Calling vanos M/S50 cam swap's

[KangamangusDriver]

I am looking to upgrade to a set of S50 cams in my M50 (vanos).

My question is: what has to be done in order to swap cams?
I hear vanos makes it very difficult?

I have heard you need a special tool, I have also heard you don't.

Who has done this? How did you do it? Cost? Was it worth it?

Any other parts worth while changing out while im in there?

[SchnellerVert]

http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/camshaft.htm

[motors4me]

Good write up there, I have never tried changing cams without the special tools so I can't comment on that. What I would recommend though if you do the swap is to upgrade to the s50 thrust plates(2 in front of cam gear vs. 1 on m50), diaphram spring(not even used on m50), and longer studs(necessary due to larger "stack height" of said plates and spring) that are used on the s50 intake cam and a s50 timing chain tensioner. They will reduce the tendency for these engines to sound like " a coffee can with marbles in it" as the author of that article describes it.
Good luck!

edit: hell yeah it was worth it for sure, get the TMS chip to take full advantage of the cams and get a 7000rpm rev limit(don't quote me but on their site it says something like 20-30hp gain)

[Skafrog]

you can do it without the special tools. Just be careful and take your time, slowly unscrewing 1/8 turn at a time.

[bimmers4life]

search yahoo a little and you can find a nice writeup on how to do it without the 1,000 somethin dollar special tool. i had to pull the cams on my m42 and it said you need that tool but you really dont. you need a another person to hold the cams while you unbolt them or they snap... lemme see if i can find it.

[bimmers4life]

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Camshaft-Removal/E36-camshaft-removal.htm

[SchnellerVert]

Good write up there, I have never tried changing cams without the special tools so I can't comment on that. What I would recommend though if you do the swap is to upgrade to the s50 thrust plates(2 in front of cam gear vs. 1 on m50), diaphram spring(not even used on m50), and longer studs(necessary due to larger "stack height" of said plates and spring) that are used on the s50 intake cam and a s50 timing chain tensioner. They will reduce the tendency for these engines to sound like " a coffee can with marbles in it" as the author of that article describes it.
Good luck!

edit: hell yeah it was worth it for sure, get the TMS chip to take full advantage of the cams and get a 7000rpm rev limit(don't quote me but on their site it says something like 20-30hp gain)

Just to let you know that's not mine... I just gave an answer.