Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1

    My ZHP broke my wallet earlier this week

    So yah, I have a 04 ZHP coupe 6 speed silbergraumetallic.

    I bought the car with ~60k miles 8 months ago and now the car has about 75k miles on it. When I first bought it I noticed a slight rattle from the VANOS unit, but was given to understand that that was normal. I paid no attention to it and ended up just driving the car as a daily and throwing it about some autocross courses here and there (not really all that heavily because my e36 is the dedicated autocross toy).

    In recent times I noticed a considerable lag in power...Oil level was always full or near full, but I knew that this was the sign that the VANOS unit needed addressing.

    I took the car into the shop and had them take a look at it who initially said since it's early enough, it could be possibly just be dealt with with a few new gaskets. After they opened it up though, they noticed scarring on the inside of the unit, so I had to get a remanufactured unit with new gears and gaskets which ran up quite the tab. Of course this also included a new valve cover gasket...

    They also noticed that the thermostat housing was leaking...in fact there was a stalactite that formed and was rubbing against the fan belt..I have to have the tech send me that picture hahaha. In any case I had that replaced with a new unit along with a coolant flush.

    I also had them change the oil with Motul 8100X full synthetic.

    The car runs really a lot better, but I'm a little concerned that it's still rattling at lower RPMs. The car pulls very strongly throughout the entire RPM range and there's no hesitation, but is this normal? Do you guys have a slight rattle? I saw this and I guess I'm not the only one....it's very similar to how my car sounds before and after...The vid says that it's eliminated, but you still heal a bit of a rattle in there....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2WArslGmpA
    "If I had all the money I'd spent on cars...I'd spend it on cars."
    2013 Mazda Miata
    1993 BMW 325i

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Branford, CT
    Posts
    16,055
    Lots of E46's and other models have the VANOS rattle. It comes on around 2k and lasts up to a few k after that. Any revs beyond that you can't hear the rattle because the engine roars to life and overtakes it in sound.

    The fix:
    Ordering the Double VANOS repair kit from Beisan Systems. http://beisansystems.com/products.html
    This replaces the rings that rattle inside the VANOS unit.
    Last edited by az3579; 01-17-2013 at 05:04 PM.
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  3. #3
    Cool I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going nuts. I had the shop tell that to me too...I guess my hear is just tuned to hear that. As I said the car pulls insanely better than before..even before I bought it so I'm happy!
    "If I had all the money I'd spent on cars...I'd spend it on cars."
    2013 Mazda Miata
    1993 BMW 325i

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Liberty Township, OH
    Posts
    37,935
    Quote Originally Posted by az3579 View Post
    All E46's have the VANOS rattle.
    Not true.
    Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim

  5. #5
    I guess although you remanufacture the unit, and don't replace the rings, perhaps that's what's rattling?
    "If I had all the money I'd spent on cars...I'd spend it on cars."
    2013 Mazda Miata
    1993 BMW 325i

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Liberty Township, OH
    Posts
    37,935
    I don't know what goes into official "remanufacture" of the unit, but at a minimum I would say it would involve replacing the piston seals.

    The anti-rattle kit consists of slightly undersized spacers which take up the slop and mitigate the rattle.
    Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    32.8 N, 117.3 W
    Posts
    7,640
    I have the seals in my garage if you want them, you would just need to order the rattle kit

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    18,064
    OP, you can fix the VANOS w/o fixing the rattle, which is what you (your shop) appears to have done. You can fix the rattle too as suggested with the Besian kit, but it won't hurt anything if you don't. Knock on wood, my car never got the rattle, but I do need to do my VANOS.
    Randeaux/Rando/John/jr - '06 Cic ZHP; Southern California
    "ZHP or not, I still like you"


    ZHP Performance Package, Cold Weather Package, Leather, Jet Black/Black/BlackCube, NAV, Anthracite Black "my individual" interior trim
    ESS Stage 1 Twin Screw Supercharger, Sprint Booster, BMW Perf Intake, Magnaflow Exhaust, Dinan TB & STEP S/W, UCC Sway Bars, Apex EC-7 18x8.5 ET38
    Suspension: AST 44100 dampers, Bimmerworld front adjustable end links, Swift springs (8K front, 10K rear), Vorshlag camber plates
    Dynavin D99+, Hardwire V1 (w/V1 Connection), BSW Stage 1 Speakers, Kicker Amp/Subwoofer
    BMW Performance Strut Brace, Orion V2 Angel Eyes, No-holes License Plate, SMG Paddle Shift Mod, Besian VANOS, Gold DISA, Fan Delete, M3 Side Mirrors
    Note: Actual car no longer resembles signature picture

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Lexington, KY
    Posts
    4,903
    My 325 does not rattle.
    325i, 2005, 5MT, Silvergrey, leatherette, Sport package; CDV delete, KONI STR-T & KYB Excel-G, Weisslichts, Stewart H2O pump

    328i, 2010, 6MT, Spacegrey, dakota leather, M-sport packages; has a 330 intake but no tune - yet
    http://s900.photobucket.com/user/othibau/media/Junesig.jpg.html][IMG]http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/othibau/Junesig.jpg

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    32.8 N, 117.3 W
    Posts
    7,640
    Quote Originally Posted by Oli77 View Post
    My 325 does not rattle.
    that's because you don't have the "upgraded camshafts" that cause the rattle to begin with. Regular 330's don't have the rattle either

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