I gotta say this is my favorite of all the How-To's you've made! You skipped all the common stuff that has been covered by you and others a million times, and went right to the meat of the instructions of the valvetronic motor replacement- which was covered in great detail with good camera angles for reference. Hell yes! Keep it up!!
Grant, you’re the GOAT with the N55 f10 engines bro. You explain things so well and make it look so damn easy! Lol... keep the content coming brother, loving the channel
My brother has a faulty motor on his 335i n55 and your video and walkthrough has answered a lot of questions we had about replacing the tension load on the valvetronic motor that have not been covered on the uploads for the 335i videos on here. I really wanted to thank you for helping us out with concerns we had over the replacement and we will start the job tomorrow. Thanks again for a great video Sir, and I doff my cap and bow in appreciation!!
@@JohnsonMotorsports thanks dude we managed to do it but it did take us 12 hours as we replaced the eccentric shaft and bearings and we used your video for reference at a few points. So again thank you so much. We ran the inpa software but not with much success so he borrowed a Launch tablet diagnostic device and reset and the car had to relearn the motors tolerances and are about to tackle a fault with fuel injector 1.
Hey good morning I've jus watch ur video and it really helps me a lot on a x5 .thanks bro this is sealy a mechanic from Jamaica respec urs was the best up .
Excellent how to video! Man they really made this valvetronic motor a PITA to remove on the n55. So tempting to do the old drill a hole in the sensor connector to gain access to the 4mm worm gear to manually spin it until valvetronic is at max position trick. haha And make sure not to plug it back in when done. But that's only supposed to be a temporary fix. This is the real fix.
Thanks so much Grant for another great video! Your videos are so well made and you go at a pace that I was able to work right along with you and successfully replace my valvetronic motor. Keep up the great work, beautiful car you have there!
Hey Bro! I’m back on your channel again for direction on this very issue I have. I will be performing this diy in about a week so thanks in advance for sharing 👊🏽💯
🤩 wow thank you for this one ! This is the best tutorial I have found on this project and you have the same error codes that I have now, my parts are coming in and thank you so much for taking the time to do this. Great work,
Really useful video and well explained, thank you! On a side note I’ve been struggling to get a solid version of ISTA installed for a while, could anyone point me in the correct direction please?
great video, one hint to make it simpler: you only need to remove the front bucket, the actuator comes out with the back bucket in place. Also you only need to remove the back injector to remove each bucket so in this case to do the whole job you only need to remove one injector (#2 cylinder injector) cheers!
Great info! Hopefully this will make it easier for someone in the future. I should have explained that better. I removed both buckets on purpose, because I had previous misfire codes on cylinder 4 and wanted to pull the injector to clean and swap with another cylinder for testing purposes.
Nice video! I do need to ask why you removed the minimum stop, only to put it back after rotating the shaft to the required removal position? It didn't appear to interfere with the operation, but then again, I may have missed something. Any clarity is appreciated. Awesome presentation!
What type of obd2 interface cable did you use for ista connection? This information is great. I am right in the middle of this repair on a 2012 E70 X5.
Great how to video! My dad and I swapped the servomotor today but when we plugged in the obd it was still saying error with valvetronic servomotor disabled. Are you able to reactivate using ista +?
Hi..I have a 2014 640i Gran Coupe and got the code P10E2 from the check engine light being on, took it to BMW and said the Valvetronic Motor showed failures and quoted me $2300 and if the injectors needed replaced while doing the motor, quoted me $4400. I believe I can do this alot cheaper on my own. By replacing this myself, do I need a computer program for it to relearn or will it do it on its own?
Hi .... Enjoyed your video great job ... i just have a question i have a 2014 F20 M135i in the UK ... for ISTA+ what cable would i need ?? Thanks in Advance
@@JohnsonMotorsports ok thanks .... just another question do you have any videos here or do you know of any that can help me understand how ISTA+ works ???? Thanks in Advance
where did u get the ista+ software can u send link? is it free? what else you need? a notebook , a cable right? do you have to pay anually or monthly or nothing? great content my friend bimmer!
I got my Ista from Bimmerfest. I don’t know if the link still works, but here. Also, you have to have 500gb of free space. www.bimmerfest.com/threads/ista-download-link-no-request.1023698/page-7
@@JohnsonMotorsportsyou don’t need an ICOM for the relearn, right? I notice a lot of guidance has ISTA running in tandem with an ICOM. I truly hope that’s not the case. Those things aren’t cheap 😅
Yo Grant...i have the same as you (2011 535i) and i been noticing for a few weeks now i have the Permanent Valvetronic code (disabled)...So i know they recommend replacing the eccentric shaft plus the motor...but id REALLY rather not replace the shaft unless absolutely necessary. Anyways, how did this end up workin out for u? This video is like a few years old now... So after only replacing the motor and then using ista to do the relearn process, has it been good ever since?
Yeah, the valvetronics worked great for a year or so after that, but I eventually ended up having to replace the Eccentric shaft. I purchased my Eccentric shaft off of Alibaba for $256 and did the install. I did a 2 part video. Part 1 is here. th-cam.com/video/hWRiNppSNrI/w-d-xo.html
hi bro do need to coding this and when i leave the engine on had big misfiring and injector 2and 4 came on error code do you think need coding after i put new valvtronic servo?
Hey, I'm doing my servomotor too, so I just wanted to confirm, did you found some resistance just before releasing the worm gear after the stopper? I did, not much but noticeable, I notice you had to help a bit with the wrench as I did too, but I'm wondering if you found a lil more resistance in that part and if that's normal. I am wondering if I should replace the shaft too...but it rotates smoothly
If you don’t use ista but instead use snap on which doesn’t run all the steps ista does and it produces a p135808 fault code does that mean the replacement part we had fitted is goosed out the box ?
Hey thx for the video. About to do this on my X5, was wondering what kind of tool you used to either keep the seal on injector tip compressed or remove and reinstall it?
@@JohnsonMotorsports you are right I misspoke, injectors don't need to come out for valve cover, but they do need to be removed for valvetronic right? Have to remove the spark plugs insert for injector 1-4
From what I understand, it’s not a common issue but it can occur. My buddy that works at a local BMW dealership said, the parts department typically keeps 1 Valvetronics motor in stock at all times, because it can happen.
Excellent video. I'm helping a friend save a tremendous amount of money on labor quoted from the dealer. I have a question tho, could a bad valvetronic motor be the culprit of a crank no start issue?
I’m honestly not sure. Are you getting any codes for the Valvetronics? I would think that maybe the Valvetronics could cause a No start because they operate like a throttle body.
@@JohnsonMotorsports the car got dropped off yesterday and I haven't had a chance to check anything. The dealers diagnosis first line says vehicle won't start due to valvetronic not adjusting. So I went ahead and ordered the kit. I'm just hoping that's the issue/ and that I don't have to replace the eccentric shaft
@@jaimereyes7480 Agreed. The shaft is pricey. Do you have Ista? You could try resetting the Valvetronics and seeing if it will go through the relearn process. When my Valvetronic motors was going out, the DME would disable it and I could go through the relearn procedure and the Valvetronic motor would work again for a few weeks before it would disable again. However, I have heard that other people have had issues and not been able to reset it.
Hi Grant, I got my BMW 525 drive system warining message " Power ouput limilation", it seems similar problem through ISTA check, did you experince same situation before ? how can I detemine such fault caused by VVT motor or postioning sensor? thanks a lot!
Great stuff man! Just found your Channel! Did you by any chance do the Ista procedure with just ignition on? Or did you run the car while doing it? Thank you!!!!👍
@@JohnsonMotorsports hello, my 18 yr old son replaced his valvetronic on his 2011 535i….I’m a BMW “observer” through him and his passion for these cars. How does he relearn the new valvetronic with the Ista procedure? What scan tools or program does he need? Thx, Don
@@dwalsh5925 He will only need Ista for the relearn procedure. He needs to connect to his car with the program running and run the diagnostic relearn procedure. He should have fault codes for the Valvetronics so it should calculate in his test plan.
I’m not sure what that code is. Do you have Ista? The best way to determine if the Valvetronics motor needs to be replaced is to run a diagnostic procedure.
Quick question: few months ago, I got the valvetronic disabled. I only got the Servomotor replaced first time, the Indy mechanic claims that he has done this type of job 3 times without the relearn process. My car is a n55 turbo 2013 engine, when I got my car after the first Servomotor replace, i then went to dealer for Ista, I got failed relearn plan, the dealership tried it 3 times, but fails. Long story short, they wanted to look at it further but I did not allow them to hold on my car due to overpriced labor cost. Days after, my starter went bad, my car did not crank, got the starter replaced by dealer. Fast forward, I then got my car to the Indy mechanic Just yesterday, and got the Servomotor replaced a second time. Will I be able to do the relearn process successfully? I specifically told the Indy mech to set it at Max Lift! He also claims it could be my DME? And the eccentric shaft is in good shape by both shops.. could it have been a faulty first Servomotor? The Indy has put everything back together, and says he gots a scan tool that tests min max (not relearn), and is doing some sorts of testing the voltages? Will he knock the actuator out of Max lift?
If the shop is adjusting the Valvetronics motor, it will take it out of Maximum lift, Howe if you can have a fully functioning Valvetronics system, it’s for the best.
@@JohnsonMotorsports I just got the car out of the shop a few hours ago. Yea I wanted it to be in maximum lift then take it to a dealer soon to do re learn. But the thing is why is it the first Servomotor fail it earlier this year. Now the second install is done, and seems like the car is running okay. No engine light. But mechanic said he was goin to leave it activated I think, maybe just like the last time. He still believes the Dme is what is fried, BMW said my dme was fine. If the code I still have is 2E0F, I would like this car is to function right already. Both the shops say my eccentric shaft is okay looks fine, and is not that stiff.. at least I got the car back cranks and drives. Have any solutions?
How did you run diagnostics in ista. How did you retain 13+v to do diagnostics what charger ect. Trying to run the diagnostic but I can’t get it to 13v
I don't recall getting horrible gas mileage, but I guess it's possible. My valvetronics was deactivated when I purchased the car and the car had a stock intake.
@@JoseCruz-wn8bc You may want to search for the actual replacement procedure to verify. I think you can find them on Ista as well. My system was disabled before I started the repair. I just tried to put my shaft back in the position it was in before I started.
Hello Grant thanks for this walk thru. I replaced my valvetronic motor and put the shaft back to the maximum position. Somewhere along the line, from the time i put everything back together to the time i tried running the relearn the shaft made its way back to the minimum position and of course the car would crank but would not start. Could you think of any reason the valvetronic motor would let the shaft back down but not be able to raise it back up?? I feel like if the new valvetronic motor was faulty it would have never been able to move and allow the shaft to return to the minimum position. Whats your opinion on this scenario??
@@JohnsonMotorsports i can't get thru the relearn because after it asks for you to cycle the ignition etc, it then asks you to idle the engine, then it wont start. It only cranks. Just so im sure, the eccentric shaft does have to be in the maximum position for the engine to start right??
@@blacksun_upt4705 I’m really not sure if it needs to be in maximum position. I just returned mine to the position it was in initially. Have you made any progress on getting through the relearn process? It’s been a while so I am trying to remember, is there a separate limits procedure? Unfortunately my laptop that I have Ista on is down at the moment.
@@JohnsonMotorsports hey grant thanks for popping back in. So i found out that the eccentric shaft DOES need to be in the maximum position (or atleast close to it) for the car to start. I put everything back together after putting the shaft back into the maximum position again a few days ago, BUT I DID NOT reconnect the wiring harness to the servo motor, the car started up great but idles terribly lol. So the new servo motor is working and did in fact move the shaft back to the lower position on my first try. And that leads me to what you said about the limits position. I now believe that the shaft limits positions and the valvetronic relearn (fine tuning) are 2 different procedures. And that's a very good possibility of where i went wrong. Im going connect the car back to ista sometime this week. Ill let you know how it goes.
@@JohnsonMotorsports thanks! we fixed the issue with a new motor from a professional manufacturer they improved the anti-interference of signal from motor.
Did you change only the gaskets of the parts you took off or you changed the rear gaskets as well of the part you didn't remove? And is it necessary to change the gasket I just changed my valve cover gasket 6000 miles ago?
I didn't change the valve cover gasket, because I had done that recently as well. I purchased the Valvetronic Motor replacement kit from FCP Euro and it came with the gaskets that needed to be replaced. I don't recall exactly which gaskets they were.
Sorry coming in late but would it cause your car to not start my 2011 335i cranks but does not start and I’m getting codes for the valvetronic did your car just crank with no start?
My car would still run with the Valvetronics disabled, but I’ve heard others that couldn’t start. My essentric shaft was still good though, so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it.
I have a BMW 5series Active hybrid,f10 facelift. Replaced the the valvetronic motor with a VDO replacement but it refused to learn saying adaption range, master adaptation outside tolerances. Bought an original BMW valvetronic motor but still same problem. How can i address the problem?
@@JohnsonMotorsports it doesn’t attempt to relearn. Instead it gives an error saying there is a fault with the valvetronic motor. Fix that first and try again. I saw a thread on line talking of a pitted eccentric shaft. I dont if that maybe my problem
hello, I did exactly as you did with my car on the other hand I just put a second-hand servomotor buy on a site I replaced the servomotor but when I put everything back together when I try to adapt with my suitcase it blocks it tells me that the motor is not at 0 or the servomotor has gone into degraded mode
@@JohnsonMotorsports so I'm not ista but I have a car diagnostic case that allows me on this program to configure the servomotor, suddenly when I want to launch it it doesn't work because it tells me that either the motor is not not at 0 or that the servomotor is in degraded mode, and also when I just switch on the ignition of the vehicle it makes the noise that I had, a sizzling noise
Hmmm, I’m honestly not sure. I never had this problem. Are you sure the second hand servomotor isn’t malfunctioning? I would also consider downloading Ista and trying with that program. I downloaded it for free from the Bimmerfest forums.
What would happen if you don’t put the Eccentric shaft back to the open position before you complete the job? I recently had this job done and I’m experiencing issues. Any help would be appreciated.
@@JohnsonMotorsports yes we ran that and also reset adaptations still no luck. When I start the car the rpm seems a bit sluggish but it won’t throw codes. Not sure what to do.
@@allenhustler I’m having same issues as well.. after repair eccentric motor won’t relearn & get fault code 2de3 2d42 2d43. Did you resolve your issue?.
I believe it is to avoid possible clogging of the original. Depending on the oil change intervals of the vehicle, sludge buildup could be an issue and can clog the squirter.
Does the valvetronic prevent the car from starting up. I have e92 2011 335i. My car cranks, has spark and fuel but it does not want to start up. And the only code that pops up is the valvetronic has a short or open circuit and the valvetronic motor.
@@EkkoGG What was the result? A code that the valvetronics has a short or open circuit, makes me think you need to check the harness connection to the Valvetronic motor.
@@JohnsonMotorsports code 2dd6 for short circuit or line disconnection and 2de3 for line disconnections. But I have triple checked the lines and also had a mobile mechanic/electrician check the car and his scanner also brings up the valvetronic motor.
@@EkkoGG So when you ran the Ista diagnostic on the Valvetronics system, what was the result. Have you made sure that there is no oil in this connector. I know that other's have suffered from this?
I see that some TH-camrs keep it to max position and others to min....the same with the installation process some people remove the min stopper and other as you remove the max Stopper to install the actuator
So I replaced the valvetronic motor ,replaced all the seals. Even had insta + at the time and it would not complete relearn procedure. My car drives fine but when I turn off my AC it’s starts running rough. And no suction from the oil cap. 2011 535i N55 Catless downpipe Charge pipe and boost pipe upgraded Stock intercooler No tune Gods speed coil overs
So would it start the relearn and just end before completing or not really start at all. Also, need to figure out why there’s no suction. That’s not good.
Also, sounds like you may have a vacuum leak on the valve cover. I would retrace all the lines and make sure everything is connected properly. Especially, the small vacuum hoses coming off the passenger side by the boost actuator.
@@JohnsonMotorsports it has suction with the A/C on but zero with A/C off. Not sure if that’s normal or not. Also it would start the relearn but not complete. I saw a service bulletin about how the Connector to the valvetronic motor has to be plugged in and mine was slightly taller. Shaved down the female end to make a better connection but that didn’t work.
@@JohnsonMotorsports i have the sam car as you a but a 2012 model i hope to never have to do this job. Looking forward to seeing you do a transmission fluid change on this car as well. Are you planning to keep this car forever? Or are you upgrading to a different BMW this year?
Just did this repair on my n55. You only have to remove one injector and one bucket. Servo motor bolts are accessible and you will only have to deal with putting on one teflon ring.
Yeah, that’s a good tip. At my mileage, I decided to pull all buckets and injectors. I cleaned my injectors with cleaner and a toothbrush before reinstalling.
My car has died on me and it cranks but doesn't start. After scanning with Craly, these codes (133E10, 1F0515, and 135B11) came up which all related to the valvetronic system. My question is how can I know which part is faulty? is it the electronic unit? Or the shaft itself? Or the motor?
From what I understand Ista will tell you to replace the motor and the eccentric shaft, however the shaft is $1,000. I will definitely start with the motor if possible, however I was able to drive my car with the motor disabled. Do you have Ista??
@@JohnsonMotorsports No, I don't. I used to have INPA a few years ago but it doesn't work no more when I upgraded to x64 windows ten. Will ISTA work on Windows 10? How can I verify that electronic unit works not fried?
It’s kinda pricey. I think I remember people on the forums getting quotes from $3,500 -$4,000, but you’ll want to check for yourself. I wasn’t really paying close attention.
@@JohnsonMotorsports can you make a video on that if possible and I got fullbolton I was pushing 480hp and 560tprque I tuned it back down to stage 2 from stage 2+ then my valvetronic motor started tripping you think the tune was the reason or it might be the motor?
I gotta say this is my favorite of all the How-To's you've made! You skipped all the common stuff that has been covered by you and others a million times, and went right to the meat of the instructions of the valvetronic motor replacement- which was covered in great detail with good camera angles for reference. Hell yes! Keep it up!!
Thanks bro!!!!
Grant, you’re the GOAT with the N55 f10 engines bro. You explain things so well and make it look so damn easy! Lol... keep the content coming brother, loving the channel
Lol! Thanks bro!
My brother has a faulty motor on his 335i n55 and your video and walkthrough has answered a lot of questions we had about replacing the tension load on the valvetronic motor that have not been covered on the uploads for the 335i videos on here. I really wanted to thank you for helping us out with concerns we had over the replacement and we will start the job tomorrow. Thanks again for a great video Sir, and I doff my cap and bow in appreciation!!
Glad I could help. Good look on the repair!
@@JohnsonMotorsports thanks dude we managed to do it but it did take us 12 hours as we replaced the eccentric shaft and bearings and we used your video for reference at a few points. So again thank you so much. We ran the inpa software but not with much success so he borrowed a Launch tablet diagnostic device and reset and the car had to relearn the motors tolerances and are about to tackle a fault with fuel injector 1.
@@ExiledCarebear how much pressure do you put on when replaced the valveteonic
@@ExiledCarebeardo you know what launch scanner was used to be able to do this ?
No frills. Straight to the point and informative. Nice work my guy. Keep putting out more content like this.
Thanks!!
Very nice. Great explanations.
Thanks
Hey good morning I've jus watch ur video and it really helps me a lot on a x5 .thanks bro this is sealy a mechanic from Jamaica respec urs was the best up .
Thanks. I’m glad the video helped.
Thanks for videos just bought a 2015 535i very helpful cant wait to add the mods. Keep them coming.
Nice video I'm doin one on a x35i in the morning and in my 535 I next week with head gasket leakage.
Nice! Let me know how it goes.
Excellent how to video! Man they really made this valvetronic motor a PITA to remove on the n55. So tempting to do the old drill a hole in the sensor connector to gain access to the 4mm worm gear to manually spin it until valvetronic is at max position trick. haha And make sure not to plug it back in when done. But that's only supposed to be a temporary fix. This is the real fix.
Yeah, I definitely think it’s best to just replace the Valvetronic motor. I’ve never seen that drill trick.
Thanks so much Grant for another great video! Your videos are so well made and you go at a pace that I was able to work right along with you and successfully replace my valvetronic motor. Keep up the great work, beautiful car you have there!
Awesome. Glad the video helped!
So close to 800 subs, watching from Las Vegas keep the morning vlogs coming
Thanks bro. Just trying to keep up.
Always gotta stop by and show love , don’t stop
@@cre8tivegarage157 Definitely, thanks for showing love! You guys are doing great work on your channel too!
Pushing and growing everyday we just dropped a new video
Hey Bro! I’m back on your channel again for direction on this very issue I have. I will be performing this diy in about a week so thanks in advance for sharing 👊🏽💯
🤩 wow thank you for this one ! This is the best tutorial I have found on this project and you have the same error codes that I have now, my parts are coming in and thank you so much for taking the time to do this. Great work,
Great! Glad it will help. Let us know how your repair goes.
@@JohnsonMotorsports just finished it !! And what a job thank you for saving me from the dealership!! I learned a lot !! Thanks again
@@irontrev1640 Awesome man! Glad you knocked it out and the video helped!
Really useful video and well explained, thank you! On a side note I’ve been struggling to get a solid version of ISTA installed for a while, could anyone point me in the correct direction please?
Where have you been looking? I found my version of Ista on Bimmerfest, however that was almost 4 years ago.
Ezpz, do you have to use Ista? Is there any other way? I really appreciate this video!🎉
I don't think Ista is a requirement, you will however need a program that will run the limit position program.
great video, one hint to make it simpler: you only need to remove the front bucket, the actuator comes out with the back bucket in place. Also you only need to remove the back injector to remove each bucket so in this case to do the whole job you only need to remove one injector (#2 cylinder injector) cheers!
Great info! Hopefully this will make it easier for someone in the future. I should have explained that better.
I removed both buckets on purpose, because I had previous misfire codes on cylinder 4 and wanted to pull the injector to clean and swap with another cylinder for testing purposes.
Great video I feel very confident in doing this soon
Go for it!
You are very good explain.
I like you workshop work.
Thanks 🙏🏽
@@JohnsonMotorsports How are you brother, where can I get a copy of insta?
Nice video! I do need to ask why you removed the minimum stop, only to put it back after rotating the shaft to the required removal position? It didn't appear to interfere with the operation, but then again, I may have missed something. Any clarity is appreciated. Awesome presentation!
From what I recall you have to remove the minimum stop so that the shaft will rotate far enough to remove the Valvetronic motor.
Very complexed repair.Good job.
Thanks 🙏🏽
How is the aftermarket Eccentric Shaft holding up and do you have more info on where you purchased it?
It’s been great. No issues. I purchased on Alibaba from this seller.
x.alibaba.com/AuwISI
That’s one clean engine!!!
Good job. I'm waiting for a parcel from FCP with new blower and relay for A/C . Figures it middle of summer 90+ degrees and no air con.
What type of obd2 interface cable did you use for ista connection? This information is great. I am right in the middle of this repair on a 2012 E70 X5.
I’m just using a basic Enet cable.
Great how to video! My dad and I swapped the servomotor today but when we plugged in the obd it was still saying error with valvetronic servomotor disabled. Are you able to reactivate using ista +?
Yeah, you’re will want to relearn Valvetronic limits and run through the cycles.
@JohnsonMotorsports Thanks for the quick reply! Okay fingers crossed then as working on it today!
Good video. Unfortunately, the 14 750li xdrive I replaced the valvetronic motor on twice needs the shaft. Unable to perform the valvetronic start up.
Hi..I have a 2014 640i Gran Coupe and got the code P10E2 from the check engine light being on, took it to BMW and said the Valvetronic Motor showed failures and quoted me $2300 and if the injectors needed replaced while doing the motor, quoted me $4400. I believe I can do this alot cheaper on my own. By replacing this myself, do I need a computer program for it to relearn or will it do it on its own?
You will need a laptop, Enet cable and Ista to do the relearn procedure. You should be able to download Ista for free.
@JohnsonMotorsports OK...I appreciate the reply.
Hi .... Enjoyed your video great job ... i just have a question i have a 2014 F20 M135i in the UK ... for ISTA+ what cable would i need ?? Thanks in Advance
For Ista+ you should need a Enet cable.
@@JohnsonMotorsports ok thanks .... just another question do you have any videos here or do you know of any that can help me understand how ISTA+ works ???? Thanks in Advance
@@antoniocete4441 th-cam.com/video/gVuxq4ymcO0/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=BuildsbySahib
Hey man what are the torque specs on the bolts holding the servomotor ?
Honestly I’m not sure. I just made mine hand tight.
Nice vid, clear and concise. Where did you download ista + ?
This is the link I used for Ista+
www.bimmerfest.com/threads/ista-download-link-no-request.1023698/page-7
where did u get the ista+ software can u send link? is it free? what else you need? a notebook , a cable right? do you have to pay anually or monthly or nothing? great content my friend bimmer!
I got my Ista from Bimmerfest. I don’t know if the link still works, but here. Also, you have to have 500gb of free space.
www.bimmerfest.com/threads/ista-download-link-no-request.1023698/page-7
@@JohnsonMotorsportsyou don’t need an ICOM for the relearn, right? I notice a lot of guidance has ISTA running in tandem with an ICOM. I truly hope that’s not the case. Those things aren’t cheap 😅
Yo Grant...i have the same as you (2011 535i) and i been noticing for a few weeks now i have the Permanent Valvetronic code (disabled)...So i know they recommend replacing the eccentric shaft plus the motor...but id REALLY rather not replace the shaft unless absolutely necessary. Anyways, how did this end up workin out for u? This video is like a few years old now... So after only replacing the motor and then using ista to do the relearn process, has it been good ever since?
Yeah, the valvetronics worked great for a year or so after that, but I eventually ended up having to replace the Eccentric shaft. I purchased my Eccentric shaft off of Alibaba for $256 and did the install. I did a 2 part video. Part 1 is here.
th-cam.com/video/hWRiNppSNrI/w-d-xo.html
Hey bro, when you installed the valvatronic on, does it need pressure or no pressure on installation? Thank you for your help.
What do you mean? Pressure to get the motor to seat in place?
Did you replace all of your Fuel Injector Seals? Thanks
Yes sir. They should come in the Valvetronic motor kit from FCP Euro.
hi bro do need to coding this and when i leave the engine on had big misfiring and injector 2and 4 came on error code do you think need coding after i put new valvtronic servo?
Hey, I'm doing my servomotor too, so I just wanted to confirm, did you found some resistance just before releasing the worm gear after the stopper? I did, not much but noticeable, I notice you had to help a bit with the wrench as I did too, but I'm wondering if you found a lil more resistance in that part and if that's normal. I am wondering if I should replace the shaft too...but it rotates smoothly
Yes, that resistance should be normal. If you shaft rotates smoothly I would save the $1200.
If you don’t use ista but instead use snap on which doesn’t run all the steps ista does and it produces a p135808 fault code does that mean the replacement part we had fitted is goosed out the box ?
Hey thx for the video. About to do this on my X5, was wondering what kind of tool you used to either keep the seal on injector tip compressed or remove and reinstall it?
You don’t have to remove the injectors to replace the Valvetronics motor.
@@JohnsonMotorsports did you mean don't need to remove that seal? You need to get the injectors off to remove the valve cover right?
No. You have to remove the ignition coils to remove the valve cover. The injectors don’t have to be removed.
@@JohnsonMotorsports you are right I misspoke, injectors don't need to come out for valve cover, but they do need to be removed for valvetronic right? Have to remove the spark plugs insert for injector 1-4
No you can do the Valvetronics motor without removing and injectors.
Good job and thanks for sharing. Do you know if this is a common issue on the N55 ?
From what I understand, it’s not a common issue but it can occur. My buddy that works at a local BMW dealership said, the parts department typically keeps 1 Valvetronics motor in stock at all times, because it can happen.
Excellent video. I'm helping a friend save a tremendous amount of money on labor quoted from the dealer. I have a question tho, could a bad valvetronic motor be the culprit of a crank no start issue?
I’m honestly not sure. Are you getting any codes for the Valvetronics? I would think that maybe the Valvetronics could cause a No start because they operate like a throttle body.
@@JohnsonMotorsports the car got dropped off yesterday and I haven't had a chance to check anything. The dealers diagnosis first line says vehicle won't start due to valvetronic not adjusting. So I went ahead and ordered the kit. I'm just hoping that's the issue/ and that I don't have to replace the eccentric shaft
@@jaimereyes7480 Agreed. The shaft is pricey. Do you have Ista? You could try resetting the Valvetronics and seeing if it will go through the relearn process. When my Valvetronic motors was going out, the DME would disable it and I could go through the relearn procedure and the Valvetronic motor would work again for a few weeks before it would disable again. However, I have heard that other people have had issues and not been able to reset it.
Do I have to relearn only if i replace the valvetronic motor for a new one or do i have to do it even if I use the same one?
Hi what is so important to leave the eccentric shaft in max position when before assembly
You have to move the shaft to max position to remove the Valvetronic motor. If not the motor will still be engaged with the essentric shaft gear.
Hi Grant, I got my BMW 525 drive system warining message " Power ouput limilation", it seems similar problem through ISTA check, did you experince same situation before ? how can I detemine such fault caused by VVT motor or postioning sensor? thanks a lot!
I don’t think I’ve had that warning before. What is the actual code stored? Have you ran through the Ista diagnostic?
Great stuff man! Just found your Channel! Did you by any chance do the Ista procedure with just ignition on? Or did you run the car while doing it? Thank you!!!!👍
The procedure will tell you when/if to run the car. It will walk you through the process.
Thanks for watching!
@@JohnsonMotorsports hello, my 18 yr old son replaced his valvetronic on his 2011 535i….I’m a BMW “observer” through him and his passion for these cars. How does he relearn the new valvetronic with the Ista procedure? What scan tools or program does he need? Thx, Don
@@dwalsh5925 He will only need Ista for the relearn procedure. He needs to connect to his car with the program running and run the diagnostic relearn procedure. He should have fault codes for the Valvetronics so it should calculate in his test plan.
awesome video brother. question for you i did mines and i keep getting code 134f01 every time i do the relearn, any idea what i could be doing wrong?
What is the 134fo1 code for? Do you have Ista? I would run the test plan for the fault.
Great video man! I’m new to the n55 coming from a n20..I’m getting a 801191 code could this be the replacement I need ?
I’m not sure what that code is. Do you have Ista? The best way to determine if the Valvetronics motor needs to be replaced is to run a diagnostic procedure.
Yea @whitepanda876..I did with my Carly app..shoot me a message and I’ll screenshot the codes I’m getting
Quick question: few months ago, I got the valvetronic disabled. I only got the Servomotor replaced first time, the Indy mechanic claims that he has done this type of job 3 times without the relearn process. My car is a n55 turbo 2013 engine, when I got my car after the first Servomotor replace, i then went to dealer for Ista, I got failed relearn plan, the dealership tried it 3 times, but fails.
Long story short, they wanted to look at it further but I did not allow them to hold on my car due to overpriced labor cost. Days after, my starter went bad, my car did not crank, got the starter replaced by dealer.
Fast forward, I then got my car to the Indy mechanic Just yesterday, and got the Servomotor replaced a second time. Will I be able to do the relearn process successfully? I specifically told the Indy mech to set it at Max Lift! He also claims it could be my DME? And the eccentric shaft is in good shape by both shops.. could it have been a faulty first Servomotor? The Indy has put everything back together, and says he gots a scan tool that tests min max (not relearn), and is doing some sorts of testing the voltages? Will he knock the actuator out of Max lift?
If the shop is adjusting the Valvetronics motor, it will take it out of Maximum lift, Howe if you can have a fully functioning Valvetronics system, it’s for the best.
@@JohnsonMotorsports I just got the car out of the shop a few hours ago. Yea I wanted it to be in maximum lift then take it to a dealer soon to do re learn. But the thing is why is it the first Servomotor fail it earlier this year. Now the second install is done, and seems like the car is running okay. No engine light. But mechanic said he was goin to leave it activated I think, maybe just like the last time.
He still believes the Dme is what is fried, BMW said my dme was fine. If the code I still have is 2E0F, I would like this car is to function right already. Both the shops say my eccentric shaft is okay looks fine, and is not that stiff.. at least I got the car back cranks and drives. Have any solutions?
How did you run diagnostics in ista. How did you retain 13+v to do diagnostics what charger ect. Trying to run the diagnostic but I can’t get it to 13v
Was your car on limp mode and kinda lag at starting up the car? I'm having valvetronic issues as well
I had a Check engine light with Valvetronic codes stored. Hooked up the car to Ista and ran the Valvetronic diagnostic.
Great video man
Appreciate it
Howzt it going man,one of the teeth has chipped off the the eccentric shaft, is it still ok to run it or is it advisable to replace the whole shaft?
How did you get that code?? I just had mine in the shop and I had a bad valvetronic motor but no code on the car for me
That's interesting. I'm not sure what the difference is. My valvetronics system caused a check engine light.
What size is the nut that keeps the ground wire of the fuel injector down? I lost mine
How do you get to the menu to run the servo motor calibration? I have to do the procedure on my e90. Thanks!
We're you getting terrible gas mileage with this deactivated and did you have a cold air intake when It the valvtronic motor went bad?
I don't recall getting horrible gas mileage, but I guess it's possible. My valvetronics was deactivated when I purchased the car and the car had a stock intake.
@@JohnsonMotorsports appreciate it
Also if I change the motor with used ones do I need to do a calibration before assembly
From what I understand, you will need to install, then run through the Valvetronic relearn procedure in Ista.
@Grant Johnson yes my question is is it matter to leave the eccentric shaft to max or min position
Question wen done do you put eccentric shaft on max position or minimum position? And I assume max is wen gear is (or stop) is on the front stop?
Honestly, I don’t recall. However, you should run the Ista Valvetronic relearn when doing this process.
@@JohnsonMotorsports so it doesn't matter in which position is left after installation relearn will take care of that?
@@JoseCruz-wn8bc You may want to search for the actual replacement procedure to verify. I think you can find them on Ista as well. My system was disabled before I started the repair. I just tried to put my shaft back in the position it was in before I started.
Great video! I feel a lot more confident in what I’m about to do.
I hope I don’t “have a bad day” lol
Thanks.
Glad it helped!
Like the video. How hard was the job?
The job isn’t really hard, just tedious. Pay attention to detail.
@@JohnsonMotorsports what tool did you used to remove the injectors?
Hello Grant thanks for this walk thru. I replaced my valvetronic motor and put the shaft back to the maximum position. Somewhere along the line, from the time i put everything back together to the time i tried running the relearn the shaft made its way back to the minimum position and of course the car would crank but would not start. Could you think of any reason the valvetronic motor would let the shaft back down but not be able to raise it back up?? I feel like if the new valvetronic motor was faulty it would have never been able to move and allow the shaft to return to the minimum position. Whats your opinion on this scenario??
Hmmmm. That is strange. So what happens when you try to run the relearn process? The process should run through the limits on the shaft.
@@JohnsonMotorsports i can't get thru the relearn because after it asks for you to cycle the ignition etc, it then asks you to idle the engine, then it wont start. It only cranks. Just so im sure, the eccentric shaft does have to be in the maximum position for the engine to start right??
@@blacksun_upt4705 I’m really not sure if it needs to be in maximum position. I just returned mine to the position it was in initially. Have you made any progress on getting through the relearn process? It’s been a while so I am trying to remember, is there a separate limits procedure? Unfortunately my laptop that I have Ista on is down at the moment.
@@JohnsonMotorsports hey grant thanks for popping back in. So i found out that the eccentric shaft DOES need to be in the maximum position (or atleast close to it) for the car to start. I put everything back together after putting the shaft back into the maximum position again a few days ago, BUT I DID NOT reconnect the wiring harness to the servo motor, the car started up great but idles terribly lol. So the new servo motor is working and did in fact move the shaft back to the lower position on my first try. And that leads me to what you said about the limits position. I now believe that the shaft limits positions and the valvetronic relearn (fine tuning) are 2 different procedures. And that's a very good possibility of where i went wrong. Im going connect the car back to ista sometime this week. Ill let you know how it goes.
Hey i know its been a while but it appears that im in the same boat as you. Crank no start! Did you resolve your issue? Thanks
we got 2DD6 failure code after change the valvetronic motor. the engine runs good. any suggestion? thanks!
Have you run the relearn program successfully? How did the worm gear on the essentric shaft look?
@@JohnsonMotorsports thanks! we fixed the issue with a new motor from a professional manufacturer they improved the anti-interference of signal from motor.
Great! Glad you found a solution!
@@JohnsonMotorsports yes, OE design is not good in EMC. we got the motor with good signal from inside.
Did you change only the gaskets of the parts you took off or you changed the rear gaskets as well of the part you didn't remove?
And is it necessary to change the gasket I just changed my valve cover gasket 6000 miles ago?
I didn't change the valve cover gasket, because I had done that recently as well. I purchased the Valvetronic Motor replacement kit from FCP Euro and it came with the gaskets that needed to be replaced. I don't recall exactly which gaskets they were.
@@JohnsonMotorsports thanks
Sorry coming in late but would it cause your car to not start my 2011 335i cranks but does not start and I’m getting codes for the valvetronic did your car just crank with no start?
My car would still run with the Valvetronics disabled, but I’ve heard others that couldn’t start. My essentric shaft was still good though, so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it.
@@JohnsonMotorsports thank you so much for the fast reply I appreciate you!🙏🏻 Im stressing over this right now!
@@cFukus I get it man. Good luck, hopefully it’s a quick fix for you.
Hey Grant what symptoms did your car start having when this motor started going bad?
It was just a check engine light, from what I remember.
I have a BMW 5series Active hybrid,f10 facelift. Replaced the the valvetronic motor with a VDO replacement but it refused to learn saying adaption range, master adaptation outside tolerances. Bought an original BMW valvetronic motor but still same problem. How can i address the problem?
I’ve never seen this issue. Does it attempt the relearn process and then just error out? Does Ista give you any other recommendations?
@@JohnsonMotorsports it doesn’t attempt to relearn. Instead it gives an error saying there is a fault with the valvetronic motor. Fix that first and try again. I saw a thread on line talking of a pitted eccentric shaft. I dont if that maybe my problem
What was your error code for the motor ? Also at what mileage did this happen ? Great video as always.
Honestly, at this point I don’t remember the code. I did this around 142k miles. I’m at around 161k miles now.
What if I have the eccentric shaft in minimum position already do I still rotate clu ter clockwise and remover the minimum stopper
hello, I did exactly as you did with my car on the other hand I just put a second-hand servomotor buy on a site I replaced the servomotor but when I put everything back together when I try to adapt with my suitcase it blocks it tells me that the motor is not at 0 or the servomotor has gone into degraded mode
Interesting. So are you going through the Ista options for relearn?
@@JohnsonMotorsports so I'm not ista but I have a car diagnostic case that allows me on this program to configure the servomotor, suddenly when I want to launch it it doesn't work because it tells me that either the motor is not not at 0 or that the servomotor is in degraded mode, and also when I just switch on the ignition of the vehicle it makes the noise that I had, a sizzling noise
Hmmm, I’m honestly not sure. I never had this problem. Are you sure the second hand servomotor isn’t malfunctioning? I would also consider downloading Ista and trying with that program. I downloaded it for free from the Bimmerfest forums.
@@JohnsonMotorsports ok thank you and last question you think i can ride my car without program my servomotor ?
@@noxwolf6678 Yeah you can. Although you will probably get a CEL and possibly a rough idle.
What would happen if you don’t put the Eccentric shaft back to the open position before you complete the job? I recently had this job done and I’m experiencing issues. Any help would be appreciated.
I’m really not sure. What type of issues are you having? Did you run the ISTA relearn procedure?
@@JohnsonMotorsports yes we ran that and also reset adaptations still no luck. When I start the car the rpm seems a bit sluggish but it won’t throw codes. Not sure what to do.
@@allenhustler I’m having same issues as well.. after repair eccentric motor won’t relearn & get fault code 2de3 2d42 2d43. Did you resolve your issue?.
@@donluna6067 did you find out what was wrong here? Having issues with mine currently, runs rough on start up
Why to change oil squrter if old one is good?
I believe it is to avoid possible clogging of the original. Depending on the oil change intervals of the vehicle, sludge buildup could be an issue and can clog the squirter.
Great video thanks
Thanks for watching!
Great video 🫡
Do you reset adaptations with the engine off?
Yes, ignition on, engine off.
Does the valvetronic prevent the car from starting up. I have e92 2011 335i. My car cranks, has spark and fuel but it does not want to start up. And the only code that pops up is the valvetronic has a short or open circuit and the valvetronic motor.
My car would start with the Valvetronics disabled. Have you tried running the Valvetronics diagnostic in Ista?
@@JohnsonMotorsports i have run it with ista +
@@EkkoGG What was the result? A code that the valvetronics has a short or open circuit, makes me think you need to check the harness connection to the Valvetronic motor.
@@JohnsonMotorsports code 2dd6 for short circuit or line disconnection and 2de3 for line disconnections. But I have triple checked the lines and also had a mobile mechanic/electrician check the car and his scanner also brings up the valvetronic motor.
@@EkkoGG So when you ran the Ista diagnostic on the Valvetronics system, what was the result. Have you made sure that there is no oil in this connector. I know that other's have suffered from this?
Hey Grant are those OEM headlights?
Yes, they are a OEM.
I see that some TH-camrs keep it to max position and others to min....the same with the installation process some people remove the min stopper and other as you remove the max Stopper to install the actuator
You may be able to accomplish it another route, however the BMW technical spec states to move the essentric shaft to maximum lift for removal.
Can you tell me all the tools involved in this service
Did you hear clicking noise when unlocking the car when tbe motor got bad
I don’t recall hearing a clicking.
Great video !!
Thanks!!!
So I replaced the valvetronic motor ,replaced all the seals. Even had insta + at the time and it would not complete relearn procedure. My car drives fine but when I turn off my AC it’s starts running rough. And no suction from the oil cap.
2011 535i N55
Catless downpipe
Charge pipe and boost pipe upgraded
Stock intercooler
No tune
Gods speed coil overs
So would it start the relearn and just end before completing or not really start at all. Also, need to figure out why there’s no suction. That’s not good.
Also, sounds like you may have a vacuum leak on the valve cover. I would retrace all the lines and make sure everything is connected properly. Especially, the small vacuum hoses coming off the passenger side by the boost actuator.
@@JohnsonMotorsports it has suction with the A/C on but zero with A/C off. Not sure if that’s normal or not. Also it would start the relearn but not complete. I saw a service bulletin about how the Connector to the valvetronic motor has to be plugged in and mine was slightly taller. Shaved down the female end to make a better connection but that didn’t work.
nice video thanks .can you please tell me how many hours it took
Sorry for the delay. The repair took a little over 2 hours for me, but that included time for filming.
@@JohnsonMotorsports a shop will charge you 10 hours worth of labor for this when in reality the job will take 2 hours or less
Yeah, it could take a little longer depending on your injectors. For me that was the most time consuming part, getting them out without damaging them.
@@JohnsonMotorsports i have the sam car as you a but a 2012 model i hope to never have to do this job. Looking forward to seeing you do a transmission fluid change on this car as well. Are you planning to keep this car forever? Or are you upgrading to a different BMW this year?
Just did this repair on my n55. You only have to remove one injector and one bucket. Servo motor bolts are accessible and you will only have to deal with putting on one teflon ring.
Yeah, that’s a good tip. At my mileage, I decided to pull all buckets and injectors. I cleaned my injectors with cleaner and a toothbrush before reinstalling.
@@JohnsonMotorsports That makes sense. Those teflon rings are such a pain to install.
How can you tell if you are at maximum versus minimum?
My car has died on me and it cranks but doesn't start. After scanning with Craly, these codes (133E10, 1F0515, and 135B11) came up which all related to the valvetronic system. My question is how can I know which part is faulty? is it the electronic unit? Or the shaft itself? Or the motor?
From what I understand Ista will tell you to replace the motor and the eccentric shaft, however the shaft is $1,000. I will definitely start with the motor if possible, however I was able to drive my car with the motor disabled. Do you have Ista??
@@JohnsonMotorsports No, I don't. I used to have INPA a few years ago but it doesn't work no more when I upgraded to x64 windows ten. Will ISTA work on Windows 10? How can I verify that electronic unit works not fried?
@@MahmoodSuhail yes, you can install Ista on Windows 10. That’s what I’m running. Ista can run a diagnostic on the Valvetronics system.
@@JohnsonMotorsports Thank you Grant
@@MahmoodSuhail Let me know what you find. I’m still unsure why your car wouldn’t actually start.
Is Ista+ free or do I have to pay for it and how much is it if it is ?
I downloaded Ista+ for free using the links on Bimmerfest. You just have to make sure you have a laptop with around 100gb of free space.
you have a video for every F10 question i’ve had 🫡 props to you man thanks
Thanks bro!
@@JohnsonMotorsportsin hind sight you have any tips on the job or turn around time?
Not really. You’ll want to take your time.
Great video. Keep it up !
Thanks bro!
What were the symptoms of valvetronic motor
I had a CEL and when I pulled codes my Valvetronics was disabled.
Good job.
Thanks!
Do ypu have the free ista p link to download ? Please help
www.bimmerfest.com/threads/ista-download-link-no-request.1023698/
@@JohnsonMotorsports the file isn't available on mega anymore! Do you have another link?
Nice video
Thanks
Where did you get the ista?
I got my Ista from www.bimmerfest.com/threads/ista-download-link-no-request.1023698/page-7
On that page I don’t see a hyperlink to download.
Was hoping you were going to show the relearn procedures like it says in the title?
What's up grant, how can I get Ista for my laptop?
This is where I got Ista.
www.bimmerfest.com/threads/ista-download-link-no-request.1023698/
@@JohnsonMotorsports Thanks bro
Dam I was hoping I could just DYI this but it looks complicated. Any estimate on what a shop charges?
It’s kinda pricey. I think I remember people on the forums getting quotes from $3,500 -$4,000, but you’ll want to check for yourself. I wasn’t really paying close attention.
@@JohnsonMotorsports dam fr? I wonder if that’s dealer cost or just a mechanic that’s more than my 2 oil leaks combined lol
@@Calx91 I would definitely check with an Indy. The dealership will probably quote to replace the eccentric shaft as well, which is around 1k alone.
how did you learn so much? are you a bmw mechanic?
No. I am a mechanical engineer. I’ve just spent a lot of time working on cars.
👍👍👍
Hey how do you get Ista ?
Search “Ista download Bimmerfest”
Is ista free to program the new one?
Yes it’s free, but you have to install Ista+.
@@JohnsonMotorsports can you make a video on that if possible and I got fullbolton I was pushing 480hp and 560tprque I tuned it back down to stage 2 from stage 2+ then my valvetronic motor started tripping you think the tune was the reason or it might be the motor?
@@kiingmccoy6383 How many miles are on you car? I would imagine the tune didn’t cause the issues.
@@JohnsonMotorsports 82000
Can you update the car with ista?
Can you also do that but with a regular obd module?
I’m honestly not sure, I’ve never tried.