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I'm going to go ahead and thank anyone that can help me with this.
I've been daily driving my 1997 328is for almost four years now with little major problems. A month ago I had a CEL pop up so I scanned it and it returned "P0340 Camshaft Position Sensor." After replacing that with a VDO/Siemens one the CEL P0340 came back on a few days later. Figuring I might have just gotten a dud, unlikely but possible, I RMA'd it and ordered an OE BMW sensor. After replacing that, I made it maybe a few miles before the code came back on.
Today I took the car into the shop (my knowledge of BMW electrical systems is lacking so I figured lets see what the pros say) and after running the codes they verified that it was once again a P0340. After telling them I have replaced the CPS twice now with OEM and OE parts, they came back and said they believe my timing chain is stretched. This is there best guess as they didn't open the valve cover.
Year: 1997
Model: 328is
Mileage: 174,XXX
CPS: New Siemens/BMW branded
CEL: P0340 Camshaft Position Sensor
Is there merit to this guess? Is there a way I can check (Little too pricey to change a valve cover and inspect)? Anything else I should check? Pointers?
Member
It's not likely the timing chain, don't let them change it. It could have to do with the vanos solenoid or the crank sensor. Read more old threads concerning the code.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...archid=5712926
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That was my thought also. There is a pretty clear rattle coming from the front of the engine after looking at it today though.
Would changing out the lower timing chain tensioner be a possible solution? How would a crank sensor throw a camshaft sensor code?
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The lower and upper timing chain tensioners could be an issue, the lower is very easy to replace, just be sure to start the threads by hand. The upper is also easy to replace, the valve cover would have to come off.
The chain guides do wear and can also break. Would be a good maintenance job to do both tensioners and guides, the front timing cover would have to come off. The chains are most likely reusable.
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Would be a good time to rebuild the vanos with new seals. Go to the Beisan systems website for the seals and the DIY.
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The shop wanted to charge me $350 for the valve cover replacement and inspection/timing check of my motor, which is high... They said the worst case scenario was that the timing chain would have to be replaced with guides and all, at around $1.5k-2.0k. If this wasn't my daily I would be more likely to attempt the repair myself, but not having a car is not an option at this moment.
The lower chain tensioner I know I could do in a few minutes. How easy or involved is the upper tensioner? I have no experience under the valve cover of a car, but do not mind a new challenge. Do I need special tools, it looks like the Besian DIY shows cam lock blocks, a rotating tool, and a crank lock pin?
But once again, does a failing chain tensioner/stretched chain/VANOS failure have the possibility of causing a camshaft position sensor CEL?
Thanks for the help Eric!
Member
There are DIY guides on the forum. If I were you I would buy a cheap Camry or some other reliable car and then work on you E36. Download the Bentley service manual and you can also get a Haynes or Chiltons manual.
Did you read through all those old threads or do more searching, because I've heard of it before.
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So from what you've said we may have jumped the gun with timing chain and tensioner potential problems. Do you have a decent cell phone? Take a video and post it to youtube. Make sure the sound quality is real good and hold the cell phone horizontal, you can rev the engine with your hand (look for where the cables attach to the throttle body). Move the phone around the engine to get different sounds, make it at least a minute long.
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Don't let that shop work on your car!
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Yeah, I am definitely in the market for something newer and more reliable to make my daily. I just graduated college and have a good full time job now. But I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.
I have the Bentley manual at home. I also read through a few of those sensor code threads and most seemed to stem from using aftermarket sensors. I did run into a few articles where people fried the input on the DME. If you have seen any that would be more applicable, let me know!
I’ll get a video made and posted hopefully sometime tomorrow. It makes the noise more often on a cold start.
Again, thanks!
Member
Edit see below
Last edited by XnWarden; 12-08-2017 at 06:02 PM.
Member
Im assuming your car has the recall sub harness already installed for the cam and crank sensors????
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More threads for you to read through.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...archid=5715595
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Yes, my strut tower has a recall sticker applied marking that the cam/crank sensor recall was completed. What did this recall entail?
Eric, that link pulls up an error message of "Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms."
Thanks!
Member
Here is a link to the video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTOHSOJv5BI
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I can't tell listening on my phone, I will listen again later. What oil are you using?
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Surprisingly enough, it didnt seem to making much noise today. The other day seemed like it was chattering quite a bit more.
Im running Millers 5w-40 with Mann filters, but have also run Castrol Edge 10w-40.
Last edited by patbak; 12-10-2017 at 10:05 PM.
Member
Your engine sounds pretty good to me! Go and give your mechanic a swift kick in the balls!
Your overflow tank looks like it may be old, if it is consider replacing it in the spring.
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Your oil weight selection is fine. Why do you choose to get a foreign brand like millers? Can't be cheap!? If you want high end oil get royal purple HPS.
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Surprisingly enough that overflow is not quite a year old. My valve cover does need to be replaced pretty bad though after watching through that video. Haha
One of the shops down the road from me has it and it’s actually the same I was paying for the Castrol Edge. Came reccomended so I said why not.
Ok, so now that you don’t think that’s causing the code? Where should I check next? What does the recall harness have that’s different?
Thanks again!
Member
Well you could check that the wiring is good, so you would unplug the sensor and check the resistance in each wire going to the DME. Like I said before could have something to do with VANOS, solenoid and crank sensor.
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The recall harness changes the voltage running to the sensors in order to accommodate the updated crank sensor they released. It plugs into the fuel rail, the cam sensor, and the crank sensor. If you already have it dont worry about it. A stretched timing chain or worn out tensioners would be possible. No way to really tell until you pull the valve cover
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZEKDHK-75w
This is the noise that wasn't being made in the last video. The cricket noise seems to coming from around cylinder number 4 on the intake side. Maybe? It wasn’t very consistent.
Thanks guys! When I pull the valve cover, what should I look for?
Last edited by patbak; 12-12-2017 at 08:58 AM.
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It seems to be making the noise only when the car gets to temperature. First video was a cold start.
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P0340 is the Intake Cam Sensor. Did you replace the right one? We have had reports that some of the retailers list the Intake Cam Sensor, but actually fill the order with the Exhaust Cam Sensor. At least one of the reporters said that he replaced the wrong sensor twice. The two sensors are not interchangeable, but he looked around the engine and found a sensor that looked like the one in his hand, and replaced it. The Exhaust Cam Sensor has a plug in it that the wire harness plugs into, the Intake Cam Sensor has a long pig tail that plugs in underneath the throttle body. It should have been a clue that the guy was working on the exhaust side of the engine, but the detail escaped him.
More likely than the timing chain(s) being stretched is that you have something loose in the VANOS. I'm not sure where the intake cam gets its pulse, but my kid has a Ford Edge that was giving a P0340 and it was running poorly, turned out that the valve advance mechanism was faulty. Yes, BMW and Ford are not the same, I'm just throwing out possible hardware/mechanism issues that you can consider and eliminate at home. P0340 can be the sensor itself, the interconnecting wiring, or the valve timing mechanism. If the sensor is getting its pulse from something that's loose, then the Reference Pulse for valve position and the crank can be out of specification.
There is a tone ring that has square teeth that set up a waveform that the computer can count. At one point, there are two teeth that have the notch between them missing, this is the Reference Point that makes a long pulse. Think of a bicycle sprocket where the low part between two teeth is filled in. This would give you a feeling every time this part of the sprocket came around. A tone ring is similar, kinda. The square wave at the reference point is longer than the others, the computer knows that the cam is at a certain place. The cam has to arrive at this place at the same time as the crank gets to its reference position. Maybe the cams get there on alternating rotations of the crank, but the point is that the computer knows where the crank is, the cams have to be there also. If the reference pulse is moving because of a lose screws, then you can get the P0340. The crankshaft pulse will not move, it is either there or it isn't. The cam pulse may move, depending on where the tone ring is.
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