Secondary air system
 

I used the code reader today for the first time in my life.
Got codes: Table 19 code 5F, 5E, 60. All of these pertain to the secondary air system.
5E ---> Secondary air system, air mass
5F ---> Secondary air system, tube blocked
60 ---> Secondary air system, pump not active


Can someone please chime in and tell me where I need to look, or what I have to replace?
http://i34.tinypic.com/120km6v.png

try this . emission control air pump .the first one listed does not match your car . the next two listed match .
RealOEM.com * Diagram Selection

Clean the MAF sensor Item #1 or change if code still persists after cleaning.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/b/p/127.png

If code 60 reads that your air pump is not active, was the engine running? Read codes again while engine is running.

Then check the Smog air pump, check pump when engine is cold, like in the morning, the smog pump should come on for about 30 seconds, it sounds like a vacuum cleaner. If it's not working that could be the issue. See diagram below item #1:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/h/o/192.png
How many miles are on your X5?

Make sure the air filter is clean, see diagram below item #2

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/c/i/112.png

I will look into this, I will probably check the MAF first and try to clean it. Thank you

I will clean the MAF and check the codes again. I did not check for codes while the engine is on because they specifically instruct you to have the engine off. MY car has roughly 98000 miles on it, air filter was cleaned and re-oiled less than 5,000 miles ago. Maybe the oil from the air filter damaged the MAF. I will check the smog air pump last. Thanks for the reply

It doesn't take much oil from the air filter to fowl up the MAF, this is a known issue when using a K & N air filter. Use a good quality electronics spray cleaner, from radio shack, to clean the MAF, it has a very sensitive internals. If cleaning doesn't help you may need to replace it.

Yeah I'm aware of that, I might buy a aftermarket dry air filter after I clean the MAF, i already have a can of MAF Cleaner, that should work better then electric cleaner right?

Absolutely! Let me know how it works out for you. Good luck!

Reviving an old thread that I started! This problem was fixed by installing a new secondary air pump.

Now it seems this problem came back. I'll have to double check the code but I believe it was for secondary air system - pump blocked. Now on every cold start, the pump runs for about 5 seconds and immediately shuts off. When there was no code, it would run normal, around 30 seconds.

I should also mention that this problem occurred within a few days after cleaning my air filter and MAF. I have the AFE stage 1 intake Pro Dry Version. Cleaned it with the factory cleaner and cleaned the MAF with MAF cleaner. I allowed the filter to completely dry for about 4-6 hours.

Also as shown in the beginning of the post, I replaced the pump at around 100,000 miles and now I have 160,000.

Any suggestions rather than buying a new pump?

Thanks for the update.

The 1st owner's record showed the air pump was dead at 30K (I bought the car at 112K).

As much as I did the DIY for air pump and trouble-shooting the circuit in the E39 forum, I don't really care about this SAS thingy any more.

- I removed the Relay feeding the air pump
- Placed a small piece of black electrical tape over the CEL light in the dash.
- Once a month, I scan for new CEL codes, if any. In other words, if the only codes I have are SAS-related, then nothing to worry about.

PS: The reason the pump fails so quick is that: it spins at very high speed (? 5000 rpm or so) like a hair blower. It spins for about 30-45 sec or so on cold start.
The electrical motor is made by Johnson Controls and you bet it right, it is made in China.

Search E39 bimmerfest forum, someone bought the cheap 12V pump that is used for pumping air mattress (camping mattress) for about $12 at Walmart.
He wrote a DIY mod in E39 forum, look it up.

Found it, the Walmart air pump for $18 in E39 forum...


P0491 - Secondary Air Flow Pump...fixed for $18 - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

I must be one of the lucky one! Mine has 148K Miles/10years and still going strong(crossing my fingers). I did replaced the secondary air sensor and the valve once.

What now?
 

I finally had time to work on this yesterday. I figured out that the valve was damaged or seized up as no air was coming out the valve when I disconnected the pressure hose. The link below is very helpful for diagnosing SAS problems:

BMW Secondary Air System Fault Code Diagnosing How To DIY OBD-II | Bavarian Autosport Blog

Also the code originally pulled up was 5E on the Peake code reader which is SAS air mass. I double checked with a generic code reader and I got P1419.... SAS air mass. I purchased the a VDO air mass sensor and also replaced the air filter element and both the pressure and suction hose.

So pretty much every component in this system was replaced yesterday, except the air pump itself.

Now the air pump did not start this morning!!! Before swapping all the components, the air pump would only run for 5 seconds rather than 45-60 seconds. What could I have possibly done wrong that the air pump would not start anymore?!

Does anyone know if the gasket to the valve has to be installed in a certain direction? Its really flat but not 100% identical on both sides. Could installing it in the wrong direction cause the pump not to kick on?

Loved that solution!

It wasn't a solution! Now my pump isn't turning on!!!

The next step will be to apply 12V to the pump directly to see if it will turn on. If it does then I have to check for fuses or relays and check the pump electrical connector for 12V on cold start.

Any other suggestions?

I was referring to the Walmart hair dryer solution.

The gasket should align to the holes on the flange to allow no blockage when installed.

Test to see if the pump runs disconnected from the supply side and or the delivery side.

test two
Pull the diverter valve to confirm operations (the chrome looking thing that switches air down stream) Operates on a vacuum source (Does it receive a signal from the vacuum hose?)

The only thing I have ever seen is a collapsed hose or the pump locks up due to age dirt etc

ITS WORKING!
 

Went out for lunch today and I guess four hours resting in the sun was enough for a cold start. Cranked the engine and not only did the air pump kick on like it was in the past, but this time it stayed on for a complete minute rather than 5-10 seconds.

Why it did not work this morning I will never understand. I did not do anything to the car today besides drive it to work. The SES light did not come back on.

I guess the system is fixed now! After I drive for about 100 miles I'll get my emissions test as I am due for it this month.

Thanks for the help everyone

I also had a air pump problem like this. Mine would run once in a while. Finally I removed the air pump, wired it up on the bench and let it run. It only ran for 5 minutes then tied up. Once cooled of, it would run again. I installed a new pump, all runs great.

Do you think that a faulty air pump or one that's on its way to go out will cause failure of other components (i.e. the valve or the air mass sensor)?

I've replaced valve and the pump. Found a guy in Maryland that rebuilds them, if anyone needs that. Remember there is an electrical solenoid that opens and closes the manifold vacuum line that runs to the vacuum operated valve on the front of the cylinder head.

Anyway, what I've read is the the vacuum valves go first, allowing exhaust gases to flow back into the pump and ruining them. So, always check solenoid and valve operation when replacing one of these secondary pump

Where is the solenoid? The valves are different on 2004 to 3006 models. There's no tubing coming off my valve like the older models. Only two openings, one to the exhaust manifold and the other is the inlet port for the air pump

The air pump will not effect the MAF as it is not connected to the intake side. It flows into the exhaust side of the engine. As posted it will be effected by failed parts bolted to the 3.0 that provide air to it or down stream. Bench/car test with a separate 12V source (battery or converter) and confirm operations. Disconnect all the hoses going to it before testing as this will provide a baseline of operations, then connect everything back up.

On my 2001, the little tube on the vacuum valve runs to a solenoid that sits above the intake. I am not familiar for cars without that little tube.

If the vacuum valve (which also serves as a check valve) fails open ( mine did) then exhaust gases are pushed into the air pump and then back into the air cleaner box and the intake. The pump will overcome this flow, but it is usually only running for a minute at startup.

I can check it tomorrow if it doesn't turn on. But as I mentioned in post 18, the pump kicked on today ad it should have. No SES light came so for now I will leave it as is.

Your should look like this image

SPECIAL NOTE: BMW calls the sensor on the air intake to the pump a MAF also. It is different than the one near the throttle body. Part #8

If #14 fails, exhaust gases will flow into the pump, sensor, etc and will melt all the hoses one at a time.

Image Part Number **Description Each
*11727506210 *AIR PUMP*(from 10/03) 1 * NA
11727506210 was superseded by 11727571589.
1 *11727571589 *AIR PUMP*(from 10/03) 1 * $469.38
2 *11727506211 *RUBBER MOUNTING*(from 10/03) 3 * NA
11727506211 was superseded by 11727571866.
3 *11727515919 *BRACKET*(from 10/03) 1 * $21.56
4 *07119900272 *HEX BOLT WITH WASHER - M6X12-Z1-ZNS*(from 10/03) 4 * NA
07119900272 was superseded by 07119904517.
4 *07119904517 *HEX BOLT WITH WASHER - M6X12-U1-8.8*(from 10/03) 4 * $0.56
5 *07119904023 *HEX NUT - M6-ZNS3*(from 10/03) 3 * $0.50
6 *11727510956 *SUCTION PIPE*(from 10/03) 1 * $45.47
7 *07129952113 *HOSE CLAMP - L28-33*(from 10/03) 1 * $2.00
8 *51417067920 *FILLISTER HEAD SCREW - TS 5X16*(from 10/03) 1 * $0.53
9 *11721438814 *MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR*(from 10/03) 1 * $349.19
10 *11721438836 *SECONDARY AIR FILTER*(10/03 to 03/05) 1 * NA
11721438836 was superseded by 11727534722.
10 *11727534722 *SECONDARY AIR FILTER*(from 10/03) 1 * $21.39
11 *11727510955 *PRESSURE HOSE ASSY*(from 10/03) 1 * $28.24
12 *11727514860 *GASKET STEEL*(from 10/03) 1 * $7.02
13 *11721742644 *SELF-LOCKING HEX NUT*(from 10/03) 2 * $0.57
14 *11727508049 *VALVE*(from 10/03) 1 * NA
11727508049 was superseded by 11727553067.
14 *11727553067 *VALVE*(from 10/03) 1 * $131.67
15 *11727519292 *BRACKET SECONDARY AIR FILTER*(from 10/03) 1 * $30.60

Realoem shows the vacuum hose and solenoid on both 2001 and 2006 3.0L.

RealOEM.com - Online BMW Parts Catalog

RealOEM.com - Online BMW Parts Catalog

I am well aware. As mentioned earlier I replaced all secondary air system components except for the air pump as the pump. David X5, you may be confusing the primary and secondary air system. If the valve stays open the exhaust goes to the air pump and causes premature failure. It does not reach the primary air intake

Those are incorrect for 2005 year. Stephen showed the correct one

I have better fingers here late at night....:nanana:

I have not wrenched on a 2005 or 2006. I can just point to realoem

As to the other question, I disagree on this - my secondary are pump draws air from the clean side of the air filter box, not open air (this is the stock configuration). So, if something fails and the exhaust gas goes back into the air pump as we seem to agree, where can it exit the system? On mine, it is into the air filter box which creates the "short circuit" into the primary air intake and then the MAF and so on.

It's darn hard to navigate realoem on an iPhone!!!

The change in late 2003/2004 appears to bring a totally electric air switch, no secondary air switch. Interesting......

Still can fail and allow the higher pressure exhaust gases to go into the air injection system. Hot Hot HOT!!!!:scared:

Dave
You are correct, on the 4.4 engines the engine air box is part of the air pump system. On his 3.0 it appears not to be.

Yeah sorry about that Dave, I have not looked at the layout on the V8s.

This is the layout on 2004-2006 x5 3.0

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_3566

I replaced items 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, and 12.

So were all on the same page, the pump did kick on today (afternoon) for a full minute, so at the moment I believe the problem has been solved.

I am still wondering why it did not kick on this morning. It kicked on this afternoon while getting lunch. The car should have been in a colder state this morning rather than this afternoon.

If the air injection system fails and owners ignore it, sooner or later on the ones connected (that draw fresh air supply from the engine air box) will burn up all the way to the throttle body.....

Ask my why I know....I purchased one like that years ago. It took out the cat too! Never saw a melted air box before and hoses were all soft and stringy. The PO just drove on until it failed emissions testing.

Cheap buy going in, a very long path to fix everything.

Wow! I'm glad that isn't the case for me. Worst case scenario my pump is on its way out but with my configuration, since the system is isolated no other components are in harms way. The valve will prevent exhaust from going to the air pump (closes after a minute on cold starts).

Sounds like it.

Most of the owners report LOTS of noise from the pumps LONG before failure. Most guys just drive until it does not work at all and a code gets tripped.

Sound wise, it sounds like a vacuum cleaner (not too loud).

But you are 100% right, I am one of those owners ignored the problem. I'm due for emissions testing soon in Maryland so got to get it fixed! Now that the engine light is cleared, the 300 mi trip I am making to MD tomorrow should be enough to pass the test without them saying I didn't wait long enough.

UPDATE 9/18/2015
 

The exact same thing happened today as yesterday.

When I left for work this morning the air pump did not kick on. However, when I left for lunch (12:00 PM), the air pump kicked on and stayed on for 45-60 seconds...

I did notice that when I turned the car on this morning to leave for work, the thermostat needle barely cleared the edge of the blue marking. Perhaps that is why its not turning on in the morning as the motor isn't technically in cold start condition?

When I left for lunch today, the needle was in the middle of the blue region (i.e. colder than this morning)..

The car is kept in the garage after work and overnight where the ambient air temp is around 75 deg F. When I head to work in the morning, the temperature is around 60 deg F. So perhaps after my short commute to work (8 miles all highway), the engine cools down to cold start conditions as it is parked in lot in 60 deg weather at work. It did warm up to about 80 by noon, but I would say it was 60 for at least a couple hours.

Thoughts?

EDIT: I did turn the car on last night at 11 PM to see if the engine would be cold and it turned out it was still warm. This may have prevented the cold start this morning.

***SOLVED***
 

The problem has been fixed since replacing the components listed above. Fan kicks on for a minute during every cold start. No SES light for over a week now. Passed my emissions test. Thanks for the help everyone.

Congrats!