Sudden Running Poorly and Then Not?

[SlickGT1]

Sort of along these lines. I am basing my comment on how the e39 guys deal with vanos issues.

HowTo-> VANOS solenoid gasket replacement (M62-TU engine)

Not sure how much it would help you. But people have reported results with just cleaning of those solenoids

[razorboy]

Originally Posted by SlickGT1

Sort of along these lines. I am basing my comment on how the e39 guys deal with vanos issues.

HowTo-> VANOS solenoid gasket replacement (M62-TU engine)

Not sure how much it would help you. But people have reported results with just cleaning of those solenoids

My solenoid is different than the one described here and does not use that sort of gasket setup. It threads into the head.

So today my P0011 code was joined by a P2096 code letting me know my mixture is too lean. I am hoping that the two are related and maybe this is a clue as to the poor running and the persistent P0011 code?

After I changed the cam position sensor with no change, I put it aside for a while but now I want to prep the truck to sell it and I want to get this issue resolved. Does it make sens that the two codes are related? If the job of the VANOS is to change the cam timing and this is not happening correctly, does it make sense that it might be stuck in an overly advanced position causing the burn to be on the lean side?

Where would you go with this next?
I am thinking of just picking up a used VANOS solenoid and see if that helps.

Not sure if I mentioned this earlier but the idle now is low and rumbly. This seems to happen shortly after the truck starts to warm up. Maybe this plays into it as well.

Bernie

[RFaber]

sounds like a vacuum leak? or air leak after the MAF?? (check the elbow into the throttle body? ) also double check your CCV system is functional, including the hose to the oil dipstick. (mine was blocked solid and burst the drain hose out of the CCV--> dipstick) I would think that the Vanos would exhibit the typical rattling noise that some have experienced. (see Vanos rattle repair ) rather than being stuck.
also, our water pumps are driven off the serpentine belt, not the timing belt/chains as in other marques (Honda 4 cyl for instance)

best of luck,

[razorboy]

Originally Posted by RFaber

sounds like a vacuum leak? or air leak after the MAF?? (check the elbow into the throttle body? ) also double check your CCV system is functional, including the hose to the oil dipstick. (mine was blocked solid and burst the drain hose out of the CCV--> dipstick) I would think that the Vanos would exhibit the typical rattling noise that some have experienced. (see Vanos rattle repair ) rather than being stuck.
also, our water pumps are driven off the serpentine belt, not the timing belt/chains as in other marques (Honda 4 cyl for instance)

best of luck,

Thanks!

All of that stuff is new on the truck.
New elbow, new DISA valve, the CCV was completely gone through and any necessary parts were replaced but I am going to go through things again. If you go back a page you will find a post where I link to youtube videos of the truck running correctly and incorrectly. Anything is possible but I doubt this is a vacuum leak. The symptoms would point to something working and then not working.

Bernie

[srmmmm]

My first case of rough idle was a crack in the intake boot that would open up when I made a turn. The second case was a bad sparkplug coil and the third case of rough idle was a bad DISA valve. I'd be surprised if a sticking VANOS would be the issue considering your oil change habits. I've never had a VANOS problem and I stayed with the BMW Castrol and 7500-8000 mile change intervals.

2002 X5 3.0 298,000 miles
2014 428i 16,900 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

[razorboy]

Originally Posted by srmmmm

My first case of rough idle was a crack in the intake boot that would open up when I made a turn. The second case was a bad sparkplug coil and the third case of rough idle was a bad DISA valve. I'd be surprised if a sticking VANOS would be the issue considering your oil change habits. I've never had a VANOS problem and I stayed with the BMW Castrol and 7500-8000 mile change intervals.

2002 X5 3.0 298,000 miles
2014 428i 16,900 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

I appreciate the input!

Maybe I am dealing with a couple of different issues simultaneously but I feel that it has something to do with the VANOS or something like that. If you watch the two videos I posted, the engine made a noticeable different noise when it was misbehaving then it did when it wasn't. The exhaust sounded completely different as well. I simply turned the truck off for a few seconds and restarted it between those two videos.

Something is misbehaving and I don't think that it has anything to do with leaks. At least not for that specific issue. I may need to have this diagnosed by BMW on their computer but I may just try throwing another solenoid on the VANOS just to see if there is a difference. Used ones on ebay go for 30-40 bucks.

[razorboy]

Bit of an update on my running issues.

After doing some research on the internet, I discovered that you can disconnect the vanos solenoid without any real adverse affects to the vehicle so that is what I have done. There is a lack of midrange right now but the truck seems to run ok.

So far, I have not had any issues after disconnecting it. I had cleared the codes from the ECU which were primarily based on problems with ignition advancement and after a couple of days of driving I got a code 1525 (manufacturers code) which I assume is the system telling me that the solenoid is missing. No other codes have been displayed so far and but I do still have a couple of incompletes. We will wait and see what happens.

The biggest problems I was having was intermittent rough running, stalling going around corners (rapid lift off the throttle) and general rough idle issues. The rough running has stopped, the idle seems to drop normally but the idle still seems like it is low and because of that the truck seems a little grumbly. I think I may have another issue causing the idle issues.

Will post back again after a few days of driving which would be more than enough to throw a code or display some of the previous running issues. If that all checks out, maybe its just a bad solenoid? If not, it certainly points to the vanos system somewhere as being the culprit.

[razorboy]

Hey Lads,

So I put 1000 miles on the truck after disconnecting the VANOS solenoid and there have been no issues. The truck was consistent and although I was down on midrange power, I felt like the truck was running smoothly.

Today I tried putting another solenoid in the truck and the problems returned. Idle dipping heavily when coming to a rapid stop and general idling issues.

I guess this points to the VANOS itself as having a mechanical problem. Maybe it sticks and causes the ignition to be advanced when dropping down to idle causing the issues I have experienced?

[electricalserv x5]

Originally Posted by razorboy

Thanks!

All of that stuff is new on the truck.
New elbow, new DISA valve, the CCV was completely gone through and any necessary parts were replaced but I am going to go through things again. If you go back a page you will find a post where I link to youtube videos of the truck running correctly and incorrectly. Anything is possible but I doubt this is a vacuum leak. The symptoms would point to something working and then not working.

Bernie

I had the same thing happen when I installed new CCV , it caused a vacuum leak and the CEL came on and the enige shut down half the cyclinders .
All I had to do was reseat the CCV good and tight and no problems, it was causing a vacuum leak and the whole system freak out.

[razorboy]

Thought I would update the forum on current happenings with this issue.

Turns out that the VANOS was indeed the culprit and I have since bought the replacement o-ring sets and have installed them. All of the previous weird running issues have disappeared. So I am ahead there - kinda.

I took the truck to my friends garage who can read the BMW codes and this is what he pulled out of the ECM:

103
142
204
105
225
226
235
236
106
021

So a lot of these codes are directly associated with the VANOS. I had cleared the ECM using my generic OBDII scanner from Harbor Freight but I guess some of these code readers are not able to remove some factory codes. We cleared them all and I drove the truck for quite a bit. Performance is really good (better than it has been for a long time) and idle is stable - somewhat. Finally the CEL came back on and I went back to get the codes read again thinking that maybe something was wrong with the VANOS work I had done.

Here are the codes as they sit now:

204 - Idle Speed (leakage air), plausibility
226 - O2 Sensor behind catalytic converter, trimming (bank 2)
236 - O2 Sensor before catalytic converter, trimming (bank 2)

My own OBDII reader shows; P2096 and P2098

The truck rumbles when at idle. Kind of a deep note that vibrates the seat but it is constant, not like a misfire.

We smoked the engine looking for leaks and found nothing. Everything seems to be solid. Has a new DISA valve, new CCV setup, cleaned the IAC to no change, New rubber elbow and a bunch of other things.

Off idle the truck pulls hard and gets great gas mileage. Got nearly 550 miles on a tank yesterday.

I noticed others have had very similar experiences and was hoping someone had posted a fix for it.

Any ideas?

I also just noticed that I posted this issue back in 2013!
What the hell? lol.
My future self talking to my past self.....lol

So I guess I have had this issue for a while but I would have had to smog the car once a year and for the life of me, I can't remember how the issue was resolved before? Weird.........