Special tools required:

11 9 461. See11 9 460 GAUGE
11 9 462. See11 9 460 GAUGE
11 9 463. See11 9 460 GAUGE

Cylinders 1 to 6.

Necessary preliminary tasks:

Remove intake air manifold. See 11 61 050 Removing and Installing Intake Air Manifold (N73)
Remove right cylinder head cover. See 11 12 006 Removing and Installing/Sealing Right Cylinder Head Cover (N73)
Remove all spark plugs. See 12 12 011 REPLACING ALL SPARK PLUGS (N73)
Remove fan. See 11 52 020 Removing and Installing Or Replacing Fan Clutch (N73)

Crank engine at central bolt in direction of rotation to firing TDC position of 1st cylinder.

Secure vibration damper with special tool 11 9 190 in firing TDC position of 1st cylinder.

Fig 1: Identifying Special Tool (11 9 190) In TDC Position Of 1st Cylinder

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Cams on inlet and exhaust camshafts at 1st cylinder are inclined towards each other.

Fig 2: Identifying Inlet And Exhaust Camshafts

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

IMPORTANT: Screw (1) must not be replaced by an M8 screw (special screw).

Unscrew bolt (1).

Unclip oil line (3) from retainer (2) and remove.

Fig 3: Identifying Oil Line Retainer

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

IMPORTANT: The adjustment units are locked in an initial position when the engine is switched off.
In individual cases this initial position is not achieved and the camshaft remains rotatable in the VANOS adjustment range.
In order to avoid incorrect timing adjustment, it is necessary to check the locking of the VANOS and if necessary perform locking by rotating the camshafts.

Locking check (inlet):

Engage hexagon head of camshaft at front and rotate inlet camshaft carefully against direction of rotation.

If there is no fixed connection between inlet camshaft and inlet VANOS, rotate inlet camshaft against direction of rotation as far as it will go.

The inlet VANOS is locked in the initial position when the inlet camshaft is non-positively connected to the inlet VANOS.

Fig 4: Rotating Inlet Camshaft

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Locking check (exhaust):

Engage hexagon head of camshaft at front and rotate exhaust camshaft carefully in direction of rotation.

If there is no fixed connection between exhaust camshaft and exhaust VANOS, rotate exhaust camshaft in direction of rotation as far as it will go.

The exhaust VANOS is locked in the initial position when the exhaust camshaft is non-positively connected to the exhaust VANOS.

Fig 5: Rotating Exhaust Camshaft

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

IMPORTANT: If the inlet and exhaust VANOS of the camshafts "cannot" be locked as described, the adjustment unit is faulty and must be replaced.

Special tool 11 9 461 for securing inlet camshaft. See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Special tool 11 9 462 for securing exhaust camshaft. See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Special tool 11 9 463 (holder with screw). See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Fig 6: Identifying Special Tool (11 9 461, 11 9 462 And 11 9 463)

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Fit special tool 11 9 461 on inlet camshaft. See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Insert special tool 11 9 463 in thread of oil line and tighten down by hand with screw (1). See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Fig 7: Identifying Special Tool (11 9 461) On Inlet Camshaft

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Place special tool 11 9 462 on exhaust camshaft. See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Insert special tool 11 9 463 in thread of oil line and tighten down by hand with screw (1). See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Fig 8: Identifying Special Tool (11 9 462) On Exhaust Camshaft

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

NOTE: The timing is correctly adjusted when special tools 11 9 461 and 11 9 462 rest flat on the cylinder head or protrude by up to 0.5 mm to the exhaust side. See 11 9 460 GAUGE

Remove all special tools.

Assemble engine in reverse sequence to its disassembly.