VANOS and BMW M coupe Z3M

Brum Man

Brum Man

Brum Man

Soldato
Joined
30 Jan 2004
Posts
3,031
Just wondering if anyone knows if this has to be adjusted at a certain milage on the BMW M3 coupe's?

I've just been looking around at them on Autotrader and see that it is mentioned on one of the cars description, so wondering if anyone know's whether it has to be done on all of them as standard at a certain milage?

Also, anyone know what milage all the services are due at? I'm assuming that it's going to be similar to that of the normal M3's, of which I know there are a few owners on here.
 
If it's an old one it might suffer from the same issue the older M3s did, there was a recall with regard to the engine on some of them, but I can't remember off the top of my head if it was a VANOS adjustment or not.

It should be variable servicing, but the 'biggie' service is around the 60k mark usually.
 
What is considered old? It's the 2nd from bottom on that page, so it's 6 years old (not long after they stopped making them I think).

Flippin heck, that's a bit late! My clio is at 36k and then 70k! Are all the inbetween ones just minor then? What milage is the cambelt etc done?
 
it uses the same engine as the 3.2 evo so suffers the same (slightly exagerated) problems.

Apart from ensuring that you change the vanos filters whenever you change the oil there is nothing you can do other than ensuring the car warms up before gunning it. This is classed as a non servicable part and the whole unit is replaced (ideally with the gears/cogs on the end)

I don't think there was a recall on the VANOS but they did change them under warranty, now they will charge you around £1500 taking your faulty one to be reconned and used again.

When they go they get a bit rattly and you do suffer power loss.

My M3 evo had its change at 50k and that was charged for by BMW.

Some people are on their originals others on their second or third, having it replace in no way guarantees that it will not happen again, but don't live in fear as it has been made out to be more common than it is
 
Can you just expand a bit on what the problem actually was? I know nothing about them! Do the valves just wear or something? It's not actually, just doing some research for my dad.

So is it good to look for one that has had the unit replaced? Or is it like you say not something to be particularly worried about. It the rattling just something to look out for when test driving?
 
Vanos is their equalivant of vtec I think, though unfortunately not as reliable it seems.

The first functional variable valve timing system, including variable lift, was developed at Fiat. Developed by Giovanni Torazza in the 1970s, the system used hydraulic pressure to vary the fulcrum of the cam followers.
Click to expand...
:cool:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_valve_timing
 
Last edited:
like the vtec system the vanos allows the engine to uterlise different cam timing to give greater torque at low and high revs and give a good linear power delivery from idle to limiter.

I believe it is to do with the helical gears that drive the cams and allow the engine to use the different cam positions these wear and the car cant vary the cams properly. When being repared you need to ensure they changes the gears hat mesh and drive the VANOS gears as they will obviously be warn as well (somne dealers try and skip doing both)

A rattly noise from the engine is the tale tale sign something is up, then you will notice a performance loss as it gets worse. I don't believe you will do any damage to any other part of the engine as the car will run in any of the cam positions but if it is in the wrong position for where the ecu thinks it should be the map that the engine is using will not give the best performance.

If you can find a car with one that has been changed then that is the best way to go, obviously one that has been changed 60k ago will be as likely to fail as a car on the original with 60k on the clock.

Regular oil changes (not just when prompted by the car) with the change of the vanos filters (tiny things that cost under £20) will keep her sweet and limit the chance of vanos faliure.

the later engines found in the e46 M3 and the new Z4M are no prone to this problem, also the single vanos'd e36 m3 3ltr also seemed less prone to the problem.

The z3m is a fantastic car, find a good one with low milage and FSH and dont be too put off if it hasn't had the VANOS changed. look after it as above and you will be set :)
 
Is it only the M3's VANOS system which is troublesome?

The M54 Straight Sixes in the E39 are, apparently, fitted with Double-VANOS.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Is it only the M3's VANOS system which is troublesome?

The M54 Straight Sixes in the E39 are, apparently, fitted with Double-VANOS.
Click to expand...

Nope, the early M5s had some grumbly problems with the VANOS too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom