[Ironhead Dave]

Can anyone tell me what the green wire with a red tracer may go to? It appears that it possibly got pinched in the cover. I cannot be for sure but when I just pushed the harness back in, that is where it wanted to lay.

[nsjames]

look on newtis for the wiring diagram for your vin.

[Ironhead Dave]

I finally got some time to get back in this a little. Since the last time I posted I went through all of the wiring. I replaced the ESS and put in new spark plugs. It now runs enough to do some of the suggested tests. So I unplugged the MAF. No change. I unplugged the ESS. No change. The valvetronic angle with the engine off is 0 specified and 57 actual. Running it is 251 specified and 219 actual.

I erased the codes and have not had any show up yet but it still is running very rough.

[nsjames]

should be the same.

perhaps your motor is failing? Or possibly the power to it. THough I'm pretty sure the DME monitors the power to the vt motor and would set a code if it didn't have 12V.

obviously the ESS changed it enough to make it run again, so I think you're on the right track with VT issues being your problem with rough running.

you can test the motor with an ohm meter.
it's just a simple 12V motor. Put one lead on one of the terminals in the 2 prong connector, put the other to the motor case.

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by nsjames

should be the same.

perhaps your motor is failing? Or possibly the power to it. THough I'm pretty sure the DME monitors the power to the vt motor and would set a code if it didn't have 12V.

obviously the ESS changed it enough to make it run again, so I think you're on the right track with VT issues being your problem with rough running.

you can test the motor with an ohm meter.
it's just a simple 12V motor. Put one lead on one of the terminals in the 2 prong connector, put the other to the motor case.

I did the test and if I go from a prong to the case, I get nothing in either prong. If I go prong to prong I get around 50 ohms. I did use the Allen screw on the back of the motor to dial it down from 57 to 0 with the engine off. I did the key calibration again and the number came right back to 58 so I assume the motor is functioning just not correctly.

I will admit that I have been just using what i can find online as guides to do the work. I plan on getting a Bentley manual but a $150 scanner and $200 ESS has postponed that right now. That being said, the ESS did not just line right up so I turned the whole sensor until it went in place and then turned it to line up the bolt holes. Is there something I should have done differently that may be causing it to read off?

[nsjames]

not that I know of.
it's just a potentiometer.

The minor variances between them are learned during the mechanical limit stop test. That's what it does. Runs the motor until the shaft stops, then the DME records the values from the ESS so it knows the electrical reference for the mechanical system.

Have you gotten a can cable? ISTA will have the test plan. So it may be worth even setting that up just for the information. It's basically the factory service manual in the diagnostic software.

at this point since it keeps returning back to the wrong number consistently, I'd assume something in the relearn process did not go properly.

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by nsjames

not that I know of.
it's just a potentiometer.

The minor variances between them are learned during the mechanical limit stop test. That's what it does. Runs the motor until the shaft stops, then the DME records the values from the ESS so it knows the electrical reference for the mechanical system.

Have you gotten a can cable? ISTA will have the test plan. So it may be worth even setting that up just for the information. It's basically the factory service manual in the diagnostic software.

at this point since it keeps returning back to the wrong number consistently, I'd assume something in the relearn process did not go properly.

So for the heck of it. I plugged into my wife’s 328xi. She has a N51 where as I have a N52. Her readings were the exactly the same with her engine off. However, with the engine running her values were in the 50s and went to 70s when i revived it up. Mine are in the 200s.

Also I inadvertently went into limp mode when i forgot to plug in my valvetronic motor and it got noticeably better other than the reduced performance.

[nsjames]

interesting. perhaps your scanner shows the raw values without the DME adjustment?

when the VT motor wasn't plugged in I'm sure it defaulted to the throttle body.

everything says you have some sort of valvetronic issue. do the n51 and the n52 share the same motor?
I'd maybe swap them just too see if yours is bad, but then if you break the wife's car it's all bad.

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by nsjames

interesting. perhaps your scanner shows the raw values without the DME adjustment?

when the VT motor wasn't plugged in I'm sure it defaulted to the throttle body.

everything says you have some sort of valvetronic issue. do the n51 and the n52 share the same motor?
I'd maybe swap them just too see if yours is bad, but then if you break the wife's car it's all bad.

Lol! Then we would have no cars. She would kill me. It’s not a bad idea though. I could swap out all of her coils too to see if I need new ones or not. So the valvetronic...will it cause misfires? I have random misfires on all cylinders.

[nsjames]

absolutely.

the valvetronic is how these motors control the amount of air flow into the engine.
it basically replaced the butterfly in a throttle body.

if it's not doing as it's supposed to, the amount of fuel injected will not be right for the amount of air.

[Ironhead Dave]

So here’s the ‘laugh’ of the day...we drove my wife’s 328 into Lexington for dinner and about half way there the CEL comes on and it starts running rough. I pulled off the road, shut it off and waited a minute. I started it and it runs fine. I get on it a little to merge onto the freeway and it starts doing it again. It’s acting just like it did when the coils started going out the last time. Luckily the last time it was still under warranty.

[Bimmer_Engineer]

Originally Posted by Ironhead Dave

I did the test and if I go from a prong to the case, I get nothing in either prong. If I go prong to prong I get around 50 ohms. I did use the Allen screw on the back of the motor to dial it down from 57 to 0 with the engine off. I did the key calibration again and the number came right back to 58 so I assume the motor is functioning just not correctly.

I will admit that I have been just using what i can find online as guides to do the work. I plan on getting a Bentley manual but a $150 scanner and $200 ESS has postponed that right now. That being said, the ESS did not just line right up so I turned the whole sensor until it went in place and then turned it to line up the bolt holes. Is there something I should have done differently that may be causing it to read off?

You can download the Bentley manual for free...search for it on this forum. I don’t have the exact link but there’s a thread on here for it...

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Engineer

You can download the Bentley manual for free...search for it on this forum. I don’t have the exact link but there’s a thread on here for it...

Awesome. Thanks! I still want to buy one because I am an old school book in hand kind of guy but for now...anything will help

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by nsjames

not that I know of.
it's just a potentiometer.

The minor variances between them are learned during the mechanical limit stop test. That's what it does. Runs the motor until the shaft stops, then the DME records the values from the ESS so it knows the electrical reference for the mechanical system.

So back to this...I was thinking that these numbers are in degrees so it is actually saying that my shaft is rotating from 57 degrees to 219 degrees. That is not logical. My wife’s car goes from 57 degrees to in the 70s. That seems more likely

It makes me wonder if I did something wrong

[nsjames]

IIRC the sensor was keyed so you could not get it in the shaft wrong.
it didn't rotate freely passed 360*, so I don't know how you'd get it in there improperly.

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by nsjames

IIRC the sensor was keyed so you could not get it in the shaft wrong.
it didn't rotate freely passed 360*, so I don't know how you'd get it in there improperly.

Good. Being a former Production Engineer in the automotive industry, I would think that they would design it that way. I can’t even imagine the cost they would incur if they had a large number of cars produced with the ESS installed incorrectly. I am just frustrated and grasping for anything right now. I have a cable in order so will see what that says. # 2 and #6 coils are out in my wife’s car so I am giving her a couple of mine and ordering new ones for me. Eventually this thing will have to run.

[ctuna]

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/at...9&d=1539905743

FyI

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by ctuna

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/at...9&d=1539905743

You rock!

[Ironhead Dave]

I was getting familiar with my scanner today and found a 2A46 code stored which is VVT Self Learning Function Stops Not Learned. Digging a little more I found a function to teach the stops. I ran the test and it said that is was successful. I started the car and it was still rough. I checked the Valvetronic numbers and they had not changed. 219 degrees. I did get the usual misfire codes and also an inlet camshaft synchronization fault. There is something really wonky about all of this.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by Ironhead Dave

I have another thread started on here labeled ‘spark plug tubes’ that morphed into a discussion about the real issue so I thought I would start this one to be more geared to what the issue is.

I changed my valve cover gasket on my 2011 328xi with a N52. Afterward I took the car for a drive. After a few miles it started running rough and got progressively worse to where it will barely start now. I bought a new Foxwell NT520 scanner and got a ton of codes. I don’t even know where to start. Maybe someone will be able to pinpoint something that may trigger all of this.

How old are your plugs & coils ave what engine do you have?

[rt7085]

I am ready about all these issues. It is not something silly like a missing ground braid, right? I believe there a ground connection on the (plastic) valve cover and one between the head and the chassis. Bad ground will do a lot of bad things at once. Just an idea.

[Ironhead Dave]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

How old are your plugs & coils ave what engine do you have?

I have a N52. My plugs are brand new. I changed them thinking they might be part of the issue. Coils are unknown. The car ran perfectly but the VCG was leaking so I changed it and put it back together and here I am. It ran fine for a few miles and then started running rough. It got progressively worse untiil it eventually wouldn’t start anymore. I have got it to start but still runs rough and is not drivable.