Do you have a BMW? Unsure what VANOS units are?

The BMW VANOS system allows variable camshaft timing of the engine. The intake and/or exhaust cams vary in relation to the crank shaft to optimise engine performance at different engine speeds.

The most noticeable way to determine VANOS failure is a noisy idle. The noise sounds similar to a diesel engine. Other symptoms are loss of torque and power at low RPM, bogging of power at around 3k RPM followed by a surge of power, uneven power throughout the RPM range, substantial decrease in power with AC on and decreased fuel economy.

If your car has any indications of the above symptoms, it may be time to refresh your VANOS!

Here’s Paul replacing a timing chain kit & VANOS units on a BMW 1 series.