Listen to this. P0011 on my M62B46

[Bread]

Here's a vid I made last night:



So this totally sucks. I just finished servicing leaking valve cover gaskets including powdercoating the covers less than a month ago and now this. The day before this rattle, there was a whining sound which was exactly like a GM power steering pump failing. So I started pricing out pumps and such. The next day on the way to work my g/f said the whine turned into a rattle, and then the check engine light came on. She put about 45 miles on it before I could get to it to hear the noise and pull the codes. Haven't started it since.

So I'm not sure if it's a failed timing chain guide or an issue with the VANOS. Normally I would pull the pan to check for shrapnel, and do a compression test to know the status of the top end. But I can't perform testing on the VANOS unit in my backyard so I'll probably tow it to a local shop for analysis. If there's a VANOS problem then I don't have time to mess with it in my backyard, in the rain, while standing in mud

Are there any recommendations as to things I should check myself before taking it in?

Some background on me. I've got plenty of experience with engine work and all the tools you could want. Rebuilt my 7.3 turbo diesel, installed a home brew EFI on my carbureted international V8, and projects of that nature. But I don't have the BMW specific VANOS tools which probably aren't worth buying for one job.