Cam sensor fault... part 2

[russellc2 9]

Hi all, thought I would start a new thread to see if anyone had experienced similar issues... 95 model 328i, M52B28 with new crank and cam sensors as per my previous post.

I'm still getting a cam sensor fault through INPA which won't go away with the new camshaft sensor & crank sensor.

If I unplug the cam sensor, the car wont start. Plug it back in, clear codes, start car and continue to get error 65 Camshaft Position Sensor. I was told that a faulty MAF can also show as a cam sensor fault, so temporally disconnected the MAF & started the car ok after clearing codes again. Now I just got a MAF fault as well as cam sensor fault. 

The car is running ok, although if cam sensor is playing up I assume the vanos won't be working so I may be down on power a bit.

I was trying to read values when the car was running with INPA (on XP laptop) to confirm I had no vanos activity but inpa keeps erroring when ever I start the car?? I can only read stored values & clear for some reason...

[russellc2 9]

Hi, quick update to this ongoing issue.

I got INPA working properly on another laptop, still got error 65 and down on midrange power. I'm getting a constant 83.89 reading looking at analogue values for the cam position.

It doesn't go up or down when car is running, so it appears to be cam sensor wiring before the plug, or my new cam sensor is no go.

Anyone have a good known working spare sensor in Wellington area I could try as a test before buying another new one? Cheers

 

 

 

[KwS 2425]

have you checked the ECU, making sure it hasnt been liquid damaged or the likes?

[NZ00Z3 187]

Hi

I have checked VANOS operation with a logging app called Testo.  The link below is a direct download, so only click on it if you want to down load it.

http://phenoboy.kapsi.fi/testo 

It runs on the same platform as INPA and allows you save test data to a CSV file and in Excel create a chart of the Instantaneous and reference settings of one cam at a time.  Just set it up and rev the engine through a couple of cycles and see if the VANOS is functioning.

Sample Chart attached.  This is a M52TUB20 with 160,000km on the clock before VANOS seal replacement.

Hope this helps

Regards

Muzz

Here's the Exhaust chart, where you can clearly see the decay due to the spring in the Exhaust Vanos cylinder pushing back the piston e.g. oil getting past the Vanos seals.

 

Edited December 6, 2016 by NZ00Z3

[russellc2 9]

23 hours ago, KwS said:

have you checked the ECU, making sure it hasnt been liquid damaged or the likes?

ECU and compartment is nice and dry. Still need to check each of the 3 cam sensor wires right back to the ECU plug though. Cheers

[russellc2 9]

Thanks for the info too Muzz, I'll give that program a try for sure.

[jsta282 0]

Hey mate, currently having the same issue with my car, did you ever solve the issue?

[NakiTouring 54]

Maybe the cam chain has stretched? I had that on a VQ25 Nissan Stagea once. Same sort of errors, CEL, limp mode sort of stuff.

Thought I had the same sort of issue on my 335I, but that was a somewhat more serious issue with the crank bolt coming loose...not good.

[ChinnE30 0]

Hi there russellc2

 

Am curious to know if you got to the bottom of the issue?

I have an e30 that I converted to an M54 and have been having the same intermittent stalling issue that it sounds like you had.

Have replaced intake cam & crank sensors and no different, I've looked at everything and can't trace the fault.

 

Cheers

[aviation_hacker 5]

On 12/7/2016 at 9:05 PM, russellc2 said:

ECU and compartment is nice and dry. Still need to check each of the 3 cam sensor wires right back to the ECU plug though. Cheers

Hey russell, apologies for bumping an old thread - thought I'd check however, did you use a Genuine BMW Cam Position Sensor when you replaced yours? Found some interesting information on Haltech's Site about the sensors - apparently the E36 CPS isn't a standard Hall-Effect Sensor, but a custom design. It seems even the VDO ones aren't the same sensor, and it has to quite literally be genuine in some (most? all?) cases unfortunately.

https://support.haltech.com/portal/en/kb/articles/m50-engine

https://support.haltech.com/portal/en/kb/articles/m52-engine

At the very least, hopefully this is useful to some other weary internet traveller!