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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Powertrain and Drivetrain Discussions > N55 Turbo Engine Tuning and Exhaust Modifications - 335i Tuning > Strange Valvetronic Actuator/ Eccentric Shaft Issue



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      11-26-2017, 09:43 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by weehe126 View Post
Any idea what BMW long time lube is? or have a link.
The part number is located in the valvetronic TIS guide I posted above. Ista-d (rheingold) houses this information as well.
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      11-27-2017, 07:30 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by capitalx View Post
Every time i search the net for an error code, showing up in my X5, it always seems to be for a 2011 N55. In my case it's both the Transfer Case and the Valvetronic system. There is certainly an underlying issue involving the valvetronic system in the 2011's and I'm certain BMW knows this, but imagine a recall on all eccentric shaft on the road and the expense to BMW.
BMW does state in ISTA to program the DME with the latest software when repairing the valvetronic system. It appears software was playing a role in failures.

The oil spray nozzle has not changed part numbers: 11377583786 I BMW just recommends replacing all 3 items to avoid double labor in the event that a tech puts in a new motor but the issue was the nozzle (cheap part) was clogged. Or, the tech replaces the motor but the issue was poor vehicle maintenance and the eccentric shaft itself is worn. 99% of these failure appear to be the electric motor failing.

Last edited by bbnks2; 11-27-2017 at 07:49 AM..
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      11-27-2017, 08:10 AM   #25
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Not sure if you looked closely at it, but the oil sprayer nozzle doesn't have a hole in it. Best case is it collects some oil and drips it onto the gears. I personally think this is why there is a high failure rate.
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      11-27-2017, 08:25 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by weehe126 View Post
Not sure if you looked closely at it, but the oil sprayer nozzle doesn't have a hole in it. Best case is it collects some oil and drips it onto the gears. I personally think this is why there is a high failure rate.
The motor is electric. Not much oiling needs to occur, just enough to keep contact points coated (the gears)... How many people actually have seized eccentric shafts? or worn eccentric shafts? The issue is almost always the electric motor seizes. Running the ISTA routine just runs the electric motor (worm gear) back and fourth. If the routine fails, but the eccentric shaft still spins freely when manually actuated, then either the electric motor is shot or the actuator isn't meshing with the gear on the eccentric shaft right (you would notice this immediately upon trying to rotate the eccentric shaft manually).

The other major issue seems to be voltage issues (weak battery) has caused valvetronic failure. Either the portion of the DME that controls valvetronic shorts out or the motor shorts out the DME... not sure. I believe it can happen because low battery voltage has bricked my footwell module. BMW modules don't seem to do well at waking back up when the battery deeply discharges putting the modules into recovery mode. This might be where that DME software update comes into play. Makes me second guess using MHD which flashes you to an older DME version than what's currently available.

Either way, it 100% makes sense for someone NOT paying for labor to try replacing the valvetronic motor first. Worst case scenario is that you have to do the work again yourself if the shaft is an issue. I don't see how you could NOT notice the shaft is worn when replacing the motor though... you have to work the eccentric shaft back and fourth to get the valvetronic motor out... It would be pretty stupid to button everything back up if the eccentric shaft/bearings it rides on looked worn or wasn't rotating smoothly.

VANOS bolt recall on 2011's might have something to do with it too. You're right in that the techs may not have been gentle with the valvetronic motor. They also may not have re-lubed everything before buttoning it back up. I know my car did have the vanos bolt recall done and my valvetronic motor is dead at 105K (probably as early as 90K but no codes until recently).

Last edited by bbnks2; 11-27-2017 at 12:37 PM..
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      02-25-2018, 11:03 AM   #27
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any updates to what the dealership had to replace? Did they say there were teeth missing on the gears? Im currently going through the same issue.
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      05-06-2018, 12:04 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stlthnmrdrd View Post
any updates to what the dealership had to replace? Did they say there were teeth missing on the gears? Im currently going through the same issue.
Did you replace the servo too?

Any update from the fixes?
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      05-07-2018, 06:30 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by AlphaBetaX5 View Post
Did you replace the servo too?

Any update from the fixes?
I just went through this last week. Clicking noise for a few seconds when the car was off, either opening a door or locking/unlocking. Cold start idle fluctuations. Car ran fine. The dealer replaced the servo motor and the shaft. Covered by an extended warranty.
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      05-07-2018, 07:24 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gregp553 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlphaBetaX5 View Post
Did you replace the servo too?

Any update from the fixes?
I just went through this last week. Clicking noise for a few seconds when the car was off, either opening a door or locking/unlocking. Cold start idle fluctuations. Car ran fine. The dealer replaced the servo motor and the shaft. Covered by an extended warranty.
Thanks for the update.

Wha is your engine?
I have N52, with clunk sound at startup. Servomotor Wormgear chipped. Planning on changing it.
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      05-08-2018, 09:51 AM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlphaBetaX5 View Post
Thanks for the update.

Wha is your engine?
I have N52, with clunk sound at startup. Servomotor Wormgear chipped. Planning on changing it.
N55
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      03-04-2019, 08:12 AM   #32
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My 2011 535i valvetronic system has a problem, I’m getting a dme internal fault code. I replaced the valvetronic motor, and wire running to it from dme but can’t run the procedure for it in ista because of the internal fault code. The car won’t start because of the eccentric shaft being at minimum, but when I manually adjust it The car will start. First off I want to know what the issue can be, and how can I keep the valvetronic at maximum without the eccentric shaft springing back.
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      03-04-2019, 08:28 AM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nvus22 View Post
My 2011 535i valvetronic system has a problem, I’m getting a dme internal fault code. I replaced the valvetronic motor, and wire running to it from dme but can’t run the procedure for it in ista because of the internal fault code. The car won’t start because of the eccentric shaft being at minimum, but when I manually adjust it The car will start. First off I want to know what the issue can be, and how can I keep the valvetronic at maximum without the eccentric shaft springing back.
Simply set the eccentric shaft to maximum lift by hand and then keep the servo motor unplugged...
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      03-05-2019, 06:26 AM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlphaBetaX5 View Post
Thanks for the update.

Wha is your engine?
I have N52, with clunk sound at startup. Servomotor Wormgear chipped. Planning on changing it.
My N52 also has noticeable wear on the eccentric shaft gear in 1/3 of the section. I suspect the worn section corresponds with the day to day operating range of movement.
Engine has 125,000km. I lubed the worm gear on the servo motor and also the gear on the eccentric shaft with the specified grease. After I read more about the grease, it is supposed to provide long term lubrication and form a protective layer on surfaces. Perhaps the metal used in the eccentric shafts is softer than the servomotor worm metal. Motor shows little wear on the worm gear.

Back on topic, I am about to open up a very low mileage S55 this week for this same issue. The official guide on how to deal with this issue is to check everything externally - wiring, power, grounding points and the connector pins of the harness at both ends and also the pins of the DME and servomotor/sensor. If all else checks out, step 1 is a servomotor/sensor replacement. Step 2 is to change the servomotor again and install a new eccentric shaft. Step 3 IIRC is a cylinder head...
I will try to scope the signals of both hall sensors with the rocker cover off to get a better view.
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      03-05-2019, 07:57 AM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by juld0zer View Post
After I read more about the grease, it is supposed to provide long term lubrication and form a protective layer on surfaces. Perhaps the metal used in the eccentric shafts is softer than the servomotor worm metal. Motor shows little wear on the worm gear.
That "long-life" grease doesn't seem to make any difference to anything. The servo motor is constantly getting sprayed and taking a bath in oil. The moly lube stays on the worm gear for maybe all of 5 minutes until oil gets up to temp and washes it away. Kind of odd bmw even says it's necessary seeing as how they have an oil squirter pointing down to the servo as well lol.

That little electric motor puts out some serious amperage and torque to whip the eccentric back and fourth in milliseconds. Shit just break and the motor itself burns out.
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      03-08-2019, 04:59 AM   #36
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It may be purely for the initial calibration procedures only, to minimise friction as the end stop learning procedure is done with the engine off so no oil would be sprayed there.

Just some feedback after completing the repair on an S55 today.
- The fault codes suggest an implausible signal from the hall position sensors. This could mean one of the two sensors was faulty or both were faulty, causing the motor to drive the eccentric shaft against the end stops. We didn't have time to scope the signals to show you guys, sorry.
- When the engine is switched off, the eccentric shaft is in the maximum lift position so it will be under almost max spring tension. Be careful and hold the shaft using a 13mm spanner and make sure it doesn't slip off, whilst slowly winding the motor using a long 4mm Allen key
- The motor does have a notchy feel to it. As long as it isn't stiff to turn using an allen key, it should be ok. It does not feel smooth to turn like an N52 servomotor.
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      03-10-2019, 12:03 PM   #37
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Any downside to leaving the eccentric shaft positioned at maximum lift with the servo motor unplugged long term? (Aside from the codes)
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      03-11-2019, 08:25 AM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TZANIDO777 View Post
Any downside to leaving the eccentric shaft positioned at maximum lift with the servo motor unplugged long term? (Aside from the codes)
I ran my car that way for almost a year. No issues.
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      03-11-2019, 09:10 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bbnks2 View Post
I ran my car that way for almost a year. No issues.
Thanks, figured for someone who has a dedicated track car can just lock it out at max lift and avoid having Vanos issues.
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      03-11-2019, 10:39 AM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TZANIDO777 View Post
Thanks, figured for someone who has a dedicated track car can just lock it out at max lift and avoid having Vanos issues.
Valvetronic and VANOS are two difference issues and Valvetronic faults are pretty rare. The servo motor seems to last around 100K.
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      03-31-2019, 11:40 AM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bbnks2 View Post
Simply set the eccentric shaft to maximum lift by hand and then keep the servo motor unplugged...
Will this cause limp mode?
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      05-07-2019, 08:09 PM   #42
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I am having the exact same problems as everybody here with N55 engine, my car is 2011 335i 50k miles, took it to dealership around a year and half ago for Vanos recall, right after the recall my car had really rough idle (when engine cold) and eventually stalled (3-4 times in period of 6-9 months) but it would start right back and never threw a code, so about 3 months ago, it stalled again and this time it would not start, I replaced the eccentric motor myself, I lubed the gears with grease, but still cant fix the problems, the shaft always at minimum lift. My car is at an indy shop now and they quote me $3500 to fix it. So sad...
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      05-08-2019, 10:49 AM   #43
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What codes were you seeing before you replaced the servo motor?
Does the indy think you need a new DME? What are they doing for that $3500?
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      05-08-2019, 12:28 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frostedsoul View Post
I am having the exact same problems as everybody here with N55 engine, my car is 2011 335i 50k miles, took it to dealership around a year and half ago for Vanos recall, right after the recall my car had really rough idle (when engine cold) and eventually stalled (3-4 times in period of 6-9 months) but it would start right back and never threw a code, so about 3 months ago, it stalled again and this time it would not start, I replaced the eccentric motor myself, I lubed the gears with grease, but still cant fix the problems, the shaft always at minimum lift. My car is at an indy shop now and they quote me $3500 to fix it. So sad...
Did you run the ista 20 min long procedures of learning the limits ?
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