[hassmaschine]

well, it doesn't appear that these things are failing left and right anyway.

[matteblue3er]

This issue would have to be neglected for some time for it to damage the motor.

I've only seen the DISA valves for the N52 break off the shaft, making them loosely flap around on the unit. They are still snug inside the unit.

After neglecting the issue for a while, the flap will start to wear away at the housing and eventually fall out.

If you listen to the manifold at idle, you will hear a bad valve clattering around. Even at low speed, you can hear the clatter from inside the cabin, windows open.

I'm at 120k miles with my N52B30 and have had no issues. I did have to replace the larger outer DISA around 90k miles but it did not send anything into the engine head. I drove around with the bad DISA valve for about 2-3 months before replacing it.

[TheSt|G]

Had my DISA flap fail a couple weeks ago, despite the general insistence that it wasn't an issue.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

Had my DISA flap fail a couple weeks ago, despite the general insistence that it wasn't an issue.

Any idea of the mileage on the unit you sourced before install, and how many miles you personally put on the unit afterwards?

[matteblue3er]

BTW rebuild kit can be purchased here:

http://vanos-bmw.com/repair-kit-for-...-n52-n52n-n52k

[NeurotoxicSpork]

Wait, so BMW's use of plastic components actually saved an engine from being FUBAR????

Maybe this is that ONE case theyve been hedging their bets against for decades.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Any idea of the mileage on the unit you sourced before install, and how many miles you personally put on the unit afterwards?

I'd say ~70k total.

[mtorio83]

My DISA valves on my 330xi are going bad, has there been any new news about a beefed up valve? Or should I go ahead and order the rebuild kit?

[fravel]

I discovered my big DISA had failed recently when I was changing out my PCV system. (Car had been setting fuel mixture codes). No chunks missing, just the flap spinning freely on the shaft. The small DISA seemed fine but I'm at ~140k miles so I went ahead and replaced both of them.

[Volasko]

I think this is becoming more of a problem. I must have driven for half a year before my mechanic discovered the failed valve while troubleshooting another issue. The problem is we don't get an error code, just reduced performance.

[DaanBMW]

Originally Posted by Volasko

The problem is we don't get an error code, just reduced performance.

Describe please... All speed ranges, or only hi/low ? Idle, part load, full load, accel, decel ? I'm at 112k mi and this is getting me a bit worried.

[fravel]

Originally Posted by DaanBMW

Describe please... All speed ranges, or only hi/low ? Idle, part load, full load, accel, decel ? I'm at 112k mi and this is getting me a bit worried.

Based on your profile and the fact that you have your mods listed in your sig I'm guessing you don't have a 3-stage intake manifold, so there's nothing for you to worry about.

If I'm understanding the schematic correctly, a failed Big DISA will cause more pronounced torque loss on the low end as the flap can't close and may cause some loss in the mid-high end as the the flap can't open fully and the weight of the loose valve will fight the airflow going through it. Little DISA failure would flip-flop these.

[DaanBMW]

^ I don't at this time, but I believe my IM has 1 actuator. Now that you made me think about I never checked, by realoem has something that looks like a valve actuator, unfortunately it's a non-listed part.

[fravel]

Originally Posted by DaanBMW

^ I don't at this time, but I believe my IM has 1 actuator. Now that you made me think about I never checked, by realoem has something that looks like a valve actuator, unfortunately it's a non-listed part.

Actually, now that I think about it, do you have N51 or N52? I'm pretty sure the N51's have the 3-stage manifold to help make up for the lower compression ratio.

EDIT: Yup, realoem.com lists the DISA Valves for the N51 328i but omits them from the N52 328i parts list. The reason it looks like the valves are there is because they use the same schematic for 1-stage vs. 3-stage, they just omit the parts that aren't used in the parts list for the 1-stage.

[DaanBMW]

Originally Posted by fravel

The reason it looks like the valves are there is because they use the same schematic for 1-stage vs. 3-stage, they just omit the parts that aren't used in the parts list for the 1-stage.

OK, seems like if that's true - then mine being N52 I have no valve... I learned smthg today. (maybe one more reason the N52 is a reliability workhorse ?)

[fravel]

Naw, that's all of the NA straight 6's on this chassis.

The 330 uses an N52 with the 3-stage manifold.

[Rodny]

Just removed my intake so I can replace my bad starter and found the large DISA valve broken
So now I have to order a new one.
Found it on south Atlanta bmw for $269😀.
Every body else $310 and up.
Little mad but I'm glad I found the problem now.

[NYCiROLL]

Hey wanted to chime in.
If you have a 330i do yourself the favor and check.
I bought my 06 330i 6mt from a best friend. (He bought an every optioned Durango and now regrets letting this unicorn go)

I was letting my car idle and I heard an unmistakeable plastics rattle from the engine bay....
Google fu led me to this thread and a few YouTube videos.
Bought the big and small valves from FCP and figured meh if not needed then I'll return them.

Did not expect to see the entire vane missing. Luckily it was big enough to not get sucked into an intake runner. The plastic axle is probably in the cats or the muffler.
Seems a few years back my friend received a warning for cylinder 6 misfire.
He bought new plugs and coils and noticed the plug had mechanical damage.
Upon replacement it drove fine and the codes didn't reappear.

Once I'm off mobile I'll upload the pics.
Def don't risk the chance of sever engine damage for a 300 dollar part. To check the big DISA might take 2 beers and 45min.
Don't wait!

[bmwfixr]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

BTW rebuild kit can be purchased here:

http://vanos-bmw.com/repair-kit-for-...-n52-n52n-n52k

Man, that's a real DIY kit there. That's a little more than I want to deal with, and at 110K, I guess I can spring for the OEM replacements giving me new gasket material etc. Since the manifold's coming off, definitely do the small one, the big one can be done at any point.

[killerace]

Is this a problem with 2006 325i aswell? I currently have 204k kms on it got me worried now lol.

[mtorio83]

Has anyone had experience ordering the DIY kit? I ordered one 2+ weeks ago and it hasn't come in yet shipping from Russia. Just trying to see if anyone has ordered from them before.

[sunny]

Originally Posted by NYCiROLL

Hey wanted to chime in.
If you have a 330i do yourself the favor and check.
I bought my 06 330i 6mt from a best friend. (He bought an every optioned Durango and now regrets letting this unicorn go)

I was letting my car idle and I heard an unmistakeable plastics rattle from the engine bay....
Google fu led me to this thread and a few YouTube videos.
Bought the big and small valves from FCP and figured meh if not needed then I'll return them.

Did not expect to see the entire vane missing. Luckily it was big enough to not get sucked into an intake runner. The plastic axle is probably in the cats or the muffler.
Seems a few years back my friend received a warning for cylinder 6 misfire.
He bought new plugs and coils and noticed the plug had mechanical damage.
Upon replacement it drove fine and the codes didn't reappear.

Once I'm off mobile I'll upload the pics.
Def don't risk the chance of sever engine damage for a 300 dollar part. To check the big DISA might take 2 beers and 45min.
Don't wait!

same thing happened to me.
I first got code reading that says "miss fire cylinder 6" about 3 months ago but the car drove fine so I deleted the code using carly. since then the code never came back. if there was any power loss, I may have lost some low end power but hard to tell. about a month ago I started hearing weird flapping noise which is more pronounced when I'm turning left and I could not figure it out. AFTER a track day at buttonwillow, I checked for code and got 2AAB Variable intake system and 2A17 Diagnostic Module for Tank Leakage (DMTL) module. I researched 2aab and end up pulling out the large DISA. To my surprise, the vane completely came off the DISA and was laying inside the intake manifold. I fished the vane out of the intake manifold but I'm still missing the plastic shaft.
where could have the plastic shaft go?
I'm in the process of ordering repair kit for the Large and Small DISA right now. I'm currently driving with my large DISA with missing vane.
car drives fine...
my car has 119K miles.
I think if you have DISA in your car, you need to fix them with "repair kit" at around 100K miles just to be in safe side.

so again, where can the plastic shaft go?

just ordered large and small from ebay.