Cam Shaft Position Sensor - BMW Forum

EuRopE1981 · 03-09-2005, 07:15 PM

My check engine light was on so i checked it last week to see whats wrong and they told me code p1397 comes on after is cleared cam shaft position sensor is bad needs replaced. if Anyone had this problem its a challenge shifting on the first gear u killing the engine . Anyone familiar with the cam shaft sensor how much will it cost me to get it replaced

Mach 5 · 03-09-2005, 07:46 PM

I had mine replaced under warranty (on a 2000 328ci). It did not seem as bad as yours though. I believe the bill would have been about $400 USD had it not been covered though.
Ben

bryan1970 · 03-09-2005, 08:38 PM

sounds like an intake cam sensor. the intake cam sensor is usually the one that will make the eninge die.

Howie · 03-10-2005, 04:20 AM

I had to have cam sensor done on my 318 and my new 330... I guess its just a bad design. I had both under warrantee....

Hootie361 · 03-10-2005, 09:05 AM

google "bmw camshaft intake sensor" and a butt-load of wholesale retailers will pop-up. mine went bad last month. i bought it for $95 online. took me about 30 minutes to replace (you'll need the Bentley repair manual for your car... solid investment). you'll require allen wrenches, flat head screwdrivers, star wrenches and one pair of alligator pliars to remove the VANOS solenoid unit (i used the pliars from my trunk kit, perfect fit). don't forget to have some string or flexible wire handy... the sensor has an 8" length of wire that passes just above the alternator through some tight spaces... tied-off spare wire makes threading it back easier.

good luck.

EuRopE1981 · 03-10-2005, 09:16 AM

Thanx guys, like i said on the first gear u have to go at least 3000 rpm and it only does it when the car runs hot , im going to replaced next week to see if it gonna make any difference i heard a lot of people had the same problem and after they replaced car runs like new

bryan1970 · 03-10-2005, 05:28 PM

it does sound like an intake cam sensor but are you sure it isn't the exhaust cam sensor or do you ahve only one becasue an M54 engine has two one for the exhaust and one for the intake.

EuRopE1981 · 03-11-2005, 11:35 AM

its an M52 engine. The car is 2000 323ci

bryan1970 · 03-12-2005, 04:51 PM

yeah you have only one cam sensor it's the M54 which has a sensor on the exhaust side.
FYI
and not that it makes a diffrence to this topis but you actually have a M52TU which the TU stands for Technical Upgrade which mean you have a throttle by wire and no actual cable.

Dirty_Tool · 03-13-2005, 09:52 AM

Didnt the m52tu also get double vanos which would mean it does have 2 cam sensors?

DT

bryan1970 · 03-13-2005, 11:58 AM

did it? i thought the M52TU only had single vanos and a throttle by wire t-body.
if the M52TU had double vanos then is the only diffrence the lite sizes?

Dirty_Tool · 03-13-2005, 03:18 PM

Ok I dug up my book for the m52 and here is a quick overview of the changes over M52....

Redesigned crankcase
Modified crankshaft
Modified pistons
Forged connecting rods
Oil pump/pressure regulator integrated into oil sump deflector
Double vanos
Redesigned cooling system
Map controlled thermostat
Quick disconnet cooling hoses
MDK (fly by wire)
Catalytic converters mounted on exhaust manifolds

Also the ms42.0 siemens operating system was developed for this engine.

bryan1970 · 03-13-2005, 03:32 PM

oh okay i get the M52TU and the m54 coonfused. thanks for the info.

Hootie361 · 03-15-2005, 09:45 AM

spot on, the 2000 year 3 series have two camshaft sensors. i had to replace my intake when it failed, my exhaust was fine. as a side note, the exhaust looks like it's a whole lot easier to replace than the intake. none-the-less, a quick fix.

EuRopE1981 · 03-24-2005, 03:27 PM

I changed the sensors yesterday check engine light is gone , i had to change both sensors first i changed the intake and it didnt make any difference when i changed the exhaust one its was worth it the money i spent