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Let my know what you find with the diversity antenna and jets. Mine work only up close. I have read the issue can be in the wiring, the connections or the module. There is at least one company that repairs the modules but it is in Europe or Eastern Europe: https://en.e60diversitymodule.com/
As for wiring: https://5series.net/forums/e61-touri...acement-72751/
When I did my hitch, I read that a special harness is needed that has a separate power supply rather than the old style ones that draw power directly from the existing lights. I forget where I bought it.
The trans fluid must have been a mess. And still is probably. There is usually something you forgot to check on a big job. At least this is accessible. I have spilled just about every fluid over the years. A few years ago, I was pressure bleeding my brakes with a motive when the motive hose sprung a pin hole leak and sprayed a stream across the underside of the hood and about 10 feet further. I was at a rear brake and did not realize it for about 15 seconds and it was another 10 before I got there and stopped it.
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Yes, I got a Tow Ready kit for the trailer wiring, it connects directly to the battery so no messing with lights. I'm almost done cleaning up the mess, we have interlock so it's quite a pain. Lesson learned.
I've got a strange issue now though: the VANOS outlet fault comes back, but only once the car is in drive or reverse. It will happily idle for 30 minutes with no faults and revs great. I've swapped the solenoids again, no change. Very bizarre.
Last edited by tantumaude; 05-23-2020 at 10:16 PM.
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I don’t understand dual vanos issues well yet. I know there are a couple of filters in the head on the header side near the front that can clog. Cam position sensor can also be an issue. But you don’t want to throw parts at it because that gets expensive. Maybe N54tech.com has some info on vanos faults triggering off idle (which is probably when there is a cam timing change).
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I think I got everything sorted engine-wise. New solenoids, new check valves and cleaned up wiring terminals, followed by adaptation reset. The car actually drives rather well now, and sounds good.
Now on to the cosmetics. Quite a laundry list. Fogged headlights, peeling paint on passenger rocker, a few scratches and dents.
Tow hitch wiring almost complete.
One of my new used wheels ended up being cracked, so that's turning into a huge pain.
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What a courageous project from another Canadian. Hello and congrats on the work from Whitby!
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Thank you! Yes, I hope the end result will be worth the work.Originally Posted by 328isblack
Sadly though, I'm getting a VANOS fault again now, 9 times out of ten starts. 2a7c and then of course 3100. I ran through all the tests in ISTA, nothing. Did solenoids, cam sensors, check valves...I'm running out of things to replace!
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Some say that can be an oil pressure issue like from a squashed filter or cap missing the plastic basket that goes inside the filter. I assume you are clearing adaption as well as codes. I have not had this yet so I don’t know much about it but it seems you have tackled all the usual suspects. I have also read of worn bearing ledges but don’t really know anything about that.
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Exactly, I've done all that. Trying to find out if the ledges can throw a single, occasional code. The other possibility is timing being off.
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Are you having fun or getting worn out by this project? It’s a good resource for others. I am going to do a major round of preventative maintenance this year on our 08 E61 535xi that is approaching 150k miles because we will probably leave it at another house next year where I won’t be very often and would not have many tools. There have been a couple of threads like yours and they are good resources.
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I don't mind doing small jobs but reading threads like this is so overwhelming. I can't imagine taking on a project like this. I have all the respect for people who can do this without pulling hair out.
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At this point, I'm getting a bit annoyed. I don't have much better to do however, so I can't complain too much. I've got it booked into my local indy tomorrow morning for a diagnosis session. I appear to have a small oil leak somewhere, hopefully there will be some correlation between the two. Thanks for the sentiment, I do hope others can benefit (and learn) from my travails--and I hope to resolve it in the next few days.
Thank you. Indeed, it's a bit more work than I'd anticipated, but I value the knowledge I've gained highly. Had I known it would be this much of a pain going in, I'd not have sold my other DD!
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Haha well if you want another E60, you can buy mine at a heavy discount!
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Uh-oh...what's the story there?
Member
Haha well I just bought an E60 on a whim. Great car, just not what i'm used to. I come from e36s and e46s so I thought I would check out how the 5ers are. I'm just not really sure it's my kind of car that's all.
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I get what you're saying. I went from E30 to E39 to E34 (with a couple of Mercedes in there) to this E61, and I'm not yet sure it's my cup of tea just yet either.
If I can't figure out this one for a reasonable amount, then I'll come a-knockin'. What model is it?
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It's a 2007 525i. Nice car overall, I know i'll have to do the tensioner and a few things here and there. I think as a winter beater it would make sense as it's show room days are long over. It was a trade in at a local dealer and well... boredom got the best of me.
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Update: still running into VANOS faults, the same 217a and 2a7c (now at the same time). I had an oil leak from the filter housing gasket, which was completely massacred by the PO's shop (same place that did the crap walnut blasting, see earlier posts). No more leaks for now...
I did an oil analysis, came back with 2.4% fuel after 200km or so of driving. The oil also seems very watery. I'm wondering if the fuel content, while not catastrophic, could be giving me oil pressure issues at the VANOS? No pressure faults or anything else, but I also have a rather terrifying clacking sound on cold starts. Maybe new injectors would be in order.
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If anyone is still following this saga, I recently had the car out of storage and decided to attack it again.
I got six new index 12s last year, no difference. Bank 2 was running stupid rich, and bank 1 was fine. Poor vanos was trying to keep up.
Turns out the rich running was caused by a fun situation with the cats. The bank 2 primary, at some point in the PO's ownership, decided to break apart, and the pieces completely clogged the secondary. Got some VRSFs in there, and the engine roars! My suspicion is that an injector failed at some point, leading to the oil dilution and thus spun bearing, and flaming the cat. Anyhow, all is good in N54 land for now. No more VANOS faults either!
However, I'm afraid the transmission has given up the ghost. It's fine when cold, but after a few minutes it starts to shudder under part throttle, and 3rd and 4th have slippage. It's ok at over 2500 rpm, but below is rather tedious to drive. So, manual swap is almost ready to go!
I have an AC leak as well, will have to delve into that soon. It hit 32 degrees C here today, and the ventilated seats can only do so much...
As it stands, the list of things to do, in no fixed order:
Manual swap
Fix AC
Fix annoying clunk from front end in low speed turns
Repair tailgate harness, so that I can open the hatch glass and replace the diversity antenna
Replace CCC module (rebooting all the time)
Polish lights
Fix paintwork
Fix lane dep warning
Deep clean
Tint windows
Those seats are so comfortable though, it makes it all (almost) worthwhile.
Last edited by tantumaude; 05-20-2021 at 09:36 PM.
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Good Luck!
Member
Auto trans and all the cooler system is removed (and what a monumental pain those lines are to remove!)
Flywheel, clutch, pedals and hydraulics are all installed, and wiring is complete. Quite simple really, it's just the four wires at the clutch switch.
Unfortunately, with my scissor lift I cannot install the manual trans (the lower brace for the lift is right where my jack needs to go, and if I put it anywhere else I cannot balance the trans+transfer case assembly). I'm trying to get a shop to take it in for that. Once it's in, I just need to reassemble everything and do the coding. Hopefully next week.
Last edited by tantumaude; 06-06-2021 at 08:38 AM.
Member
Can you use the scissor lift to get the car on 6 ton jack stands and then use a scissor trans jack like the HF or is the trans plus transfer too unwieldy?
I skipped the scissor lift due to limited access. I had a 2 post which I loved but moved and my floor is wood so I had to go to a 4 post. I bought the widest I could at 41” free space between the runners. With some maneuvering I can drop a subframe with suspension arms.
A couple of years ago I bought a 3 stage trans jack from Derek Weaver for about $400. Really useful and with an extension frame it can hold other stuff. I can’t lift a trans up 5’ anymore and don’t want to lower the lift and sit on the floor with my little HF scissor trans jack though that worked well in the past.
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The whole transmission and transfer case is close to a metre long, and very rear-heavy. I thought about getting the stands, but I'd have no way of removing the lift from under the car once it's on the stands.
I'd have loved a 2 post, but my floor isn't flat, nor do I have the requisite width.
Either way, I've got an appointment this morning with a shop to review whether they can do it. Most tranny shops seem afraid of the BMW name, and the BMW guys don't want to touch a manual swap, even though I just need them to lift it and bolt it in.
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Local shop was able to put it in, they overtorqued the crossmember bolts however...
Anyways, got the swap almost done--my (used) clutch hard line started leaking at the master cylinder. I guess the bubble flare was damaged. $300 later I have a custom 5000psi one-piece soft line and no leaks.
Did all my coding and wiring (or so I thought). Started the car. It ran well and shifted properly--but I had every warning light on the dash. DSC, ABS, EDC, startoff assist, SRS, steering assist, BAS, CEL, OMG, etc... No speedometer either.
Turns out that automatic trans harnesses have a unique connector that closes the CANBUS loop for the DSC module. Having used a manual harness, this loop was open. Took me a couple of days to figure that one out, but two wires soldered later, everything seems good to go. Reverse lights are working too, which is always a fun challenge.
All I have left now is to sort out the CEL for the downpipes. Leaning toward MHD. I have no intention of making this a hp monster, and I don't want to accelerate wear either.
I also changed out and recoded the CCC while I was doing all this. It's nice to have a working screen again! Unfortunately I cannot open the tailgate glass now, so I guess some harness work is in the cards at some point. Maybe then I can go for a drive?
Last edited by tantumaude; 06-24-2021 at 10:37 PM.
Member
I put an Andream for Apple Carplay in my 08 M3 in place of the CCC and really liked it. Nice to have Waze on the screen and to stream Pandora or whatever.
Member
Blasphemy, I know, but I actually quite like the CCC.
I struggled with the Android units in some Mercedes in the past. I find them a bit cumbersome and superfluous--and I can never get the dimming to work as I like. Honestly I just want the nav, check control and music (radio and bluetooth--will likely just get a tune2air once I get the car going properly)
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