DISA Valve Question with pictures.

[Rmtt]

For you guys that have done this already, I pulled my intake out to start prepping it for my install later. Pulled both DISA valves.

Now the flaps are extremely tight with no play....in fact there is no movement at all in it which is supposed to be a good sign.

However, how crucial is the green gasket material that runs along the sides and stuff? The green o-rings look good, but other areas had me questioning things. Pics below of what I'm talking about.

Other than that, the intake was surprisingly clean.

[asbrr]

Sorry I can't help/comment on the condition of the gasket material, just wanted to request an update on how you end up testing the valve (did you plug them in yet to see them "cycle"?).

Thanks in advance!!

[desertman123]

Yeah test them with INPA first, they can be strong and have a good seal but the motor could be donezo

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by desertman123

Yeah test them with INPA first, they can be strong and have a good seal but the motor could be donezo

I don't have INPA. Don't suppose this could be done through Pro-Tool?

I had planned to plug them in to the harness of the car and start the ignition switch to see if they actuate. From what I have read, doing this should make them cycle as asbrr said.

I only had enough time to take them out and look at them before the wife insisted that I fire up the grill. It was the first semi-sunny day we have had in weeks, and I have spent quite a bit of money on the car lately...so I figured I would cut my losses and play nice.

[asbrr]

Yea am in the same boat, when it gets warm enough I'd like a simple way to "test" the DISA if there is one assuming the seals and shafts are in good shape.

[desertman123]

You can plug them in and turn the car ON (motor off, obviously) and they'll actuate, but you need to set up a camera or have someone else watch, you wont be able to see from the drives seat, wires are too short.

Or just use INPA (which you should - to clear adaptations, and Pro Tool seems capable of this too)

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by desertman123

You can plug them in and turn the car ON (motor off, obviously) and they'll actuate, but you need to set up a camera or have someone else watch, you wont be able to see from the drives seat, wires are too short.

Or just use INPA (which you should - to clear adaptations, and Pro Tool seems capable of this too)

Hmmmm....I wonder if I could trust my wife with this.
After she lowered the jack all the way down while I was swapping the rear diff...I don't think I trust her. That was a rough one. I literally had to let the rear diff down as slowly as possible to my chest, and then set it to the side.


I have someone I can trust to do that while I watch them actuate.

Even if everything tested perfect I still wonder about the condition of the gaskets though. But since the O-rings are just sealing the valve to the intake, maybe they make new O-rings.

I assume the seals on the side are just for oil or whatever that could make it into the intake to keep it out of the inside of the valve and screwing up the actuator motor. But I know these things are put together pretty tightly.

[Thunderguts]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Hmmmm....I wonder if I could trust my wife with this.
After she lowered the jack all the way down while I was swapping the rear diff...I don't think I trust her. That was a rough one. I literally had to let the rear diff down as slowly as possible to my chest, and then set it to the side.

LOL! It's like pulling teeth just to get mine to pump the brakes or clutch while I'm bleeding them.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by Thunderguts

LOL! It's like pulling teeth just to get mine to pump the brakes or clutch while I'm bleeding them.

Boy...she got pissed at me as I was holding everything up by hand when she dropped the jack. I was yelling pump it back up...pump it back up...and she said I did! But she pumped it one time. I told her she had to continuously keep pumping as it only raised a few inches at a time.

She then stood up and said I'm done and went in the house. Left me alone under the car holding the rear diff up with nothing but my hands.

Now the rear diff isn't that heavy (Maybe 100lbs?), but it is very awkward and to have to drop it from the top to the ground while on my back was a chore to say the least!

[JimD]

I've been married a long time, about 35 years, to two different women. After a lot of attempts, my firm conclusion is to not ask a wife for help except under extreme circumstances. My first wife (29 years) was very willing to help but wanted an extremely detailed pre-job brief that made the whole experience very painful for me. She knew she could cause something bad to happen and really wanted to avoid that. But when she did not know the name of hardly any part or tool, and didn't remember the names it was very difficult. The more recent wife was much more capable of understanding but much less cooperative. So with both of them, the best strategy was simply to do things myself.

For a few brief years, my son was around and was a MUCH better helper. He is better at car stuff than me at this point. Even when he was small, he was interested and would learn the name of tools and hand them to me.

Becoming upset when they are yelled at seems to happen for kids and wives pretty consistently. The fact that you are bleeding due to their limitations doesn't seem to justify in their minds raising your voice. Just one of the many reasons doing it myself works better.

A bad helper is worse than no helper. A good helper is great, however.

[markslc1]

Running INPA on 2008 328xi. I have not flashed or installed the 3IM yet, but thought it would be a good idea to test. Here are the results

View post on imgur.com

View post on imgur.com

Big Disa seemed to actuate, the small wouldnt budge. I even switched plugs to be sure. These are both from a used 3IM but neither were covered in oil or anything. Best bet for repair/replacement?

[asbrr]

Originally Posted by markslc1

Running INPA on 2008 328xi. I have not flashed or installed the 3IM yet, but thought it would be a good idea to test. Here are the results

Big Disa seemed to actuate, the small wouldnt budge. I even switched plugs to be sure. These are both from a used 3IM but neither were covered in oil or anything. Best bet for repair/replacement?

That sucks/too bad. Some people have reported problems with VAICO replacements, would be a gamble to buy one to save a bit of money over original. I believe the small one is also unreachable without removing the entire manifold...so that's the one you want to make sure is good.

One other test you can do is plug them into the connectors on your car, and then rev the engine up through 4500 rpm. One will open at 3000rpm approx and the other at 4200 rpm approx.

Just in case there is an issue with INPA test somehow (doubtful) - it's an easy quick test either way.

Good luck

[E92William]

The electronics in that small disa are done for 110%, it will be soaked in oil inside, grab it and shake it next to your ear and you might get to hear it. The small valve is the most prone to getting oil inside as it sits lower than the large valve. What revision are both of your valves? If the part numbers end in 928 and 929 you're on borrowed time even if they are solid as the shafts are hollow inside and can break on those early ones.

Here's what a recent small valve I worked with looked like inside after opening to rebuild it. Your large one works quite well given that it's used. Vaico is just a glorified Chinese valve that actuates quick imo if you're going to try one might aswell buy one on eBay for 60 bucks, their reliability is also no different.

Page 2 has a Vaico disa teardown
https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=27092023

[markslc1]

William. Looking forward to picking up the rebuilt disa from you.