Posted on 08 December 2015
The E46 M3 beauty is truly timeless and arguably the best BMW M3 ever made. The S54 high revving engine redlines at 8,000 rpm producing 343hp without the aid of forced induction. Although the S54 is a well engineered engine, it does have some flaws and Vanos is top of the list. There are several possible Vanos failures and this applies to Z3 Z4 M models equipped with S54B32 engines. Camshaft Sprocket Bolts The fillister head screws that goes on the camshaft sprockets will get loose over time allowing the bolt to puncture a hole through the block or valve cover. The sheared bolts can also cause the timing chain to skip and snap resulting in permanent engine damage. The cam gear bolts have been updated by BMW to prevent this catastrophic failure and we suggest having the bolts upgraded during your Inspection II service. Cam Gear Bolts Exhaust Camshaft Hub and Vanos Oil Pump The exhaust hub contains two tab ... read more