If you change the VCG, thoroughly clean the inside valve cover and make sure you clean the outlet on it that connects to the CCV hose. Should be very dirty if it has never been cleaned. Make sure you use sealant on the half round cut outs.

So I finally got around to doing this. Took all of 10 min to get the cover off.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps737e8d5c.jpg

She's got 160k now. A lot cleaner than I expected. I fight with moisture in the oil in winter. Even with the cold ccv. But I guess the 2-3k mile oil changes are paying off.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps9ef31ff6.jpg

Vanos removed

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps726935b9.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps6c7bd108.jpg

Resizing the seals after stretching them on.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...pse5888c40.jpg

Had the besian guide handy. I wound up buying the kit from Bavauto though. They are local to me so it easy easier.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps8966beee.jpg

All finished up and waiting for a new water pump pulley from the dealer. Thing shattered when I tried to remove the fan.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...psf84bf6fa.jpg

I didn't take anymore pics, but it's all done now. Runs a ton better. Nice even power delivery. Seems to even have more low end tq. It def. needed this. Now hopefully the p174 code goes away.

Did you end up doing the rattle kit as well? The rattle kit ended up being the most time consuming part of the rebuilt when we did mine. The exhaust side went rather uneventful, but the intake side took a lot of "shaving" to get piston turning properly. The Beisan rings were a bit too over-sized, which was causing the piston to seized. So, the rattle kit wasn't a simple drop-in swap. Luckily, a friend who was helping me do the work is experienced in the rebuilt process...so he knew exactly what to do to correct the problem.

Nope. Not even sure what that would entail. Replacing the o rings required disassembly of the entire unit. There was nothing left to replace.
What is involved in the rattle kit?

Never mind. Just looked at the besian site. So it requires rebuilding the pistons. I didn't do that. My car didn't have any rattle though, so I'm not sure it was nessasary.

I wouldn't own an I6 and have the original Vanos seals. Both of my old I6 had them replaced before I sold them, including the G.A.S Disa kit.
FYI: the new seals need to be break-in for about 200 miles.

Tam did you do the rattle repair or just the seals on your M54? I was going to do my VCG and vanos seals preventatively later this year, even though my miles are low at 72k currently I think the age of the nitrile on the seals still could have them brittle.

Just wondering if I should also do this "rattle repair" while its open.

What do you mean it takes about 200 miles to break-in? What's the "break-in" process?