Cracked Vanos Hub Cover

Johal E32 · 09-30-2021, 11:17 AM

FYI - I called Carbahn earlier today about the vanos covers, as of right now it is around a 4-6 week lead time. The washers $40ea and it will be $160 for the entire set.

Helmsman · 09-30-2021, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajolives

I thought the same as well, I imagine weight savings was the driver. I also was a bit sketched out replacing lightweight plastic with metal covers. Wouldn't that increase strain on the timing gear assemblies rotating the extra mass?

Edit: The only saving grace is that DINAN uses these on every engine they build because they claim these covers always crack. They know much, much, much more than I.

Good point about the significant weight adder using a steel plate. Obviously Dinan know their stuff but I'd still prefer plastic if that will be an option, we just have to see.
Where did you read their claim that the caps "always broke"?

DRLane · 09-30-2021, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johal E32

FYI - I called Carbahn earlier today about the vanos covers, as of right now it is around a 4-6 week lead time. The washers $40ea and it will be $160 for the entire set.

I added myself to the ljst. Will be a fun winter project.

Ajolives · 09-30-2021, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajolives

I thought the same as well, I imagine weight savings was the driver. I also was a bit sketched out replacing lightweight plastic with metal covers. Wouldn't that increase strain on the timing gear assemblies rotating the extra mass?

Edit: The only saving grace is that DINAN uses these on every engine they build because they claim these covers always crack. They know much, much, much more than I.

Good point about the significant weight adder using a steel plate. Obviously Dinan know their stuff but I'd still prefer plastic if that will be an option, we just have to see.
Where did you read their claim that the caps "always broke"?

That's what they told OP when he initially reached out to them last month via phone.

Green-Eggs · 09-30-2021, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Good point about the significant weight adder using a steel plate. Obviously Dinan know their stuff but I'd still prefer plastic if that will be an option, we just have to see.
Where did you read their claim that the caps "always broke"?

If you're concerned about weight, make them out of plastic with a 3D printer.

Redd · 09-30-2021, 06:45 PM

You can probably make that washer out of anything reasonably stiff and tough. The original plastic covers are thin and weak anyway, anything stiffer would be better than stock. One good reason for using steel would be never having to worry about it getting brittle over time, and breaking and clogging oil lines.

Etansinsta · 10-01-2021, 09:37 AM

Forgot to check this thread for awhile.

Sad to see there are other people with the same issue.

I’ve been running these for nearly 5k now and no issues. Everything is super smooth and I have no complaints.

One thing I did notice is that the oil cap started to leak significantly after taking it on and off every time I drove the car.

Sanded the lip and flipped the rubber gasket over on the oil cap and all is good now.

For anyone worried, phone up dinan and see what they have to say

Helmsman · 10-01-2021, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Etansinsta

Forgot to check this thread for awhile.

Sad to see there are other people with the same issue.

I’ve been running these for nearly 5k now and no issues. Everything is super smooth and I have no complaints.

One thing I did notice is that the oil cap started to leak significantly after taking it on and off every time I drove the car.

Sanded the lip and flipped the rubber gasket over on the oil cap and all is good now.

For anyone worried, phone up dinan and see what they have to say

Thanks for update mate, and even more for the initial thread. What a chocker to conclude that MY super pearl suffered from this! You know how it is, "that will never happen to me"....well it did.

No worries, the car is still in brilliant shape and thanks to your thread I'll make sure she's stays that way. Lets see what the correcting action will be.

Cheers
Nik

Edit: btw, did you sort all four vanos out in the end?

Etansinsta · 10-01-2021, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Thanks for update mate, and even more for the initial thread. What a chocker to conclude that MY super pearl suffered from this! You know how it is, "that will never happen to me"....well it did.

No worries, the car is still in brilliant shape and thanks to your thread I'll make sure she's stays that way. Lets see what the correcting action will be.

Cheers
Nik

Edit: btw, did you sort all four vanos out in the end?

No worries at all. I’ve been helped so many times on the forums so I’m happy to give back a bit with a more budget solution.

My local dealer quoted $8,700 for all the work with the new gears initially so I wasn’t too thrilled to just say go ahead.

And yes, I replaced all 4 covers with the metal covers. It’s worth it for the piece of mind. Especially for around 1400$ usd all in parts included.

Helmsman · 10-01-2021, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Etansinsta

No worries at all. I’ve been helped so many times on the forums so I’m happy to give back a bit with a more budget solution.

My local dealer quoted $8,700 for all the work with the new gears initially so I wasn’t too thrilled to just say go ahead.

And yes, I replaced all 4 covers with the metal covers. It’s worth it for the piece of mind. Especially for around 1400$ usd all in parts included.

Bloody hell, one get a good used car for 8700 (maybe not an M3 but still). 1400 on the other hand is imo cheap. I recon I'll end up somewhere in between, probably on the higher half. But them again I've driven this car for 8 years without any significant issues or cost so fair enought. (while obviously did RBs, TAs and bunch of maintenance by "free will").

Cheers

Redd · 10-01-2021, 07:19 PM

If possible, does it make sense to make these washers out of titanium Ti-6Al-4V (TC4 Gr5)? If possible. Any galvanic corrosion to be concerned about?

Etansinsta · 10-01-2021, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Bloody hell, one get a good used car for 8700 (maybe not an M3 but still). 1400 on the other hand is imo cheap. I recon I'll end up somewhere in between, probably on the higher half. But them again I've driven this car for 8 years without any significant issues or cost so fair enought. (while obviously did RBs, TAs and bunch of maintenance by "free will").

Cheers

Each gear is 1350$ CAD from the dealer so that is the majority of the cost after 12% tax

Ajolives · 10-01-2021, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajolives

It went horribly to be honest. They're still broke and in the car; just ordered a set of Carbahn washers ready for round II.

Long story short I tried going the cheap route (without knowledge of the washers) and sourced used units with the help of OP. They seemed trustworthy but at the end of the day i couldn't throw them in my car in fear of them being no better than what i already have. The shop would remove the covers to check out the condition of the spring and then reinstall. This made them a tad bit flimsy, (i could rotate the cover on the unit ever so slightly) while my cracked ones seemed tighter believe it or not (weren't rotating much if not at all). The caps have 5 contact points each and all of mine were engaged. I did replace Bank 1's exhaust cover with one of the used units because I accidentally cracked it more by being an idiot.

I buttoned everything back up, replaced Bank 2's valve cover; all the hardware and gaskets too. I'm assuming i dont have to replace everything again seeing its been a short time since. Still have the timing tools which you do in fact need to replace the center bolt while not losing timing, or so I've been told.

My uneducated opinion is that these have been cracked for a long time and i guarantee theres many more out there to be discovered. I didnt know my exhaust cover was broke two weeks after finding out the inlet was broke - it all depends on where the camshafts end up when the ignition is turned off. I would check every time after i drive and would have to start/stop a couple times to get the proper rotation to check the cracks because theyd be at 6 oclock or wherever you couldnt see. And I doubt people are checking their oil caps to look anyways. End of the day, i see this as yet another ticking time bomb for our beloved cars...If theyre cracked its not the end of the world but you are on borrowed time.

Went out and checked, all as expected looked great. Checked again after arriving to the office just to find....wtf..
Had the car for almost 8 years never checked before so god knows when this occured. Car have had an extremely comfortable life with over the top maintenance, warm up and rarely red line (live down town + old git). Ah well, will continue drive daily and contact a ///M indy to see what they say. Simply can't understand how that light pice of plastic can move!

Edit: And btw looks like to lower cover also have come lose.

I feel ya dude. That's exactly how I felt when I found out. Like wtf, what are the odds.

Helmsman · 10-02-2021, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Etansinsta

Each gear is 1350$ CAD from the dealer so that is the majority of the cost after 12% tax

Got it. Btw, looking at your pictures with the Dinan washer I can't seem to figure out how it is mounted. Doesn't seem to be the center nut that is torqued over it..?

Same thing with the OEM cap, I see the plastic tabs the is suppose to keep it from rotade (not doing a very good job...), but where are the tabs the keep it attached to the metal?

Thanks

Scharbag · 10-02-2021, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Etansinsta

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Bloody hell, one get a good used car for 8700 (maybe not an M3 but still). 1400 on the other hand is imo cheap. I recon I'll end up somewhere in between, probably on the higher half. But them again I've driven this car for 8 years without any significant issues or cost so fair enought. (while obviously did RBs, TAs and bunch of maintenance by "free will").

Cheers

Each gear is 1350$ CAD from the dealer so that is the majority of the cost after 12% tax

Jesus. A used engine is not much more…

Etansinsta · 10-02-2021, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Got it. Btw, looking at your pictures with the Dinan washer I can't seem to figure out how it is mounted. Doesn't seem to be the center nut that is torqued over it..?

Same thing with the OEM cap, I see the plastic tabs the is suppose to keep it from rotade (not doing a very good job...), but where are the tabs the keep it attached to the metal?

Thanks

The carbahn covers are held on only with the vanos gear bolt. We did modify the timing cover slightly to provide additional clearance for the vanos bolt as the new metal cover pushes the head of the bolt back 3mm

Audioslave686 · 10-02-2021, 10:05 PM

I have the same issue with the cracked covers.
I noticed that during the valve cover gaskets replacement.
I think I found a decent solution and the parts are coming my way. I'll post an update once I get them.

Helmsman · 10-03-2021, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Etansinsta

The carbahn covers are held on only with the vanos gear bolt. We did modify the timing cover slightly to provide additional clearance for the vanos bolt as the new metal cover pushes the head of the bolt back 3mm

Good input, thanks. Strange the washer didn't fit straight way or by Carbahn suggested part of the buy?

Helmsman · 10-03-2021, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audioslave686

I have the same issue with the cracked covers.
I noticed that during the valve cover gaskets replacement.
I think I found a decent solution and the parts are conking my way. I post an update once I get them.

Also very interesting, looking forward to your update.

exVtekGuy · 10-03-2021, 08:24 AM

what's involved in replacing the plastic cover with Carbahn part?

Audioslave686 · 10-03-2021, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exVtekGuy

what's involved in replacing the plastic cover with Carbahn part?

You will need the engine timing tool to remove the vanos bolts and retime the engine after the new vanos covers installed.
Not an easy DIY…

exVtekGuy · 10-03-2021, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audioslave686

Quote:

Originally Posted by exVtekGuy

what's involved in replacing the plastic cover with Carbahn part?

You will need the engine timing tool to remove the vanos bolts and retime the engine after the new vanos covers installed.
Not an easy DIY…

doesn't sound like it!!!

09-30-2021, 11:17 AM	#67
Johal E32 Private First Class 163 Rep 183 Posts Drives: 91 M5, 98 M3, 08 M3 Join Date: May 2019 Location: Earth iTrader: (3) Garage List 1991 BMW M5 [0.00] 1998 BMW M3 [0.00] 2008 BMW M3 [0.00]	FYI - I called Carbahn earlier today about the vanos covers, as of right now it is around a 4-6 week lead time. The washers $40ea and it will be $160 for the entire set.
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09-30-2021, 06:45 PM	#72
Redd Brigadier General 3900 Rep 4,164 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW E92 M3 Dakar Edition Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Malaysia iTrader: (0)	You can probably make that washer out of anything reasonably stiff and tough. The original plastic covers are thin and weak anyway, anything stiffer would be better than stock. One good reason for using steel would be never having to worry about it getting brittle over time, and breaking and clogging oil lines.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-01-2021, 09:37 AM	#73
Etansinsta Private First Class 55 Rep 149 Posts Drives: Melbourne E90 Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Great White North iTrader: (1)	Forgot to check this thread for awhile. Sad to see there are other people with the same issue. I’ve been running these for nearly 5k now and no issues. Everything is super smooth and I have no complaints. One thing I did notice is that the oil cap started to leak significantly after taking it on and off every time I drove the car. Sanded the lip and flipped the rubber gasket over on the oil cap and all is good now. For anyone worried, phone up dinan and see what they have to say
	Appreciate 2 jvictormp881.00 Ajolives922.00 Quote

10-01-2021, 07:19 PM	#77
Redd Brigadier General 3900 Rep 4,164 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW E92 M3 Dakar Edition Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Malaysia iTrader: (0)	If possible, does it make sense to make these washers out of titanium Ti-6Al-4V (TC4 Gr5)? If possible. Any galvanic corrosion to be concerned about? Last edited by Redd; 10-01-2021 at 07:29 PM..
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10-02-2021, 10:05 PM	#83
Audioslave686 Private First Class 165 Rep 126 Posts Drives: M3 E90/X4 F26 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	I have the same issue with the cracked covers. I noticed that during the valve cover gaskets replacement. I think I found a decent solution and the parts are coming my way. I'll post an update once I get them.
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10-03-2021, 08:24 AM	#86
exVtekGuy Second Lieutenant 115 Rep 284 Posts Drives: none yet Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	what's involved in replacing the plastic cover with Carbahn part?
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