VANOS - wikipedia VANOS Not to be confused with Vanos or VanossGaming. VANOS units on the intake and exhaust camshafts of a BMW N52 engine VANOS is a variable valve timing system used by BMW on various automotive petrol engines since 1992. The name is an abbreviation of the German words for variable camshaft timing : variable nockenwellensteuerung. The initial version ( retrospectively renamed `` single VANOS '' ) was solely used on the intake camshaft, while the later `` double VANOS '' systems are used on intake and exhaust camshafts. Since 2001, VANOS is often used in conjunction with the valvetronic variable valve lift system. Contents 1 Operation 2 Single VANOS 3 Double VANOS 4 See also 5 References Operation VANOS is a variator system that varies the timing of the valves by moving the position of the camshafts in relation to the drive gear. The relative timing between inlet and exhaust valves is changed. At lower engine speeds, the position of the camshaft is moved so the valves are opened later, as this improves idling quality and smooth power development. As the engine speed increases, the valves are opened earlier : this enhances torque, reduces fuel consumption and lowers emissions. At high engine speeds, the valves are opened later again, because this allows full power delivery. Single VANOS The first - generation single VANOS system adjusts the timing of the intake camshaft to one of two positions ( e.g. the camshaft is advanced at certain engine speeds. VANOS was first introduced in 1992 on the BMW M50 engine used in 3 and 5 Series. In 1998 single infinitely variable VANOS was introduced on the BMW M62 V8 engine. Double VANOS The second - generation double VANOS system adjusts the timing of the intake and exhaust camshafts with continuously variable adjustment, based on engine speed and throttle opening. The first double VANOS system appeared on the S50B32 engine in 1996. See also Valvetronic - BMW 's variable valve lift system References Jump up ^ BMW Technology Guide. `` VANOS / Double - VANOS ''. BMW. Archived from the original on 2017 - 02 - 03. Retrieved 2017 - 10 - 12. ^ Jump up to : BMW Product Info VANOS. BMW AG. Retrieved 23 July 2018. Jump up ^ USautoparts. `` VANOS ''. Usautoparts.net. Archived from the original on 2014 - 07 - 24. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 13. BMW Current brands BMW ( sub-brands : BMW i and BMW M ) BMW Motorrad Mini Rolls - Royce Zinoro Previous brands Automobilwerk Eisenach Bayerische Flugzeugwerke BMW Marine Dixi Glas Husqvarna Motorcycles Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik Rapp Motorenwerke Rover Group Divisions and subsidiaries BMW Bank BMW India BMW Mexico BMW Motorsport BMW US Manufacturing Company Designworks Joint ventures BMW Brilliance ( Chinese automobile manufacturer ) Here ( mapping products ) Vehicles BMW automobiles BMW motorcycles Mini Rolls - Royce Zinoro Technologies BMW Assist ConnectedDrive iDrive Valvetronic VANOS xDrive Motorsport BMW in motorsport BMW in Formula One BMW M1 Procar Championship Kumho BMW Championship Team RMG Team Schnitzer Team RBM Team MTEK Team RLL Team Schubert Buildings BMW Central Building BMW Headquarters BMW Museum BMW Welt Other Alpina BMW Art Car BMW Car Club of America BMW people History of BMW History of BMW motorcycles Hofmeister kink BMW sold the Rover Group in 2000, however BMW retained the rights to the Mini, Riley and Triumph brands. Commons Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=VANOS&oldid=851640575 '' Categories : Variable valve timing BMW Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Čeština Deutsch Italiano Norsk Polski Русский Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 23 July 2018, at 16 : 55 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what is a vanos unit on a bmw
Answer: a variable valve timing system