E92 Valvetronic Issue

shmaa · 12-09-2013, 10:41 AM

Long story short I have an 09 328i (55K) that was driven, parked, sat for hours and would not start again.

I pulled 2 codes:
P1017
P1030

Both relate to the valvetronic system and the eccentric shaft sensor. After some research I read that the eccentric shaft sensor seems to be a common issue on the N52.

So I started taking the car apart and found this...

So apparently the gear on the valvetronic motor decided to break and I'm not sure why.

Has anyone heard of this happening?

I was able to move the eccentric shaft by hand and it does not feel bound up, there is a lot of spring tension though. Could it be just a weak gear? I'd hate to put a new motor in and have it snap instantly.

LittleBlue · 01-24-2014, 12:17 PM

What did you end up doing?

David0ff · 01-24-2014, 12:42 PM

wow ...

these new n52s, well new some time ago, seem to have some silly casting failures, head bolts snapping, now this ... it is scary

wtf is up with zee germans, bring the old school engineered bmws back , wtf is this shit

AdamN52 · 01-24-2014, 01:32 PM

Damn, that's rough. Mine had some shavings around the shaft like it had been grinding on the gear at some point, but I've had no codes or functionality issues.

Are you out of warranty? Either way I'd go show that to a dealer and demand a new part. I can understand a winding or bearing in the motor burning out over time (a long time...), but that kind of breakage is a defect - not wear.

Three_thirty_I · 01-24-2014, 06:19 PM

Dare I say it, but I am tending to think that these engines were designed to self destruct!!

That is crazy! some serious force would have been needed to snap that worm gear!

Also curious to know what happened in the end!

romanonj · 02-03-2014, 11:23 AM

Replace it, couild have been just weak worm gear.. Gld you recovered broken piece.. It would be wy worse if it dropped in the oil pan or clogged an oil passage elsewhere.. Spring should be tight, not loose..

LittleBlue · 02-13-2014, 07:24 AM

just had the sensor and the vvt replaced by the dealer, believe it was the sensor that went bad but had them replace the vvt as well since all I had to pay for was the part and no additional labor.

12-09-2013, 10:41 AM	#1
shmaa New Member 1 Rep 10 Posts Drives: 328 Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	E92 Valvetronic Issue Long story short I have an 09 328i (55K) that was driven, parked, sat for hours and would not start again. I pulled 2 codes: P1017 P1030 Both relate to the valvetronic system and the eccentric shaft sensor. After some research I read that the eccentric shaft sensor seems to be a common issue on the N52. So I started taking the car apart and found this... So apparently the gear on the valvetronic motor decided to break and I'm not sure why. Has anyone heard of this happening? I was able to move the eccentric shaft by hand and it does not feel bound up, there is a lot of spring tension though. Could it be just a weak gear? I'd hate to put a new motor in and have it snap instantly.
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01-24-2014, 12:17 PM	#2
LittleBlue Second Lieutenant 24 Rep 254 Posts Drives: 2022 G30 M Sport Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: U.S.A iTrader: (0) Garage List 2022 BMW 530I M Sport [0.00] [10.00]	What did you end up doing?
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01-24-2014, 12:42 PM	#3
David0ff Combined Applications Group 1059 Rep 680 Posts Drives: Lada Scrapus Trofeo R Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Classified iTrader: (1)	wow ... these new n52s, well new some time ago, seem to have some silly casting failures, head bolts snapping, now this ... it is scary wtf is up with zee germans, bring the old school engineered bmws back , wtf is this shit
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01-24-2014, 01:32 PM	#4
AdamN52 First Lieutenant 16 Rep 301 Posts Drives: 2007 328xi (E90) Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	Damn, that's rough. Mine had some shavings around the shaft like it had been grinding on the gear at some point, but I've had no codes or functionality issues. Are you out of warranty? Either way I'd go show that to a dealer and demand a new part. I can understand a winding or bearing in the motor burning out over time (a long time...), but that kind of breakage is a defect - not wear.
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01-24-2014, 06:19 PM	#5
Three_thirty_I Lieutenant Colonel 200 Rep 1,834 Posts Drives: '05 E90 330i Manual Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Cape Town, South Africa iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 BMW E90 330i [0.00]	Dare I say it, but I am tending to think that these engines were designed to self destruct!! That is crazy! some serious force would have been needed to snap that worm gear! Also curious to know what happened in the end! __________________ BMW E90 330i (M) '05 (His) \| (Hers) BMW E46 320i f/l (M) '03
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02-03-2014, 11:23 AM	#6
romanonj Major 146 Rep 1,319 Posts Drives: F80 DCT Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey, Ocean County iTrader: (18)	Replace it, couild have been just weak worm gear.. Gld you recovered broken piece.. It would be wy worse if it dropped in the oil pan or clogged an oil passage elsewhere.. Spring should be tight, not loose.. __________________ 2016 F80 M3 BSM with Black interior DCT/Driver Assistance/Executive/LEDs/Adaptive/Black Wheels 2014 F32 435i xDrive AW/CR 2014 F25 X3 M-Sport Carbon Black 2011 e92 335is 2007 X3 122k miles 2006 e90 330i 132k miles
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02-13-2014, 07:24 AM	#7
LittleBlue Second Lieutenant 24 Rep 254 Posts Drives: 2022 G30 M Sport Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: U.S.A iTrader: (0) Garage List 2022 BMW 530I M Sport [0.00] [10.00]	just had the sensor and the vvt replaced by the dealer, believe it was the sensor that went bad but had them replace the vvt as well since all I had to pay for was the part and no additional labor.
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