Interesting. Even BMW sold the Valvetronic system as something that makes the conventional throttle obsolete, but in fact thats not the case - the two systems actually work in tandem. These engines are genius (I have the N52 6cyl) when you learn to understand them and get them running just right, and a nightmare of confusing symptoms and expensive problems if you don't! I'm still learning about mine and, while it does seem intimidatingly complex at times, I do have to marvel and the ingenuity of it all.
Hi Tim. Just when we think your videos could not possibly be any more informative or professional, this one happens! As always, great content, much appreciated.
Yes, indeed. Tim is an extremely valuable asset to the BMW E31 community as well as others and a wonderful person to boot. Cheers...-chrisfuture8 (e31 member)
Hell of a job on your in detail description of what and why thing happen in those " now not so complicated engines"!! Keep it up cause I learned more from you in 10mins that 5 hrs watching how to fix videos... I have a customer with a n62 2005 x5 4.4i and it's been a bit tricky figuring out why the misfires. I replaced eccentric shaft sensor on driverside along with the camshaft sensors. I swapped sides with the valvetronic motors and fixed the oil leak from vaccum pump and plugged the vaccim line back into the little outlet on the front of it. Now there is only 2 misfires on 1 & 5 and camshaft sensor b on bank 2 but then another scanner reads vanos solenoid problems.. its confusing and why would misfires be on #5 or 8 when the sensor problems read on #1 w/ camsensor issues?
Hello Kevin, the problem is that BMW re-uses error codes, and unless the scanner has the correct tables matched to the DME then you will get a range of explanations for the same code. The best software is INPA as it reads the DME software version and then gives the correct error explanation
Hi Tim! I can't believe I came across your video. I've been trying to find answers to my problem through forums and JustAnswer mechanics online and non of it has really helped compared to your video! Long story short, had valve stem seals and guides repaired on my 13' 650i at local shop and when the valvetronic is connected, I get constant misfires in cylinder 3 and 7 and white smoke. Borescope shows oil inside cylinders as well. Disconnect the valvetronic however and it runs perfectly smooth no misfires no smoke. The other fault stored is related to boost pressure. They're both shut off, and when I test the wastegates through ISTA service function, both turbo wastegates don't move. Exhaust valves are not moving either. I always assumed turbos automatically shut off when valvetronic is disconnected but I'm now thinking the shop screwed up the vacuum lines to the pressure converters and turbo wastegates. Theres traces of oil in the PCV valve as well. Which is strange because it was working absolutely fine before the repair. Its only a few months old. So..... Given its a twin turbo car, I'm assuming the turbos have to be functioning in order to create the vacuum for the crankcase ventilation to work and in turn stopping my oil leak and misfires? Does that sound like it could be my problem?? Looking forward to your answer!
Hi Tim, just want to thank you for all your videos. I just bought a 09 650i e64 thats been in an accident. Needed a strut, control arm, fender, hood/bonnet repair, airbags, and a few other things. I bought it online and had it delivered. I am so happy i bought it. Thanks again for all the info. Cheers
I have the X5 4.8is with the N62 engine. I change the oil every 5000 miles (8000km) and have never had any problems with VANOS or Valvetronic. Use a thicker oil because of the high mileage. I like Liqui Moly Top Tec 4100 5w40 and has been great 👍 engine loves it
Hi Tim, just dropped onto your video, excellent insight into the workings of the valvetronic system. I have an '06 650i with the rare manual gearbox and on the whole it is a very competent machine. However, it does have one very irritating fault. Under normal driving it is excellent - very torquey and smooth right down to near idle speed. When giving it some beans there seems to be a definate lag between releasing the throttle for an upshift and the revs actually dropping. Then, when releasing the clutch and flooring it again there is a lag before the engine responds. This lag is not massive but significant and makes it very difficult to accelerate smoothly at full chat. If the car was auto you probably would not notice this because you would not be lifting for upshifts. When parked on the driveway the throttle response is fine, unable to fault. There are no fault codes and the only other issue is a slight lumpiness when the engine is cold, which I would suspect is over fueling (temp sensor or AFM). Any thought's or suggestions appreciated.
Dear Timm, I really appreciate your excellent videos and you helped me a lot with my car. I think there is one element of the explanation missing here, or maybe I didn't understand it properly. One of the major reason for VT saving a plenty of fuel is that it avoids much of the pumping losses. At low power or at idle, a normal (non-VT) engine must pull in air from the inlet manifold at very low absolute pressure and this takes a plenty of work. In a crude view, at suction phase there is much less pressure on the top surface of the piston than at the bottom, so the piston is spending mechanical work on the gas, unlike at the expansion phase, when the gas is working on the piston and the engine is actually producing mechanical power. The work spent on sucking in air can be considered as "negative work" of the engine missing from the output but still requiring fuel to be burnt for. Since the manifold pressure of a VT engine is kept by the regulation of the throttle very close to atmospheric pressure, that is, there is no significant vacuum in there, it needs much less work for the piston to take in the necessary (at idle) small amount of air. This sounds an uninteresting minor thing, but in real life this is an extremely important thing. These overmotorised cars have huge displacement and much-much more power available than really needed for most traffic situations. Thus in most of their life the engine is running at very low power or idle (like in a traffic jam in London :) ). At low power the huge displacement comes with disproportionately large pumping losses compared to the mechanical work produced by the engine, therefore VT can save a plenty of fuel by reducing this loss.
Very well explained . I even understood a lot of it. The pcv valve on my e60 525i can only be replaced by removing valve cover completely. And then the pcv has to be cut off to replace new pcv. Then new gasket and new bolts for cover for a $30 part . I was so annoyed concidering it may not be the issue. I've had no codes. No checklight .
Hi Timm, thank you for creating such a highly informative video. I only have a baby 2.0l leaky N46 but this insight has been invaluable. Thank you so much. The ES sensor has been unplugged (presumably) since I bought it last year, (buyer beware) and I have minor oil burn issues. Your video will now help me approach this, more informed. Thank you so much. Subscribed and indeed, liked
Hi Tim, new subscriber here! I have recently bought BMW X1 X20i 2018(F48) and on dashboard I don't have any kind of light on but when I read DTC's I see there is one error: DTC 133710 Intake Valves adaptation air mass flow: lower limit position reached. 1.What I have observe so far is when I start the car first it starts at 1.1 RPM but being gasoline car I think it is normal but until it drops under 800RPM I feel some rough/bumpy vibration/senzation 2. When I have like 50km/h and I slow down some times it change gear rough like changing from gear 4 to 2 and I can feel that. 3. Sometime when I have foot on gas pedal for like 1s there is a burst of speed, like I full accelerate but my feet is constant and I don't do that. So the above is what I observed I am not sure if everything is related to valvetronic but so far I have been to a mechanic and he said that I should change everything related to valvetronic and that is around 4000euro. My question to you is, can't be saved anything from there ? maybe it is like you said at the end of your video just a valve sometimes getting stuck or something like that. Thanks in advance :)
Have a look at my other video's on the E64/N62 you will get some answers there. You need to have the bridge-seals replaced on the mechatronics gearbox, that will sort your gear-changes. Don't have anyone fiddle with your Valvetronic system, it's never worth it,
Thanks Tim for the informative Video keep it coming, Thank you for sharing the BMW Knowledge to those who do not have the knowledge and for that we are grateful.
Thanks. I found this a really interesting video. Although it didn't make me feel any better about the repair bill I'll likely be getting for the worn eccentric shaft in my N55 powered 135i It does seem an amazing system but it's also pretty flawed if it can have catastrophic failures like this in a well maintained car with only 130k kms on it.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation You earned another subscriber! I recently bought an 08 528i that had been diagnosed as a head gasket issue. Nope. A lack of fundament understanding of the Valtronic system (and 1 coil pack) was the culprit. Will be replacing the valve cover while replacing the sensor. Ordered the Mitzone (sp?) aluminum replacement. Not sure if it was a good idea... Going to be about $1500 US into it. This video was the keystone. But thanks again. I'm going to drag home every broken BMW I can find!
Hi Timm, thanks for for such informative and well made videos. From fellow M62TUB owner, haha. I'm surprised they were still using the 'clown nose' (as I've heard it called) in the 650i. I removed it from my 2001 540i because I felt like a police detective from 1986. I hope it is just for the alarm active light, and not anything else.
Thanks! It look ridiculous, but smaller than it appears in the video! I've had three M62TUB's and two M62's, and they have all been reliable and easy to work on - and never had chain guide problems on any of them - but I always replace the chain tensioner straight away!
Hi thanks so much for such an informative video. I would like to pick your brains about a problem I’m having with my 7 series. It’s misfiring and it’s hasn’t got any power to accelerate 😢 I would like to go into more details about with you 😊
For the scenario with the clogged PCV system causing the smoking, I would imagine that the higher intake vacuum when Valvetronic is disabled would suck more unseparated air-oil blowby into the combustion chamber causing more oil burning rather than less. I'm just trying to wrap my head around the explanation you gave. Or are you implying that more airflow through the PCV system (from the greater manifold vacuum during non-Valvtronic operation) equates to greater separation of the oil from the air and therefore less oil sent to the combustion chamber? Thanks in advance.
The PCV system relies on manifold vacuum to work correctly - which it does well on the M60/M62. The problem with the N62 is there is almost zero manifold vacuum when in Valvetronic mode and that stops the oil separation working well. Often exacerbated by blocked passageways in the separator in the valve covers.....
Very nice explanation on valvetronic and cranckase ventilation system. I assume the throttle body control works a bit different on turbo engines. Cranckase ventilation system is also a bit different there (with two working modes depending on the turbo regime...)
Hi! I was thinking about bmw engines with valvetronic & turbo. A two-part crankcase ventilation system is used in these engines as far as I know. When the engine works in naturally aspirated mode the blow-by gases are routed directly into the cylinder head intake ports. When the turbo is raising the pressure in the head intake ports (and we no longer have a vacuum) the blow-by gases are routed just ahead of the turbo fresh air intake. So I wonder how the throttle body operates in these engines. Maybe this is where the "myth" about "always open throttle body" comes from. It would make sense in a valvetronic&turbo setup...
Hi Tim, love your channel! I have a 2018 M2 with the N55 engine which seems to have a tendency to suffer from valvetronic issues as many have reported a ticking noise developing at some stage of its life. I have not experienced this yet (and hopefully never will) so I was wondering if you have any advice on how I can prevent this issue from occurring other than keeping up with the routine servicing? Thank you!
Thank you very much for your brilliant videos. Because of you I am changing my engine oil at half the BMW intervalls. Maybe you can even tell me where to look at with my ´06 e61 550i with lpg. It is a strange failure as it occurs only very rareley but is quite annoying when happening. The last time it happend was around 15k km ago and then again last weekend. After driving on the german autobahn at around 160km/h for a few minutes suddenly there is a check engine ligth saying cylinder 8 misfiring. Deleting the failure will not bring the cylinder back to life. After driving for about 150km on 7 cylinders the eight one will be back to life again and working like nothing happened. This failure will not happen all the time on the autobahn. Most of the time I can drive as fast and as long as I want and the engine is running fine. Sometimes after a longer drive on the autobahn and then coming into a city the engine light is on on the first slower drive. Reporting misfire on cylinder 8 again. This is is an easy fix though. Just restarting the engine will solve it. Misfires happen on LPG and gasoline. After the first time the big error happened the spark plugs and ignition coils where changed for Bosch and Delphi. The engine idles fine (500RPM) and is quite powerfull I would think. In the past week I noticed around 1-2 misfires per day on my way to work (17km autobahn, limited to 100km/h). Engine light stays of on these occasions. Last week when it happened I shook all the cables I could reach to try and find a loose connection but nothing improved my situation. Car has been to a dealership already but the failure was not occuring and they didn´t find any mistake on the car. Unfortunately it was Sunday both times the cylinder failed so there was no chance to ask a local dealership while it had the fault. I know it is hard to impossible to do diagnosis without having the car near you but I would really be glad if you could hint me any more things to look at the next time the fault happens.
Bit of a tricky one - have you checked your roughness values at idle using something like INPA? (see my other video's on INPA) as that would give us some idea's.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Do you mean when the cylinder 8 is not working or while it is working? I have INPA so checking the values would be no problem.
Waow. So so many details I didn't know about VTC and throttle valve. Thank you Sir. I have a question though. I have a N55, it has the VTC but it's also turbo charged. You said the CCV need an underpressure in the intake manifold to work properly. In my case, when under boost, the pressure is positive. How BMW designed the CCV then on turbo charged engines ? Thank you.
The crankcase still needs a vacuum, but it can't get it from the manifold. There is a separate vacuum pump for the crankcase - the vacuum for the CCV is generated by a venturi from the same system
Hello Tim, great explanation, I have a question on the Vanos issues on a 2012 328i N51 engine. As soon as I start the car RPM revs up to 1500 drops back down to normal and a code gets triggered. I have rebuilt the engine completely, I also changed 3 heads thinking they were the cause. Changed the carbon oil seals at the cam shafts, changed the Vanos gears, solenoids and valve cover gasket, the cam sensors too. Nothing changed, still the same 2 codes. So, one is under OBDII scan and the other is in the deep scan mode and they are P052B and 2A7C. There is not much info on these as they are really rare. I was told by a friend from England actually, that the codes might be generated by what you referred to as the stepper motor(Eccentric Shaft Actuator Valvetronic Motor). You explained that it turns counter or clockwise, and it contributes to the valve openings. But you also said that the Vanos system doesn't work right away I think as you first start the car. My problem is in the first 10 seconds of starting. Let me know if you know these codes and if you have any suggestions. I simply drive the car like this now it is fine, but the codes are always there. Thanks in advance mate.
Hello Tim, I need an advice. I have 2 BMW with N 62 engine : a 645 convertible quite similar to yours and a X5 E70 4.8 that I'm restoring (it was bought by bid). I've change a lot of things on the X5 engine (the 4 vanos are new, either the solenoid, the valvetronix motors and calculator are Ok they work on the 645) but I still ve a Vanos problem with the X5 with an Error "vanos adaptation Intake cylinder 5 -8". The value for "vanos adaptation intake" for cylinders 5 -to 8 is 144,7° for 129,7° for cylinders 1 to 4. Thess values are quite the same on the 645 128,8° and 129,9° for each line of cylinder. Do you think that the problem is mecanic with the valvetronic axe system or link to the engine calculator of the x5 that has to be reset ? Thank for your expertise and happy new year !
Hi, thanks Tim for an amazing video. I have one question though, I cannot find reliable information on this: I want to replace the valve cover gasket on my 2006 e86 Z4. Too remove the valvetronic motor you need to close a screw on the motor that locks the shaft so it doesn't all spring apart when you remove it, upon refitting however there is no agreed upon process. My method would be to count the number of turns to close the screw and then do the opposite when refitting, however no one really mentions this and additionally there is contrasting information whether the motor needs to be recalibrated or not. Can you help?
Yes, the complete motor has to be unscrewed, and when replaced got back more-or-less in the same orientation. But, even if it isn't, it will soon adapt again, in fact, in a few seconds!
hey Timm, I really appreciate your videos and they are very informative. I have an E63 650i which I look after like a baby, a big credit of that is due to your videos! 109 000km on the clock '07 build. I often check codes and have recently been getting a 2B70 code: CDKSUE - variable intake system, control. no lights on the dash and clearing the issue, after driving the 650, it returns again. I haven't noticed anything a miss, maybe a Rev drop, although, very very slight on idle when cold, but this could be normal after cold start, it does seem to drop below 500rpm with a/c off though. any ideas on where to start with this? is it related to the dual throttle method or is it an issue with the valvetronic? thanks! Dean from Cape Town, South Africa
Hello Deano, yes that is a DISA problem, and very common! DISA is a system that controls the intake manifold runner length, and you get two different failures: The sensor (for position) fails or the motor (which changes the position) fails. Depending on the place it fails affects either the full-power delivery or the idle - and I guess yours has failed in the shortest position! But, it can be the sensor - more details here: www.bimmerfest.com/threads/disa-testing.1133969/
Great video, my 2015 BMW m135i makes a noise like a woodpecker from under the bonnet when warm and I go back to it to unlock the doors with the key fob. Will also make the noise if already unlocked and I open a door. Doesnt make the noise when I go to the car in the morning when the engine is cold. The facebook m135i forum says it might be the valvetronic motor. Any ideas, thks russell
It is strange that it is coming from under the bonnet when you unlock the car - very strange! I don't think the Valvetronic does anything until the ignition is ON so I would discount that - can you target the noise if you have the bonnet open when you unlock the car?
Tim... can you talk a bit about timing chain issues on the N62B48TU... it appears that there are not any (unlike the M62 with chains and guides.) I have 155k miles on my N62 4.8i in a E70 with no valve stem seal issues because of oil and filter changes at 5K or less. I am also running a 90C thermostat. When should I change my timing chains?
Hello, I have a 2008 bmw 328i. I start experience some misfire on several cylinders and got a code for the intake vamos solenoid, I replace the vanos solenoid for a pair of new ones, but the problem continues. I notice it stops misfiring when I disconnect the vanos solenoid. Any idea what my problem could be? Thanks in advance.
That is a problem with the Valvetronic system - disconnecting any of the sensors turns it off with a default valve opening of 6mm. This is such a difficult problem to fix as it concerns the minimum valve lift. One valve just fails to open enough and you get a misfire. My advice - ignore it or spend lots of money chasing it!
Hi Tim just wanted to get your thoughts on something. On INPA you can adjust the minimum valve lift and from what I read, it's either set to 0.3mm. or 0.8mm. Reason I ask is I have been experiencing lean codes. There is no vacuum leaks or issue with the MAF. Fuel filter was changed, injectors working normally. On my 545i, the valve lift was set to 0.8mm. I've put down to 0.3mm which is the normal accepted value and what I have found is the lean codes have not come back since I made that adjustment. Wanted to know if you had an idea as to why the car appears to be running better on 0.3mm valve lift.
Hi Timm maybe you'll read this, I hope so.. I am confused, because I have rough idle with valvetronic connected (N55) and smooth idle with valvetronic disconnected. Ambiant pressure is 980 millibar. With Valvetronic, at idle, my intake manifold pressure is 900 millibar no matter what. If I accelerate it will go to 1 bar or more, when I take my foot off pedal, pressure will go back to 900 millibar. Without valvetronic, at idle, my intake manifold pressure is 400 millibar. When I accelerate it will go to 1 bar or more, when I take my foot off it will go back to 400 millibar. I have 101F01 fault code or P112F, related to Throttle valve opening angle absolute pressure intake pipe comparison pressure too high with valvetronic connected Any idea?
This is a problem that is happening more and more - when in Valvetronic mode the valve-lift is tiny, and any variance between valve lift causes misfires - the lift is only 0.3mm at idle. I do not know the solution to this - I know owners that have replaced the valve gear with no improvement.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation ok thank you I was thinking the same. Valve lift too small. Maybe I can try software update, maybe BMW issued a patch to correct this, I mean lift valve a little bit more . I can try carbon cleaning as well in intake manifold I think
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation And curiously, yesterday, I was just idling. All of a sudden I felt the car idle smootheing. I had my ELM327 hooked, and I litterally saw idle pressure dropping from 900 to 380 millibar. With valvetronic ON. It's cool, though I don't know why it is ok now, I didn't change anything except a new Air Filter 3 days before and engine hydraulic valve unclogging treatment 2 weeks before.
Hi Timm. Something that has been perplexing me and I am sure I am not alone, which oil is best to use. I know in your oil change vid, you used 0w-30. However, I've seen places recommend 0w-40. I've also heard arguments about older engines needing thicker oil, manufacturers reducing oil viscosity purely to pass emissions tests and without care for engine wear - so long as it lasts long enough to pass the leasing time frame. What's your verdict and why?
Hello JP, well, the N62 isn't classed as an 'older engine', they possibly mean old iron V8's. But for the N62 I like to use 0W-30 synthetic as it keeps the valve-train noise down a bit, but 0W-40 will still look after the engine perfectly
I have a 2015 bmw n20 engine I have a crank no start after replacing 4 injector I did the coding. check spark and fuel ok I have low compression cylinder 1-4 90 psi
I've got a totaled 650 with a perfect engine and tranny (somebody crashed into me on the track) and an e92 with no engine. Since I already own a working 335i with N54 I feel tempted to try and swap the N62 into my spare e92 chassis because I love the low NA V8 sound. Am I a crazy man or would this be an awesome forever car? Both cars use a ZF6HP and the motor technically fits with the 5 series engine mounts so it's really just a matter of getting a proper length drive shaft. I've had an N54 make much bigger torque on the stock dif so I suspect I'll have to do very little to the rear end.
Hi Ti., I've had my mechanic change my valvetronic motor a number of times but its fails after a few drives. He is skipping the relearning stage saying it's unnecessary. So I was hoping you could help me understand if this is true or that stage is mandatory and I should change the mechanic
Well, my 335i now needs the valvetronic actuator... The Audi I had was much worse for reliability than the BMW, but still - never own any German car out of warranty. Ever.
misfires are caused by loose aged timing TENSIONERS and upstream LAMBDA sensors, period! Very common on dual banks V6 +V8, not so much on L4 single bank. So basically exact timing and proper mixture. (of course you need good plugs, coils, injectors as well)
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation i have been in all the forums. I was sent to the m6 forums and they said their smg is different to mine. All the mechanics i have contacted don't want to get involved with smg and the gearbox specialists don't want to know either lol
SAE30 is too thin for when these engines age. I've been using 15w40 diesel oil and the amount of smoke from the worn valve seals improved 90% Currently I'm in the process of a software alteration that disables the 'dynamic' valve lift system, due to mine being worn out and causing misfires. I've already beta tested the solution, and now I'm waiting for the computer back from the programmer.
You will lose some power if the Valvetronic is disabled, the choices ate, less power and reasonable valve-train noise, or, full lift and power and a noisy valve-train!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation I would argue that I would lose no power. I'm not disabling valve tronic. Valvetronic is just the marketing name for variable valve lift and bi-vanos combined. The only scheme being disabled in software is engine load control mechanism by way of the dynamic valve lift. This feature only adjusts the engine operating efficiency from idle to partial load - and translates this into an increased fuel economy, slightly - this is as described in the engine training module. However this system is designed to such close tolerances that it is open to an unreasonable amount of decay in its operation over time - and thus malfunctions, leading to unacceptable repair costs - exceeding the totaling value of most of these cars/suv's with the N62 series engine. In wide open throttle, variable valve lift system goes away and valve lift is maximum. Typically over 2500 rpm the variable valve lift system is disabled in its management system. I know this through performing hours of observation and experimentation. I will still have manual control of the valve lift adjustment through INPA utility. After my modification, I will run a dyno test and report the results - directly to your email inbox - you may be surprised by the results.
th-cam.com/video/exfhm36Asgo/w-d-xo.html I suspect there is a problem with my valvetronic. It's only noticeable at idle until about 1500rpm. No fault codes, idle is super steady. Just a slightly higher unevenness value on cylinder 6. I've no idea what it could be. I also have some pictures of bank 2 with the valve cover off if that would help.
No, it doesn't sound like a Valvetronic problem - it sounds like a vacuum leak around the vacuum pump - it makes the drok-drok-drok noise that is so noticeable when the oil-cap is removed
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Hm, the adaptations are pretty much bang on perfect, but I could post a short of that on my channel today. I changed the vacuum pump last year, because I suspected the noise coming from play of the flap. If its a vacuum leak, the noise should change when I remove the oil cap at idle, right? Thank you so much for helping. The noise really gets on my nerves.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Hello Timm, I've uploaded some more short videos on my channel. Here's the one concerning fuel trims: th-cam.com/video/jtw974BdSTs/w-d-xo.html Thank you for your support. I very much appreciate it :).
Check your math. Valvetronic causes power loss. More friction = loss. Enabled or disabled. Disabled, the valves still open 100%. There is no top end power loss when valvetronic is disabled. Why is your engine loosing power? Maybe you want to go over the engine. It should not be loosing power at top end. It could gain mid range torque using the vanos in conjunction with valvetronic to increase the compression by closing the intake earlier. This is the only thing that makes valvetronic better than non-valvetronic. Valve opening and closing timing control in conjunction with vanos to increase torque at the mid RPM range. Everything else about BMW's Valvetronic is bad. Mostly because BMW Overly Under Engineer Everything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Toyota's don't have these problems #fact ...if it was built by Toyota, it would not have these problems #fact The only thing useful in this video is the crankcase vacuum reducing smoke part.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation I think that's another failed statement. N45 is an N46 without valvetronic, built for the racing market. N43 is an N46 direct injected and built for the economy market. Valvetronic was just overly under engineered garbage that BMW tried to make, to look cool... but failed because of so many reliability issues due to the lack of quality engineering that BMW is so well known for.
That's such a horrible way to make "vtec yo", seriously though BMW. This is asking for failure, why would you make a simple thing so complicated . Guess it's the BMW way.
Interesting. Even BMW sold the Valvetronic system as something that makes the conventional throttle obsolete, but in fact thats not the case - the two systems actually work in tandem. These engines are genius (I have the N52 6cyl) when you learn to understand them and get them running just right, and a nightmare of confusing symptoms and expensive problems if you don't! I'm still learning about mine and, while it does seem intimidatingly complex at times, I do have to marvel and the ingenuity of it all.
Thanks, there's a lot of mis-information around!
Hi Tim. Just when we think your videos could not possibly be any more informative or professional, this one happens! As always, great content, much appreciated.
That's very kind of you Bob, and great to hear from you!
Hello Tim. Just wanted to thank you for your tremendous effort put into this video. I certainly learnt a lot- thanks again from a grateful B58 owner 🍻
That's my pleasure Anthony!
What an amazing video! Should be mandatory on BMW training, so well explained. Thank you!
Glad you liked it, thanks!
This guy is like an Engine scientist, good stuff deep knowledge.
Thanks, I'll take that!
Yes, indeed. Tim is an extremely valuable asset to the BMW E31 community as well as others and a wonderful person to boot.
Cheers...-chrisfuture8 (e31 member)
Hell of a job on your in detail description of what and why thing happen in those " now not so complicated engines"!!
Keep it up cause I learned more from you in 10mins that 5 hrs watching how to fix videos...
I have a customer with a n62 2005 x5 4.4i and it's been a bit tricky figuring out why the misfires. I replaced eccentric shaft sensor on driverside along with the camshaft sensors. I swapped sides with the valvetronic motors and fixed the oil leak from vaccum pump and plugged the vaccim line back into the little outlet on the front of it. Now there is only 2 misfires on 1 & 5 and camshaft sensor b on bank 2 but then another scanner reads vanos solenoid problems.. its confusing and why would misfires be on #5 or 8 when the sensor problems read on #1 w/ camsensor issues?
Hello Kevin, the problem is that BMW re-uses error codes, and unless the scanner has the correct tables matched to the DME then you will get a range of explanations for the same code. The best software is INPA as it reads the DME software version and then gives the correct error explanation
Is the INPA software same as the ISTA software ?
Hi Tim! I can't believe I came across your video. I've been trying to find answers to my problem through forums and JustAnswer mechanics online and non of it has really helped compared to your video!
Long story short, had valve stem seals and guides repaired on my 13' 650i at local shop and when the valvetronic is connected, I get constant misfires in cylinder 3 and 7 and white smoke. Borescope shows oil inside cylinders as well. Disconnect the valvetronic however and it runs perfectly smooth no misfires no smoke.
The other fault stored is related to boost pressure. They're both shut off, and when I test the wastegates through ISTA service function, both turbo wastegates don't move. Exhaust valves are not moving either. I always assumed turbos automatically shut off when valvetronic is disconnected but I'm now thinking the shop screwed up the vacuum lines to the pressure converters and turbo wastegates.
Theres traces of oil in the PCV valve as well. Which is strange because it was working absolutely fine before the repair. Its only a few months old.
So..... Given its a twin turbo car, I'm assuming the turbos have to be functioning in order to create the vacuum for the crankcase ventilation to work and in turn stopping my oil leak and misfires? Does that sound like it could be my problem??
Looking forward to your answer!
Lots to read there - post the problem on bimmerforums.co.uk and I'll have a look at it there!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformationthanks for the reply Tim. I have posted the comment on bimmerforums UK, under the 6 series sub-forum 🙏🏻
Hi Tim, just want to thank you for all your videos. I just bought a 09 650i e64 thats been in an accident. Needed a strut, control arm, fender, hood/bonnet repair, airbags, and a few other things. I bought it online and had it delivered. I am so happy i bought it. Thanks again for all the info. Cheers
Well, good luck on finding all the parts!
Thank you for a wonderful explanation of how the system works! Ingenious design, and a pleasure to drive when fully functional. Cheers from the USA.
Glad it was helpful!
I have the X5 4.8is with the N62 engine. I change the oil every 5000 miles (8000km) and have never had any problems with VANOS or Valvetronic. Use a thicker oil because of the high mileage. I like Liqui Moly Top Tec 4100 5w40 and has been great 👍 engine loves it
That's the way to do it, good job!
Hi Tim, just dropped onto your video, excellent insight into the workings of the valvetronic system. I have an '06 650i with the rare manual gearbox and on the whole it is a very competent machine. However, it does have one very irritating fault. Under normal driving it is excellent - very torquey and smooth right down to near idle speed. When giving it some beans there seems to be a definate lag between releasing the throttle for an upshift and the revs actually dropping. Then, when releasing the clutch and flooring it again there is a lag before the engine responds. This lag is not massive but significant and makes it very difficult to accelerate smoothly at full chat. If the car was auto you probably would not notice this because you would not be lifting for upshifts. When parked on the driveway the throttle response is fine, unable to fault. There are no fault codes and the only other issue is a slight lumpiness when the engine is cold, which I would suspect is over fueling (temp sensor or AFM). Any thought's or suggestions appreciated.
I don't think this is a mechanical problem - the software on the N62 is lacking in a few respects!
Dear Timm, I really appreciate your excellent videos and you helped me a lot with my car.
I think there is one element of the explanation missing here, or maybe I didn't understand it properly. One of the major reason for VT saving a plenty of fuel is that it avoids much of the pumping losses. At low power or at idle, a normal (non-VT) engine must pull in air from the inlet manifold at very low absolute pressure and this takes a plenty of work. In a crude view, at suction phase there is much less pressure on the top surface of the piston than at the bottom, so the piston is spending mechanical work on the gas, unlike at the expansion phase, when the gas is working on the piston and the engine is actually producing mechanical power. The work spent on sucking in air can be considered as "negative work" of the engine missing from the output but still requiring fuel to be burnt for.
Since the manifold pressure of a VT engine is kept by the regulation of the throttle very close to atmospheric pressure, that is, there is no significant vacuum in there, it needs much less work for the piston to take in the necessary (at idle) small amount of air.
This sounds an uninteresting minor thing, but in real life this is an extremely important thing. These overmotorised cars have huge displacement and much-much more power available than really needed for most traffic situations. Thus in most of their life the engine is running at very low power or idle (like in a traffic jam in London :) ). At low power the huge displacement comes with disproportionately large pumping losses compared to the mechanical work produced by the engine, therefore VT can save a plenty of fuel by reducing this loss.
Yes, that's a good point and something I should have mentioned
Very well explained . I even understood a lot of it. The pcv valve on my e60 525i can only be replaced by removing valve cover completely. And then the pcv has to be cut off to replace new pcv. Then new gasket and new bolts for cover for a $30 part . I was so annoyed concidering it may not be the issue. I've had no codes.
No checklight .
That's just crazy! You don't mention what the problem is though....
Hi Timm this is Alvin your number one fan. The green screen worked out great. Great information 👍🏾. Stay safe my friend. Blessings
Thanks, you too Alvin, and great to hear from you!
Tim,
Thank you for posting this video. It helped me better understand the system and how it functions. I have yet to see anything close to it.
Hi Timm, thank you for creating such a highly informative video. I only have a baby 2.0l leaky N46 but this insight has been invaluable. Thank you so much. The ES sensor has been unplugged (presumably) since I bought it last year, (buyer beware) and I have minor oil burn issues. Your video will now help me approach this, more informed. Thank you so much. Subscribed and indeed, liked
My pleasure Marcus!
Hi Tim, new subscriber here! I have recently bought BMW X1 X20i 2018(F48) and on dashboard I don't have any kind of light on but when I read DTC's I see there is one error: DTC 133710 Intake Valves adaptation air mass flow: lower limit position reached.
1.What I have observe so far is when I start the car first it starts at 1.1 RPM but being gasoline car I think it is normal but until it drops under 800RPM I feel some rough/bumpy vibration/senzation
2. When I have like 50km/h and I slow down some times it change gear rough like changing from gear 4 to 2 and I can feel that.
3. Sometime when I have foot on gas pedal for like 1s there is a burst of speed, like I full accelerate but my feet is constant and I don't do that.
So the above is what I observed I am not sure if everything is related to valvetronic but so far I have been to a mechanic and he said that I should change everything related to valvetronic and that is around 4000euro.
My question to you is, can't be saved anything from there ? maybe it is like you said at the end of your video just a valve sometimes getting stuck or something like that.
Thanks in advance :)
Have a look at my other video's on the E64/N62 you will get some answers there. You need to have the bridge-seals replaced on the mechatronics gearbox, that will sort your gear-changes. Don't have anyone fiddle with your Valvetronic system, it's never worth it,
New York New York wanted to thank you for all your incredible information...keep up the good work you are doing 👏
Thanks from UKUK!
Thanks Tim for the informative Video keep it coming, Thank you for sharing the BMW Knowledge to those who do not have the knowledge and for that we are grateful.
It's always my pleasure!
I admire your knowledge my friend. Keep making these videos they're great. -Fellow BMW loyalist from the states
Thanks, I will!
Another great video
Thanks for the insight into valvetronic
Thanks for watching Tony!
Excellent video, thank you. Every days a school day.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks. I found this a really interesting video. Although it didn't make me feel any better about the repair bill I'll likely be getting for the worn eccentric shaft in my N55 powered 135i
It does seem an amazing system but it's also pretty flawed if it can have catastrophic failures like this in a well maintained car with only 130k kms on it.
Thank you so much for this video. You really tie it all together. Absolutely perfect.
You are so welcome!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation You earned another subscriber! I recently bought an 08 528i that had been diagnosed as a head gasket issue. Nope. A lack of fundament understanding of the Valtronic system (and 1 coil pack) was the culprit. Will be replacing the valve cover while replacing the sensor. Ordered the Mitzone (sp?) aluminum replacement. Not sure if it was a good idea... Going to be about $1500 US into it. This video was the keystone.
But thanks again. I'm going to drag home every broken BMW I can find!
Wow, that video is just simply great. Learned a lot, thank you Tim!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This guy is very good at breaking it down
Thanks!
This, people, is a great instructor 👌🏼
Thanks!
Your lesson is more informative can you please explain further on how to position the essentric camshaft when installing the motor
Precision is not important but you need diagnostics to re-learn the correct position
Awesome Video, Simple yet direct!!👍
Glad you liked it!
Really great explanatory video
Glad you liked it!
exceptional video. continue making these. im an instant fan.
Thanks, will do!
Hi Timm, thanks for for such informative and well made videos. From fellow M62TUB owner, haha. I'm surprised they were still using the 'clown nose' (as I've heard it called) in the 650i. I removed it from my 2001 540i because I felt like a police detective from 1986. I hope it is just for the alarm active light, and not anything else.
Thanks! It look ridiculous, but smaller than it appears in the video! I've had three M62TUB's and two M62's, and they have all been reliable and easy to work on - and never had chain guide problems on any of them - but I always replace the chain tensioner straight away!
Very interesting and informative video, thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi thanks so much for such an informative video. I would like to pick your brains about a problem I’m having with my 7 series. It’s misfiring and it’s hasn’t got any power to accelerate 😢 I would like to go into more details about with you 😊
No problem, PM me on Bimmerforums.com
For the scenario with the clogged PCV system causing the smoking, I would imagine that the higher intake vacuum when Valvetronic is disabled would suck more unseparated air-oil blowby into the combustion chamber causing more oil burning rather than less.
I'm just trying to wrap my head around the explanation you gave.
Or are you implying that more airflow through the PCV system (from the greater manifold vacuum during non-Valvtronic operation) equates to greater separation of the oil from the air and therefore less oil sent to the combustion chamber?
Thanks in advance.
The PCV system relies on manifold vacuum to work correctly - which it does well on the M60/M62. The problem with the N62 is there is almost zero manifold vacuum when in Valvetronic mode and that stops the oil separation working well. Often exacerbated by blocked passageways in the separator in the valve covers.....
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Thanks for the clarification. 👍
Very nice explanation on valvetronic and cranckase ventilation system. I assume the throttle body control works a bit different on turbo engines. Cranckase ventilation system is also a bit different there (with two working modes depending on the turbo regime...)
Thanks! Yes, most turbo engines use the vacuum from a venturi in the exhaust for creating negative crankcase pressure
Hi! I was thinking about bmw engines with valvetronic & turbo. A two-part crankcase ventilation system is used in these engines as far as I know. When the engine works in naturally aspirated mode the blow-by gases are routed directly into the cylinder head intake ports. When the turbo is raising the pressure in the head intake ports (and we no longer have a vacuum) the blow-by gases are routed just ahead of the turbo fresh air intake. So I wonder how the throttle body operates in these engines. Maybe this is where the "myth" about "always open throttle body" comes from. It would make sense in a valvetronic&turbo setup...
Hi Tim, love your channel! I have a 2018 M2 with the N55 engine which seems to have a tendency to suffer from valvetronic issues as many have reported a ticking noise developing at some stage of its life. I have not experienced this yet (and hopefully never will) so I was wondering if you have any advice on how I can prevent this issue from occurring other than keeping up with the routine servicing? Thank you!
Yes, oil changes every year or 5000 miles whichever is first!
Thank you very much for your brilliant videos. Because of you I am changing my engine oil at half the BMW intervalls.
Maybe you can even tell me where to look at with my ´06 e61 550i with lpg. It is a strange failure as it occurs only very rareley but is quite annoying when happening. The last time it happend was around 15k km ago and then again last weekend.
After driving on the german autobahn at around 160km/h for a few minutes suddenly there is a check engine ligth saying cylinder 8 misfiring. Deleting the failure will not bring the cylinder back to life. After driving for about 150km on 7 cylinders the eight one will be back to life again and working like nothing happened. This failure will not happen all the time on the autobahn. Most of the time I can drive as fast and as long as I want and the engine is running fine.
Sometimes after a longer drive on the autobahn and then coming into a city the engine light is on on the first slower drive. Reporting misfire on cylinder 8 again. This is is an easy fix though. Just restarting the engine will solve it.
Misfires happen on LPG and gasoline.
After the first time the big error happened the spark plugs and ignition coils where changed for Bosch and Delphi.
The engine idles fine (500RPM) and is quite powerfull I would think. In the past week I noticed around 1-2 misfires per day on my way to work (17km autobahn, limited to 100km/h). Engine light stays of on these occasions.
Last week when it happened I shook all the cables I could reach to try and find a loose connection but nothing improved my situation. Car has been to a dealership already but the failure was not occuring and they didn´t find any mistake on the car. Unfortunately it was Sunday both times the cylinder failed so there was no chance to ask a local dealership while it had the fault.
I know it is hard to impossible to do diagnosis without having the car near you but I would really be glad if you could hint me any more things to look at the next time the fault happens.
Bit of a tricky one - have you checked your roughness values at idle using something like INPA? (see my other video's on INPA) as that would give us some idea's.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Do you mean when the cylinder 8 is not working or while it is working? I have INPA so checking the values would be no problem.
Waow. So so many details I didn't know about VTC and throttle valve.
Thank you Sir.
I have a question though. I have a N55, it has the VTC but it's also turbo charged.
You said the CCV need an underpressure in the intake manifold to work properly.
In my case, when under boost, the pressure is positive. How BMW designed the CCV then on turbo charged engines ?
Thank you.
The crankcase still needs a vacuum, but it can't get it from the manifold. There is a separate vacuum pump for the crankcase - the vacuum for the CCV is generated by a venturi from the same system
Hello Tim, great explanation, I have a question on the Vanos issues on a 2012 328i N51 engine. As soon as I start the car RPM revs up to 1500 drops back down to normal and a code gets triggered. I have rebuilt the engine completely, I also changed 3 heads thinking they were the cause. Changed the carbon oil seals at the cam shafts, changed the Vanos gears, solenoids and valve cover gasket, the cam sensors too. Nothing changed, still the same 2 codes. So, one is under OBDII scan and the other is in the deep scan mode and they are P052B and 2A7C. There is not much info on these as they are really rare. I was told by a friend from England actually, that the codes might be generated by what you referred to as the stepper motor(Eccentric Shaft Actuator Valvetronic Motor). You explained that it turns counter or clockwise, and it contributes to the valve openings. But you also said that the Vanos system doesn't work right away I think as you first start the car. My problem is in the first 10 seconds of starting. Let me know if you know these codes and if you have any suggestions. I simply drive the car like this now it is fine, but the codes are always there. Thanks in advance mate.
I don't know what he said, but he said it well.
I think you can get subtitles!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation - Was a great vid -- just a bit deep for me.
Wow! Fantastic!
My pleasure!
Everytime I watch one of your videos I feel I need to sell my bmw and never buy another one haha
Don't panic AJ, these cars are very reliable as long as you service them!
Hello Tim,
I need an advice. I have 2 BMW with N 62 engine : a 645 convertible quite similar to yours and a X5 E70 4.8 that I'm restoring (it was bought by bid). I've change a lot of things on the X5 engine (the 4 vanos are new, either the solenoid, the valvetronix motors and calculator are Ok they work on the 645) but I still ve a Vanos problem with the X5 with an Error "vanos adaptation Intake cylinder 5 -8".
The value for "vanos adaptation intake" for cylinders 5 -to 8 is 144,7° for 129,7° for cylinders 1 to 4.
Thess values are quite the same on the 645 128,8° and 129,9° for each line of cylinder.
Do you think that the problem is mecanic with the valvetronic axe system or link to the engine calculator of the x5 that has to be reset ?
Thank for your expertise and happy new year !
Happy New Year too. Replace the chain tensioner on both banks and let us know if that fixes it!
Many thanks for the advice!! It will be done in the next weeks. I’ll tell you the result but I’m confident
Regards
Thanks!
Thanks very much for the donation!
Hi, thanks Tim for an amazing video. I have one question though, I cannot find reliable information on this: I want to replace the valve cover gasket on my 2006 e86 Z4. Too remove the valvetronic motor you need to close a screw on the motor that locks the shaft so it doesn't all spring apart when you remove it, upon refitting however there is no agreed upon process. My method would be to count the number of turns to close the screw and then do the opposite when refitting, however no one really mentions this and additionally there is contrasting information whether the motor needs to be recalibrated or not. Can you help?
Yes, the complete motor has to be unscrewed, and when replaced got back more-or-less in the same orientation. But, even if it isn't, it will soon adapt again, in fact, in a few seconds!
Weird with the M62 smoke issues first thing that gets checked is the CCV and if thats not it then the osb.
Wonder why the n62 guys think differently.
It's a very different world once you get past the E38 Noan!
hey Timm, I really appreciate your videos and they are very informative. I have an E63 650i which I look after like a baby, a big credit of that is due to your videos! 109 000km on the clock '07 build. I often check codes and have recently been getting a 2B70 code: CDKSUE - variable intake system, control. no lights on the dash and clearing the issue, after driving the 650, it returns again. I haven't noticed anything a miss, maybe a Rev drop, although, very very slight on idle when cold, but this could be normal after cold start, it does seem to drop below 500rpm with a/c off though. any ideas on where to start with this? is it related to the dual throttle method or is it an issue with the valvetronic? thanks! Dean from Cape Town, South Africa
Hello Deano, yes that is a DISA problem, and very common! DISA is a system that controls the intake manifold runner length, and you get two different failures: The sensor (for position) fails or the motor (which changes the position) fails. Depending on the place it fails affects either the full-power delivery or the idle - and I guess yours has failed in the shortest position! But, it can be the sensor - more details here: www.bimmerfest.com/threads/disa-testing.1133969/
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation thank you Timm, you legend!
Great video, my 2015 BMW m135i makes a noise like a woodpecker from under the bonnet when warm and I go back to it to unlock the doors with the key fob. Will also make the noise if already unlocked and I open a door. Doesnt make the noise when I go to the car in the morning when the engine is cold. The facebook m135i forum says it might be the valvetronic motor. Any ideas, thks russell
It is strange that it is coming from under the bonnet when you unlock the car - very strange! I don't think the Valvetronic does anything until the ignition is ON so I would discount that - can you target the noise if you have the bonnet open when you unlock the car?
Your eccentric shaft is shot. The teeth are worn out. You should replace valvetronic motor and eccentric shaft
Tim... can you talk a bit about timing chain issues on the N62B48TU... it appears that there are not any (unlike the M62 with chains and guides.) I have 155k miles on my N62 4.8i in a E70 with no valve stem seal issues because of oil and filter changes at 5K or less. I am also running a 90C thermostat. When should I change my timing chains?
Hopefully never if you service every year.
Definition of service every year?
Hello, I have a 2008 bmw 328i. I start experience some misfire on several cylinders and got a code for the intake vamos solenoid, I replace the vanos solenoid for a pair of new ones, but the problem continues. I notice it stops misfiring when I disconnect the vanos solenoid. Any idea what my problem could be? Thanks in advance.
That is a problem with the Valvetronic system - disconnecting any of the sensors turns it off with a default valve opening of 6mm. This is such a difficult problem to fix as it concerns the minimum valve lift. One valve just fails to open enough and you get a misfire. My advice - ignore it or spend lots of money chasing it!
Idk if it's different for the n62, but on my N52 I've started it multiple times with the throttle body removed
Hi Tim just wanted to get your thoughts on something. On INPA you can adjust the minimum valve lift and from what I read, it's either set to 0.3mm. or 0.8mm. Reason I ask is I have been experiencing lean codes. There is no vacuum leaks or issue with the MAF. Fuel filter was changed, injectors working normally.
On my 545i, the valve lift was set to 0.8mm. I've put down to 0.3mm which is the normal accepted value and what I have found is the lean codes have not come back since I made that adjustment. Wanted to know if you had an idea as to why the car appears to be running better on 0.3mm valve lift.
Although you say you have no vacuum leaks, what you have explained sounds exactly like a manifold leak - keep looking!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Hi Timm thanks. I have checked and nothing obvious. Only thing I can do is invest in a smoke machine.
@@djsyxxJust curious, How'd you go about it then ?
@@thesmartguy3523 you need to use INPA/ISTA or GT1 to adjust.
Hello Tim, I have changed the eccentrics shaft sensor and after that the car started and dies immediately. Can you help me ?
Hopefully you have got it going by now - but there is a re-learning procedure on INPA
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation
No the problem was never solved
Hi Timm maybe you'll read this, I hope so..
I am confused, because I have rough idle with valvetronic connected (N55) and smooth idle with valvetronic disconnected.
Ambiant pressure is 980 millibar.
With Valvetronic, at idle, my intake manifold pressure is 900 millibar no matter what. If I accelerate it will go to 1 bar or more, when I take my foot off pedal, pressure will go back to 900 millibar.
Without valvetronic, at idle, my intake manifold pressure is 400 millibar. When I accelerate it will go to 1 bar or more, when I take my foot off it will go back to 400 millibar.
I have 101F01 fault code or P112F, related to Throttle valve opening angle absolute pressure intake pipe comparison pressure too high with valvetronic connected
Any idea?
This is a problem that is happening more and more - when in Valvetronic mode the valve-lift is tiny, and any variance between valve lift causes misfires - the lift is only 0.3mm at idle. I do not know the solution to this - I know owners that have replaced the valve gear with no improvement.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation ok thank you I was thinking the same. Valve lift too small. Maybe I can try software update, maybe BMW issued a patch to correct this, I mean lift valve a little bit more . I can try carbon cleaning as well in intake manifold I think
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation And curiously, yesterday, I was just idling.
All of a sudden I felt the car idle smootheing. I had my ELM327 hooked, and I litterally saw idle pressure dropping from 900 to 380 millibar. With valvetronic ON.
It's cool, though I don't know why it is ok now, I didn't change anything except a new Air Filter 3 days before and engine hydraulic valve unclogging treatment 2 weeks before.
Hi Timm. Something that has been perplexing me and I am sure I am not alone, which oil is best to use. I know in your oil change vid, you used 0w-30. However, I've seen places recommend 0w-40. I've also heard arguments about older engines needing thicker oil, manufacturers reducing oil viscosity purely to pass emissions tests and without care for engine wear - so long as it lasts long enough to pass the leasing time frame.
What's your verdict and why?
Hello JP, well, the N62 isn't classed as an 'older engine', they possibly mean old iron V8's. But for the N62 I like to use 0W-30 synthetic as it keeps the valve-train noise down a bit, but 0W-40 will still look after the engine perfectly
M60 has about 9.7mm and m62 about 9mm valve lift. So the valvetronic has minimal additional lift. It’s not there for more peak power
You are quite correct - thanks!
Tim I have a poorly f10 M5, would you be interested in fault finding it for me pretty please?
I have a 2015 bmw n20 engine I have a crank no start after replacing 4 injector I did the coding. check spark and fuel ok I have low compression cylinder 1-4 90 psi
Is there anyway I could diagnose the m54 for bent valves without removing the head?
Yes, compression test will find it!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation iI hand cranked several turns and here hissing from the cylinder head.
That can be perfectly normal, you need a compression test!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation yep. Did the test, and cylinder 4 has a bent exhaust valve.
Thank u
Welcome!
Hello. I have n62b40tu engine. And have blue smoke 🤔
Here you go: th-cam.com/video/Yy_Vzir5xco/w-d-xo.html
I've got a totaled 650 with a perfect engine and tranny (somebody crashed into me on the track) and an e92 with no engine.
Since I already own a working 335i with N54 I feel tempted to try and swap the N62 into my spare e92 chassis because I love the low NA V8 sound.
Am I a crazy man or would this be an awesome forever car?
Both cars use a ZF6HP and the motor technically fits with the 5 series engine mounts so it's really just a matter of getting a proper length drive shaft.
I've had an N54 make much bigger torque on the stock dif so I suspect I'll have to do very little to the rear end.
Hello Jake, put a fuller description on Bimmerforums.co.uk and you will get good answer
Hi Ti., I've had my mechanic change my valvetronic motor a number of times but its fails after a few drives. He is skipping the relearning stage saying it's unnecessary. So I was hoping you could help me understand if this is true or that stage is mandatory and I should change the mechanic
Relearning must be done in yr case
Simple mechanics;)
Well, my 335i now needs the valvetronic actuator... The Audi I had was much worse for reliability than the BMW, but still - never own any German car out of warranty. Ever.
Probably a good plan!
👍
Thanks!
misfires are caused by loose aged timing TENSIONERS and upstream LAMBDA sensors, period!
Very common on dual banks V6 +V8, not so much on L4 single bank.
So basically exact timing and proper mixture.
(of course you need good plugs, coils, injectors as well)
Hi timm. Do you know anything about smg gearboxes? Lol
Very little Saladam, try Bimmerforums.co.uk....
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation i have been in all the forums. I was sent to the m6 forums and they said their smg is different to mine. All the mechanics i have contacted don't want to get involved with smg and the gearbox specialists don't want to know either lol
SAE30 is too thin for when these engines age. I've been using 15w40 diesel oil and the amount of smoke from the worn valve seals improved 90%
Currently I'm in the process of a software alteration that disables the 'dynamic' valve lift system, due to mine being worn out and causing misfires. I've already beta tested the solution, and now I'm waiting for the computer back from the programmer.
You will lose some power if the Valvetronic is disabled, the choices ate, less power and reasonable valve-train noise, or, full lift and power and a noisy valve-train!
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation I would argue that I would lose no power. I'm not disabling valve tronic. Valvetronic is just the marketing name for variable valve lift and bi-vanos combined. The only scheme being disabled in software is engine load control mechanism by way of the dynamic valve lift. This feature only adjusts the engine operating efficiency from idle to partial load - and translates this into an increased fuel economy, slightly - this is as described in the engine training module. However this system is designed to such close tolerances that it is open to an unreasonable amount of decay in its operation over time - and thus malfunctions, leading to unacceptable repair costs - exceeding the totaling value of most of these cars/suv's with the N62 series engine. In wide open throttle, variable valve lift system goes away and valve lift is maximum. Typically over 2500 rpm the variable valve lift system is disabled in its management system. I know this through performing hours of observation and experimentation. I will still have manual control of the valve lift adjustment through INPA utility. After my modification, I will run a dyno test and report the results - directly to your email inbox - you may be surprised by the results.
th-cam.com/video/exfhm36Asgo/w-d-xo.html
I suspect there is a problem with my valvetronic. It's only noticeable at idle until about 1500rpm. No fault codes, idle is super steady. Just a slightly higher unevenness value on cylinder 6. I've no idea what it could be.
I also have some pictures of bank 2 with the valve cover off if that would help.
No, it doesn't sound like a Valvetronic problem - it sounds like a vacuum leak around the vacuum pump - it makes the drok-drok-drok noise that is so noticeable when the oil-cap is removed
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Hm, the adaptations are pretty much bang on perfect, but I could post a short of that on my channel today. I changed the vacuum pump last year, because I suspected the noise coming from play of the flap. If its a vacuum leak, the noise should change when I remove the oil cap at idle, right?
Thank you so much for helping. The noise really gets on my nerves.
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation
Hello Timm,
I've uploaded some more short videos on my channel. Here's the one concerning fuel trims:
th-cam.com/video/jtw974BdSTs/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for your support. I very much appreciate it :).
What happens if u ignore this problem and keep on driving
Nothing - as long as you have recently changed the oil and filter
Check your math. Valvetronic causes power loss. More friction = loss. Enabled or disabled. Disabled, the valves still open 100%. There is no top end power loss when valvetronic is disabled. Why is your engine loosing power? Maybe you want to go over the engine. It should not be loosing power at top end. It could gain mid range torque using the vanos in conjunction with valvetronic to increase the compression by closing the intake earlier. This is the only thing that makes valvetronic better than non-valvetronic. Valve opening and closing timing control in conjunction with vanos to increase torque at the mid RPM range. Everything else about BMW's Valvetronic is bad. Mostly because BMW Overly Under Engineer Everything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Toyota's don't have these problems #fact ...if it was built by Toyota, it would not have these problems #fact The only thing useful in this video is the crankcase vacuum reducing smoke part.
I agree, Valvetronic does little for power - it was simply introduced for economy, a legal requirement for new cars
@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation I think that's another failed statement. N45 is an N46 without valvetronic, built for the racing market. N43 is an N46 direct injected and built for the economy market. Valvetronic was just overly under engineered garbage that BMW tried to make, to look cool... but failed because of so many reliability issues due to the lack of quality engineering that BMW is so well known for.
That's such a horrible way to make "vtec yo", seriously though BMW. This is asking for failure, why would you make a simple thing so complicated . Guess it's the BMW way.
It is the BMW way!
Unlike VTEC, this system is continuously variable and allows for 10% less fuel usage. It is quite a robust system if properly maintained.