Must be Code Week or, Month...

[motordavid]

Got my first SES light a couple days ago as I was chugging back up the Mtn from our ball chasing club. I had noticed that the ol'X was not lugging 'normally' in 3rd gear, up the steep hill, then the SES came on...

I started it again yesterday, SES came on/stayed on, and ran some errands, including stopping at the local HillbillyHeaven AutoZone for a 'readout'. Their semi-low tech reader gave me a P 0172, 'too rich' reading.

Did some reading here, and on the net on MAF, et al...pulled the air filter this morning, clean and less than a few thousand miles on it, no debris in filter box. Looked at the MAF area and went Hmmm.

Ran errands today, no SES, and neither the local AZ or crappy O'Reillys had CRC MAF cleaner in stock. AZ says they will have some in tomorrow or Monday. The climb back up the mtn today was slow; almost like I was in 4th or 5th, not third. I had to downshift to 2nd on a couple of grades that I had always made in 3rd gear.

Debating whether to do the DIY MAF and sensor clean deal; figure it can't hurt. If the SES relights, or the power on 'climb up the Mtn' does not improve I will have to go to plan B, which will probably mean a drive to Asheville, to my Indie, though they are full/busy all the time. There is a dlr in A'ville area, but I think I will take the Indy...

'01 3.0, 84,000 miles, MAF is orig...probably time for a new one. Weird how the prices range from cheapo to 'how much?', with little real definition of quality.

Any tips or ideas besides the pages of stuff I have read?
Thanks, mD

[Quicksilver]

I feel ya. Not quite a code week but a double wammy for me for sure.
First the passenger side door handle and right after that CV boots.
Now the headlights need to be re-aimed.

If that wasn't enough; R's 5 series had a recall, now she needs new tires.
If this keeps up we may have move in with our NC family (MBFAM).

[SlickGT1]

You seem to be on the right track. I dont know, but if I were to buy a maf, I would most likely go with OE. I don't want to have any doubds about a part I replaced.

[motordavid]

Just a follow up on my SES light/code situ:
Not having driven the X much in the past week, (10"+ of rain here, so far in July, so little golf,etc.), I sort of set it 'aside'. SES light didn't come back on, but the utter lack of power in climbing my mtn did not improve.

I pulled the MAF and it looked not new, but very good. Gave it a careful cleaning with CRC MAF cleaner, basically hexane, which is not your cocktail of choice... Put it all back together, vacuumed some slight debris out of the air filter box, though the air filter is not old, and looked good.

Still had the code and the chug up the mtn was not improved...hmmm.

A casual friend of mine has a repair shop here in hillbillyheaven, and he drives an E70 and a chipped/hotted up Z4. He said he would use his Launch X-431 scanner on my X, as he has the BMW & MB info in his scanner. He does work on many local BMWs/MBs, and my usual Indie is 40 mins away in east Asheville. So, why not...

He pulled sub code 12, exhaust camshaft sensor. Called his usual suppliers and had an oe BMW part delivered today. It is a 5 min job to replace, at least for him. I watched and it might have taken me 10 min, the first time.

The replacement looks considerably different/thicker in diameter, and he remarked that he recalled a TIS of TSB on the 'improved' part vs the original installed nearly 11 years ago.

The part was a little under a $100, and I tossed him a $Buck Fifty for his accommodation.
He cleared the code and I drove home this afternoon: the ol'X climbed our Mtn like it was brand new.

So, the MAF was not the root cause, and I guess my rec'd is to go way beyond a simple OBD code pull at the local AutoZone, (which doesn't have any sub codes for BMW at our joint), and get someone with a top notch scanner that knows the BMW codes.

All fixed, and glad it wasn't major surgery.
GL, mD

[Quicksilver]

David;

Was the exhaust camshaft sensor TIS of TSB on the 'improved' part only applied to your year X or were other years covered?

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

David;

Was the exhaust camshaft sensor TIS of TSB on the 'improved' part only applied to your year X or were other years covered?

My friend did some cursory digging...he subscribes to BMW/MB et al tech updates, but he couldn't locate it in a quick look. He was working off memory, but he was pretty certain it was '00 on both 3.0 and 4.4.

Fwiw, the oe BMW part he got is listed as 'replacement part' for E53 3.0 2000-2006, and 4.4 and 4.8 2004-2006.

Part #: Part #: 12147539166

I didn't have my cam with me, but here is a pic of the thicker dia sensor: