[Phyrexia]

Happy Saturday everybody.

My next oil change is going to be at 100k and I'm starting to gather lists and parts together for a fat-daddy maintenance session.

Previously with my S54 and the M62 cars, I was concerned with timing maintenance, but there is not a lot of hubbub in this section about any of that, even for higher mileage cars.

To my knowledge, the valve cover has never been pulled and I'd planned to keep it that way until I had an eventual Valvetronic failure (or I got tired of waiting and installed MILVSes).

Is there anything I ought to be aware of in this arena?

[TGTIW]

I'm not sure there is much to maintain with N52 timing. There have been cases of timing chain guides breaking, but the photos I've seen usually reflect small pieces breaking off. You could go ahead a replace the chain tensioner, which is a $70 part and a 5-minute job.

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by TGTIW

I'm not sure there is much to maintain with N52 timing. There have been cases of timing chain guides breaking, but the photos I've seen usually reflect small pieces breaking off. You could go ahead a replace the chain tensioner, which is a $70 part and a 5-minute job.

The N53 uses a timing chain to drive the cams. Unless something breaks like a vanos bolt they last forever. Ok maybe not forever but 300,000 miles plus.

If nothing is leaking and you are sub 200,000 miles, leave it alone.

[Phyrexia]

Originally Posted by TGTIW

I'm not sure there is much to maintain with N52 timing. There have been cases of timing chain guides breaking, but the photos I've seen usually reflect small pieces breaking off. You could go ahead a replace the chain tensioner, which is a $70 part and a 5-minute job.

To clarify and for the future: You're talking about 11317584723 right?

[hassmaschine]

I have a 280k N52 on a stand in the garage. It looks poorly maintained. The internals are dirty, but nothing shows any wear at all.

The short answer? Nothing..

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

I have a 280k N52 on a stand in the garage. It looks poorly maintained. The internals are dirty, but nothing shows any wear at all.

The short answer? Nothing..

The sad part of this story being, the engine is still on the stand and not in your car. You spend so much time helping others you can't get to your project.

[hassmaschine]

Yeah, lol - don't remind me.

[juld0zer]

VANOS adjusters can fail on some models if the screws holding them together snap. A recall fixed most of them but some escaped due to being outside the VIN range.

Camshaft bearing ledges can wear and cause an internal oil leak, causing VANOS issues.

Valvetronic motors can get stiff with age

Eccentric shaft sensors can leak through the connector pins.

I suppose you could freshen everything up - new common fail seals, new VANOS solenoids, clean the check valves?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by juld0zer

VANOS adjusters can fail on some models if the screws holding them together snap. A recall fixed most of them but some escaped due to being outside the VIN range.

Camshaft bearing ledges can wear and cause an internal oil leak, causing VANOS issues.

Valvetronic motors can get stiff with age

Eccentric shaft sensors can leak through the connector pins.

I suppose you could freshen everything up - new common fail seals, new VANOS solenoids, clean the check valves?

With age... where did you get such information?

OP, the only timing issue to be concerned about is if you mistakenly loosen the crankshaft bolt holding the harmonic balancer hub to the crankshaft. The timing chain cog is not keyed to the crankshaft and can slip the timing if the crankshaft bolt is loosened. The harmonic balancer comes off by removing the 6 bolts holding it to the hub.

At 100,000, if the engine was maintained with good quality oil and filters at reasonable intervals (that even means over a 10,000 OCI) I doubt you have any VANOS solenoid issues. You can clean and swap the solenoids as part of your maintenance routine. At 143,500 I got code 2A82, which is the camshaft VANOS code. I cleaned and swapped the solenoids at that time, and cleaned and swapped them every 50,000 miles thereafter. At 300,000 miles I replaced the VANOS filters (they really are check valves to keep oil in the VANOS system when the engine shuts off) and mine were clean as whistle, but they are $15 each so I had bought new ones anyway. At 306,000 I kept getting a VANOS code on the exhaust cam side, so I replaced both solenoids with new units. I've had no VANOS codes since.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by juld0zer

Valvetronic motors can get stiff with age

What are the symptoms of this issue?

[rjahl]

What evidence do you have to support the statement that the valvetronic motors get stiff with age?

The DME monitors the VVT motor speed and current so if it starts to run slow or sticks you'll get a message of some form.

The motor is actually really strong and all of the moving parts in the VVT system are really well lubricated. Sure the the motors can fail but that's rare.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by rjahl

What evidence do you have to support the statement that the valvetronic motors get stiff with age?

The DME monitors the VVT motor speed and current so if it starts to run slow or sticks you'll get a message of some form.

The motor is actually really strong and all of the moving parts in the VVT system are really well lubricated. Sure the the motors can fail but that's rare.

We already know the answer - there isn't any evidence at all.

Put it this way, Valvetronic has been a thing for almost 20 years now. It's not going away before the ICE engine will be gone forever. And the only reason the N54 didn't have it to begin with is because BMW couldn't package it with DI until the N55.

[desertman123]

Please contact a mechanic if your valvetronic motor is stiff for 4 hours or longer