2004 29,000 miles, oil around vanos gasket, Beisan vanos rebuild, quotes

[Slideways]

This price can't be right surely ?

I am tackling the same leak
I got a borescope for pictures, i will be uploading later

Get the Elring gasket. Pretty sure they supply all the metal type gaskets to BMW.

[BL92]

This price can't be right surely ?

I am tackling the same leak
I got a borescope for pictures, i will be uploading later

[BCEXP]

Your M is very low mileage. I would leave it alone. If anything, take that money and get the subframe reinforced.

[Grke46m3]

How do you guys feel about using some rtv on the bottom left of the gasket? I replaced this 2 times and it’s still leaking. Might put a thin layer of rtv on bottom half. This leak is making its way down to my oil pan.

[gixxer]

You can, there's access holes for those in the solenoid pack.

Finally, found the right length with enough clearance to put a 1/4 drive torque wrench down there.

[cobra]

That's a very very minor leak.

[gixxer]

attaching.

[gixxer]

Current school of thought is,

a) tackle the valve body removal
b) inspect/replace seals on the sealing plate
c) clean valve body
d) clean the oil area as best as possible
e) put back the valve body
f) (spirited) drive for few hundred miles, look for oil leak in similar area
g) if no more leak, then at closer to 30K miles get valve adjustments
h) additional inspection in and around vanos
i) maybe replace vanos gasket by then

[gixxer]

You will really only get oil there from a few sources, vanos gasket and vanos solenoid sealing plate would be the prime sources.

So, picked up this borescope/endoscope gadget that do 360-degree movement, and starting to see (maybe) what's going on as the source,

Seems like the leak maybe at the sealing plate?

But there are those oil stains at some "odd" places...




(Ignore the 2023-04-14 timestamp, forgot to set the date/time before using it)

[Slideways]

Save that $3600, and buy the VAC over-sized hub + new vanos gasket + valve cover gasket set. That's all I would do.

No need to replace hte upper chain guide at 30K miles. Remove the 12 cam sleeve bolts, clean the threads on them and the holes, add blue Loctite and bolt them back.

The VAC hub is 700 and having your current pump disc redrilled by Dr. VANOS is 150. That is a significant difference in cost.

[sapote]

Hello,

Look for feedbacks on the below quote. Few parts are bit higher but it is what it is in current inflation climate.

Save that $3600, and buy the VAC over-sized hub + new vanos gasket + valve cover gasket set. That's all I would do.

No need to replace hte upper chain guide at 30K miles. Remove the 12 cam sleeve bolts, clean the threads on them and the holes, add blue Loctite and bolt them back.

[Cubieman]

You will really only get oil there from a few sources, vanos gasket and vanos solenoid sealing plate would be the prime sources.

The round plug in the front of the head can leak as well and I suppose a timing covers could produce oil there as well. Oh, can't count out the vanos line as well, but if the vanos line had a leak, it would be pretty obvious in most situations.

Ideally you don't have oil leaking anywhere, but with these old cars you have to be proactive if you want absolutely 0 oil leaks.

[gixxer]

Following picture taken from the pelicanparts page seem to have better representation of what i saw around the engine head with endoscope.

I'm assuming this front of the engine needs to be bone dry, free of any oil unlike this photo, right?

What sort of mishaps could have oil flung to leave marks like in this photo, if not leak from vanos (seals, bolts, o-ring, etc.)?

[Cubieman]

Leave it alone

That's some good advice.

I more or less just wanted a project and it turned into a more frustrating larger project one for various reasons! That said I'm glad I have the uprated cam bolts and disc with smaller holes.

[maupineda]

Leave it alone