88irocvert

Car is a 2008 535i with just under 80k miles. Over the last week, the following was performed/installed:
Valve cover gasket replacement
Oil housing gasket replacement
Coolant replaced
Top radiator hose replaced
Accesory belt replaced
New injectors
VRSF 7" intercooler
ER charge pipe with BOV
Burger Motorsports OCC
DCI
Procede
I also tried to clean the valves with walnut blasting. Problem was that I was not able to get my combination of compressor, blaster, and media to work effectively so I wound up scraping the carbon build up as best as possible and cleaning with brake cleaner. I did four of the cylinders then bumped the engine with a remote starter to close the other two and did them. Since the car was being worked on for over a week, the electrical system was very low and I had to jump start the car to get it to run. Everything went well but after a bit, I started getting the dreaded engine malfunction power reduced message with code 10880, 10885, and 12544 the last one I believe is just a result of the first two (VANOS). Also, I was getting lifter tick which goes away with bleeding the lifters but comes back.
I removed the VANOS solenoids and thoroughly cleaned with brake cleaner, swapped their placed on the engine and tried again with similar results.
My theories are:
1. Something went wrong with the timing of the car while I was working on the valve cleaning.
2. Some of the gunk from the valve is in the system clogging up the VANOS
3. The solenoids actually died and need replacement
Any thoughts on what is going on and how to fix it?

mr ilia

Cleaning valves from the top, with out removing them or removing cams or chain, will not affect the timing. I'd look elsewhere for the problem.

1st guess would be non native items, that may montribute to the change of something. I'd think the performance mods may be be the issue. I'd revert back to stock and see if the issue remains. Not sure what the DCI, is, but if this is related to engine performance, then do the same.

New injectors
VRSF 7" intercooler
ER charge pipe with BOV
Burger Motorsports OCC
DCI

88irocvert

Thanks for your reply. I agree with what you say about the timing. However, I was concerned that handling the valves from the top even though I was relatively gentle might have moved the valve train seeing how the valves would move to rocker and then the pushrod. I know that shouldn't happen considering the considerable pressure the valve spring is under, but since these engines can be a little delicate I was worried. DCI means dual cone intake and yes, I was considering going back to. Even after all that hard work. However, I seem to have solved the issue in a weird way. I posted about this issue on another website forum and got a reply that I might have swapped the solenoid connectors after cleaning them.even though I was certain I had connected them correctly, I started thinking that messing with the valves might have upset the Vanos solenoids somehow. So I went ahead and switched them backwards and started the car. I heard some mildly uncomfortable noises coming from the engine but I kept it running anyway for a couple minutes and after about 30 seconds I got the engine malfunction message again but when I checked the codes it was now 10882 which I understand means the VANOS was being tested.I then reconnected the solenoids correctly and went back and started the car and lo and behold, the problem was gone. Now after driving almost 80 miles the problem still has not presented itself and even the valve tick noise is gone.

mr ilia

Good to hear. Enjoy the car.

160THSOAR

FWIW, I pulled out 2 of my VANOS solenoids yesterday for cleaning for the first time, and my car freaked out. Misfires, flashing SES, increased emissions, engine malfunction warning. I thought I might have damaged the VANOS solenoids during cleaning and would need to replace them outright. I pulled over, checked my ignition coils, and made sure everything was installed correctly. All good. Then i did some googling and found on an e90 forum that its necessary to let the oil work itself back into the solenoids before they're work properly after cleaning. So I drove about 20 miles home with reduced power. I decided to pull over autozone and read and clear codes. Lo and behold I started the car back up afterwards and it was perfectly fine, and then some. I could tell the difference the cleaning had made. Just my personal experience, in case it helps anyone else out.