E39 530i fault code resetting

[speedyg 16]

I suspect I have a stuffed exhaust camshaft position sensor, I have just replaced it with a known good one, do I now need to disconnect the battery to reset the computer and any fault codes? Or should I just drive it and hopefully notice the difference.

Symptoms are car is sluggish under 3500rpm, have replaced vanos seals and Disa valve, had the car scanned a while ago and the only fault was related to the vanos (which I presumed was due to seals)

Edited September 22, 2012 by speedyg

[speedyg 16]

I left the battery disconnected for an hour and drove the car with the new sensor, no difference, so I put the old sensor back in and got the car scanned today again, fault code 104 relating to vanos and exhaust camshaft.

The chap said it could be the exhaust camshaft solenoid? Ideas?

See older post

Edited September 24, 2012 by speedyg

[Allanw 1051]

I left the battery disconnected for an hour and drove the car with the new sensor, no difference, so I put the old sensor back in and got the car scanned today again, fault code 104 relating to vanos and exhaust camshaft.

The chap said it could be the exhaust camshaft solenoid? Ideas?

I think there is a small filter in the Vanos Solenoid inlet, that could be clogged. I guess they could burn out the solenoid too, but I'd have thoguht that would give a code for the solenoid being open circuit.

The DME measures how the Vanos is working by watching the exhaust camshaft advancing in relation to the crankshaft position. Maybe it isn't actually moving.

[speedyg 16]

Yeah something is not right, I'm not sure if that fault code 104 points to a cam sensor or something else. As much as I'd like to fix it myself I may have to bite the bullet and take it in.

What I'd really like to know is if the cam sensor is stuffed and I replace it with a good one, does the fault code need to be reset to make the car perform correctly?

Edited September 25, 2012 by speedyg