[pits200]

Hope this helps.

I had some time this morning so I cleaned my valves and made a video. The formatting came out funny so I'll re-edit today and upload a new copy sometime later.

Just ask if you have anymore questions or suggestions where things can be done better.

Thanks for watching and HD is available. (Video updated)

[adictedtopoker]

Nice! I can't see the video yet but how long did it take you?

[pits200]

Originally Posted by adictedtopoker

Nice! I can't see the video yet but how long did it take you?

I've done this about 4 times now.

First time about 5 hours being very cautious to about 2 hours now and most of that time is spent scrubbing.

[Bimmer305]

Wow nice... I thought it was going to be more difficult.

One dumb question, when you rotate the camshaft, you don't leave the car in Parking (P) right

Thanks for the great video, now it looks like I'm going to be doing this myself.

[robc1976]

Great vid, have done mine 2X, someone must have done this before me because my electrical box was just sitting there...I never touched it and I took my manifold out with the throttle body on the manifold, but I think it is better to take the throttle body off to get to that ignorant connector on the bottom lol!!

[pits200]

Originally Posted by robc1976

Great vid, have done mine 2X, someone must have done this before me because my electrical box was just sitting there...I never touched it and I took my manifold out with the throttle body on the manifold, but I think it is better to take the throttle body off to get to that ignorant connector on the bottom lol!!

The bmw gods must have been watching over your car to have that box disconnected already!

And you're right about the TB, it could probably be worked around but those 4 bolts only take about 5 minutes and it gives you a chance to clean the TB if you haven't done so already.

You don't even want me to tell you what happened the first time I did this job. When I was doing cylinder 6 trying to spray a metal can of throttle body cleaner into the right spots, it slipped and completed the connection on the starter and a flash flame shot up and it burnt a hole straight through the can. That stupid negative connection which has that constant kink fell back down onto the terminal of the battery.

So lets just say, make sure the battery is disconnected and secured properly.

[335xi Kevo]

thanks for the video, nicely compiles all the DIY's I've read. Going to tackle this soon!

[JamesM3M5]

Originally Posted by Bimmer305

One dumb question, when you rotate the camshaft, you don't leave the car in Parking (P) right

Technically you're rotating the crankshaft. You can leave an automatic transmission in Park and still turn over the motor. If you have a manual trans, you will have to put it in Neutral with the parking brake set. If you have a DCT, I think you may have to put it in Neutral with the parking brake set, turn the engine and car fully off but leave the key in the slot. The trans will stay in Neutral and the engine can be turned manually.

[JamesM3M5]

Originally Posted by pits200

You don't even want me to tell you what happened the first time I did this job. When I was doing cylinder 6 trying to spray a metal can of throttle body cleaner into the right spots, it slipped and completed the connection on the starter and a flash flame shot up and it burnt a hole straight through the can. That stupid negative connection which has that constant kink fell back down onto the terminal of the battery.

So lets just say, make sure the battery is disconnected and secured properly.

Alternately, you can tape over the positive terminal on the starter with a couple layers of masking or duct tape. OR you can disconnect the positive cable off of the jump start point on the right fromt shock tower. That isolates the battery from the starter and alternator, and now they are electrically neutral with no chance of shorting out. You will not, however, be able to bump the starter solenoid to rotate the engine, but I don't like doing that anyway. I just take 5 minutes to remove the fan and turn the motor by hand with a 22mm socket and ratchet. It will be more difficult to remove the fan on a 335is or 1M due to some extra piping and larger fan, though.

[Joshboody]

Great job with the vid! Couple notes:
-I was able to turn the crank without removing the fan… I think it was from the bottom.
-For the electrical bitch box, I also could not slide it off. I ended up removing the 3 screws that attach it to the manifold. When replacing I used only 2 screws to secure it and seems to be plenty sturdy. This way I could remove the whole manifold.

[pits200]

Good notes, thanks Jboody.

[pits200]

Originally Posted by JamesM3M5

Technically you're rotating the crankshaft. You can leave an automatic transmission in Park and still turn over the motor. If you have a manual trans, you will have to put it in Neutral with the parking brake set. If you have a DCT, I think you may have to put it in Neutral with the parking brake set, turn the engine and car fully off but leave the key in the slot. The trans will stay in Neutral and the engine can be turned manually.

Thanks for these notes, since I'm AT, I wasn't sure about the additional notes regarding the other transmissions.

[Laid Black 335i]

On my 6MT, I just left the car in 1st gear with the hand brake down and rocked the car back and forth to rotate the valves.

[Bimmer305]

Originally Posted by JamesM3M5

Technically you're rotating the crankshaft. You can leave an automatic transmission in Park and still turn over the motor. If you have a manual trans, you will have to put it in Neutral with the parking brake set. If you have a DCT, I think you may have to put it in Neutral with the parking brake set, turn the engine and car fully off but leave the key in the slot. The trans will stay in Neutral and the engine can be turned manually.

Thanks.

Another dump question. If I have the paddle shifters, does that mean I have a DCT transmission?

[pits200]

Originally Posted by Bimmer305

Thanks.

Another dump question. If I have the paddle shifters, does that mean I have a DCT transmission?

No only the 335is has dct I think.

[Bimmer305]

Originally Posted by pits200

No only the 335is has dct I think.

The little research that I have just done, points to that.
Thx

[Rotorocious]

Originally Posted by Laid Black 335i

On my 6MT, I just left the car in 1st gear with the hand brake down and rocked the car back and forth to rotate the valves.

[obert]

Great can't wait to watch the vid later

[JamesM3M5]

Originally Posted by Laid Black 335i

On my 6MT, I just left the car in 1st gear with the hand brake down and rocked the car back and forth to rotate the valves.

Try to make sure you only go forward. Rotating backwards isn't good for the motor - not a big deal, just not recommended.

[theinfamousdrew]

Nice video, Ive been thinking of doing this

[Joe-]

Book marked, I think I'll attempt this when the car gets back from the body shop!

[Laid Black 335i]

Originally Posted by JamesM3M5

Try to make sure you only go forward. Rotating backwards isn't good for the motor - not a big deal, just not recommended.

True. I left 2 bricks behind the rear tires to prevent the car from going backwards.