Vanos Solenoid Valve

[Rajvosa]

Originally Posted by aussiem3

I just test pipes fitted through the dealer and the stealers charged for $400 for two hours' labour. Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the invoice. Auto Classis in Perth for you

dude!!!! should have gone to an exhaust place instead. you know AC is a rip off!

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by Rajvosa

dude!!!! should have gone to an exhaust place instead. you know AC is a rip off!

I know. The only reason I went to them is to ensure there were no leaks at the header. I used OEM gaskets but never thought it would take two hours. Lesson learnt.

[Rajvosa]

Originally Posted by aussiem3

I know. The only reason I went to them is to ensure there were no leaks at the header. I used OEM gaskets but never thought it would take two hours. Lesson learnt.

at least we beat them with today's purchase lol

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by Rajvosa

at least we beat them with today's purchase lol

I'll pick up the containers from Welshpool as discussed with Dave and you can collect the two from my place to make things easy for you.

[rsv4dan]

Originally Posted by aussiem3

I just test pipes fitted through the dealer and the stealers charged for $400 for two hours' labour. Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the invoice. Auto Classis in Perth for you

I fitted test pipes myself in my garage with the car sitting on jackstands. What a shitty job that was. I had no help. You have to remove the x-pipe to cut the cats off. Lying under the car trying to lift that heavy piece of shit on and off. It must weigh 30-40kg. But not just the weight, its massive and awkward as fk! Literally using my stomach/chest/face to try and push it up, while trying to line it up at both ends and trying to start the mounting bolts in the middle with my hands.

If i had to do it again i would just pay a shop to do it for me. Was such a headache at home with only 2 hands.Given that, it still probably only took me about 2-3hours. If they were using a hoist - and maybe the right tools to be able to cut the exhaust in place without removing the x-pipe, them charging $400 in labor is a joke!!

[EarthboundMisfit]

Vanos solenoid valve (and check valve) arrived last week from BMMiniParts.com (UK). Took 9 days to arrive, and cost $100's less than local supply:



Car goes in to Prestige and Performance on Monday.

[EarthboundMisfit]

So the car went in on Monday 20th, and had the offending solenoid valve replaced. Have been driving the car daily. No issues until this afternoon when I get another yellow CEL. Get home and do a scan, and the same fault code is back...

The same code after 9 days?

Obviously something else is going on. I have the BPM sport tune going in shortly, so I'm thinking I'll wait for that first.

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by EarthboundMisfit

So the car went in on Monday 20th, and had the offending solenoid valve replaced. Have been driving the car daily. No issues until this afternoon when I get another yellow CEL. Get home and do a scan, and the same fault code is back...

The same code after 9 days?

Obviously something else is going on. I have the BPM sport tune going in shortly, so I'm thinking I'll wait for that first.

Did the cel come on shortly after a cold start, was it a hot day, hows your engine oil?

Is the car driving and idling as per usual? Does it make any funny noises upon startup?

[EarthboundMisfit]

Originally Posted by DR-JEKL

Did the cel come on shortly after a cold start, was it a hot day, hows your engine oil?

Is the car driving and idling as per usual? Does it make any funny noises upon startup?

CEL came on about 3 minutes after starting. Temps in the low 20's today, and engine oil level is fine (and temps normal). The car sounds normal at start up, idles the same as usual, and feels and sounds normal while driving.

I've reset the fault code, so will test again tomorrow on a cold start to see if I can repeat the event.

[DR-JEKL]

Hmm, was there any noticeable improvements when you changed the solenoids?

Was a vanos adaptation reset done when they were installed?

[EarthboundMisfit]

After the old solenoid valve was replaced with the new, to me, the car was the same. Felt the same, sounded the same, drove the same.

Interesting point/question about the adaptation reset. Answer is, I am not sure (I know the fault code was cleared). That's one reason I thought I'd wait for Mike Benvo to do the tune and code; the adaptation reset will be done as part of his work.

I'm starting to think electrical issue, not mechanical. Need to rule things out one at a time.

[gimmethemuumuu]

Originally Posted by drjekl

Another thing you may be able to do is swap the solenoids over, and see if the fault changes bank.

Was it warm up there today? I had a few vanos faults on really hot days, i ended up swapping them eventually on my 335i after 80k kays and it made a big difference in driveability at low speeds.

Interesting. I had previously asked--I believe it was on this forum--whether this was a thing on the E9x M3's. I had a code on my wife's E91 and had followed the procedure to remove, clean, swap and reinstall. It worked to resolve the code and seemed a good routine maintenance item.

Has anyone else heard of doing this clean [and swap] of the solenoids on the E9x M3's? There appears two of each kind on the engine, four total. So, certainly, it seems possible to swap them like on the non-M e9x's.

[EarthboundMisfit]

BPM Sport code and tune done today on the car. Fault code cleared, but returned within 2 kms of driving. Mike Benvo advised against adaptation reset.

Have the car booked in for diagnosis with BMW next week.

In the meantime, found this in the MSS60 manual:

[NBTBRV8]

Post back the final outome.

[EarthboundMisfit]

It seems the root cause of my VANOS issue was... a blockage in the oil line near the intake solenoid valve in bank 2.

The car was in overnight with Mike at Prestige and Performance, and after removing and inspecting the solenoid valve, a piece of plastic was discovered. How it got there is a bit of a mystery, and hopefully there isn't anymore floating about inside the engine.

The intake solenoid valves have also been swapped. Hopefully this issue is resolved, but if the fault code returns the valve swap should aid in any further diagnosis.

[gimmethemuumuu]

Awesome! Glad to hear you found the source of your code(s). Hopefully, that'll be the end if it.

It's good to know that the valves are, in fact, swappableon this car. I will add this as a regular maintenance item on my car

[DOCTOR.Y]

Originally Posted by EarthboundMisfit

It seems the root cause of my VANOS issue was... a blockage in the oil line near the intake solenoid valve in bank 2.

The car was in overnight with Mike at Prestige and Performance, and after removing and inspecting the solenoid valve, a piece of plastic was discovered. How it got there is a bit of a mystery, and hopefully there isn't anymore floating about inside the engine.

The intake solenoid valves have also been swapped. Hopefully this issue is resolved, but if the fault code returns the valve swap should aid in any further diagnosis.

OP did you solve this issue ? Is the oil line blockage the reason ?