[Phil E92]

This is my first post here as a fairly new owner of my first BMW, 2006 325i E92 N52 engine, auto box., only bought it as a tide me over job to give me wheels to look for what was going to be next long term keeper but since I've had this since March, I've gained a love of this car, clean, rust free, clean black leather interior, 125,000 genuine miles on the clock, unmodded so it's as it came out of the factory.

It's been a learning curve as have never had a BMW before and not had a car with ECU and DME units and full of sensors before, it's been a learnimg curve and have learnt loads and want to carry on learning so I can be an owner of this and not a clueless cabbage behind the wheel. I've never heard the terms Vanos or Valvetronic before but now I've learnt what they are and the functions, it's clever shit.

Moving on, of course, an 18 year old car, has a few issues now to get sorted although it hasnt been ragged and thrashed to death, overall, the engine is very good and tight and has good performance up the gears.

Firstly, the rocker cover gasket started leaking onto the exhaust manifold causing it to smoke a bit, common fault so i learn, it went in to the well trsted indy mechanics I've used for 10 years for oither vehicles, new gasket on, was sound for a week then started again, now I'm of the mind the plastic rocker cover could be be warped which does happen to these. I know it's a job to seat a new gasket as it can tend to slide when the cover is put back in place, especially the back of it, they'll do the job no extra charge but now as the cover has got to come off, I'm of the mind just to order a new rocker cover as cant straighten warped plastic, for the sake of £150 ish for a new cover, I'm a do a job once do it good without skimping type, Autodoc has a few makes so will get a good one from them with new bolts.

After the gasket was changed initially, what else cropped up some days later was once the engine was up to running temperature and when slowing down to not far off stopping, the engine management light in amber would flash up and the engine stalled, put it in N or P, hit the start button, it always fired up immediately and carried on, until the next time I was slowing to near stop, it would do this every time approaching junctions etc. Took it back, put diagnostics on it, got some codes and logged them, then cleared the codes and got me to take it for a run again to see what codes came back, same thing happened when up to temperature.

Few days later when they had time, I took it back and as the Valvetronic motor had been removed ( was put back with new gasket seal ) with ignition on, engine off, he reset the Valvetronic remotely just to make sure it was set to min and max opening for the valve lift to rule this out.

Once that was reset, took it for a spin, no engine management light came on nor stalled in double the amount of miles I would usually have to do for the stalling to start happening plus I gave it some beans for 20 miles or so. Initially I thought it might be the Vanos solenoids causing the stalling issue, they might still be with an issue but it's odd that since the Valvetronic was reset, the EML flashing on and stalling thing hasnt happened. It was mentioned that as the rocker gasket is dripping oil, loss of pressure in there might now be the cause of a bit of rough running only on idle once warm and driven a while but not every time. I'll have the new rocker cover and gasket on then see how it is.

I am aware oif the Vanos solenoids get clogged with oil, once engine uo to running temp, that can cause stalling on slow down but it's not stalling now ( well as yet) so semi ruling those out but may well contemplate a change of the two solenoids as par of the course general house keeping as it were. I am also aware of the DME unit can cause this stalling on slow down to stopping but, again, as it has currently stopped after resetting the Valvetronic, then I'll not go down that road just yet, other things to rule out first once new rocker cover and gasket is on.

I have read and learnt fair bit on this forum as a lurker before I signed up, any feedback on this would be great.

[Silver Streek]

I also have an E92 2006 325i N52 engine. Mine was stalling coming up to junctions, in my case it was the top vanos, confirmed by codes. I changed it and the stalling stopped, it ran much better too. I also changed the other vanos as they aren't too expensive.
I have to say I don't like driving the car, it's so underpowered at low revs, it's ok when you get past 4k revs but under that there is just nothing there.
I also have an E91 that's a 325d with a map to bring the power and torque up to 330d levels. Sooooo much nicer to drive, it's effortless in comparison and just wafts along. You can accelerate without having to downshift. However I need a ULEZ compliant car for work so tend to use it weekends and the E92 for commuting.
How much oil does yours use? My E92 guzzles oil, probably a litre every 400 miles.

[Phil E92]

Originally Posted by Silver Streek

I also have an E92 2006 325i N52 engine. Mine was stalling coming up to junctions, in my case it was the top vanos, confirmed by codes. I changed it and the stalling stopped, it ran much better too. I also changed the other vanos as they aren't too expensive.
I have to say I don't like driving the car, it's so underpowered at low revs, it's ok when you get past 4k revs but under that there is just nothing there.
I also have an E91 that's a 325d with a map to bring the power and torque up to 330d levels. Sooooo much nicer to drive, it's effortless in comparison and just wafts along. You can accelerate without having to downshift. However I need a ULEZ compliant car for work so tend to use it weekends and the E92 for commuting.
How much oil does yours use? My E92 guzzles oil, probably a litre every 400 miles.

Thanks for the reply, initially I suspectd Vanos exhaust solenoid as that was the code that was showing but since the Valvetronic was rest remotely it hasnt happened since, that doesnt mean to say it wont do it again, wearing failing parts dont suddenly fix themselves so will keep an eye on it.

As for the driving experience, mine suits me well, at lower revs I know what you mean about it needing to be 3,500 - 4,000 to get going, as mine is an auto box the kick back when I hit the pedal it very quickly drops a gear and off it goes. What makes it much better is driving it in sport mode, now that makes it a different beast and has all the power at low revs as the fuel and rev restrictions are lifted, I call it fun mode.


Oil, mine doesnt burn oil like that. I had an oil and filter change when I first got the car in March, since then I've not had to put a drop in over about 1500 miles. The one thing I dont like is no dipstick so have to rely on the level sensor reader and dash and the level that can bring up in i drive.
So the N52 is ULEZ compliant, that's handy to know as am in Essex.

[Silver Streek]

Interesting you say your auto pulls at low revs when in sport mode. My manual certainly doesn't. I may have a look at the CCV system to see if this is causing the high oil consumption.

If your vanos are both original tonthwbcar I would change them, they are not too expensive and very easy to change.

Yes they are ULEZ compliant, for me it's cheaper to innsure and tax this and my other diesel E91 than it is to pay for the ULEZ driving my diesel. I was lucky to be gifted my E92 by a family member so I have no right to complain about it. It's just need a few job doing on it to fully sort it into a nice runner. Glad you are enjoying yours.

[Wolf 335]

Phil E92 are you aware of the vanos recall?

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2060986

[Silver Streek]

That's for the later cars 2009 on. The 2.5 N52 isn't included in this recall.

Good find tho for those with the later cars.

[Phil325i]

OP, I can't help you with the stalling issue as I have an N53 (without Valvetronic) but i can tell you that when the valve cover starts to leak it's advisable to replace the whole valve cover, not just the gasket. The cover can develop hairline cracks, and by fitting a new cover you're also renewing the crankcase breather system at the same time. Just a thought...

[Phil E92]

Originally Posted by Phil325i

OP, I can't help you with the stalling issue as I have an N53 (without Valvetronic) but i can tell you that when the valve cover starts to leak it's advisable to replace the whole valve cover, not just the gasket. The cover can develop hairline cracks, and by fitting a new cover you're also renewing the crankcase breather system at the same time. Just a thought...

I was reading on Tuesday that the cover can develop hariline cracks and also warp, as it's plastic and there is a lot of heat generated that doesnt surprise. As it has started dripping a bit of oil again, I have bookmarked a Metzger rocker cover with gasket, seals and bolts to do a complete replacement from Autodoc. Assuming I'm right in believing Metzger is a good make. I also read it is a possibility with a bad rocker cover, that can cause stalling/rough idle. Since I had the Valvetronic reset, the stalling with engine management light comig on has stopped but when warm can go into a rough idle but is fine when revs are upo. Will probably order new Vanos solenoids at same time.

[Phil E92]

Originally Posted by Silver Streek

Interesting you say your auto pulls at low revs when in sport mode. My manual certainly doesn't. I may have a look at the CCV system to see if this is causing the high oil consumption.

If your vanos are both original tonthwbcar I would change them, they are not too expensive and very easy to change.

Yes they are ULEZ compliant, for me it's cheaper to innsure and tax this and my other diesel E91 than it is to pay for the ULEZ driving my diesel. I was lucky to be gifted my E92 by a family member so I have no right to complain about it. It's just need a few job doing on it to fully sort it into a nice runner. Glad you are enjoying yours.

I dont have anything to compare it to as this E92 N52 powered car is the sportiest motor I've had, given that all I've driven the last ten years was a 1991 VW Lt50 camper van weighing in at 5 tons, top cruising speed 50 mph. Given that now I'm in this BMW and to me, in sport mode, it's got all the beans in low revs from moving off to getting to 60 + , it certainly isnt sluggish and I'm not scared of the accelerator pedal. If I had of downscaled from the road legal equivalent of a racing car like some of the top spec BMW's are then yes it would appear sluggish I expect. I dont have to wait for it to reach 4,000 RPM + to feel like its powering off, it's all there from the off and does what it is supposed to.

[Phil E92]

Originally Posted by Phil325i

OP, I can't help you with the stalling issue as I have an N53 (without Valvetronic) but i can tell you that when the valve cover starts to leak it's advisable to replace the whole valve cover, not just the gasket. The cover can develop hairline cracks, and by fitting a new cover you're also renewing the crankcase breather system at the same time. Just a thought...

Well that's a wrap, the valve cover seal change didnt work and was still leaking so ordered in a new Metzger valve cover and new seals, got that changed, no more oil leak.