WTB/Borrow/Rent VANOS N52 Timing Tools

Filmy · 06-05-2018, 02:52 AM

As the title says, I'd like to borrow or rent the VANOS timing blocks and flywheel pin for the N52. I'd rather not buy the tool(s), but maybe someone did buy them and will never need them again, and would like to rent or re-sell them.

I'm in SoCal (The SF Valley), so shipping cost might be a consideration if the tools are heavy. DM me if you have the tool, or know someone who does. Thanks.

Filmy · 06-18-2018, 02:21 AM

NVM, guys. Nobody came through with the tool(s) so I had to buy it. It'll probably be for sale at 1/2 price when I'm done with it.

eurowerke · 03-31-2019, 05:56 PM

Still got the tool? I need one. I’m in the valley too.

Filmy · 03-31-2019, 06:06 PM

Nope, sorry. I donated it to my local indy BMW mech. I'll never need it again.

eurowerke · 03-31-2019, 06:32 PM

Donated?? Doh! Hope you got something out of it. What local indy mech was it?

Filmy · 03-31-2019, 06:46 PM

Sami's on Lankershim in NoHo. He's gonna cut me a good deal on a transmission kit/flush for my E46.

But yeah, I had to get every memory of that E92 out of my life. (Long story short, BMW dealership fubar'd my SULEV engine and denied responsibility for it; I sold it for a huge loss because of the lifter noise - that I couldn't get rid of by changing out the lifters...)

eurowerke · 03-31-2019, 08:28 PM

Lame. Not even comparable, but I brought in my car to Center for the PCV heater recall, and they ripped out the rear windshield trim from washing it with the pressure washer. Of course they denied it because I didn’t have a picture of the rear windshield trim intact when I brought it in that morning. A holes.

What was the build date on your car? Was it the cam ledge problem thing? I heard something about it only being late 2007/early build 2008 engines?

Filmy · 03-31-2019, 09:33 PM

Mine was at Century West. Took it in for a very mild, random idle problem; should have been the coils which were covered under the extended SULEV warranty. They instead got some buried code for the VANOS solenoids, so they changed them out. And changed the oil - for no reason. After two weeks, the tapping started. Also, my power brake booster vacuum pump sprocket actually broke off of the pump - which is chain-driven - costing me $600 at my indy shop. The labor alone is $400 from him, BMW wanted over $1,000, and the parts alone were $800. They had absolutely no reason to drop the oil out of it, and it wasn't making a sound before I brought it in. I brought it back 3 more times about the noise, even took it to Center BMW for a fresh pair of eyes on it. Then they also found a random code for the VANOS adjusters themselves: changed them out too. No change in the tapping noise.

They all agreed it was the lifters - but I had changed them out (the exhaust, not the intakes which weren't making any noise). Even made an appointment with the regional Service Manager. All they ever said was that they couldn't cover any damage because they didn't have an oil change history on it. And it was an earlier casting, before BMW figured out the lifters weren't getting enough oil on startup.

All of this on a 70K mile engine. And the car was pristine - someone obviously took great care of it. I hate to be this cynical, but they either burned the engine on purpose to get it off the road (and off the extended SULEV warranty) or someone dropped the oil out of it by mistake and someone else ran the engine not knowing that.

I had tried everything - every lubricant, every weight oil change (I think I did 5 oil changes in 6 months), drove the snot out of it, changed out the lifters, babied it, sat still revving @ 3K RPM, oil additives, etc. nothing quieted it down much. I finally just gave up.

After all was said and done, I had the option to spend at least $2K for R&R on a used head or a complete used engine, but would that create a different problem? And would the car again be worth $7,000+ without the noise? Carmax offered me $5K and I passed; came back in 5 weeks later and wanted to take them up on the $5K offer, but they now only offered $3,500. So even Carmax fucked me on the deal. I was desperate to get it the hell out of my life, so I paid the balance due and let them have it. Supposedly, they sold it at auction, and some dealership in Orange County re-sold it for over $8,000. So they said. So I guess someone did replace the noisy head on it.

Not the car's fault, but the absolute worst car ownership experience I've ever had. Good luck on yours though!

06-05-2018, 02:52 AM	#1
Filmy BMW Lifer 2 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 07 E92 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The Valley, CA iTrader: (0)	WTB/Borrow/Rent VANOS N52 Timing Tools As the title says, I'd like to borrow or rent the VANOS timing blocks and flywheel pin for the N52. I'd rather not buy the tool(s), but maybe someone did buy them and will never need them again, and would like to rent or re-sell them. I'm in SoCal (The SF Valley), so shipping cost might be a consideration if the tools are heavy. DM me if you have the tool, or know someone who does. Thanks.
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06-18-2018, 02:21 AM	#2
Filmy BMW Lifer 2 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 07 E92 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The Valley, CA iTrader: (0)	NVM, guys. Nobody came through with the tool(s) so I had to buy it. It'll probably be for sale at 1/2 price when I'm done with it.
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03-31-2019, 05:56 PM	#3
eurowerke Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 128i Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: CA iTrader: (0)	Still got the tool? I need one. I’m in the valley too.
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03-31-2019, 06:06 PM	#4
Filmy BMW Lifer 2 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 07 E92 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The Valley, CA iTrader: (0)	Nope, sorry. I donated it to my local indy BMW mech. I'll never need it again.
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03-31-2019, 06:32 PM	#5
eurowerke Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 128i Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: CA iTrader: (0)	Donated?? Doh! Hope you got something out of it. What local indy mech was it?
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03-31-2019, 06:46 PM	#6
Filmy BMW Lifer 2 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 07 E92 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The Valley, CA iTrader: (0)	Sami's on Lankershim in NoHo. He's gonna cut me a good deal on a transmission kit/flush for my E46. But yeah, I had to get every memory of that E92 out of my life. (Long story short, BMW dealership fubar'd my SULEV engine and denied responsibility for it; I sold it for a huge loss because of the lifter noise - that I couldn't get rid of by changing out the lifters...)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-31-2019, 08:28 PM	#7
eurowerke Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 128i Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: CA iTrader: (0)	Lame. Not even comparable, but I brought in my car to Center for the PCV heater recall, and they ripped out the rear windshield trim from washing it with the pressure washer. Of course they denied it because I didn’t have a picture of the rear windshield trim intact when I brought it in that morning. A holes. What was the build date on your car? Was it the cam ledge problem thing? I heard something about it only being late 2007/early build 2008 engines?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-31-2019, 09:33 PM	#8
Filmy BMW Lifer 2 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 07 E92 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The Valley, CA iTrader: (0)	Mine was at Century West. Took it in for a very mild, random idle problem; should have been the coils which were covered under the extended SULEV warranty. They instead got some buried code for the VANOS solenoids, so they changed them out. And changed the oil - for no reason. After two weeks, the tapping started. Also, my power brake booster vacuum pump sprocket actually broke off of the pump - which is chain-driven - costing me $600 at my indy shop. The labor alone is $400 from him, BMW wanted over $1,000, and the parts alone were $800. They had absolutely no reason to drop the oil out of it, and it wasn't making a sound before I brought it in. I brought it back 3 more times about the noise, even took it to Center BMW for a fresh pair of eyes on it. Then they also found a random code for the VANOS adjusters themselves: changed them out too. No change in the tapping noise. They all agreed it was the lifters - but I had changed them out (the exhaust, not the intakes which weren't making any noise). Even made an appointment with the regional Service Manager. All they ever said was that they couldn't cover any damage because they didn't have an oil change history on it. And it was an earlier casting, before BMW figured out the lifters weren't getting enough oil on startup. All of this on a 70K mile engine. And the car was pristine - someone obviously took great care of it. I hate to be this cynical, but they either burned the engine on purpose to get it off the road (and off the extended SULEV warranty) or someone dropped the oil out of it by mistake and someone else ran the engine not knowing that. I had tried everything - every lubricant, every weight oil change (I think I did 5 oil changes in 6 months), drove the snot out of it, changed out the lifters, babied it, sat still revving @ 3K RPM, oil additives, etc. nothing quieted it down much. I finally just gave up. After all was said and done, I had the option to spend at least $2K for R&R on a used head or a complete used engine, but would that create a different problem? And would the car again be worth $7,000+ without the noise? Carmax offered me $5K and I passed; came back in 5 weeks later and wanted to take them up on the $5K offer, but they now only offered $3,500. So even Carmax fucked me on the deal. I was desperate to get it the hell out of my life, so I paid the balance due and let them have it. Supposedly, they sold it at auction, and some dealership in Orange County re-sold it for over $8,000. So they said. So I guess someone did replace the noisy head on it. Not the car's fault, but the absolute worst car ownership experience I've ever had. Good luck on yours though!
	Appreciate 0 Quote