VANOS pump disk C-clip position

[sapote]

I think the factory installed the C-clip with its ends at 12 o'clock (pic shows it's at 4 o'clk which partially blocks the vanos top hole in 2nd pic)
Can someone post a brand new or untouched vanos with C-clip position?
I borrow pics from this https://www.ebay.com/itm/155571500929

[sapote]

Never mind, the hole is for the VC gasket footings and not for oiling as I thought

[bmwfnatic]

Clip should be downwards, opening at 6 o clock.

[Slideways]

Clip should be downwards, opening at 6 o clock.

Kaiv has pictures of original VANOS units as they were removed from a few engines and the clip orientation seems to be random.

[bmwfnatic]

Kaiv has pictures of original VANOS units as they were removed from a few engines and the clip orientation seems to be random.

If you buy a new VANOS unit nowadays from BMW they all seem to be installed in the downwards position, realistically it shouldn’t matter, but it seems whoever is putting those together for BMW has that as a guideline for the workers.

[Slideways]

If you buy a new VANOS unit nowadays from BMW they all seem to be installed in the downwards position, realistically it shouldn’t matter, but it seems whoever is putting those together for BMW has that as a guideline for the workers.

Yeah, if you look at the pictures on Bimmerworld and Turner, the new units have it pointing downward.



On the old units, the installers probably had one too many beers lol

[sapote]

I think it's best to position the clip so that the two gaps are easier to access using flat screwdriver to compress one side to unlock the clip and get it out. Using screwdriver is better and safer than a genuine C-clip remover tool in this case.
Btw, I recently tried to help a guy's Q that can he flip the pump disk around to drill 2 holes on the back side for the hub driving tab as he had messed up the 2 new drilled holes at the front.
The answer is yes, as each piston has just one hole for both intake and exhaust oil flow, and so there is no timing to align between disk intake and exhaust ports to the shaft's exhaust (low P) and intake (high P) ports, respectively. So the disk turning backward (compared to factory setup) still can work.

[maupineda]

I don't see how this matters, it can be in any orientation.