[Moshi3009]

Hello,

Looking for some advice please.

Chain guide was damaged and I've
replaced the chain and guides. Car was rattling after start and it turned that inlet vanos was faulty, replaced.

Timing set with timing tool.

Now on cold start only there's 2 second rattle which stops immediately after and won't come back on another engine start unless it cools down.

Tried to drive it and got smoke from the exhaust and car starts to stall, oil light comes on.

I've checked camshaft sensors and solenoids, these work fine.

Vanos adaptation was reset.

Now what seems strange to me but I cannot wrap my head around it is:

1. Camshaft position doesn't return to its initial position, it stops a few degrees early.

2. Ista vanos adaptation values show:
Inlet - 114 degrees
Exhaust - 60 degrees
Actual position when engine is started reads in region of
Inlet - 125 degrees
Exhaust - 105 degrees

I'm not familiar with this but to me it seems far off.

When adaptation for exhaust side is started while car is running the car will shake a lot and try to bring the value down, it reaches about 60.6 degrees but when adaptation is finished car stops, when started again value is back at 105.

I was leaning towards incorrect timing (wrong tool) however looked everywhere and all tools appear the same.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Does anyone know what the starting values for inlet and exhaust should be? Or anyone with same car, engine and with ista could check these values for me please? When car is idling (Vehicle information - control unit list - DME - call up ECU)

Thanks in advance

 

[emanueliancu97]

Hi ! Coming from my e91, n46 that had the exact same issues. May be a stupid question but are you sure the Vanos solenoids are in all the way? sometimes it is really hard to do so, i ended up using a hammer even though i am a big guy. You can try to take the o-ring off, see how much it should go in, and then put it back with the gasket

 

[Moshi3009]

Hi ! Coming from my e91, n46 that had the exact same issues. May be a stupid question but are you sure the Vanos solenoids are in all the way? sometimes it is really hard to do so, i ended up using a hammer even though i am a big guy. You can try to take the o-ring off, see how much it should go in, and then put it back with the gasket

Thank you for suggestion, I had them out and in a few times now, also replaced with used ones, I'm quite confident they're in but I'll have another look at it.. I'll also get some new gaskets for them and update the topic if I find something.

I should add that this vehicle was bought with some hidden faults (a lot actually).

I've now also replaced a head gasket and it still smokes but less (it was in bad shape). It doesn't smoke when solenoids are unplugged.

I'll need to take it for a longer drive and test but it has to go through mot first as it expired 🤣, might have to unplug the solenoids just to put it through and then continue testing.

 

[emanueliancu97]

Does the car throw any fault codes? When you checked the timing, or when you set it, did you checked that no intake nor exaust vanos is stuck ? You can check that by trying to turn the centre nut of the exaust left and right. If it has less than 1mm left-right movement, the vanos is working fine, but sometimes it can get stuck, so you set the timing correct but it throws it off/set it wrong because of this.

I would also check the crankshaft sensor too, or replace it. Whatever is more convenient. I know it s quite tricky to get to it

 

[Moshi3009]

Does the car throw any fault codes? When you checked the timing, or when you set it, did you checked that no intake nor exaust vanos is stuck ? You can check that by trying to turn the centre nut of the exaust left and right. If it has less than 1mm left-right movement, the vanos is working fine, but sometimes it can get stuck, so you set the timing correct but it throws it off/set it wrong because of this.

I would also check the crankshaft sensor too, or replace it. Whatever is more convenient. I know it s quite tricky to get to it

Hi,

Yes both vanos units locked in place by rotating cams, there's minimum to no play there.

I've checked camshaft sensors, swapped them around and then replaced one (other just arrived so I'll put it on today).

Camshaft metal orings visually inspected too and there's no play, they sit nicely in.

I'll check for fault codes again today after test drive as I did some more work on it yesterday evening.

 

[Moshi3009]

Update,

Solenoid gaskets replaced and installed correctly.

Unfortunately, the second camshaft sensor that arrived isn't working correctly but swapped the old one and one new (previously purchased from another source) installed on the other side and no difference.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to test drive due to long day at work, at idle, although there is still a noise at cold start (likely due to incorrect initial position of the cam - as such piston too - it stops a few degrees early). At idle no errors came up either in inpa or ista but hopefully after a short drive something will show.

There was some difference in cam position on inlet after replacing the solenoid gaskets but unfortunately it went back to what it used to be.

Tried adaptations again and not much difference.

I'm baffled as the issue was more towards the exhaust side previously, now it seems to be pointing towards inlet.. could it be anything related to injection?

Any comments appreciated, I might have spent a little too much time on it consistently to think straight.

Thank you