Any diy valvetronic intermediate lever post?
 

I've been looking for any post on diy intermediate lever and eccentric shaft replacement post. Does anyone know a link or post where I can get some info on how much is involved in doing this. I know most information I have found says this runs $1700-3K for a shop to do. I know I can do this myself and my wife's X5 needs them done. Im just looking for a little info from someone who's already done it.
Looking to get a few points on how to make things easier and what not to do. haha

In case no one has done it, I would also ask in an e60 forum and e65/66 since those had models that used your engine in some of them.

I've been surfing around those forums and its hard to search forums unless you sign into some of them. It seems like the N62 motors are getting to the age now where this is becoming more of an issue and I see more and more people posting the "cold start idle problems" We love our X5, I just want to make it right.
There are so many questions I have about all this, I just need someone who has been there done that and pick their brain.

Check my posts on a referral to a shop called Columbus Auto. The guy there (Ivo) has done levers on a few cars, but has seen it not solve the problem. When BMW does the levers, they do everything and that jacks the bill right up. There are some tests you can try to see if it's levers and maybe buy some time with the software adjust that BMW threw at them to get them through warranty. Otherwise, brace yourself for an "all in" experience if you want to do it right. Even though Ivo is up in Canada, he knows his stuff and will likely spare a few minutes to discuss with you. If you connect and he helps you out, let me know and I'll get him and the guys a round of coffee next time I'm there.

Cool, That's kinda what I was looking for. We plan on keeping this X5 for awhile, I'd rather fix it right and be done with it if it don't cost more than buying another used X5 "haha". Now looking back I should have talked her out of it when she wanted the 4.4 over the 3.0, but its her vehicle. I have a local guy who is coming over with software to check everything out before I do anything.

For search, not sure if you know, but I find the best way to search this site is typing the following string (minus the quotations) into a google search. Turns up best results for me. Use this for other sites that have less than desirable search engines too. Hope it helps.

"cold start idle problems site:xoutpost.com"

Thanks for the tip, I've spent this week searching the interweb on this and haven't come up with much. So i figured I'd ask as a last effort.

If you have access to GT1 software, there is a test that you can run to see if it's the levers. Attached are the details on how to test if yours have issues and/or how to see if yours are part of the bad batch they had.

Slow&Steady, For completeness in this thread can you tell us why you suspect your intermediate levers need replacing. What symptoms are leading you there? Do you have any codes?

Im getting rough starts on cold mornings. When it does this we get a flashing check engine light and codes for multiple cylinders mis fires (don't have the codes in from of me) Its a 2005 X5 4.4 with 120K miles, production date 12/04. I have replaced everything that's replaceable. Plugs, O2's, CCV, cleaned throttle body, Maf ect. It don't show up anything being off on my carsoft software, I don't have the GT1 software yet but I'm buying it. I have a guy coming this weekend to check the tolerances on the valvetronic levers if he has time. I think that sums it up.
Im confident its the eccentric shafts and Intermediate levers.

With BMW being so specific on the production #'s I have a feeling they rockwell hardness or material used to make these levers were the problem. If they are soft they will wear faster and increase tolerances. When and if I replace my levers and shafts I will have the Rockwell tested at my job on the old ones and new ones. I can also have mico-grain structure analysis done if I really wanted to put that much effort into it.

Thanks S&S! Info on the differences between the old part and the newer parts would be great!

Thanks S&S! Info on the differences between the old parts and the newer parts would be great!

LVP, I seen in another post in January you had your valvetronic software adjusted form .1 to .3mm on yours. Did that help any or solve your problem?
My guy on Sunday is going to check this and adjust mine if possible, but if it didn't work for you then I won't have him mess with anything on adjusting that. I was wondering if adjusting that at .1mm increments would help and buy some time.

It's supposed to be at 0.3mm or 0.8mm. When I checked mine, it was actually at 0.1mm. We had initially gone in thinking we were going to change it from 0.3mm to 0.8mm, but seeing at it was only at 0.1mm we elected to set it to 0.3mm and see what happened. It didn't fix it. We have subsequently discussed setting it at 0.8mm, but I discovered a loosely seated CCV valve on the driver's side. I reseated that and give it some time. That didn't fix it either. So, recently we debated going back to modifying 0.3mm to 0.8mm. There are drawbacks to the 0.8mm setting - crap mileage, throttle hesitation off the line as it switches from the software fix to the normal mapping. There may be others, but I decided to leave it as warmer days are ahead and this only affects some cold starts, not all. I have my wife sorted so that if the blinking check engine light is on and it feels like a bucking bronco, she'll restart it. So far that has been working well :)

Well, dang. I was hoping changing from .1mm to .3mm worked for you. I wonder if going from .3 to .4 would do anything instead of going straight to .8mm. Honestly if I could go from .3 to .4 and fix our issue and calm the hp down under my wife's lead foot a little it wouldn't hurt my feelings. She's like Ricky Bobby in her X5. haha

0.3mm is supposed to be the factory setting. 0.8mm was the software fix. My GT1 only gives me the 2 options. The shop had AutoLogic software which allowed for setting it in 0.1mm increments. Once it starts without the misfires, it's good. If it starts and has the misfires and you drive it, it's not good (I imagine the cylinders that cut out initially don't come back alive and you damage the cats with the unburnt fuel). I could try it, but getting set up for GT1 and making the changes is a PITA. It won't be back at the shop for another month or so (there we go, jinxed that), but by then it should be warm and misfires go away. If misfires persist in summer, I'll change to 0.8mm and see.

I had Mspec[in queens,ny] check mine , he did the adjustment and I drove it for a bit , I brought it back and he set it back to the original settings and told me that mine where not worn yet , but I only had 70k mile at the time.
He did mention that the levelers and the valve stem seals are prone to going bad in the n62 engines, if You go to there web site You can see how they change the levelers and the valve stems .
If You have low miles let the engine warm up before driving it[until the 2 of the red light drop] and change your oil at 5k miles. I started using Castrol titanium 2 years ago and the engine stop burning oil every 1000 mile to maybe half a quart every 4000 miles , He told me to keep using it and maybe it will save my valve stems too.

good luck.

I checked out their website. Is that your X5 on the hoist in the pictures that scroll by? Free press :)

No lol , they are a good shop,with them less is more [as in if it works don't touch it] if I where to have my engine worked on in NY they are the guys I would trust with my X5............I have a 4.8is 85k miles on her now.

update, I didn't get a chance to do anything to the X this weekend. My guy had a family emergency so with Easter being this coming weekend I doubt anything will get done again.
While messing around in the garage this weekend tho, I really started paying attention to the way her car runs and idles. At idle it has a slight miss, not obvious but its not idling smooth. I had a lot of free time this weekend to do nothing and that's good and bad. So I spent hours again looking for information on these intermediate levers. I was trying to figure out why there is so many different sets? I'm sure it has to due with clearances and fitment tolerances. But whats the difference? Is #1 shorter than #2 and so on? For example if mine are #2's and I have wear on my eccentric shafts and cams can I use #3 levers to help with tolerance wear? (yes I know if I have wear i should replace them, this is all hypothetical) I know BMW stuff is top secret but grief. It would seem that with repair bills for this stuff running into the 3-7K range there would be more info on this. I thought boats were expensive till I bought a BMW. haha

One more thing, I tried unhooking the vanos solenoids to see if that would help ( I've read this might help) and it didn't change much with the idle and made the motor sound like crap. So this made me lean even more on the levers/shafts. My theory is the levers or shafts are unevenly warn so its letting my valves open and close unevenly giving me a slight rough idle. When I unhooked the vanos I noticed I had a ton of vacuum under the oil cap. I didn't check the vacuum again once I hooked everything back up. ( ran out of time). So tonight I'm going to take the CCV caps off and clean and check them. Im going to check vacuum before and after the clean to see if something changes.

Chiming in for some tips concerning the intermediate levers.
They are not hard to replace, if one has the AGA valve stem tool.
However, if changing the intermediate levers, I would suggest to change out the "roller drag lever" associated with them as well. The TIS is very specific concerning the p/n for those, even they seem the same, they are not. They have the last digit of the p/n different and corresponds to that tolerance for that specific cylinder. They are matched with the drag rollers, which have also a different end number.
If one changes the intermediate lever, but keeps in place the old drag roller, there will be a different tolerance which could screw up the opening/closing of the hydraulic lifters.

Bottom line, when ordering the parts, make 100% sure you mark them for each cylinder (they are 2/cylinder: a pair for the intake - the exhaust have only the drag rollers 2 /cylinder also marked for tolerance). Then take the whole p/n stamped on these parts together with a suffix if stamped. These parts will be ordered directly from Germany AFAIK, and they are not readily stocked at the dealers due to the different tolerances of these parts.

0.02

Wait, you had me at " needing the AGA valve stem tool"
So I need this tool to change the levers? And now your also saying one should change the drag rollers to? Grief... Thanks for the input. I was wondering about all the tolerances of everything working together. I don't mind tearing into an engine to fix things. I mind when the parts are worth more than gold tho!!
Wow, I think its time to sell this money pit and buy a M54 3.0 version. lol

If you pull the engine, you don't need the AGA tool. The AGA tool will help you cutting a handful of corners. Plus you won't need timing tools.

if you pull the engine, you won't need the AGA tool, but it will take longer, and more work is involved. Plus you will need timing tools.

Pick your poison.

Ok, I've gotten confused. From what I've read, watched and people I have talked to. Just changing the intermediate levers is pretty simple and don't involve removing much more than the VC and maybe the eccentric shafts.
Your saying (from experience Im guessing) that a lot more needs to be removed to just change the levers? My valve stem seals are fine and I don't have any smoke.
I just looked up the drag rollers you spoke about. So what part wears in them? The roller that contacts the lever? Or the tip that contacts the valve stem?
I didnt plan on pulling the motor. My vehicle build date 12/2004 falls right into the SIB for the levers. So I was hoping to pull it apart take out the lever and order new ones, but now your comments have thrown a wrench into my plan. So I'm just looking for more info on all of this.

Just source the TIS for the job. I have it in the GT1, and I'm not home now.

I am not sure how you would remove the intermediate levers with the springs of the valve stems pressing on the drag rollers? I f you can, then just go ahead.

You can look at some of the pics in this thread.

PS: don't remove the eccentric shafts - you will be in for a timing job.

So I'm guessing removing the Cams and using the Cam timing tool is crazy to?
There just isnt any good videos or pics on how to do this. I'm really leaning toward selling it now. I dont want to put another 2K into this vehicle. I'd rather spend that on trading for one without issues.

OK I'm out here working on this thing and I checked under the oil cap while its running and it has strong vacuum pulling on the cap. I didnt take it off all the way. I just lifted it till the engine stumbled then put it back down.. I pulled off the CCC caps and the diaphragms are new and clean. So I checked everything good and put them back. Started it again and its the same. Should I have that much vacuum at idle on the 4.4? Or is there something else I should check.
Just trying to single everything out one thing at a time.