[Handsomecore]

Hey I'm having the same problem if possible could u text me your number I wanna ask u a few ? I see u live in NJ I'm in NY hey maybe I can pay u to do the job since your hands on my name is corey

[kylegritzan]

My car has been demonstrating the symptoms of this needing done. Takes a couple attempts to get it started in the mornings, rough idle, etc. Car is a 2006 BMW 325xi manual with 98,xxx miles on it.

I was just wondering if anybody knew if there was a way to test if the ECC shaft sensor needs replaced or the motor. I have a spare motor laying around that I could throw in, just wasn't sure if I need the sensor as well.

Thanks for any insight you guys may have!

[DetailAddict]

you should be able to open up the cover easily and unplug it to see if it has oil in it. If it does, time to replace.

Leo

Originally Posted by kylegritzan

My car has been demonstrating the symptoms of this needing done. Takes a couple attempts to get it started in the mornings, rough idle, etc. Car is a 2006 BMW 325xi manual with 98,xxx miles on it.

I was just wondering if anybody knew if there was a way to test if the ECC shaft sensor needs replaced or the motor. I have a spare motor laying around that I could throw in, just wasn't sure if I need the sensor as well.

Thanks for any insight you guys may have!

[kylegritzan]

Originally Posted by DetailAddict

you should be able to open up the cover easily and unplug it to see if it has oil in it. If it does, time to replace.

Leo

Thanks for the reply! Do my symptoms fit this description in your opinion?

- 10+ attempts to start car in mornings or when engine is cold
- it will turn like it is trying to start, but will not turn over completely
- sometimes it will have a hard idle after it starts. can usually get her going by giving it a little gas.
-after it warms up, car drives fine for the most part

[mapleridge]

Hi All,

looks at my sensor. There is some oil but not much. Do you think I should replace it? I see leakage around the gasket as well.








I am under CPO so I am wondering if they will cover it as is. Also, I had lifters replaced and my valve cover gasket seems to be leaking. Wouldn't this have been replaced during that service? I'm guessing they should fix the VCG since it failed within about a year of the lifters.

[shyne99]

Hey Mrquick, im having the same issue, and live in the ny area. Could you possible shoot me your number and maybe i come out to you so you can help me. Il pay for the labor

[rjshuttleworth]

Hi All

This is my first post having found these forums to be incredibly valuable. I am looking to gather some opinion on a rather annoying fault I have. Let me start with the issue:

Issue:

Intermittent, pronounced loss of power on acceleration. Causing risk of accident as loss unexpected and often occurs at critical driving moments.

Normally when slow rolling at roundabout/junction and apply moderate throttle to accelerate into a gap. Engine feels like it will stall or will kangeroo/jerk quite violently for as long as the accelerator is pressed or for a few seconds. Let off accelerator and reapply and engine accelerates normally.

Can recreate if put in N and then R and accelerate briskly. Engine will likely stall.

Also in N or P and blip the throttle it will stutter as if lack of fuel or air then accelerate freely. Can stall when doing this too.

Easier to recreate when engine is hot. No engine lights are coming on when fault happens, even after stall or violent kangerooing on acceleration.

Work done to try and resolve:

Home scanner showed a 2A98 fault so cleaned Vanos Solenoids and replaced Inlet Cam Position Sensor. No change, so moved old inlet CPS to exhaust CPS position. No change.

Disconnected Inlet Vanos Solenoid and issue disappears albeit performance of car impacted. So replaced both Vanos Solenoids. Car performs better, but has not resolved issue at all.

Suspect it is something related to Vanos system, crank sensor, eccentric shaft sensor or similar rather than coils/ignition related, as when you disconnect the solenoids (and presumably disable the VVT system) the problem disappears.

Took to Dealer for diagnostics

No faults in dealer tooling.

No software updates for the ECU or Gearbox are available.

Dealer recommends checking timing which is 4hours labour. It didn't think this was a reasonable 'speculative check' so I brought the car home instead of letting them take the valve cover off and dig around.

Should say: Car is N52B30A engine, e91 330i auto, 61k miles. I've read hundreds of posts related to this and not sure I've found a definitive resolution

Question for the knowledgeable on the forums: Would my assessment that if the vanos system is disconnected (and BMWs suspicion that the valve timing is off enough that vanos is correcting but causing issues, but not enough to throw faults is correct) then the problem should be more pronounced as no VVT to correct for a problem?

I have a feeling it's the eccentric shaft sensor from other threads (the idle is fine, and it starts fine, so doubtful it's the crank position sensor) and i've ruled out Vanos solenoids.

So I investigated further and their was slight oil in the connector (not a lot, just a little). I completely cleaned with contact cleaner, dried, and then reconnected and ran engine for 5 mins. A slight oiling returned. So to test I disconnected the sensor and the symptoms go aswell.

So, BIG question is what is the relation between VANOS and Valvetronic? Seems disabling one or the other kills my problem.

Any thoughts from the gurus?

R

[WhiteFury]

I think I am having a possible eccentric shaft problem, read my thread about "misfiring after intake valve cleaning"

I found a spark plug defective and cleaned injectors and missfires went away. I am having random bog and sputter at WOT. It's only a few times per gear pull but it's noticeable.

Someone had told me its possible one of the shafts or arms came off under the valve cover.

[Av8or208]

I just wanted to say thank you. The local BMW dealership wanted $1800 to install my eccentric shaft sensor. This after quoting me 1500 for a brake job and $1100 to replace my valve cover gasket. I bought the sensor, and all associated gaskets online for $460 and armed with your blog and a video from another site dove in. 6 1/2 hours later, a few bruised knuckles, and a few parts and pieces nestled on the plastic shield down below, we were done. Fired it up nothing...hooked up the fueled ignition strip, fired it up again and presto, a smooth running engine. Put it all back together, used my magnet on a stick to retrieve the sockets from the bottom and we we're celebrating and casting inappropriate gestures in the general direction of the dealership! But we wouldn't have been so bold without your photos and verbiage. Thanks loads!

Mark

[y2khardtop]

sorry if I overlooked this, but do you have to have a computer/scanner to "reset" anything after doing the valvetronic sensor replacement??? In other words, even if I do all of the mechanical work myself and I going to need a trip to a dealer to get the car to run righ recalibrating......????? I'm getting varying reports from repair shops!

[shepard10]

do you have k40 radar? is that whats on your front license plate

[shmaa]

Thanks for the write up. Has anyone had the gear on their valvetronic motor break?

[Zero_09]

Drove home today and my car through a CEL so I dropped by a local shop and got the code read. Can't quite remember the code number but it was something with the inlet camshaft sensor. The mechanic said they he needs to replace the Eccentric Shaft Positioning Sensor along with the seals for around $1500.

I'm guessing Eccentric Shaft Positioning Sensor is the same as the Eccentric Shaft Sensor?

[Zero_09]

I started the car this morning and the CEL is gone now. Not sure what happened.

Anyone knows if I take it in to the dealer if the code will still show if the CEL is gone?

Also can someone confirm these are the right parts. I couldn't find some parts on getbmwparts.com but found these alternative and just want to make sure the parts are right before ordering them.

[romanonj]

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E83-X3-...ric/ES2594881/

VDO is the OEM suplier, so no difference in quality..

[Zero_09]

Originally Posted by romanonj

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E83-X3-...ric/ES2594881/

VDO is the OEM suplier, so no difference in quality..

Thanks good to know and will save others $100-$120 on the part

[Billup]

Hey guys, have a quick question.

Previously I was driving on a two lane back country road, pushed the pedal down to gain speed and pass a slower moving semi. I noticed the car hesitating and the motor began to give off a slight jerking motion, then the CEL popped on. I had it scanned and it was showing a code for VVT Sensor Malfunction. I went ahead and ordered a new VVT sensor, sensor ring/gasket, valve cover gasket and hardware.

Is this the same thing as the Eccentric Sensor you are all referring to, or is this a different sensor unit? The car is driveable, but I can not take it past 2k rpm in any gear past first or I will get the same hesitation, so I have no pushed it to see if the CEL will come back on.

Anyone have some input on this? I was planning on changing this sensor out in hopes it will cure the issue this week, but not sure if I am approaching this appropriately or not.

[ice_nyne]

How do I pull off the oil vapor hose? It's being a PITA and not giving at all.

Also, how did you guys remove the 5th valve cover bolt on the passenger side (counting from front of engine to rear)? On my n51 it is blocked by a cylindrical object - could be the secondary air injector valve. I'm into this project and stuck on the removal of these two.

[ice_nyne]

Scratch that. I did end up removing the piece blocking the bolt on the passenger side valve cover. Tricky to get the nuts off.

In all my prying and trying to get the squeeze connector loose on the vapor hose, snapped the hose about an inch above the connector. It was so brittle.

I'm screwed there. I'll try epoxy and duct tape to get it back together.

[Lem1001]

Hi, great write up of this problem. I’m interested in if you think the same thing could be causing my car’s symptoms - 2008 330i.

At start up from cold the car is fine. After driving for typically 20-30 minutes it starts to run rough. There is a loss of power through the rev range in all gears & the idle tickover is lumpy fluctuating by a few hundred rpm. No lights warning lights come on & the symptoms continue until I turn the car off & let it cool down for around an hour or more. Then it’s fine again for a while when I start it up. Do you think it could be the same thing?

[stormtrooper7]

I've been getting the following codes and am planning on changing the valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket. I'm wondering if I should be replacing eccentric shaft sensor as well? I'd hate to spend the $400 if I don't have to, but at the same time I don't want be opening up the valve cover twice either if it does need replacing.

I've already cleaned and swapped the VANOS soleniods.

P1553 (now gone from VANOS clean/swap)
P1639
P1417
P1632

In that order.

It's been really frustrating driving this thing because it's so unreliable right now. Limp mode comes at random, and at the worst times! Whenever I hear the "bong" warning I cringe and think WTF?!?!

[ice_nyne]

Those are all throttle control errors. Don't think your problem is with the Eccentric Valve Sensor. Do some forum searches on your codes and see how it was handled. I think I remember seeing a faulty harness getting the blame.