UPDATE:
Got everything back together last night and fired the car up this morning... No more code.
I checked the adaptation values again and the're down to around positive 3 degrees on bank 2 as opposed to sitting right around 10 like they were before. (Guess that means I turned the wheel roughly 7 degrees)
Now I actually ended up not even pulling the upper timing cover off. (Probably not the smartest idea but hey this whole approach to the situation wasn't the smartest in the first place.
Once I had the valve cover off I just loosened the nut on the trigger wheel and used the inspection hole on the upper timing cover to align the trigger wheel. (With the crank locked and cam blocks on of course)
I was aiming to turn it roughly 10 degrees clockwise so I scored the trigger wheel so I knew where I started and did just that while having a pin inserted through the inspection hole help with alignment.
So it looks like this solved the problem after all, I'll have to see if the car runs any better once I get it back on the road. Hopefully I'll get some of that low end torque back.
I really appreciate all the input you guys gave on the situation though.
Supercharged 2003 540i M Tech
I'm happy that this worked out for you, Gootsy.
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
Thanks Chris, So am I.
I know you had your doubts but I guess it looks like JimLev was right after all.
I'm sure if I had re-timed the entire engine properly I would have ended up with the same result, luckily this managed to work out though.
Hopefully there will be a noticeable difference in power and overall drive-ability once I get it back on the road.
Supercharged 2003 540i M Tech
Thanks for the update Gootsy.
Thought I'd just give one last update.
So I had the car out all day and boy did doing that make all the difference.
Having that code and having the vanos shut down due to it was killing more power than I would have ever thought.
The car absolutely rips now at low rpm's, it has tons of torque where it didn't have any before, and just overall it's clearly a lot faster.
I just put my brand new style 65 wheels on today with fresh pilot super sport 275's in the rear and it's struggling to hook up at all in first gear where as before it wouldn't even come close to spinning the 255's on a 15 inch wheel that were on it.
I cant thank you guys enough for the help and for getting me to get in there and fix the code.
Supercharged 2003 540i M Tech
Yesterday I was thinking about sending you a PM to see if things were still OK.
Thanks for the update.
What S/C are you running? VF, Dinan...
Jumping into this thread, hoping that JimLev or Gootsy still checking it.
I have exactly the same issue as Gootsy on an E38 (same engine) after timing chain fix, getting the "Function Inlet Camshaft Control Bank 2" error, but otherwise car runs great.
Opened up Bank 2 after driving the car approx 10 miles, everything is perfectly aligned, including the timing wheel what I checked with an allen key (see photo attached) thru the timing cover hole.
Vanos solenoids are brand new, I have replaced recently the seals with Beisan method on Vanos unit.
Shall I use a smaller allen key and adjust the wheel CW a few degrees or this could be something else? Looks like perfectly timed engine, I'm a bit hesitant to adjust the wheel, but whatever it takes...
(Engine is in TDC and cam holder banks are on for the picture, this is the only error message I'm getting)
Thanks a lot!
DSC06890.jpg
Last edited by georgebest; 04-21-2018 at 10:38 AM.
Any slop with the Allen key going thru the hole in the timing cover?
The trigger wheel only needs to be a few deg off to throw a code.
Was the vanos done the same time as the guides?
If not, did you retime it after doing the vanos seals?
Score the wheel so you know where you started from and then turn it slightly a few deg CW looking at it from the front of the engine.
Allen key looks dead straight to me going into the wheel. But there is a few degree of possible play cause the hole on the wheel is not the same size as the key.
Vanos was done same times as the guides, everything retimed according to Beisan's guide (and TIS).
Sorry not sure what do you mean by "score the wheel", I'm not a native English speaker Do you mean to mark it where it is now?
I can only turn it if loosen the nut, I guess that's how to do it.
Would you still keep a perhaps smaller allen key plugged in to make sure the hole is somehow remains in line with timing cover hole or that doesnt matter anymore? I could probably turn it 1-5 degrees CW with a smaller key still in it.
Thanks a lot for your reply, I really enjoyed your timing video!
Yes, mark it's current position (wheel and on the vanos) so you know exactly where it is now, then loosen the nut and turn the wheel 2-3 deg. That should equate to moving the score line on the wheel about 1/8" from your mark on the vanos.
No need to keep an Allen key in there.
Makes sense, thanks!
I have just noticed that valve cover is not flush with the timing cover. I did the Beisan method when putting it together (double washer), but this is best it gets, still there is a approx a mm gap:
DSC06892.jpg
(Picture is without the valve cover gasket)
Tried again, even leaned on the valve cover hard but not getting any better. I worry to brake the threads on the studs if tightening any stronger. Could this gap causing the error?
Thanks!
Last edited by georgebest; 04-21-2018 at 05:59 PM.
DSC06895.jpgDSC06896.jpg
Decided to work on the gap with a help of clamp bar, testing tomorrow if that solves the issue. If not I will loosen the nut and adjust the wheel a bit.
Thanks @JimLev. I had the code on both banks. When I looked at the values all cylinders were at or close to 12. Turned both wheels clockwise and now bank 1 cylinders are around 6 and bank 2 cylinders are around -3.
No more code.
Minor update: made the upper timing cover flush, but it didnt solve the issue. Next step is doing JimLev's patented "spin the wheel" method
Hello guys... good day to you all! please i really do need your help. i am from the united arab emirates, with a 2003 x5 M62 with no kind of mechanical technical know how. i am having same problem and my trust is on my mechanic who doesnt know much about bmw, so most times i read your tread and try to follow. but as regards this issue i dont know how to go about... i have been trying to understand whats meant by " spin the wheel" which i guess is around the timing chain area. would appreciate videos or pictures that i could use to guide my mechanic in solving this issue. please see attached photo for code reading with G-scan device.. i really appreciate what ever help is advised. thanksWhatsApp Image 2018-05-01 at 12.34.07 PM.jpeg
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please help me George..... its really frustrating here. thanks
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please help my condition jim.... thanks
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hey Goosty you can refer to my condition, cause u have been there... please help dont leave me here!!! thanks
Has anyone retimed your engine? Did you have the timing chain rails replaced? Do you hear nasty rattling from the front of the engine?
If not, you have a vanos issue. How good has the oil maintenance been on your car?
Seriously, this whole "spin the wheel" thing is just NONSENSE ! If the engine's out of time after the chain and timing has been reset, then you need to reset the timing using the proper tools, and put the slack on the tensioner side (between bank 1 and the crankshaft.) If you guys want to play Ouija Board with your timing, and spin the sensor wheels around haphazardly, at least be honest enough to admit you're doing nothing more than tricking the sensors and DME into believing you actually did the job correctly....when the timing is still incorrect.
A hack is a hack; if you like driving around with your timing incorrect, have at it.
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
Bmwdirtracer, looks like you still don't understand the timing and the actual function of the trigger wheel....sad.
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Not that one....this one and save a ton of loot.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Camshaf...AAAOSwzJ5XZ2WE
I DO understand, fully. I time a LOT of engines, and I've timed the M62TU dozens of times. Like almost every other engine, if you allow the chain/belt slack to be on the wrong side of the crankshaft (away from the tensioner), when you set the timing, the timing will be wrong. And, if you lock the sensor wheel to the camshaft when the timing is incorrect, you'll get a timing code. If you then go back, and move the sensor wheel, you will indeed make the computer happy, because that's the only way it reads timing.
But your timing will still be wrong.
Of course, I don't use crap Chinese timing tools either. Maybe that's why you need to play scratch and guess with the sensor wheels? No thanks, I'll use good tools, keep the slack on the tensioner side, and follow the directions. I think cam timing's too important to be playing guessing games.
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
It's not a guessing game, it's understanding how the whole system works.
I've always said the chain has to be tight on the drivers side which is also shown in the video I made, as well as keeping the pass side tight when the tensioner block is removed.
The others I've helped have said the chain was tight, the crank was pinned, the cams were locked, and the vanos was retarded. That only leaves the trigger wheel to be off.
Some have done this procedure multiple times and still got errors. Not being there to see how they set the wheel (or what they have for tools) is the only thing that is left to make the code pop up.
I have a set of Koch ($$$) timing tools and can say the trigger wheel setup tool has some slop in the way it mounts to the engine, which can account for a few degrees of trigger wheel error.
Some use the GAS tool set and have got errors too.
Locking the crank and cams is not something that can have any errors in that part of the procedure. Retarding the vanos shouldn't either. The human part where the error can occur is setting the wheel or bending a tab on the wheel when they put the valve cover back on.
Last edited by JimLev; 05-02-2018 at 09:44 AM.
With greatest respect Jim, I understand that you've helped many hundreds of people at these forums, and others have achieved engines that run, code-free, by using your method. I appreciate the great deal of experience you have with this engine.
That said, I've only once had an M62 produce a timing-related code, when I was done....and it was because I'd neglected to put the chain slop on the tensioner side. I retimed it, and it was fine. Having timed perhaps a couple of dozen M62's, over the years, I've never had to move the wheel to anywhere besides where the tools lock it in place. I'll also say that I've not known another BMW pro to have to move the sensor wheel to anywhere except the locked location. I also note that you've not said that YOU have had to move the sensor wheel around after YOU personally timed an engine.....
I didn't mean any offense, I'm just anally retentive when it come to timing an engine.
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
There is a shop in VA or Northern NC that use to be on the E39 forum a lot. He would help many peeps with timing problems. After they did everything by the book many many times and still got the code he had them verify there was no slack on the drivers side. They were using either Baum or Koch tools. He then had them turn the trigger wheel a few deg and all was fine. This is where I got this info from.
Of all the engines I've timed I've never got a code on any of them.
I've never seen a BMW procedure for doing the timing on a 540tu engine, it's not in Bentleys. This was the main reason I made the video, got tired of way too many PM's asking for help.
OK, so let's bury the hatchet (not in each other's back) and move on.
Deal?
I saw you reply on another post, thanks for the thumbs up.
Absolutely, Jim. Your knowledge and experience are wonderful gifts to the participants at these forums, and I have the very greatest respect for you, and your knowledge. My sincerest thanks, for sharing this wisdom here, and for your dedication in assisting so many people. We don't always have to agree....we each have been privy to different experiences in our learning. ... I'm here because I wish to continue learning, and I'll always try to keep an open mind. (Okay, I'm not really good at that, but I keep trying, nonetheless)
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
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