"Best" aftermarket Vanos line?

[old///MFanatic]

I'd be interested in collecting any failure info on the aftermarket lines.
The downside I see to the flex line is that you have stress on the crimps from the tight bends, as opposed to the ridged OE line, but that's all just intuition.

These hoses are made at same line a quality S/S brake line is. A quality line design likely has passed the government “Whip Test”. Which consists of over pressuring the hose and twisting it around 800rpm for like over one and a half million revolutions. This allows user to know it’s not some cheap crimp or hose that would fail under use. Seeing how this hose doesn’t see nearly the movement a brake hose does it should be of little to no concern. Unless it’s made by some cheap company or China with no testing or oversight.

[JokerElite]

Here is the ECS line, as said, I liked it can run parallel to the cam cover

This motivated me to go with ECS since my factory one was leaking. Looks very neat. Thanks for those pics!

[gnoy26]

On 99% of vanos overhauls (unless a customer requests a different line) I install the revised Genuine OE BMW vanos oil line. I always suggest this part over aftermarket options as it fits great and with the additional mounting tab it will be a very reliable part. I have yet to see one of the revised lines fail. I also believe some of the original line failures are due to improper install during vanos overhauls. I've seen a few cars in which the top banjo bolt was torqued prior to tightening the vanos oil line lower mounting tab bolt which put additional stress on the line.


Revised Genuine OE BMW vanos oil line installed during a vanos overhaul.




With some of the aftermarket lines they rub slightly on the lower radiator hose, have different line internal diameter, etc. Also, I wanted to mention for those who have purchased the Bimmerworld vanos oil line, DOUBLE CHECK your torque spec for the banjo bolts. The instructions I've seen have said to torque the banjo bolts to 20 ft. lbs!!! This is incorrect and will lead to stripping threads. I have notified them of this torque spec mistake and they said they would correct it in their installation instructions. The correct torque spec for the banjo bolts is 115 in. lbs (you should be using a calibrated inch lbs. torque wrench for vanos related work). Also, be sure to use a torque wrench for the vanos to cylinder head bolts. I've also seen a local installer strip these threads on multiple cars.. The correct torque spec for these bolts is 89 in. lbs.

very clean!

[nextelbuddy]

+2 for revised OE line. It's expensive but it looks the best, fits the best and will last the longest..when you have a extremely high pressurized line, you want the best no reason to have any added risk.

I used the v2 lines on both of my vanos overhaul on both my cars.

[old///MFanatic]

+2 for revised OE line. It's expensive but it looks the best, fits the best and will last the longest..when you have a extremely high pressurized line, you want the best no reason to have any added risk.

What backing do you have that it lasts the longest? The original that it’s almost identical to surely hasn’t been bullet proof.
As for “looks the best”..that’s subjective to each person, no?