[Duplified]

Hey guys so I have been having a timing issue which has been bugging me for a while on my 06 325i. I started to get a p0012 code a few months ago. The car would almost die and then rev up at stops randomly after a good 30 minute drive. I ended up replacing one of the vanos solenoids and cleaning the other really well. However, that didnt fix the problem and I had to go to Germany for a school exchange so I let the car sit for a while. After I got back I replaced the eccentric shaft sensor and thought that would fix it however it didnt and even gave me another code that kept coming on (P1554). Today I ended up switching the camshaft sensors to see if the code would follow one of them and it didnt, I also did the same thing with the solenoids as well. Im kind of lost and have no idea what is causing this stupid p0012 code? It doesnt seem to be caused by any of the sensors?

[Taskmaster]

Might have to replace the vanos unit..

[Duplified]

It looks like I got a p0015 code after I swapped the camshaft sensors... Took a while but it was on my scanner. So I ordered a new one and it should be in soon. I also was doing a little more research and I came along this DIY.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1096694

I never even knew those were in the engine and will try to get them taken out and cleaned within the week. My engine has light sludge because of the stupid extended change intervals that were done before I got the car so I assume they are pretty clogged up.

Ill keep you posted on what happens after I change the sensor and take a look at those check valves.

[Three_thirty_I]

Be sure to take pics of those check valves when you have them out! Would be very keen to see what they look like.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by TheAxiom

Might have to replace the vanos unit..

That's covered for another year via recall for the OP if so.

[Duplified]

Hey guys! So I got it to the shop to do because I broke my breaker bar trying to get the tire off.... (didn't realize that could happen). One of them was fine but the other one was caked on like crazy! It was super hard to get out also. Here is a photo. The car is driving fine so far but I will give it a day or two before I say it's fixed. Also what recall are you talking about? I'm just curious about it encase this doesn't fit it because that is the only other part that hasn't been fixed haha.

[Three_thirty_I]

Originally Posted by Duplified

Hey guys! So I got it to the shop to do because I broke my breaker bar trying to get the tire off.... (didn't realize that could happen). One of them was fine but the other one was caked on like crazy! It was super hard to get out also. Here is a photo. The car is driving fine so far but I will give it a day or two before I say it's fixed. Also what recall are you talking about? I'm just curious about it encase this doesn't fit it because that is the only other part that hasn't been fixed haha.

Thanks for posting the pic! Looks pretty gunk'd up! I would consider a slow course of engine cleaning with some ATF - usually the idea is to remove about a litre (quart) of the engine oil, then top up with that same amount of ATF. Drive the car gently for a few days, maybe a week, then change the oil as normal allowing the hot oil to drain completely. You will no doubt have to repeat this process for a few oil changes in future. And you may have to replace those check valves again anyway since they will just get clogged up eventually.

I would advise reading up more about using ATF before you consider do that, I don't want to be held responsible of course, but it is quite well known to be a successful and safer way than using more traditional "engine cleaners" that typically work more aggressively to loosen the sludge which ends up blocking oil channels and potentially causing very expensive engine failure. The idea behind ATF is that it retains the lubricating properties of the engine oil and slowly breaks down the sludge (actually dissolves it), so far less risk of blocked oil channels or extra engine wear. Sludge doesn't happen over night, so dealing with it is safer done at a gradual rate.

On the other hand, if the valvetrain as seen from the open oil cap doesn't look too bad, it may just be a case of the muck in the all collecting at these filters, so you may be lucky.

[Duplified]

Thanks for the info on the ATF! I actually did it when I had my mustang and it seemed to work pretty well. I am due for an oil change (10k Km's, and I dont trust BMW's extended intervals) so I think I will try it out. When I got the car it had a little sludge in it because we are on the coast and it did a lot of short trips in the city. I did do the eccentric shaft sensor (which now seems like a total waste of money... but oh well, lesson learned I guess) and it seemed to not be that bad under the valve cover, a few caked on spots but nothing over the top. I think I will still do the ATF but do you think that seafoaming it and doing an oil change quickly after would be too much of a risk? I did it on my older Audi last year and it did wonders and im just wondering if the ATF would do very much if I do it every oil change because it takes me a few months to put on 7-10k km's haha and when I used it in my mustang I did it every 2nd oil change pretty much from the moment a new engine was put in it.

[Three_thirty_I]

Originally Posted by Duplified

Thanks for the info on the ATF! I actually did it when I had my mustang and it seemed to work pretty well. I am due for an oil change (10k Km's, and I dont trust BMW's extended intervals) so I think I will try it out. When I got the car it had a little sludge in it because we are on the coast and it did a lot of short trips in the city. I did do the eccentric shaft sensor (which now seems like a total waste of money... but oh well, lesson learned I guess) and it seemed to not be that bad under the valve cover, a few caked on spots but nothing over the top. I think I will still do the ATF but do you think that seafoaming it and doing an oil change quickly after would be too much of a risk? I did it on my older Audi last year and it did wonders and im just wondering if the ATF would do very much if I do it every oil change because it takes me a few months to put on 7-10k km's haha and when I used it in my mustang I did it every 2nd oil change pretty much from the moment a new engine was put in it.

Well, it really does help that you then have experience using ATF for this! I am not so familiar with Seafoam apart from hearing about it here and various other forums, but it seems to be just another one of those super aggressive cleaners, so would probably stay away from that myself.

Yep, stupidly long service intervals along with short drives is a recipe for all kinds of problems. Friend of mine had the infamous lifter tick, but his wife used the car mostly and her daily driving was a 5 minutes trip to work, and 5 minutes back home, figures...