[TassieBMW]

For quite some time I've been experiencing intermittent VANOS issues with my car (2005 E90 330i [N52B30]) and have finally decided to get serious about correcting it, having recently got ISTA+ up and running.

The problem I've been experiencing occurs after a cold start, whereby the car feels sluggish and underpowered (due to cam timing not actuating properly). Once I notice this I pull over and turn the engine off then on again and the symptoms disappear.


Upon connecting ISTA to the car for the first time I was greeted with 3 faults; 2A99 (Exhaust Camshaft Reference), 2A98 (Intake Camshaft Reference) and 2A87 (Exhaust VANOS Mechanism) See Below










You can see that 2A99 has the highest rate of occurrence, followed closely by 2A98, where as 2A87 was only logged as having occurred once.

After clearing the faults from the DME I waited to experience the symptoms again and then read the codes once more. On the first occasion it reoccurred only code 2A99 was present, however after clearing it, on the second occasion both 2A99 and 2A98 were stored.


I'm trying to deduce whether this is a case of faulty VANOS solenoids or the dreaded camshaft bearing ledge scoring issue that the N52 is known for. My mechanic has previously cleaned the solenoids however this did not solve the problem. Any help from others with experience in N52 VANOS issues would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

[Emilime75]

Do N52s have the oil check valves on the right side of the head like N54s? Might look into that and see about cleaning them, if it has them.

[TassieBMW]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

Do N52s have the oil check valves on the right side of the head like N54s? Might look into that and see about cleaning them, if it has them.

Yes, however I am doubtful that they are the issue as the car has had frequent oil changes using manufacturer certified Castrol 5W30. That said, at some point I will check them out.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by TassieBMW

For quite some time [starting nearly 10,000 km ago?] I've been experiencing intermittent VANOS issues with my car (2005 E90 330i [N52B30]) and have finally decided to get serious about correcting it, having recently got ISTA+ up and running. [Does INPA in BMW Standard Tools work as well?]
The problem I've been experiencing occurs after a cold start, whereby the car feels sluggish and underpowered (due to cam timing not actuating properly). Once I notice this I pull over and turn the engine off then on again and the symptoms disappear.

... 3 faults; 2A99 (Exhaust Camshaft Reference), 2A98 (Intake Camshaft Reference) and 2A87 (Exhaust VANOS Mechanism)
[You inserted/linked the following 3 ISTA screens which did NOT "appear below" ]

https://ibb.co/3Sr1vCj

View post on imgur.com

https://ibb.co/GWMmp45

As you hopefully know, the VANOS Solenoids are electrically controlled to provide more or less oil flow/pressure to the VANOS Unit on each camshaft to Advance that Camshaft from a "Default Retarded" position. It would be helpful to see the "ACTUAL/Current" Camshaft Advance Position, as well as the "Setpoint" or Requested Camshaft Position.

Your two screens for P1554/2A98 (Intake VANOS Performance), and for P1553/2A99 (Exhaust VANOS Performance) do NOT show "Actual" and "Setpoint" or Target Value for either camshaft at the moment the Fault Code was saved. That information is in "Freeze Frame Data" saved in the DME along with Code & Code Details, and can be easily read using INPA. Presumably, it can also be read using a different ISTA screen from the one you show. NOTE that your ISTA screen for 2A87 DOES show Actual & Setpoint Cam Positions @ -83.5 & -68.5 degree CRK, respectively. THAT code suggests that at 2176 RPM and 94.5C engine conditions, you Exhaust VANOS was "stuck" in a position expected at idle or lower RPM.

If you have an "Endoscope" or USB port camera with including light that can be inserted into VC through Oil Filler Cap to examine status of your VANOS Bolts at timing chain sprockets, I would do that without delay. Amazon sells such a USB Endoscope in the range of $20.

However, BEFORE you panic over possible expensive VANOS bolt, cam ledge or other issues, I would suggest that you (1) Monitor Advance of EACH cam as live data, at different engine temps & RPM, and (2) Determine Conditions at which failure to provide proper advance occur. Your "Freeze Frame Data" in the two screens related to 2A98 & 2A99 are at 13C & 19C respectively and 1248 RPM, or less, presumably fast idle after cold engine start.

Oil is thickest (MOST Viscous) when cold, and gets thinner as it heats. Oil Pressure is lowest at low RPM. If you have a restricted oil passage in the oil gallery, those two conditions combine to result in reduced oil flow to one or both VANOS units, even if the VANOS Solenoids are operating correctly, resulting in "Over-retarded" cam timing on one or both cams.

So I would suggest that you BEGIN by:
1) Researching the proper procedure for DIY VANOS Solenoid Cleaning, and do that YOURSELF;
2) Research the PROPER fitment of the Oil Filter Housing components, particularly: (a) the Oil Filter Housing Cover and (b) attaching "Spool" that holds the filter element, and (c) the small O-ring that fits on the lower end of the "Spool". Then remove the Oil Filter Housing Cover, letting the oil drain from the filter element into the housing, and carefully inspecting the parts mentioned above, including making sure the filter element has NOT collapsed, the spool is present, and the small O-ring is on the end. If ANY of those is NOT correct, LOW oil pressure supply to the VANOS Units WILL occur, although that is normally noted at low RPM with HOT engine. Bears checking out if in doubt in YOUR case of cold start issue.

3) Learn about ISTA as to whether it can show "Live Data" of Camshaft Position and Setpoint Requested by DME, and use that to observe what is actually happening, and under WHAT engine conditions, resulting in the code being set. Since the Faults 2A98 & 2A99 seem to ONLY occur with a cold engine, that MAY be due to a wiring or connector fault that goes away with thermal expansion, and intermittent nature of fault may have NOTHING to do with oil temp/ viscosity.

ANYONE who can attach a ScreenPrint of ISTA Screen to show Live Data for VANOS. Several people have suggested ISTA is a powerful tool. I believe it is (INPA is TOO ;-) but I'd like to see some actual ScreenPrints from ISTA showing what it can do.

Attached is an INPA screen, DME > F6 Activations > F1 > F4 VANOS Control, from my late 2007 328xi N52KP with MSV80 DME. This ScreenPrint was saved with engine at idle and with VANOS under DME control. You can use this screen simply to OBSERVE function of the the DME Setpoints, Camshaft Position in Response, and Solenoid Valve Function related to providing the proper oil flow to the VANOS Units.

NO Diagnostic Equipment can actually tell you what the "Fault" is, whether in the wiring, Connector, Solenoid, Vanos Unit, etc., but it gives you the DATA that YOU have to use as clues to devise other tests, look for Temp/RPM relationships, etc.

Please let us know what you find,
George

[TassieBMW]

Thanks for such a comprehensive reply gbalthrop!

In regard to monitoring live data from the DME about the VANOS units and cam position, I'm unsure if ISTA can do this however I do also have INPA and will definitely give it a go. I'll also try and access the 'freeze frame data' that you mention.

Using the endoscope cam to inspect the bolts and sprockets is a good idea however unfortunately I don't have access to one, may have to see if I can borrow one or even just order one.

After gathering the data from INPA, the next steps on my list are
1. Inspect oil filter housing/oil filter and internal cage and o-ring
2. Inspect VANOS check valves
3. Re-inspect and clean VANOS solenoids and examine their wiring
4. (Hopefully it doesn't come to this) Inspect camshaft bearing ledges for wear


Thanks again for all the suggestions, and I'll be sure to report back when I have more information.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by TassieBMW

... I'm unsure if ISTA can do this [HOPEFULLY, someone who uses ISTA will indicate HOW to do what INPA Screen I attached shows regarding Live Data/ Parameters for Cam Position & VANOS Solenoid Function] however I do also have INPA and will definitely give it a go. I'll also try and access the 'freeze frame data' that you mention...

Here is an example INPA Screen showing Fault Memory with Freeze Frame Data, DME > F4 Fault Memory (Fehlerspeicher) > F1 > F3 Read Fault Memory with Freeze Frame Data. That example screen relates to Fault Code P0171/29E0, Bank 1 Mixture TOO LEAN (Zu Mager), but it shows what types of Data are saved in Fault Memory in the DME. As suggested earlier, the RPM (Drehzahl) and Coolant Temp (Kuhlmitteltemperatur) are pertinent, PLUS, for a Cam Timing Fault, you may/should see Actual Cam Angle and/or Setpoint or Requested Angle.

"Get 'er DONE" types are NOT fond of INPA, and prefer ISTA 'cuz they don't have to take the time to translate German to English or actually THINK about how a particular system works and how to evaluate the DATA. ISTA SHOULD provide MOST of the same Data, but I haven't used it, so hopefully others who HAVE used ISTA can post a ScreenPrint or two.

Note that some of the SAME data that appears in your ISTA screens appears in the INPA Screen: Fault NOT Currently Present (Fehler Momentan NICHT/ NOT Vorhanden); Fault would cause warning lamp to light (Fehler wuerde das Aufleuchten der Warnlampe (MIL) verursachen). Those are statements which appear for most any fault, where "nicht" or "kein" (NOT) are the ONLY changes in the German phrase to show Status/Effect of fault.

Please share what you find/learn,
George

[TassieBMW]

Apologies for the delay in an update, but I now have the requested info from INPA

View post on imgur.com

As you can see, 2A87 (VANOS Exhaust Mechanism) has disappeared and been replaced by 2A82 (VANOS Intake Mechanism), while 2A99 and 2A98 cam reference codes remain.

View post on imgur.com

View post on imgur.com

View post on imgur.com

Given that I am getting codes for both solenoids and both camshafts do you think this is more indicative of faulty solenoids or a deeper issue such as the cam bearing ledge scoring, or is it too difficult to say?

Next I'll check the oil filter cage and o-ring and the VANOS check-valves, however I may not get around to this until next week.

[TassieBMW]

UPDATE:

Today I removed and inspected the oil filter housing cap, VANOS check valves and the solenoids themselves and found everything to be clean/in order.

I also spoke to my mechanic who has worked with BMW's for the last 15 years and he indicated that whilst the cam bearing ledge scoring is prevalent in N52's the damage is rarely enough to cause VANOS issues, and he suggested I purchase new solenoids.

Once I install them I will update this thread again on if the issue is solved/changed.

[bwstodd01@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by TassieBMW

For quite some time I've been experiencing intermittent VANOS issues with my car (2005 E90 330i [N52B30]) and have finally decided to get serious about correcting it, having recently got ISTA+ up and running.

The problem I've been experiencing occurs after a cold start, whereby the car feels sluggish and underpowered (due to cam timing not actuating properly). Once I notice this I pull over and turn the engine off then on again and the symptoms disappear.


Upon connecting ISTA to the car for the first time I was greeted with 3 faults; 2A99 (Exhaust Camshaft Reference), 2A98 (Intake Camshaft Reference) and 2A87 (Exhaust VANOS Mechanism) See Below










You can see that 2A99 has the highest rate of occurrence, followed closely by 2A98, where as 2A87 was only logged as having occurred once.

After clearing the faults from the DME I waited to experience the symptoms again and then read the codes once more. On the first occasion it reoccurred only code 2A99 was present, however after clearing it, on the second occasion both 2A99 and 2A98 were stored.


I'm trying to deduce whether this is a case of faulty VANOS solenoids or the dreaded camshaft bearing ledge scoring issue that the N52 is known for. My mechanic has previously cleaned the solenoids however this did not solve the problem. Any help from others with experience in N52 VANOS issues would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

did you clean the intake and exhaust vanos solenoids? they're located at the front by the fan, and to the left of the oils filter. (break cleaner works the best). my car was running like crap till i did that, they didn't look too dirty but that little touch up made a difference.

[Bims328i]

Interested to see updates as I'm experiencing a reoccurring 2A87 code right now. I recently picked up an E90 328i and about a week after doing the oil change and CBS reset I start getting this 2A87. Cleared it and kept coming back so I went ahead and ordered two new Vaico brand solenoids replacing only the one for the exhaust. Now on cold starts the idle is noticeably erratic like it can't find the right spot to idle at. Upon applying some throttle it clears up and goes away after the car warms up.

After the car warmed up today while driving home I opened it up and it was fine, perfectly smooth. I still need to gather more information on this myself before I can make another decision. Perhaps check the cam sensor? It seems like it threw the code but ran fine before changing the solenoid so perhaps that indicates it is something alongside the solenoid.

I know the cage insert on the oil cap is good. I replaced both o-rings on the assembly and snapped filter cartridge in place. I'm not getting any other codes other than this 2A87 after replacing the solenoid. I have another code for map thermostat activation (heating element is bad I assume) which I plan to tackle alongside a new water pump and hoses before any cooling problems arise but that is unrelated.

I had been digging around for information on these codes/issues and it is slightly tricky. I figured would be best to get the parts then after ordering I read something about swapping them though I'm not sure, I have the other new one too now and the car has just over 73k miles which is right around when they are known to start "failing".

[TassieBMW]

Originally Posted by Bims328i

Interested to see updates as I'm experiencing a reoccurring 2A87 code right now. I recently picked up an E90 328i and about a week after doing the oil change and CBS reset I start getting this 2A87. Cleared it and kept coming back so I went ahead and ordered two new Vaico brand solenoids replacing only the one for the exhaust. Now on cold starts the idle is noticeably erratic like it can't find the right spot to idle at. Upon applying some throttle it clears up and goes away after the car warms up.

After the car warmed up today while driving home I opened it up and it was fine, perfectly smooth. I still need to gather more information on this myself before I can make another decision. Perhaps check the cam sensor? It seems like it threw the code but ran fine before changing the solenoid so perhaps that indicates it is something alongside the solenoid.

I know the cage insert on the oil cap is good. I replaced both o-rings on the assembly and snapped filter cartridge in place. I'm not getting any other codes other than this 2A87 after replacing the solenoid. I have another code for map thermostat activation (heating element is bad I assume) which I plan to tackle alongside a new water pump and hoses before any cooling problems arise but that is unrelated.

I had been digging around for information on these codes/issues and it is slightly tricky. I figured would be best to get the parts then after ordering I read something about swapping them though I'm not sure, I have the other new one too now and the car has just over 73k miles which is right around when they are known to start "failing".

In your case I'd try putting in the second new solenoid and see if that changes anything. Having one old and one new in there might be causing issues, although it does seem strange that the code would come back on the exhaust side again.

Cam position sensor and eccentric shaft sensor are probably also worth a look.

[Bims328i]

Thanks for the information Tassie. I looked into a few things and it seems the DME can flag for bad cam position sensor or there is a code for it. Not to imply I'm opposed to testing it or something but could we assume a code would be present?

I did remember seeing some type of eccentric shaft code when I first scanned it but I managed to corrupt that save file (tried to edit the .txt file then installed the software which uses the .txt code to format scan overview in the software). I believe it was on the transmission but I cleared all those codes and the only other ones I'm getting now are the Map Thermostat Activation 2EF5 and the VANOS 2A87.

I have one of the Schwaben BMW specific scanners which has some bi-directional functionality and live data though I haven't delved into any of it other than peering into Exhaust Vanos Adaptation before leaving work. It is sort of like what you demonstrate above and I suppose it can tell the position of the solenoid. I have never run the scanner in live mode though and just backed out. I initially thought it might help "adapt" the new solenoid though there are only a few resources that point in this direction.

Thanks for your help! We'll figure this out.

[Bims328i]

Update on my end.

I installed the new intake VANOS solenoid and started the car up to see how it did. There was a slight jitter on the idle but cleared up and was idling smooth. I looked into live data for VANOS using my scanner. I believe the exhaust adaptation was at 3.00 before starting while the intake was at 1.50. After starting the engine the exhaust adaptation went to 4.50 and stayed there.

Looking into the live data for set position of the solenoids I could see the intake position actively change from 119.0- 120.XX under light throttle. The exhaust side however would just stay at -115.0. I don't exactly know what this means but I noticed the value is similar to this INPA software shown for cam position. I ran it for about 10-15 minutes and don't believe it's thrown another code but we'll see. I think it would be best to check the exhaust side has power if it throws the code again.

[TassieBMW]

Thanks for the update Bims328i. You are correct that there are codes for the cam position sensors that the DME can throw and it is reasonable to expect that if one had failed you would be getting that code along with rough running conditions.

If you saw an eccentric shaft code it may potentially be worth inspecting the sensor (or at the very least the connector) for oil. I'm not to sure what the Map Thermostat Activation code would point to however the VANOS 2A87 would indicate that there is something wrong in that department, likely with either the solenoids, check valves or oil filter housing cage/o-ring.

Did you take the car for a drive with both new solenoids installed?
Some of the live data can be confusing so I wouldn't read too much into it unless you can feel that something is amiss when driving.

Take the car for a decent run with the new solenoids installed and let us know how it goes.

[Bims328i]

Well that was strange. As stated above I ran the engine directly after installing the new intake solenoid and after a slight hiccup (1-2 sec of jittering idle), it ran fairly smooth. I had to finish for the day (work at night). Upon starting the vehicle last evening to leave for work it started, jittered a bit and immediately shut off. I attempted to try and start again. After second start there are slight jitters in the idle, a little throttle and it smooths out. let it back down and its not idling well on its own. I decided to drive it down the street to see if it would clear up.

Leaving the drive way it is surging a little bit but I go very easy and it clears up seemingly when the engine warms up. About halfway to work I notice it is sort of surging on inclines (climbing the overpass) and while driving 45 I can feel this very slight throttle surge or something as you try to maintain speed very faint. Rest of the drive was not bad, I make it to work.

This morning before leaving work I scan it and it has thrown both 2A87 & 2A82 VANOS inlet code with new Vaico intake solenoid, cleared codes. Starting up at work it was a bit jittery on idle again but cleared up shortly after. I took the highway home, cruised at 60 and could feel that slight surge again but it only lasted about a mile or so.

Upon arriving home I left the car running and scanned the DME once more and this thing has now only thrown the inlet code 2A82 (and thermostat) no 2A87. How confusing.

So essentially it did better the day I installed the new intake solenoid and that night directly shut off after starting. I've been reading they will adapt over time but then you see other things indicating a replaced solenoid quickly fixed the issue so it leads me to believe it is something else, could be something small. I also checked the oil and it is smack dead in the center displaying "OK". I used Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 5w-30 and will note on the oil change I filled it up to the lower line of Max oil or 6.9qt and now it is at mid level oil. When changing the oil I did notice some type of oil pan leak but haven't had the lower cover off to inspect further.

As for the eccentric shaft code I am assuming it was just stored in mem and never cleared as it is not appearing on scans any more and I'm able to scan 46 systems on full scan though now I'm really only targeting the DME module for codes since everything else comes back as "all good".

The Map Thermostat Activation is just to indicate the heating element in the thermostat is not functioning properly as map thermostat is like a regular thermostat but it has a heating element inside that can open the thermostat independent of engine temperature. I'll be looking into a water pump and thermostat soon to address this.

[Bims328i]

Now I'm thinking perhaps the check valves since it seems to clear up as the engine gets warmer. While scanning in the driveway after the drive home it's idling great. Could this possibly indicate once the oil thins out some it is allowing the oil to pass through those check valves more freely (lower viscosity) or perhaps there is some stuff that is building up on them as the car sits? This specific 328i I check the VIN decoder and it states I have an N51 engine in it. Does the N51 have the check valves behind the wheel well? This all seemed to occur after changing the oil. I'm like 99.8% certain the cage on the oil cap is fine but I'll check it again if I must. I remember examining the insert even pulling on it a bit (very gently) to see where it attached to the cap during the oil change and also made sure the filter cartridge snapped back in place. Thoughts?

[TassieBMW]

They are finicky things these VANOS systems!
Certainly very difficult to diagnose symptoms you are experiencing.

Do you have ISTA at all? There is a test program in it which will test the solenoids and make them re-learn their stop limits, etc. Could be worth a go and at least it will rule out the solenoids as the cause of the issue.

Unsure if the N51 has the check valves but I assume it would given it has double VANOS and therefore runs pretty much the same VVT system. Even though they're a bit of a pain to access checking them would at least give you a piece of mind. From most things I've seen online though, and including my own experience, they are usually very clean even after 15 years and 125,000 miles of driving. May as well give the cage/o-ring a check as well given how easy it is to access.


I'll be very interested to try the new solenoids in my car once they arrive, fingers crossed it will solve the issue!

[Bims328i]

You aren't kidding I removed the upper valve and it was a total pain. Dropped down to the lower guard and had to snake my arm down there to grab it. It is indeed very clean. At least I know but holy smokes. I'm thinking to assume the other one is clean as well, now I have to install it.

I don't have ISTA only this BMW scanner how do I go about acquiring it?

[Bims328i]

I hope your new solenoids do the trick for you TassieBMW! I reinstalled the check valve (or non oil return valve) and started it up. Idle was actually ok until I turned on the A/C which before had actually helped the rough idle a bit. This time it cause the smooth 600rpm idle to go sporadic, weird.

Now I'm only getting the 2A87 exhaust VANOS code (intake code was showing up after swapping new intake VANOS solenoid)

I was looking into the service menu features with this scanner and I found DME service options to "clear adaptions" but it has a few other options. It didn't say anything specific to VANOS which I was looking for so I backed out unsure if it would reset a bunch of stuff in the DME. This sort of makes sense with it being in the "service" section and I did do a "service" on the motor by replacing the solenoids. Can anyone assist me in verifying if that would possibly default everything in DME?

Out of time for the day but I believe there might be a component test in the scanner where I could test the exhaust VANOS, I'll have to look into it though. Thanks for your help!

[TassieBMW]

Glad to hear you managed to inspect the check valves and they were ok.

In regards to ISTA, there are plenty of downloads floating around the web and links on these forums to downloads, however I would suggest getting yourself a K+DCAN cable from eBay first. Also, Mike's Easy BMW Tools which includes INPA and a few other programs is a good package to install too.
If your scanner is BMW specific then definitely give its test functions a try and see if you can find anything.

Another suggestion, which obviously isn't ideal (or cheap) is to try some genuine BMW VANOS solenoids. I was originally planning to order Vaico ones but after doing a lot of reading on these forums and other places online there seemed to be information suggesting that people had experienced issues with even the higher quality European aftermarket solenoids, so I ended up ordering genuine ones.


In my case, if the solenoids don't solve the issue I will have to assume that either the cam bearing ledge is damaged to the point it is preventing VANOS from functioning correctly, or that the actuators themselves have some sort of issue such as the bolts being loose.

[Bims328i]

Thanks again though I only had time to check the top non-return valve (intake). I'll be looking at the exhaust side as well, tricky to remove. I found a pretty comprehensive guide to troubleshooting VANOS issues using another scanner (looks high end) but looking through it I do have the ability to clear adaptation values with this scanner and it states you should do this after replacing VANOS.

Quote "Be sure to clear VANOS adaptations any time a repair or fault has been found and recheck the system with a complete road test.".

So looking more into this I have a 2008 328i SULEV (N51) engine anyone know if these were susceptible to the cam ledge scoring issue or loose VANOS bolts on cam?

Strangely enough it's not throwing intake VANOS codes but 2A87 is still there. From what I've seen a missing oil cap insert will cause issues with the intake primarily which I don't have it is primarily exhaust side.

On this page I'm looking at the second video (part 2) and it states on the scanner window "Initially, the stop adaptations for the intake VANOS solenoid valve are taught-in." As to imply the intake is the one that gets "taught". As stated prior I had issues with the new Vaico intake solenoid but it seems as though it taught itself the proper setting now as I'm not getting the intake code again.

I will also try putting in the old ones and swap them to see what happens. I have a feeling it will then stay on the exhaust side. Looking over some other resources there can be a difference between the non-return valves (one can be clean while other is more contaminated). It will be best to least check the other one.

I could say it is indeed getting power because I checked live data today before leaving work and I could see the exhaust side was changing values all-be-it not that much. It did its surge thing and the engine died as I was backing out. After driving for a bit (very easy on the throttle) it cleared up. I also topped off the oil with 1qt. Been monitoring for spots on the parking lot and haven't seen anything dripping down from the lower cover yet.

Let us know how it goes with your new OEM solenoids, fingers crossed for you!

[Bims328i]

So I've been digging around and found This. Essentially describes my issue in some regard. Sounds like OEM solenoids fixed the problem. In my case from what I can gather the 2008 328i with N51 engine didn't have the VANOS bolt recall issue. My valve cover isn't showing any signs of leakage and this thread went over the eccentric shaft sensor which didn't address the "wavy" throttle when trying to cruise.