[Kgray_e92]

I was getting vanos codes and the dealership told me i needed both vanos solenoids replaced. They wanted over $600 to do them so i did them myself. It took me about 20 minutes and and cost me WAYYYY less than $600. I watched multiple videos and followed multiple diy threads so i know i did the job right but the codes keep coming back. Ive tried switching the position of the solenoids and the codes still come back. Am i missing something? Any ideas?

[W37V]

Filter could be clogged.

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by W37V

Filter could be clogged.

Just did oil change 2 days ago

[W37V]

Originally Posted by Kgray_e92

Just did oil change 2 days ago

Not oil filter.

this one:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=900394

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by W37V

Not oil filter.

this one:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=900394

Oh okay I'll check that. Thanks!

[tdavis42]

I just got done this morning cleaning my check valves and now after many years my car finally idles smoothly.

Like the OP I had gotten a vanos code a while back and changed both of them out over a 3 month period hoping it would also get rid of the rough idle but it didn't. it just got rid of the vanos codes my car was giving me.

This morning i was doing sway bar end links and knew this was my chance to check and clean these little filters and boy was the intake screen DIRTY! The exhaust had a little build up but the intake was way worse.

I think this came from A. living in the dusty desert and B. the previous owner following the BMW oil change intervals. Everyone I talk to says that 5k oil changes are basically mandatory out here with all the dust and now I know why. I know my engine has some gunky buildup and I plan on flushing it this oil change, then cleaning the vanos, then cleaning these screens again.

Car runs great now!

[Kgray_e92]

are you talking about the same filters?

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by Kgray_e92

are you talking about the same filters?

Yes

[Kgray_e92]

So i have now replaced the solenoids, swapped location, and replaced non return valves and the vanos codes persist what could i be missing here??! any help is greatly appreciated!!

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by Kgray_e92

So i have now replaced the solenoids, swapped location, and replaced non return valves and the vanos codes persist what could i be missing here??! any help is greatly appreciated!!

Have you cleared the code with a computer or ODB tool?

Also what codes are you getting exactly?

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Have you cleared the code with a computer or ODB tool?

Multiple times

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by BimmerGeeks

Maybe worth a read. On the image in this link, #2 on the oil filter cap was missing on a customers car. Once replaced, Vanos codes didn't return.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...32779-8218.pdf

Oh man would I be pissed if this was my car and that was the fix and I just spent $$$ on new vanos solinoids.

[etraud]

check for spark plugs

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by etraud

check for spark plugs

Spark plugs can cause vanos codes?


And codes read with CarlyBmw are:

Intake,coldstart-002A7C
Outlet,coldstart-002A7A

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by Kgray_e92

Spark plugs can cause vanos codes?


And codes read with CarlyBmw are:

Intake,coldstart-002A7C
Outlet,coldstart-002A7A

Did you check what BimmerGeeks posted?

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Did you check what BimmerGeeks posted?

Yes I did. The oil cap insert is still installed. Car runs fine except after start up it misfires and seems to want to shut off. I give it s bit of gas and it's fine until the next time I start it

[tdavis42]

Man with all of these problems did you at least get a good deal on the car?

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Man with all of these problems did you at least get a good deal on the car?

Yeah I got a pretty good deal and I've had it over a year and a half with minimal issues. But when the vanos issues started its been nothing but headache. Been a couple months now with messing with it. My problem is I'm really trying to avoid the dealership but it may get to the point where I have no choice.

[kevinnn]

Did you ever figure out what the problem is? I was getting the same codes, but now its just the 2A7A code. I swapped both solenoids with brand new ones. Did an oil change and the codes still come back. Only noticeable on start up the car has a rough idle 1100 rpms but comes back down to 600 rpms.

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by kevinnn

Did you ever figure out what the problem is? I was getting the same codes, but now its just the 2A7A code. I swapped both solenoids with brand new ones. Did an oil change and the codes still come back. Only noticeable on start up the car has a rough idle 1100 rpms but comes back down to 600 rpms.

Man it was a never ending battle it seemed. I was too stubborn to let bmw find the problem because I didn't wanna pay them what they wanted and I ended up replacing the solenoids, camshaft position sensors, and vanos filters and still got codes for the intake solenoid. So after about $800 i took it to bmw and I found out the solenoid wires were swapped which was weird because I had tried it both ways and neither worked. They were able to make codes go away and check engine light is gone and it runs great but sometimes I still get a slight misfire at idle. Til it throws me a code idk what to do.

[jts1981]

Originally Posted by Kgray_e92

Man it was a never ending battle it seemed. I was too stubborn to let bmw find the problem because I didn't wanna pay them what they wanted and I ended up replacing the solenoids, camshaft position sensors, and vanos filters and still got codes for the intake solenoid. So after about $800 i took it to bmw and I found out the solenoid wires were swapped which was weird because I had tried it both ways and neither worked. They were able to make codes go away and check engine light is gone and it runs great but sometimes I still get a slight misfire at idle. Til it throws me a code idk what to do.

Did the 2A7A ever come back? I did both solenoids, and cam gears, ledges were fine and code came back. we just swapped the sensors and the code stays on the exhaust side.

[Kgray_e92]

Originally Posted by jts1981

Did the 2A7A ever come back? I did both solenoids, and cam gears, ledges were fine and code came back. we just swapped the sensors and the code stays on the exhaust side.

Codes never came back. It was a big run around though. I did the solenoids twice because I bought cheap ones at first then bought OEM. I also did camshaft position sensors and there's these little vanos check oil filters on the side of the motor that I also did. After all of that, finally I got no more codes