p0012 p1554 errors

Hi all

I'm getting p0012 and p1554 errors and rough idle

i've taken out the 2 solenoids and cleaned them and still the car is exactly as it was.

it seems to tick over ok until i go into "D" or "R" then it just starts blippin whilst sat still...once i'm moving it seems fine other than the other day it dropped a cylinder but its back to normal again now.

Is this likely to be the whole Vanos unit needing to be removed? and if so where can i get these "repair/service" kits from ?

Cheers everyone

Steve

Well all I can come up with through searching is sticking vanos. Only I also read the n52 doesnt get the sticking problem.

Anyway looks like I'll have to strip it and fit new seals only problem is finding seals

How's it going Baracus, I'm having a similar problem occasional, mine was tripping about every 100 miles or so, reset and it would go another 100 or so. I have the n52 motor also and read some where that the first step was to do an oil change which I have done. This has helped as I have only gotten the error once since.

I found and ordered the seals from ecstuning.com which I'm waiting on to pull and clean my vano solenoid's. I also read that there is a flash which BMW came up with which is suppose to reverse the fluid flow and periodically self clean the vanos, I'm not sure if this has been flashed into mine but I'm planning to look into this next.

Ecstuning is an American company here in the states so you might be able to locate a parts supplier in the UK but just incase their not expensive through them.

Two other possibilities one not so bad is a vacuum leak and one which I hope it is not the problem scored cam ledges. I read where one guy went through cleaning and changing everything only to find out he had a vacuum leak the whole time.

Cheers for the reply.

Ive had both solenoids out and cleaned them and the seals on those seemed fine anyway. It was the full vanos system I was going to remove and clean as the seals can crumble. Only thing is I read the n52 has upgraded seals already so diesnt get that problem?

Its the 1st time anyone has mentioned a vacuum leak though, ive not read that anywhere but anything is worth a look.

I did a lot of searching when I started having the problem and the forum posting I was following was either zpost or e90post not sure but the guy cleaned his vanos, replaced them, and replaced the cam ledges, then quit posting people started asking him if the ledges fixed his problem and he finally came back and said no that he found a vacuum leak,,, lol my quest is that he was upset that he spent so much money on a simple fix.

Still I think the oil change has helped 90% of my problem, it may happen again to day but for 3 weeks I've not got the error

Well I am about 1 ltr short of oil so I guess I could try toppin it up or changing it but if that fixes it then it can only be a blocked oil channel.....but after cleaning the solenoids I thought the codes could be removed for at least a few mins but they just pop straight back on like its not even tried to be fixed. Which is why im guessing its not solenoids or even oil for that matter?

Even if I can get hold of vanos seals i'm guessing I'll also need cam cover gasket and vanos gasket too.

Unless it is actually the cam position sensor

yeah come to think of it he had changed his cam position sensor too,,,,, I think the order of things to try according to BMW is oil change, clean and swap vano positions to see if the problem moves, change cam position sensor, then ledges.... I don't think they mention a possible vacuum leak... or maybe there was a smoke test done I'm not sure without re-reading everything.

And I was gonna swap solenoids over too. Bloody forgot. I'll do that tomorrow and see if I get the new error. Cheers for reminding me

No worries hope that helps you get it sorted man

No doubt I'll let ya know tomorrow

So I swapped the solenoids over today and it cleared the p1554 error but ran like a total piece of garbage worse than ever. ....swapped them back and I could clear both errors and the car ran perfectly again. 1st time since friday its run ok....im guessing ive dislodged something in the solenoid? Im also guessing I better get a new solenoid from somewhere.

Well im trying it out in the mornin for work so I'll see whay happens.

Is p1554 for the exhaust Vano? I'm guessing.

I don't know maybe you did have some gunk clogging a solenoid and you got it cleaned out some how.... I read that there is a Vano filter somewhere but I haven't been able to locate it with the RealOEM diagrams unless it is what they refer to as the non return valve.... but I would think that is a type of check valve

Well I just got to work (50 miles ish) and its run smooth as silk whilst moving but still missing/hunting on tickover in "d" but not as bad as it was. Had no light until I stopped at shop near work and engine light is back on so im guessing same code.

It is better so im guessing its vanos unit or solenoids or both. I suppose I'll have to get new solenoids to start with. Now I've just to source some

Well I hope its the Solenoid Steve... I'm planning to clean mine this coming weekend and waiting on new O-ring seals which should be here this week.

I went back and read some stuff about cleaning them this morning and thought I'd share something I found.

"Further to Umariner’s reply that he has changed the engine oil the light went out to re-appear after some miles of driving this happened exactly to me.
First I had taken out the solenoids before the oil changed noticed the oil around and inside the solenoids where heavier than the oil already in the engine, I blew out the solenoids with an air compressor and replaced the solenoids in their original location with the old seals.
Light went out, I cleared the codes and thought that would be it, (but my mind was on the viscosity of the oil not being right) light came back on with the same codes after 100 miles.
I goggled the BMW forums and found this problem on two sites suggesting the remedy already been discussed to be carried out before anything else was done, I decided to do this but take it to the extreme. So I had oil and filter changed to ensure I had the correct grade.
1. Taken a voltage reading on the solenoid plugs it was 5.5volts. (typical signal voltage)
2. Taken a resistance reading across terminals of the solenoids and notice slight variation between the two.
3. Tippex one of them as I intend to swap them over to see if one was faulty I may get different codes error later.
4. Rigged up an independent power supply of a variable 5.5 volts (do not apply 12volts) and notice similarity’s of the solenoids opening and closing, one was slightly lazier than the other but both where opening and closing, (I was looking for any faults and differences between the two)

5. With 5.5volts applied to keep the solenoid open I blasted air through the solenoid to make sure no residue was trapped in the valve seating, then blew by mouth to ensure the seating was airtight, (I placed a paper towel over the solenoid so as not to contaminate myself when I blew by mouth)
Note: It has been said to blow the solenoids by hand with a proper air compressor, (high pressure with volume) remember any residue trapped in the valve seating won’t be cleared as the solenoid is closed, you need them to be opened hence why I applied 5.5volts while cleaning.
Fitted with new BMW O ring seals the light went out, cleared the codes and since then car has been perfect.
To some reading this that was extreme, but that is how I do my DIY, should the fault return then I will most likely look for the fault elsewhere and look at the engine timing crankshaft to camshaft that BMW has suggested I do in the first place.
Best regards to all. Stuart"

Looks like the best way to do a thorough clean I just need to find 5.5v. Havin said that I think I'll prob just buy a new 1 i'm so sick of the error and poor runnin. Just gotta get hold of 1.

Yep, it was just the first place I had found anything about using a power supply to open the solenoid and thought I'd tell you what I found, guess I'm going to borrow one from work this weekend to do mine... Good luck man.

Right update.

Replaced both solenoids for 2 brand new from bmw. Cleared the codes and errors have not returned and light has stayed off for 2 days. Car runs exactly the same but no errors.

Before all this a while ago I got a crank sensor error but it drove ok so I bought new sensor but never changed it. I plan on changin it tomorrow to see if that clears it.

Really stumped now and also read it could be post cat sensor but never had errors for those

Another update.

Car now runs like a big bag of garbage. Splutters and stalls all over the place.

Now got these 2 errors but I erased the errors and now just get the p1553 error

P1553
P0015 b camshaft timing over rated bank 1.

Im totally lost

P.s. both solonoids have been replaced with brand new ones

Hey Steve, just a question, maybe dumb one but, which cable do you have hooked to the bottom vano? Is it the long one that routes to the top of the engine, or short one that leads down to the bottom of the engine?