VAC Motorsports - Billet Oil Filter Lid w/Sensor Ports for BMW N54/N55/S55

The Banshee

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Nov 18, 2017
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There was a member here who had a terrible experience with VAC regarding a built engine. Empty promises resulting in year(s) to complete only to find out they took his half built engine to SEMA to show off either head work or block work I don’t remember. Engine was good after he finally received but it took surprise visits and lawyer threats to get it done.
 

Seaneezy

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Mar 12, 2018
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Based on my previous experience with VAC, process will probably go something like this:

1. customer orders part
2. part gets delivered to wrong address
3. customer finds out it was for a different engine than what he ordered
4. customer sends part back on their dime

VAC's bad reputation is well deserved. I have a whole list of shit they've pulled with me as well as other well known members of the community. Blows my mind how terrible they are with N54s vs. how they are with older BMW engines.
The issue people have is VAC’s poor history with the N54 and a general lack of knowledge they have/had on the N54.
We have had very good experiences with VAC, we bought a lot of N54 stuff from them with excellent service. Tony the owner went above, and beyond to get Tony the first Samsona's in the country for the N54 and went to bat HARD for them to get him the proper input shaft, etc, etc to make it as plug, and play as possible. Couple that with the first to have the Schrick cams, they almost always have N54 pistons, and rods in stock, rod bearings, etc. People in the know do not hate on VAC.

With that said, I personally would not want a cap with sensor ports in it, its already messy enough to pull the cap without having to possibly remove lines, and fittings from it so you can remove it. Its a novel idea, but seems inconvenient for someone who works on their N54's as much as we do.

Chris
I'll put my opinion in here. They seem to be really hit or miss. They were really early in the N54 game, and thus have a lot of experience to back it up. The previous owner of my car spent around $10k on their stage 3 cylinder head. They sent out the head to VAC from European Motor Works in San Francisco (best shop I have ever used), and apparently it took about a month to get it back, not that huge of a deal for the owner I guess. The owner preferred EMW to install the head on the car, which was another great decision, as the car has been breathing like a baby for almost 50,000 miles. I've cleaned the intake valves a few times and the valves are definitely ported differently than stock.
 

Jeffman

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Jan 7, 2017
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I’m in the Philly area and have visited VAC several times over the last ten years, mainly for suspension and maintenance work. They have a really impressive shop and readily provide tours throughout showing off their numerous CNC machines etc. I took my son there a few years ago and he loved it (as I did too). If you’re ever in Philly give them a call to arrange a tour.
 
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Reactions: Torgus
Oct 24, 2016
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Why take a physical tour when one can spin complete stories on the internet and live in one's own virtual world with one's own virtually assembled reality.

Filippo
:tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy: Exactly. VAC SUCKS! Why, well because the 4 guys in the N54 community said so. But they have 10's of millions in equipment and 50+ years experience. Doesn't matter, the internet N54 guys said they have no idea what they are doing. Hey VAC you guys suck. Also, can you make us a dry sump set up so once it's done we will all complain about the price, and you will sell 2 of them? Thanks, again VAC SUCKS! :rolleyes:
 

The Convert

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Jun 4, 2017
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:tearsofjoy::tearsofjoy: Exactly. VAC SUCKS! Why, well because the 4 guys in the N54 community said so. But they have 10's of millions in equipment and 50+ years experience. Doesn't matter, the internet N54 guys said they have no idea what they are doing. Hey VAC you guys suck. Also, can you make us a dry sump set up so once it's done we will all complain about the price, and you will sell 2 of them? Thanks, again VAC SUCKS! :rolleyes:
Taking a tour of a place, and the money invested in equipment means nothing regarding the work and knowledge on all platforms they “provide” products for. No one said they are shit on all platforms, but they do not have a good reputation with respects to this platform.
 
Oct 24, 2016
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Taking a tour of a place, and the money invested in equipment means nothing regarding the work and knowledge on all platforms they “provide” products for. No one said they are shit on all platforms, but they do not have a good reputation with respects to this platform.
Based on who? Please make a list, the internet is such a strange place. People will make a general statement with nothing to back it up, such as they do not have a good reputation with respects to this platform. We ALL know happy people never post. Are you privy to how many N54's they have built or customers they have served? We know from personal experience with them its a LOT but based on your internet knowledge of what 3-4 unhappy people they do not understand the N54, or worse yet are simply incompetent because a salesperson may have been confused on which parts to send. This is so internet.
 

Torgus

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Nov 6, 2016
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Taking a tour of a place, and the money invested in equipment means nothing regarding the work and knowledge on all platforms they “provide” products for. No one said they are shit on all platforms, but they do not have a good reputation with respects to this platform.

This is why everyone uses VAC to build their N54 block and head. NOT. I made this post the other day and will say it again: 2019 is half over and I still do not know who to trust to build my motor and head. This is not usual on a performance platform that has been around since 2006, almost 14 years old.

If VTT really thought so highly of VAC why did they use ABR who had no history of successful N54 builds? Very odd when VAC has "10's of millions in equipment and 50+ years experience." ;)

Tony's napoleon complex in full effect here folks.
 
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Reactions: veer90
Oct 24, 2016
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Point made, asked for a list of people showing VAC has a bad reputation on the N54 outside of a small group of people. That is actually ignored, and people are worried about who is posting what. It's appreciated you helped make that point so strongly, so quickly. We look forward to that long list of unhappy N54 VAC customers.
 
Oct 24, 2016
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If VTT really thought so highly of VAC why did they use ABR who had no history of successful N54 builds? Very odd when VAC has "10's of millions in equipment and 50+ years experience." ;)
Again the ignorance is strong with this one.

ABR built us one motor in 8 years. It was when we still had limited experience on the platform and were buying into whatever people were posting, sorta like this thread. So ABR sang a good tune, and we bit. The motor had many issues and we learned a lesson. The ABR debacle is actually what led us to VAC. We have used them to buy every single N54 engine part since, we do not use them for machine work simply because they are 3000 miles away. Rebello is 20. Every engine for every VTT engine build from ours to Terry's to local customers are all purchased through VAC, and assembled by Rebello. But again, thank you for making our point of ignorance based on internet speculation very clear, and undeniable
 

Torgus

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Nov 6, 2016
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Point made, asked for a list of people showing VAC has a bad reputation on the N54 outside of a small group of people. That is actually ignored, and people are worried about who is posting what. It's appreciated you helped make that point so strongly, so quickly. We look forward to that long list of unhappy N54 VAC customers.

Why don't we 1st put together a list of unhappy VTT customers? I am sure the list would be significantly longer with much more colorful stories ;) I bet you yourself could write volumes.

Also, as a reminder:
29435


You are, as always, a wonderful ambassador for your brand.




Let's get this thread back on topic: VAC oil filter lid release.
 
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The Convert

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Jun 4, 2017
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Again the ignorance is strong with this one.

ABR built us one motor in 8 years. It was when we still had limited experience on the platform and were buying into whatever people were posting, sorta like this thread. So ABR sang a good tune, and we bit. The motor had many issues and we learned a lesson. The ABR debacle is actually what led us to VAC. We have used them to buy every single N54 engine part since, we do not use them for machine work simply because they are 3000 miles away. Rebello is 20. Every engine for every VTT engine build from ours to Terry's to local customers are all purchased through VAC, and assembled by Rebello. But again, thank you for making our point of ignorance based on internet speculation very clear, and undeniable
Are you saying that all of the machine work on VTT engines is done by VAC and Rebello only assembles them, or did you misspeak in your fit of mid afternoon internet rage?
 

fmorelli

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Aug 11, 2017
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The more off the reservation one wants to be, the more building relationships with those in the business is necessary in my experience. Thank God for being able to pick up the phone and talk to many of the people in this business on a first name basis.

As for this thread - anything else left to speculate about an oil filter cap?

Filippo