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Thread: 2012 BMW 535i Xdrive VANOS Issue/Timing Issue

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Reno, NV
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    2
    My Cars
    90' 325i/05' M3

    2012 BMW 535i Xdrive VANOS Issue/Timing Issue

    Currently i am having an issue with a F10 535 with the N55, initially the car came in not running at all, found fault codes


    130104-VANOS Intake Control Fault, Camshaft Stuck


    131401-VANOS Intake & Exhaust Cold Start Not Controllable, Position Not Reached


    We first proceeded to update the Programming level for the DME to above the F010-14-07-503 or higher via the SIB 122614 we found,


    Didn't fix the issue,


    We removed valve cover and found exhaust camshaft vanos bolt slightly loose, put n55 timing tool on and replaced both bolts on intake and exhaust, torqued to spec and put everything back together, reset VANOS adaptions and engine adaptions through ISTA, started car and engine ran fine for about 5 seconds then started running rough again and drivetrain malfunction popped up


    Scanned car and found the following faults


    DME Intake Camshaft Installation Faulty


    DME Exhaust Camshaft Installation Faulty


    Removed Valve Cover again and found engine out of time again, put engine back in time and replaced the 2 bolts for the vanos units again, same thing happened again


    This time we decided to replace the VANOS Adjustment Units for both Intake and Exhaust, now the engine will start and run and idle smoothly but we still have a permanent DME Intake Camshaft Installation Faulty fault coming back immediately, both VANOS Units we replaced came off a running engine with no issues, we are not getting a Exhaust Camshaft Installation Faulty fault anymore just the Intake Fault that's causing the car to go into limp mode, any advice or recommendations would be much appreciated we have lost a lot of time and money on this and was hoping you or someone you know might have an answer to this issue that we are stumped by


    Thank you


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
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    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
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    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD
    Has the serpentine belt ever come off, and wrapped around the crankshaft pulley?

    The N5X engines have this issue. When it happens, as well as destroying the crankshaft seal, and lodging chunks of the belt in the oil pan, it also undoes the timing, by unscrewing the crankshaft bolt.

    The crankshaft bolt is responsible for holding the timing in place. If this bolt is not ALL THE WAY TIGHT, your engine isn't timed. (The torque spec is absurd, by the way. (Stretch bolt, must be replaced)

    Also, be aware that the cam gear bolts come loose and break....not the big one, the little ones. There's a service bulletin on this. If these have failed, BMW may pay for the work.

    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

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Reno, NV
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    My Cars
    90' 325i/05' M3
    The belt from our understanding has never broken but we don't know if it ever has, I have dealt with a belt doing exactly what your saying and getting through the crank seal and causing a starvation of oil to the head by blocking the pickup in the pan, fortunately it doesn't look like this has happened, we found the exhaust bolt the big one loose the first time, replaced it and the intake one at the same time, twice to no avail. it wasn't until we bought 2 used VANOS adjustment units and put them on with the engine properly timed and the crank pinned at TDC that the car will start and run now but goes into limp mode immediately and intake camshaft installation faulty comes up in ISTA, the exhaust cam fault has not come back, also we haven't replace the timing chain/guide or the timing chain tensioner, a question I have is; is it possible the intake camshaft was damaged or twisted when it was out of time causing now a permanent camshaft issue hence why the exhaust one is fixed now but the intake is still a problem, thank you advanced, it doesn't seem like anyone knows about this issue, replacing units and bolts hasn't resolved this

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
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    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD
    BMW cams are hollow, and fragile. It hasn't twisted, because it would have broken first.

    Has the crank bolt been checked for tightness? I'm sure you've had a really good look with a flashlight at the timing rails. It seems to me that you know exactly what you're doing.

    Maybe White94Rx will have a look at your thread; he's a Level 1 factory master tech, and will have dealt with many more N55s than I have.

    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

  5. #5
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    Seems like you've done everything right except installing used parts. I'm never a fan of that. Dirtracer is right about the cam. It would have broken before it twisted.

    The N55 didn't have the issue of the small bolts on the gears coming loose. That was N52 only.

    Without seeing and touching the car myself, it's hard to diagnose something this complex. But I'd be doing the same thing you are. Recheck timing, check the crank bolt, etc. BTW, there are two holes in the flywheel pretty close to each other and it's easy to pin the wrong hole. When you get the correct hole, the crank will not move AT ALL. When you get the wrong hole it will move a couple degrees each way.

    Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Thanks, my friend. I'd forgotten about the weird extra hole , although yeah, you can certainly feel the difference. I've never figured out why the hell they put that misleading hole there...I found it once, but was alerted by the wiggle, so caught the problem before I locked in incorrect timing. Good to know the gear bolts were just an N52 problem.

    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

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Andover
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    My Cars
    1997 BMW 328iS
    Did anyone ever find a solution to this problem? currently having the same codes and problems with my s55. I'm getting ready to check timing and pull the valve cover for the third time.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    New smyrna beach florida
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    My Cars
    03 BMW 540i
    All of a sudden I'm not to excited about doing this to my 540i 4.4

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    cluj napoca
    Posts
    1
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    bmw
    Hello,same problems,same engine N5, after replace just the cylinder cover gasket.
    Do you find any solution for this?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Hello,same problems,same engine N55, after replace just the cylinder cover gasket.
    Do you find any solution for this?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    iran
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2013 BMW f10
    hello,
    I have the similar issues with n20 engine with the following errors
    intake camshaft installation defective
    charging pressure control switch-off as consequence
    I just wanted to know if this issue has been solve if so, how?
    thx in advance.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    Arlington, VA
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    2018 BMW M240i
    Chris, there are 2 holes there to separate the shade tree mechanics from the pros!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    canada
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    bmw x1
    Did you ever find out the issue I am also having the same codes on a n20 engine

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Location
    Canada
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    1
    My Cars
    2016 BMW 435i
    Hi all,
    Has anyone found out what this could have been ? mine also happened after a headgasket, but when i put the car together ran well for a few days. Then after a bit i had the same codes

    Charging pressure control: Switch-off as consequence
    003011 - Intake Camshaft: Installation faulty.
    003012 - Exhaust Camshaft: Installation faulty

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