[Wishes47]

Hello All,

I have a 2008 328xi, purchase new, one owner. I am really trying to hold on this car for a while, because it is paid off. Or at least, until I finish college next year. It is making this intermittent squeaking and randomly shuts off after the noise starts. But it cranks right back up and don't know when it will do it again. Pulling P0012 code, intake camshaft timing for bank 1 is retarded. I had these same symptoms in August, had the venos solenoid, tensioner/drive belt fixed, oil change and had no more problems until now.

In August I took the car to my dad’s mechanic, who pulled codes for the venous solenoid. He changed the solenoid, but told me to take the shop I usually use to have an oil change. The car stopped shutting down, but the noise returned a day later. Took it to autozone and they pulled the P0012 code. My mechanic said the tensioner/drive belt needed to be replaced and that I needed a new valve cover gasket. I couldn’t afford the valve cover gasket, so I told him to do the tensioner and oil change. The car ran find after that. No noise, no shutting off until now, 3 months later. But, what I found strange was that the mechanic gave this disclaimer that the valve cover gasket also causes the car to shut off and tat squeaking type noise, so my symptoms may return if I don't get that fixed. This sounded odd then and even more so now.

Just called my mechanic and asked why I was having the same problems if they fixed it? He said tensioner and camshaft were different issues and that they did not address the camshaft. When I asked way not, he said because I told him to do the tensioner. Of course I did, because he lead me to believe that was what was causing the symptom and P0012 code. Whatever the case, $1100 later, I should not be having the same problem.

He then said that his file notes say that I had/have sludge is in the engine and that my symptoms are because the oil is clogging, or is affecting, the solenoids and causing camshaft issues. Mind you, he never told me this before. He said the sludge cannot be removed and that he would not advise me to put money into fixing the camshaft. Instead, he suggested that I come get another oil change and change my oil more regularly until I can get another car.

After some online research, I have concluded that it was the solenoid repair by the first mechanic and the oil change by my mechanic, that resolved the symptoms in August and that it was never the tensioner. (Please correct me if I’m wrong)

In that case, I have a couple of questions that I hope someone can answer.

1. Could the sludge and camshaft issue cause these symptoms (shut offs, noise)?


2. Can a tensioner issue mimic a camshaft issue? (Trying to figure out if this was an honest mistake or intentional to make me pay for a repair I did not need)

2. Would an engine flush help at this point? Will having more regular oil changes until I can get another car really help

Thank you for any info provided.