error code assistance

[BobS]

The SES light on our 2001 X5 3.0, lit yesterday. I read the code with my Actron and is follows: "P0365". I looked up the code and the following is the description: "Camshaft position sensor B - Bank 1 circuit malfunction". The parts manager at my local BMW dealership told me that it could either be the camshaft position sensor for the intake or exhaust but unless I brought the car in and they read the code on their diagnostic he could not be sure. I've read the article on this site about how to replace the sensor but I'm not sure from the error message which one is the culprit. I need a little education at this point. Which sensor is sensor B and which is A? And what is "Bank 1" ?. This eludes to the idea that there are multiple banks. When I think of a bank, I think of a number of objects in a row such as a bank of cylinders on the engine. But my BMW dealer parts guy told me that there are only two sensors and they are on opposite sides of the engine. So I'm a little confused and need some guidance. Thanks.

[BobS]

This seems strange. I'm replying to my own question but doing so might help someone else who might have a brain miswired like mine. I was pretty sure I had a bad camshaft position sensor but didn't know which one. "Camshaft position sensor B" turned out to be the exhaust sensor which is somewhat logical considering that the intake cycle occurs before the exhaust cycle in an infernal (ha!) combustion engine. And according to the Bentley manual on an E-39, there is only 1 bank in a straight 6 and so "bank 1" in the error code does not imply additional banks and so ends my confusion. I wonder if I had a Peake code scanner if the message would have been more specific than the Actron. Anyway, I replaced the camshaft position sensor for the exhaust side and cleared the code with the Actron. It took several "on" and "off" key cycles as I kept getting a "failed" message when trying to clear the code but it finally worked.

And yes I bought a camshaft postion sensor for the intake side but will replace it when I change the oil next time as the removal of the oil filter cap will facilitate matters due to clearance issues with my current tool set.