N52 questions

[Simon Blythe]

Gents I'm looking to do a bit of preventative maintenance on the SI but I have the following questions before I just in so any help would be great.

I'd like to clean the crank case vent valve, where is it and is it easily cleaned?

Secondly, is it worth replacing the vanos solenoid seals or replacing them or the whole solenoid? Is it also necessary to remove the rocker cover to clean / replace the seals in the mechanism there?

I've just done an oil change but I'm happy to put some flush in the car and drop it again.

[RyanB88]

also interested in both of these myself

[Simon Blythe]

Have you got a slightly lumpy idle Ryan?

[Chris1981]

Hi Simon,

I have actually just replaced mine and will do a write up on it when I get the time... it's a bit of a pig to do and depends on which engine you have as to how it's done!

Engines with a black cover (2008MY onward I believe... but other forum members may know better) have the CCV integral to the rocker cover so you would need to remove the rocker cover, not too sure if the valve is cleanable or not.

I have the silver cover on my engine, an early 2008 on a 57 plate... the valve is under the inlet manifold towards the bulk head between cylinders 5 and 6... if you have this engine you should see an insulated pipe that runs from the back of the rocker cover into the valve, If you do have this type I would recommend blowing through the pipe, if it's easy to do there's no blockage if it sounds like you're blowing through to the inlet manifold give it a good hard blow, like you're doing a lung function test, you'll hear a glug and it'll be easier to blow through afterwards... that's how i knew mine had been blocked!

I've read reports that the valve can be removed without removing the manifold... but I didn't even attempt that and took the whole manifold off, you could probably clean the valve once removed by spraying cleaner through the 3 openings but you can't get into it without destroying it so I simply replaced the whole thing!

Inlet manifold removed, you can see the valve left hand side of the manifold

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Inside of mine after cut open... clearly not doing the job it's supposed to!

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[Chris1981]

I had an intermittent lumpy idle... and when I checked my DISA valve for the first time my inlet was swimming with oil.

If you have oil consumption but no external leaks then it's likely the valve is blocked, or other engine wear of course but hopefully the CCV... would recommend blowing through the pipe as that is a good way of checking if it's blocked!

[Chris1981]

Vanos solenoids are easy to do... bolt straight into the end of the engine front end, 10mm bolt holding them in!

I've changed both of mine as i got an error code but cleaning them is recommended, simply pull out and spray liberally with some solvent and blow though with air if you have it.

[Simon Blythe]

Mine has the black cover on a 07 plate and is the same as the image below.

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[bradz]

Oooh! Chris1981, Can you remember how much this is?

Mine has an intermittent rough idle, that happens once in a blue moon!

Adam

[bradz]

Just been looking online....

Real OEM says part no 11617531423, About £100 for a genuine one or

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Febi-Bilstein ... SwrhBZCNY3

Did you go genuine?

[Simon Blythe]

That will do me at £45 - bit of a no brainer at that price

[bradz]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oil-Separator ... SwYvFZJ1Sz

Slightly cheaper!

[bradz]

Simon, Please check the part number for your car (realoem.com) as you have a younger car than mine.

[Simon Blythe]

I don't know how to do that mate however, the oil separator is on the top of that has an impact.

[Chris1981]

Mine was a private sale, complete with all hoses from a guy that no longer needed it.... £100! didn't really need the hoses so £50 for a valve is a great deal and wish i'd found it when doing my search!

Simon, yours being the plastic valve cover won't have the external valve like mine... yours is the round part, top right corner of the pic you put up, I'd say Bradz has the metal rocker cover like me with an external CCV.

You may just be able to take the cover off and spray the internal valve with large doses of solvent and watch the crud flow out, then just replace the rocker cover gasket and put it back together!?

If anyone more wise than I could explain when the change over between plastic rocker cover and metal rocker cover (internal or external CCV) that would be great...

Mines a Jan 2008 and I have the metal rocker cover with a silver engine cover

[Simon Blythe]

This is mine Chris - I'm assuming it's the internal valve?

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