PSA: Reminder to check your vanos hub bolts!

[BMWahba]

My buddy is doing a vanos and found this. Just a reminder for those of you who haven’t updated your cam bolts to do so while you’re knocking out your vanos…

No signs of the bolt, so I think he’s lucky and it is in the oil pan. We will see.

EDIT: Turns out these bolts were replaced previously, incorrectly torqued. Still, a re-reminder to ensure these are done and done properly!

[Nate047]

Oooof

[Slideways]

Has that VANOS been worked on previously?

[BMWahba]

Has that VANOS been worked on previously?

Yes actually, bolts were replaced once by a shop...

[Slideways]

Yes actually, bolts were replaced once by a shop...

Ah, that explains it as the tech didn't properly torque down the hub bolts. Not sure if this needs a PSA lol.

[BMWahba]

Ah, that explains it as the tech didn't properly torque down the hub bolts. Not sure if this needs a PSA lol.

You're probably not wrong, but hey, I figure it serves as a PSA still for those who had improperly torqued bolts lol. Interestingly enough, the car ran perfect.

[wahsm]

When I did mine a few years ago 4 of those 6 bolts were sheared and the other two were well on there way. Was intake side though. Actually had to use one of those reverse drill bits to get one of them out. I have pictures somewhere will have to see if I can dig then up as they were on an old phone. It was one of those oh shit, glad I am doing this now moments. Who knows how much longer those two bolts had.

[Tbonem3]

When I did mine a few years ago 4 of those 6 bolts were sheared and the other two were well on there way. Was intake side though. Actually had to use one of those reverse drill bits to get one of them out. I have pictures somewhere will have to see if I can dig then up as they were on an old phone. It was one of those oh shit, glad I am doing this now moments. Who knows how much longer those two bolts had.

Year and mileage?

[Slideways]

When I did mine a few years ago 4 of those 6 bolts were sheared and the other two were well on there way. Was intake side though. Actually had to use one of those reverse drill bits to get one of them out. I have pictures somewhere will have to see if I can dig then up as they were on an old phone. It was one of those oh shit, glad I am doing this now moments. Who knows how much longer those two bolts had.

You might be referring to the cam bolts.

[Shonky]

Given I did mine a few months back I worry....

How can you really get this wrong though? It's not like they are torqued super tight.

Aren't these the bolts that you don't necessarily replace too? It's the ones underneath you replace that also get thread locker on them.

[Slideways]

Given I did mine a few months back I worry....

How can you really get this wrong though? It's not like they are torqued super tight.

Aren't these the bolts that you don't necessarily replace too? It's the ones underneath you replace that also get thread locker on them.

The hub bolts don't need to be replaced. The torque is not super tight, but without the BMW special tool or a crows foot wrench (used at a 90 degree angle), you cannot torque certain hub bolts with the VANOS mounted to the cylinder head. I believe the Beisan instructions say to tighten by hand until the bolt is completely flush on the backside of the hub. I don't really trust that over a torque wrench.

[E-FARAOH]

My buddy is doing a vanos and found this. Just a reminder for those of you who haven’t updated your cam bolts to do so while you’re knocking out your vanos…

No signs of the bolt, so I think he’s lucky and it is in the oil pan. We will see.

EDIT: Turns out these bolts were replaced previously, incorrectly torqued. Still, a re-reminder to ensure these are done and done properly!

Just to update, this is my car, 2004 with 76k miles and I've owned the car since it had 1200 miles on the clock. Bolt was found in the oil pan with some fragments as we are doing the rod bearings as well. Feeling very thankful this didn't have a worse result. Car has ran flawlessly with an AA S/C kit that was installed in 2010. In any case, currently going to have the timing chain, and guides replaced in the event anything not immediately visible got damaged. Obviously will not be using this housing on the rebuild.

[wahsm]

Year and mileage?

2006 and was about145,000 km or 90,000 miles.

[wahsm]

You might be referring to the cam bolts.

yeah same thing the original poster is referring to in his picture…

[wahsm]

yeah same thing the original poster is referring to in his picture…

Oh wait it is the bolts for the hub he is showing, weird that backed out. Description was misleading and it was a few years ago, yes it was the actual cam bolts under that holding the sprocket.