[E91_Dave]

Hello.

My Z4 E86 N52 engine keeps throwing a "camshaft position sensor A" code, I've replaced both of the sensors on the front of the engine and cleaned the vanos solenoids with an air compressor to open the valves etc and swapped them over and it's still throwing the same code.

The idle is rough on start up but other wise it runs perfectly, any ideas???

Luckily still have my E91 as a daily, my Z is mainly a weekend car.

[old grey steve]

The N52's a tough old bird but several thoughts go through I mind.

One being in the timing side and that's the eccentric shaft on the Vanos unit your usual handheld diagnostic code reader thing of fleebay and going to be useless on this but if you've got an eccentric shaft railroad, we've seen several of late then this might explain the issue it's normally the inlet side that gives the more problematic reading, we've learnt now that if we see certain codes the carrying out an ECU software update(or re set if there is no software update available in other words re flash the ECU clear all adaptations and drive the car) can work wonders and we've been quite successful on thus usual cause is thee centric shaft will either encounter some wear or the unit itself will be reported as sticking/lazy causing a correlation issue and no matter how many times you clear the fault as you report it'll return. The code from memory we see is 2A67 or something like that but it's the actual description that accompanies the code that's key.

My other chain of thought and it's rate but not unheard of is a possible chain guide fault basically the can break/fracture rough running apart from what I've described on the paragraph above can be part and parcel of guides letting go worse case is that the chain can also jump a tooth if the guides let go.

Worth getting it to a decent BMW Indy who's got access to Autologic certain codes give the game away(codes maybe different to the average code reader)but it'll be your safest and best step forward IMO

[E91_Dave]

Thanks for the info, will see about getting a reset/update and go from there!

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by E91_Dave

Thanks for the info, will see about getting a reset/update and go from there!

it's just a guess but this could be where you cars at whereabouts in Northants are you we are based in Hertfordshire so what an hour or so from you?

[E91_Dave]

I'm in Daventry, easy enough to get down to you, could you PM me some ball park price details for the reset/update and I'll be in touch

Thanks