[b1aze]

What I have found to date is my 2 small DISA valves are FILLED with oil. I am sure this is the cause of the original failure but my question to you all is, if I were to get the oil out and clean it up, will the electronics/motors still be functional? I realize that oil is technically non-conductive and wouldn't cause a major short or anything but I don't know what it may do to the motor's internal workings.

If the motor and board are typically salvageable, are the Vanos-BMW repair units worth while? Are there any other repair kits available and if so, what makes one kit better or worse than the other?

I simply can't get myself to sink another $600 into new DISA valves...

[bluewater328]

DISA repair kits are generally just a new plastic mounting gear, a new blade, and a metal post. It wont repair it if the motor itself has gone bad. It just keeps it from imploding the engine...but even that hasn't really happened as it usually gets caught in the manifold ports.

Clean it off and then test the unit again without installing. Action should be just shy of sharp (it will seem slightly slow), without a jarring motion at the end. Post through the blade should feel solid and not wiggle too much. Bad motors don't actuate all the way or are super slow. Ones with jarring hits at the end will end up going bad - ask me how I know. Board is salvagable but the motor "is what it is." I've swapped motors into a different housing with limited success. There was once someone who started researching the actual motor manufacturer and how to get them directly, but we never really saw a conclusion to that or a source to get the right one -- there were some changes over the years as well.

Why did you bring up VANOS?

[yupetc]

The repair kits we need to hunt for best be the aluminum flaps. There are plastic kits which should be avoided since those plastics cannot hold very long. I have one failed within half a year, split into two pieces and each jammed up the runners at cylinders 3 and 4.

Aluminum flap with a metal through shaft is what I end up buying from Vanos-BMW.com. It's been years and all good.