It is recommended that a valve adjustment is performed roughly every 60k miles to prevent any valves from falling outside of their operational tolerance. A ‘drawback’ of the high-revving engine is that the lifters were designed similarly to older racing engines that use shims to set engagement points with the valves for correct operation. While most modern cars, or even cars of the same era as the E46, don’t require this kind of service, the S54 is a different breed. Stay ahead of this catastrophe with our BMW E46 M3 Dual VANOS service kit and VAC camshaft hubs. In simple terms, tabs on the camshaft hubs have a tendency to break off and find themselves in the timing chain, which can spell disaster for your engine. It is important to perform the VANOS service if you suspect your VANOS is failing, but it is also critical that you ensure the VAC updated VANOS camshaft hubs are included in that service. VANOS units are a known issue for all BMWs of this era, but the S54 has a unique twist. VANOS, or basically BMW Vtech, is the variable valve timing system BMW uses to adjust cam and valve timing across the RPM range. If the service happened at 50k miles, and your potential car has 90k miles, you’ll still need to do those rod bearings in roughly 60k miles. It is definitely something you need to look for if you are purchasing an E46 M3, but note the mileage. While they may last longer than the 100k mile interval outlined by BMW’s technical service bulletin update, a 100k mile service is imperative to keep your S54 happy and healthy. Even the best options, like our WPC Treated Rod Bearing Service Kit, for your E46 M3 isn’t a lifetime part. The rod bearing service, while critical, isn’t a permanent solution.

That’s the part most owners and enthusiasts tend to forget. Unfortunately, the solution is effectively 100k mile rod bearing service. In short, BMW did not spec the rod bearing sizes correctly, which causes premature wear and eventual failure. If you are looking for an E46 M3, you’ve probably heard about the rod bearing issue. This article will help you understand what you might expect as a new E46 M3 owner or if your M3 is climbing to higher mileage as you enjoy it. Fortunately, those issues are well documented by now and the solutions are readily available, but they are issues all the same. Despite all those positives, and the 333bhp S54 power plant under the hood, they do suffer from some common issues. With a celebrated history, massive enthusiast community, and astounding aftermarket support, it has maintained relevance and still commands a premium price, even for SMG-equipped examples. The E46 M3 is considered the last analog M3 and is still used today as the benchmark quintessential sports car.

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