how does a bmw engine work?

[Canatro]

this is the question that i just can't seem to explain right to my g/f. no matter how many times i explain it, vanos to her is greek for my brain is vanishing.

i need some explanetory diagrams and pictures and what not, anybody know where to get some? also, i'd love to have them for both the e36 and e30, that way i can give her the side by side for the e30 i have now and e36 i used to have.

thanks guys

[98///M-DROPTOP]

Don't know ehere to get pics, cutaways, etc., but here's a good write-up on how VANOS works.
http://www.bmw-m.net/FAQs/whatis.htm
Mike

[Canatro]

that'll help. thanks.

[fredo]

here is an article from howstuffworks.com that explains how honda's vtec work.... although the article specifically talks about honda's vtec, i think the concepts are pretty similar and it might be useful to provide some insight in how things work....

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question229.htm

[aus]

Keep it simple. Forget about Vanos. Just tell her gas vapor mixes with air and is pumped into the cylinder where it is compressed and ignited by the spark plug which then pushes the piston back down which turns the crank shaft which turns the flywheel, then the clutch, gearbox, diff and the wheels. Anything that improves the flow of the gases into or out of the cylinder will improve power.
Vanos just plays with the timing of the opening of the valves so you get better flow at low RPMs and high RPMs because good flow at low RPMs is not necessarily mean good flow at high RPMs. If she want's to know more than that, tell her to take some engineering classes.

[98///M-DROPTOP]

And if she just won't quit after trying to keep it simple, show her some pictures. :help
I knew I had seen cut-aways somewhere, just came across them by accident while looking for something else.
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/engine/
Mike

[LateApex]

LOL.. :D Variable Valve Timing Technology for Dummies.

If you need to 'dumb' it down even futher... try this.

1) engines basically make little controlled explosions to make the car go.

2) there are many different ways you can play with WHEN the explosions to off, in order to get the engine to be good at making power.

3) BMWs have extra special gears in the engines to make them good at that.


-Apex

[Canatro]

wow, good info guys!

[540Rob]

Crap.. I've been trying to explain to mine how a clutch works.... I have since given up and she doesn't even attempt to drive my car anymore.

[LateApex]

Can't say I've had that problem with mine. You gotta love a woman who knows how to handle a stick :embarrasm :D :alright

-Apex

[abakos]

My E34 Bently has a good blowup of it--

If you're trying to explain VANOS, the best way I could picture it was like a shaft and a sleeve. They both have mating grooves cut kind of like the rifling cut that makes a rifle a rifle (in the barrel). When one of them slides, it turns slightly in relation to the other. Bada-bing, we have variable valve timing.

Now the actual parts are a little different than that, but it's a nutshell.

If she has to know more-- She better listen to AUS and take some engineering classes...:atom