[Bmw turbo]

Did you reset the vanos adaptations with a scanner?

[Ryanfknt]

I’m just here to join the party of people with timing issues 😭 I set the timing flawlessly IMO using the Amazon special camshaft locking timing tool kit. I will go to the euro shop a few towns over from me and compare my kit to his oem kit and see if there’s any difference in specs.

Are you guys checking the exhaust and intake spreads? I’m using BimmerLink to log mine. Intake camshaft spread should be 120 and exhaust camshaft spread should be 115.

My camshaft spreads are spot on +-1 degree, for about 5 seconds. Then my intake side increases to 137.9 and stays stuck at that exact number until I reset adaptations.
With this code
130104 VANOS intake: control fault, camshaft stuck

I replaced both cam sensors, swapped all the sensors back and forth, swapped the solenoids back and forth. Nothing changes

[Ryanfknt]

When I unplug the harness from both vanos solenoids, the car runs and the sensors detect a nearly perfect 115 exhaust and 120 intake spread. It seems like the solenoids plugged in just pump the valves with oil and throw the timing off? Maybe the dme needs full software update to the latest I-level? I think I’ll try that next I’ve heard of that fixing the issue for other people after doing timing.

[Bmw turbo]

Let us know if there is any difference between the tools. I think it’s possibly the vanos unit itself that is at fault.

[LA1Z24]

Originally Posted by Ryanfknt

I’m just here to join the party of people with timing issues 😭 I set the timing flawlessly IMO using the Amazon special camshaft locking timing tool kit. I will go to the euro shop a few towns over from me and compare my kit to his oem kit and see if there’s any difference in specs.

Are you guys checking the exhaust and intake spreads? I’m using BimmerLink to log mine. Intake camshaft spread should be 120 and exhaust camshaft spread should be 115.

My camshaft spreads are spot on +-1 degree, for about 5 seconds. Then my intake side increases to 137.9 and stays stuck at that exact number until I reset adaptations.
With this code
130104 VANOS intake: control fault, camshaft stuck

I replaced both cam sensors, swapped all the sensors back and forth, swapped the solenoids back and forth. Nothing changes

Pull the rear most intake cam cap. If it's scored, you'll need a new cylinder head. The cam is dragging in the journal and oil pressure isnt enough to advanve or retard the cam.

[Stu Blue Car]

[QUOTE=Ryanfknt;30814508]I’m just here to join the party of people with timing issues 😭 I set the timing flawlessly IMO using the Amazon special camshaft locking timing tool kit. I will go to the euro shop a few towns over from me and compare my kit to his oem kit and see if there’s any difference in specs.

Are you guys checking the exhaust and intake spreads? I’m using BimmerLink to log mine. Intake camshaft spread should be 120 and exhaust camshaft spread should be 115.

My camshaft spreads are spot on +-1 degree, for about 5 seconds. Then my intake side increases to 137.9 and stays stuck at that exact number until I reset adaptations.
With this code
130104 VANOS intake: control fault, camshaft stuck

I replaced both cam sensors, swapped all the sensors back and forth, swapped the solenoids back and forth. Nothing changes

Hi Ryanfknt
Were you able to compare the tools? Does anyone have a known good tool that they could share some critical dimensions? Pin to base would be good. Thanks.

[Ryanfknt]

I did compare the tool to the shops tool and they claim they have successfully timed n55s using their tool. They looked the same by eye. Maybe it was a bit silly to not bring my micrometer with me but yeah the seemed to be the exact same

[Ryanfknt]

Originally Posted by LA1Z24

Pull the rear most intake cam cap. If it's scored, you'll need a new cylinder head. The cam is dragging in the journal and oil pressure isnt enough to advanve or retard the cam.

I’ve got a 2014 ewg n55, I thought those issues were most prevelant 2012 and back but I’ll open it soon and report back. This was not the news I was looking for and I’m not sure I’m mentally prepared at the moment to realize this is the issue

I guess it’s time to face reality and open it back up.

[Ryanfknt]

[QUOTE=Stu Blue Car;30830387]

Originally Posted by Ryanfknt

Hi Ryanfknt
Were you able to compare the tools? Does anyone have a known good tool that they could share some critical dimensions? Pin to base would be good. Thanks.

I used my vernier caliper to check the measurements, the measurements on my tool are the exact same as yours. I think our tool is good. I compared mine side by side to a shop that has successfully timed these motors. But I only visually compared them to the best of my capabilities.
I could be wrong but my motor seems timed right. I’m just having a vanos intake camshaft stuck code. Wish I could help more.

[Stu Blue Car]

Thanks for checking. I don’t want to pull the bearing caps either, that’s a new head!! I may try putting the crank locking tool in and rotating the engine counter clockwise against it. I just can’t come up with anything else.

[Ryanfknt]

attach a dial indicator to the top of the timing kit and reach it over to piston #1 and run some sort of 1/4-3/8" extension through the spark plug hole to confirm your at true top dead center on piston #1.

takes some rigging/creativity but thats what i had to do because i dont have a TDC hole on my aftermarket flywheel (6mt)

[Stu Blue Car]

My kit came with a gold coloured bar across the top that says for N55 engine. Slightly shorter than the black one that it came assembled with.

[Stu Blue Car]

Success. Used a dial indicator to ensure TDC. Put on the original exhaust Vanos sprocket. Hard to see a difference but I biased any tolerances to the advanced side. Vanos is happy, valvtronic is operating and turbo is back on. !

Thanks everyone who chimed in with advice and encouragement.

[Ryanfknt]

Good job buddy!! I wish I could figure mine out I believe my problem is due to wear on the cam / camshaft caps

[Bmw turbo]

Hi, guys!! Thank God I figured out my problem aswell, just didn’t post anything till today. It ended up being my intake vanos plate for the camshaft position sensor that was off a tiny bit. That’s why the computer thought the timing was off when it was not. The red tool in the picture above went into the holes of the plates and was able to be screwed onto the engine, but it was at a tiny slant which cause the plates to be offset outside their tolerance range.

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by Stu Blue Car

Success. Used a dial indicator to ensure TDC. Put on the original exhaust Vanos sprocket. Hard to see a difference but I biased any tolerances to the advanced side. Vanos is happy, valvtronic is operating and turbo is back on. !

Thanks everyone who chimed in with advice and encouragement.

Very glad to hear this is turning out finally. For a good while I was pulling my hair and really puzzled. The fact that you had to advance the VANOS timing a bit to install it means the timing tool has clocked the disc slightly off, where the dowel is. That's typical and quite a rampant issue with these specialty tools. Anyway, great lesson to be recorded for anyone DIY'ing this.

[Stu Blue Car]

I do have a new exhaust vanos if anyone could use it, let me know.

[acarpenter86]

Originally Posted by Ryanfknt

Good job buddy!! I wish I could figure mine out I believe my problem is due to wear on the cam / camshaft caps

Did you ever get it figured out? Hopefully it was not the ledge wear.

I'm 'finishing up' an f10 project. Long story short, I got it dirt cheap, it had sucked a belt, I cleaned all traces including oil pickup, etc (I have done this job several times), new valve cover, fixed all oil leaks.

Unfortunately I am getting Vanos codes on the EXHAUST side (code 0304 exhaust camshaft stuck and once in a while the cold start counterpart). I cleaned and swapped solenoids and also operated them while cleaning with a 9v. Even swapping them it is the exhaust code. Engine purrs like a kitten... but it is in limp mode after short drives. While running at idle, ISTA says 10.5 degrees for exhaust and 8 degrees for intake (both are approximations). Is that high? I can't seem to find the 'normal' degrees with my Google fu. If those ARE high, that makes me think the belt wrap threw timing off just enough to screw things up.

If those degrees can be considered 'normal' my next thought is to try an adaptations reset and perhaps update the software. Then I guess I am opening of the valve cover again...

[Jhnblckwood]

Tackling similar problem. Goodluck.

[acarpenter86]

Originally Posted by Stu Blue Car

My kit came with a gold coloured bar across the top that says for N55 engine. Slightly shorter than the black one that it came assembled with.

So, to clarify, you ended up being OK using the “DPTool” kit, but only after confirming true TDC status?

Also, can you clarify what you mean when you say you biased tolerances to the advanced side? I’ve timed n52s, n54s, and an n20, but after this thread I’m concerned the n55 may be difficult to time properly!
I haven’t touched timing on this n55 yet but plan to check it as process of elimination since solenoids did not fix my “stuck exhaust cam”.

[Stu Blue Car]

The timing kit was fine to use. I did use a dial gauge to find tdc. What i mean by biasing is there is always a bit of play when you put the pin in and the cam lock. I rotated the cam a little past centre and then brought it back so the cam lock was tight on one side. I did not change my chain.

[Stu Blue Car]

Originally Posted by acarpenter86

Did you ever get it figured out? Hopefully it was not the ledge wear.

I'm 'finishing up' an f10 project. Long story short, I got it dirt cheap, it had sucked a belt, I cleaned all traces including oil pickup, etc (I have done this job several times), new valve cover, fixed all oil leaks.

Unfortunately I am getting Vanos codes on the EXHAUST side (code 0304 exhaust camshaft stuck and once in a while the cold start counterpart). I cleaned and swapped solenoids and also operated them while cleaning with a 9v. Even swapping them it is the exhaust code. Engine purrs like a kitten... but it is in limp mode after short drives. While running at idle, ISTA says 10.5 degrees for exhaust and 8 degrees for intake (both are approximations). Is that high? I can't seem to find the 'normal' degrees with my Google fu. If those ARE high, that makes me think the belt wrap threw timing off just enough to screw things up.

If those degrees can be considered 'normal' my next thought is to try an adaptations reset and perhaps update the software. Then I guess I am opening of the valve cover again...

One big mistake i made was buying cheap aftermarket sprockets. They stuck. I ended up buying 2 new bmw sprockets but the exhaust kept giving me a code. I needed the intake as the spring started coming loose and interfering with the cam position sensor. I put the original exhaust sprocket on with the new intake sprocket . And the dial gauge to confirm tdc on the crank. I think in the end, confirming the tdc was the most important.