Intake camshaft position sensor how-to

I finally did this today and thought I'd share some things I learned.

You'll need a couple non-standard things to do the replacement:
32mm open-ended wrench to remove/replace the VANOS solenoid
5mm Allen head socket
Blue loctite - the factory put it on the bolt holding the sensor for a reason...

Here's how to do it:
* Remove the airbox (2 10mm bolts after the cover's removed)
* Disconnect the tube above the sensor and the VANOS solenoid by squeezing both sides of the connector and pulling straight out (I think this is the PCV recirculation but I'm not sure)
* Disconnect the VANOS solenoid electrical connector by squeezing the wire clip and pulling the connector off
* Remove the VANOS solenoid with the 32mm wrench. Oil will come out, have rags ready
* Remove the camshaft position sensor hold down bolt with the 5mm Allen socket. A standard Allen wrench will also do.
* Pull the CPS out - give it a twist to help it out. Make sure you clean out where the gasket goes as mine was pretty cruddy there. Get a new gasket with the new CPS, it's a buck and worth it to avoid a potential oil leak
* Trace the wire to the connector way underneath the intake, disconnect it and remove the CPS from the car
* Run the new sensor's wire the same way the old one ran
* Put the new gasket on the sensor, lube it with a couple drops of clean oil and install the sensor
* Reinstall the 5mm Allen bolt with a drop of blue Loctite
* Put everything else back where it came from

Total time, if you have everything you need at hand, maybe 45 minutes.

Have fun!

Scott

Just a note: If you removed the oil filter housing it gives you alot more room to do the job.

Originally Posted by Its311pete

Just a note: If you removed the oil filter housing it gives you alot more room to do the job.

Yeah, I wound up removing it to be able to get the sensor bolt out but only because I couldn't get my standard Allen wrench (actually my old bicycle set) on the bolt with the filter cover on. Though it does provide more room I don't think I'd bother to remove it if you can get at the sensor bolt with it in place.

Scott

Originally Posted by Pigeon

Yeah, I wound up removing it to be able to get the sensor bolt out but only because I couldn't get my standard Allen wrench (actually my old bicycle set) on the bolt with the filter cover on. Though it does provide more room I don't think I'd bother to remove it if you can get at the sensor bolt with it in place.

Scott

im trying to replace my camshaft sensor, but the vanos refuses to come off. i have a 32mm wrench, but the vanos solenoid won't come off. It would help to remove the oil filter for more room..anyone know what size socket wrench ? 11, 12 or 13 mm?

Originally Posted by worldwideluxe27

im trying to replace my camshaft sensor, but the vanos refuses to come off. i have a 32mm wrench, but the vanos solenoid won't come off. It would help to remove the oil filter for more room..anyone know what size socket wrench ? 11, 12 or 13 mm?

As long as the 32mm fits properly on the solenoid, just keep at it. Mine was pretty damned tight as I recall, it was a good thing the wrench was a long open-ended one from Sears. You are doing lefty-loosey, right?

I didn't really remove the entire oil filter housing, just the top part that you remove to do a filter change, and wasn't necessary in order to get to the VANOS solenoid at all.

Good luck,

Scott

Originally Posted by Pigeon

As long as the 32mm fits properly on the solenoid, just keep at it. Mine was pretty damned tight as I recall, it was a good thing the wrench was a long open-ended one from Sears. You are doing lefty-loosey, right?

I didn't really remove the entire oil filter housing, just the top part that you remove to do a filter change, and wasn't necessary in order to get to the VANOS solenoid at all.

Good luck,

Scott

thanks for the reply scott..i have the long 32mm $25 wrench from sears as well....what is this "lefty loosey" you refer to? you mean counter clockwise? its tighter than tight. i throw my entire weight into it and it refuses to budge.

Does anyone have pics of where the Camshaft Position Sensor (intake) is?
I found the CPS (exhaust) but not the intake. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Pigeon

I finally did this today and thought I'd share some things I learned.

You'll need a couple non-standard things to do the replacement:
32mm open-ended wrench to remove/replace the VANOS solenoid
5mm Allen head socket
Blue loctite - the factory put it on the bolt holding the sensor for a reason...

Here's how to do it:
* Remove the airbox (2 10mm bolts after the cover's removed)
* Disconnect the tube above the sensor and the VANOS solenoid by squeezing both sides of the connector and pulling straight out (I think this is the PCV recirculation but I'm not sure)
* Disconnect the VANOS solenoid electrical connector by squeezing the wire clip and pulling the connector off
* Remove the VANOS solenoid with the 32mm wrench. Oil will come out, have rags ready
* Remove the camshaft position sensor hold down bolt with the 5mm Allen socket. A standard Allen wrench will also do.
* Pull the CPS out - give it a twist to help it out. Make sure you clean out where the gasket goes as mine was pretty cruddy there. Get a new gasket with the new CPS, it's a buck and worth it to avoid a potential oil leak
* Trace the wire to the connector way underneath the intake, disconnect it and remove the CPS from the car
* Run the new sensor's wire the same way the old one ran
* Put the new gasket on the sensor, lube it with a couple drops of clean oil and install the sensor
* Reinstall the 5mm Allen bolt with a drop of blue Loctite
* Put everything else back where it came from

Total time, if you have everything you need at hand, maybe 45 minutes.

Have fun!

Scott

Originally Posted by worldwideluxe27

thanks for the reply scott..i have the long 32mm $25 wrench from sears as well....what is this "lefty loosey" you refer to? you mean counter clockwise? its tighter than tight. i throw my entire weight into it and it refuses to budge.

Sorry, I lost track of the thread for a while. Yeah, I meant counte-clockwise by "lefty loosey" It was tight on my car but with the proper tool it actually came free pretty easily. You can always give the end of the wrency a tap with a hammer to start it.

Sorry, no pics in my thread but if you search I think you'll find pics.

Scott

Here are some pics for the Camshaft Position Sensor install from the 7 and 5 series, respectively:

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/63877
http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/C...eplacement.htm

These should give you a good idea how it is implemented for e46.

After I do my CPS intake replacement, I will post the pics to this thread.

Originally Posted by Pigeon

* Trace the wire to the connector way underneath the intake, disconnect it and remove the CPS from the car
* Run the new sensor's wire the same way the old one ran

Have fun!

Scott

Scott, or anybody else who did this?

How did you do this part?

I looked at this wire today as I was planing to replace mine, but the wire went down so low that I could not see the connection and could not see how I could even fit my hand down there.

Did you pull the wire up to bring the connection up to you? How do you fit your hand there???

Thanks!

Dan.

Originally Posted by MatWiz

Scott, or anybody else who did this?

How did you do this part?

I looked at this wire today as I was planing to replace mine, but the wire went down so low that I could not see the connection and could not see how I could even fit my hand down there.

Did you pull the wire up to bring the connection up to you? How do you fit your hand there???

Thanks!

Dan.

If you remove the airbox and the tube as described you'll barely have enough room to run the wire by hand. It's tight, and I scratched my hand up some, but you can do it. Good luck!

Scott

Thanks Scott,

I will try it this weekend.

Dan.

Thanks Pigeon for this DIY but with no pics it’s kinda hard for me to figure out how to do this.

NOTE: Don't bother opening your engine hood, as you will NOT be able to see the CPS sensor until you do steps #5 and 8.

Support our sponsors and buy the following items:
1. Intake Camshaft Position Sensor w/ cable (BMW part # 12147539165*
2. Position Sesnor O-ring (BMW part #12141748398)

*for 2004 and newer, the CPS part is different (I think?)

Some steps here are optional (if you have correct tools and small hands – tight spaces)
1. Allow car to cool down (overnight if possible), since you will be sticking your hands into hot compartments of the engine bay.
2. Unclamp 5 clips on Air Filter Top Cover (no need to remove the entire box)
3. With flat head screwdriver, pry off both metal Retaining Tabs on Mass Air Flow (MAF) 3” flex hose.
4. Wiggle off Air Filter Top Cover. Remove air filter and set both aside.
5. With 6mm Hex Socket Head, loosen MAF Hose clamps, and turn/swivel it up to allow space for you to access/see the electrical connector side of CPS.

6. Optional step: Remove Oil Filter top cover and oil filter using 36mm Hex Socket. Skip this step if you have correct tools that will allow you to work in the tight space.

7. Press down on wire clip & remove electrical connector on rear of VANOS solenoid (Variable Nockenwellen Steuerung).VANOS varies the duration of the intake valves by moving the position of the camshafts in relation to the drive gear.
8. Using Adjustable Crescent Wrench, remove VANOS. NOTE: Place a rag under it to catch some small oil drips.

9. Remove CPS Sensor on engine bay using 5mm Allen Key. U may need some force to break the loctite seal. NOTE: Place a rag under it to catch some small oil drips.
10. Carefully follow CPS wire behind Oil Filter, behind Power Steering Resorvoir, down to just under the Oil DipStick tube where it bends to find the CPS electrical connector.
11. With UR right hand thumb, press down on the wire clip and wiggle out the connector. This is hard to do with just 1 hand, so be patient.
12. Remember how the original CPS wire path runs (so U install the new one in same path).
13. Then, pull out the CPS wire from the sensor side. Pull slowly so the CPS connector side does not get caught on anything.

Done with removal of defective CPS sensor.

14. Starting from the VANOS side, push / snake new CPS elec connector down through until you see it pop out under the Oil Dipstick (following the same path in Step #12). Do not plug the connector in yet.

15. Add some oil to the new Green O-ring and pull it onto the new CPS sensor end.
16. Wipe off new CPS sensor with rag before inserting back into place.
17. Add blue Loctite glue to 5mm Allen Bolt and tighten new CPS sensor in place. The blue Loctite requires 20 minutes to harden. NOTE: If you finish quicker, do not start your car, as the engine heat may weaken the Loctite bond.

18. Observe CPS elec connector end and make sure you have the 2 slots facing up towards you when you reinsert the connector (hear a click).

19. Reinstall VANOS. Pay careful attention to which side the wire clip faces when the electrical connector mounts to the VANOS. Reintall VANOS connector (hear a click).
20. Reinstall Oil filter
21. Reinstall Air filter
22. Reinstall MAF hose to Air Filter box

23. Voila, that’s it. Go for a test drive (after waiting 20 min for Loctite glue to cure from Step #17). You should notice a big improvement in the engine performance.

24. Drive, shut off the engine, wait a few seconds, then restart. Do this twice and the Service Engine Soon (SES) Light should automatically turn off.
25. If the SES light is still on, you may have to manually RESET the SES light.

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Take your time doing this (1.5 hour) and good luck!

I plan on removing the oil filter to get to the sensor...damn those small-hand/arm people! When I remove it, how much oil will come out? I'm still about 2000 away from my next oil change, so I really don't want to change the oil early (but guess I will if I have no other choice) just so I don't have a craploads of oil going everywhere. Is this not a big deal and something that just a rag can take care of?

I plan on removing the oil filter to get to the sensor...damn those small-hand/arm people! When I remove it, how much oil will come out? I'm still about 2000 away from my next oil change, so I really don't want to change the oil early (but guess I will if I have no other choice) just so I don't have a craploads of oil going everywhere. Is this not a big deal and something that just a rag can take care of?

Not much oil will come out, just drips (good to have some paper towels or rags handy though to catch them). Just let the oil in the filter drain into the filter canister. Before I pulled out the old sensor and wire, I threaded the new wire down beside the old one, to be sure it went the same route. Have a good portable light with you, and tug on the old sensor wire from above to see where it goes down below and connects.

323i and 330i have the sensor in the same location?

Great DIY!

Did this a few days ago. Couple things to add:

1. To loosen the VANOS solenoid, use a rubber strap wrench instead of an adjustable or open end wrench. I found that a metal wrench would press on the oil pressure line to the VANOS unit while trying to undo the VANOS solenoid.

2. Be careful with the PCV vent tube if you're going to remove for more clearance. It's quite fragile, seems to corrode from the inside out (corrosive blow-by gases?). Mine broke clean off and I know I'm going to have a ***** of a time replacing it. Taped it up with self sealing silicone tape for now.

I used this DIY when I did it. It helped a lot.