E39 528i vanos wiring

[Gari6167]

Can someone help? I have a 98 528i I bought awhile ago. The vanos selenoid in front by camshaft sensor needs to be replaced because wire w plug attached is cut off which I can do. I cannot find connector that it plugs into. Can anyone tell me where that connector goes back to so I can find it or replace whole wire?
I Thank anyone that can help.

[328 Power 04]

Single vanos or dual vanos engine?

[MarcoZandrini]

It’s a single vanos according to realoem.

[ross1]

It is the same style connector as used on the fuel injectors and some other devices, it has a spring clip to release the other half. The connection should be just aft of the oil filter housing cap.
It is probably laying somewhere under the intake, it is part of an octopus of a harness down there.
Since you don't have the connector on the vanos solenoid to match up you'll not be aware that the connector is for TWO wires even though only one is used. You may have already discounted the correct one assuming it contains two wires. WRONG see post 6 below

I have some spare solenoids if you care to buy used. PM if interested.

[bmwdirtracer]

Well, I dunno. I looked up the wiring diagrams for the car, and I get DUAL vanos, not single. And, I show TWO wires per plug. (The only single-wire plug I know of on this engine is for the oil pressure sensor).

Red/white, and either green/violet, or green/blue......

I THINK I recall that plug as going to the very bottom front corner of the electrical harness box which hangs from the DISA area all the way down to the throttle body. (But maybe that's the cam sensor wire?)

I'll try to remember to check this today -- I'm installing a throttle body on a good friend's '99 528iT

https://screenshots.firefox.com/irgZ....prodemand.com

[ross1]

Vanos solenoids, connectors 001.jpgVanos solenoids, connectors 002.jpgChris, you are absolutely right about two wires.
I am posting some photos to help the OP as atonement. Not sure WTF I was thinking except I had a firm conviction there was only one wire for that, sorry for contributing to any confusion.
Regarding single or dual VANOS; the dual VANOS engines use a different solenoid(second pic) without a pigtail. Given the OP's description his would engine be single VANOS.

[bmwdirtracer]

The 528i which I worked on this afternoon was a dual vanos, and had the solenoid with no pigtail, as in your second picture. For this engine, the wire and plug for the solenoid come out of the top of the injector wiring black plastic rail, about an inch from the end. The wire which goes to the bottom front of the electrical box between throttle body and DISA is the intake cam sensor wire.

[328 Power 04]

It's probably a single vanos car here... but since OP is post and run, it's hard to follow up.

- - - Updated - - -

This car likely had the additional Y harness installed as part of the crankshaft position sensor recall, power source rewire, which slightly reroutes the wire for the VANOS solenoid. (from memory, of course I can just go outside and look on my 328is.)

[bmwdirtracer]

I vaguely remember that recall, swapping the 5V sensor for 12V, but I don't remember the other details

Thank you for your wisdom this afternoon, Abel. I cleared the throttle adaptations, and the new throttle body with the different part number worked perfectly, no codes, potentiometers agreed. That's THREE Tarheel chapter instructors you've helped now....

[Gari6167]

Hey, I appreciate ur answering my post. I was wondering if you knew where a new wire would be run to. I don't know alot about these cars but it seems the selenoid works off of oil pressure but needs a 12 volt signal of some sort. Where or how does the selenoid get it's signal. If it just has a 12 volt lead n ground n looks at the oil pressure to trigger it I get that. Or is it triggered by throttle, ecu, or something else. I can't seem to find info on where the harness it plugs into comes from.
I Appreciate Any Help.

[bmwdirtracer]

Post the last seven digits of your VIN number, so we can identify whether the engine is single vanos or dual vanos.

The DME (engine computer) triggers the vanos.