 525 shipped. 10 slots available pm me if interested

Awesome deal. It's the better deal than paying the $600.

[spammysammich]

Got them today

[clubsport.m3]

Hi guys, I have ordered a set today also from Slonik. Thanks to Shadow for some help, really appreciated. I paid 600 usd for shipping to The Netherlands. Unfortunately not the deal like you get in the USA with a group buy, but the communication was already quite hard to establish. Will post some pictures of my old ones once I replace them in february.

[spammysammich]

Comms went easy for me via Instagram. I heard a few people using that option and it went as expected for me.