Since i bought a new oscilloscope and an incylinder pressure transducer , i hope to see some training videos from the best. Keep teaching us. Nice video .
I worked out from very beginning of your video, listening to engine running it was timing problem, thought @first may have been static timing set up incorrect so out of range of vanos,or seals gone! Stuart.
It's just astonishing to think BMW used identical connectors so close together with just a tiny difference in trace colours I can't blame the other workshop for missing this but once again Dan's diagnosis found the problem which is just amazing this is the only diagnosis channel I watch because its head and shoulders above the rest excellent work Dan keep up the great work
@@bobl78 it's on purpose. Don't mess with it if you don't know what are you doing. It reminds me of connectors for park assist control unit and for headlight position control unit. Those connectors are same on Peugeot 208. If you switch them the car won't work at all.
The same deal with the splines that engage with the camshafts on each end, they could have easily put a mirrored notch on each of the wheels so they would never be interchangeable in the first place.
I mean ya gotta be pretty fucking incompetent to mix these up. Everytime you remove connectors, you mark them or you trace them. Even the BMW workshop manuals tells you which one goes where. Again, this is just pure incompetence. I'm a DIYer with no mechanical professional background and cmon even I don't fuck up like this. EDIT: After reading the comments, I concur it is stupid. It's easy to make it fit one spot when it's not. It's just at the same time, I feel like it's also stupid to mix them up but yeah... I guess that's the point of good design. Prevent mistakes like these ha
Thanks Dan, I worked for bmw dealerships for 6years and I have seen even bmw mechanics who still don't understand their products. Your are a blessing to the world of vehicle diagnostics.
In the minds of technicians who work in dealerships, it's not "their products". Those technicians are 9-5 employees. The only thing they care is when are they going home. It is owner-based shops like Dan, who really care to *Understand* and diagnose the problem, both quickly but more importantly, correctly. The issue is, where can you find such shops, at least here in the UK.
@@obsoleteprofessor2034 i've seen a lot of this kind of mistakes in motorbikes, motorbikes often use the same connectors for different components also!
Wow all those parts thrown at the car only to find out that they mixed up the connectors? But this guy just made the diagnosis seem so easy I also learned some thing about the pressure wave form I would have never know that the little exhaust spike would indicate a timing problem.
This was perfectly explained. The actual mechanic attempting to repair the vehicle actually made the problem worse after throwing $3000 in parts into it.
So simple but so difficult. You very good at explaining systems. Years ago had no start on a mustang and wires were crossed, bloody connectors should be all different. Good work.
I diagnosed a Mercedes once. The airbag went off after the Car was unlocked with the remote. It was in a bodyshop that Just repaired the front bumper. It turned out that the connector for the front foglights (in the bumper) and the front crash sensor (under the headlight) are exactly the same. After unlocking the Car the lights of the car came on and triggered the airbags to deploy. €4000 damage😬
Just a little thank you for this video sir. I have a 07 335i new to bmws and working on them and many months ago i took out vanos solenoids to clean and inspect. somehow placed the connecters incorrectly. I have been down every rabbit hole chasing every issue and code. Never thought it could have been this. Almost 1am watching this video i thought it couldn’t hurt to try and swapping them. Car started up ran like normal with no codes!❤
Exactly! Simple fixes like this makes the customer not willing to pay the price which matches the skills required for finding the fault in the first place. Certainly a problem that I face in my career. How do you manage that aspect of your work, Dan?
When testing either a car or a computer, never, never ignore a small item that could be the problem. Dan saw the little hump in the wave forms that is very easily overlooked. Great job Dan!
I'm not even close to try to fix an BMW engine but I'm amazed by the explanation, demonstration and methodology to track and fix the problem. Congrats!
Dan. This video was nothing but SUPERB! Your explanations were truly clear and concise. Your "explanations and demonstrations, using the actual parts, was a College Level presentation. You are, without a doubt, Dan - "THE MAN" Many thanks. I've been a subscriber and you never fail to teach us something. Thank you, Sir.
I have also made that mistake of incorrectly switching the vanos intake and exhaust solenoid connectors after removal, cleaning and reinstallation. This lead me to pre-maturely replacing both solenoids, both camshaft position sensors and both vanos check valves only to realize later the solenoid connectors were opposite. I put both the old solenoids and camshaft position sensors back in and realized the actual problem was only a faulty intake camshaft position sensor. Anyway, very good video with explanation of how the vanos works, view of the all the parts and tools used to diagnosis vanos problems. Also good reminder to not throw parts at a problem. Thank you!
you explained it in great detail . In 30 years of being a diagnostician / mechanic I really have seen all the problems with the VANOS , even the one you just fixed . Stupid as it may sound , a paint marker is one of my best friends . Easy for me to say after the facts ? No , I live in a country of DIYers .
Didn't see that. Djeez , they must have gotten frustrated and missed that . I have eaten a lot of hours in my life but this one must hurt. Hopefully the garage and the client settle things in a human way.
I know the original mechanics are gonna have that "dead inside" kinda feeling once they found out the answer.. Gosh, I feel bad for them, When we overlook something so simple! It's a costly mistake we all... Have made. Lesson learned
Agree, but huge shame on the BMW engineers who decided to put two similar type of connectors at such a place. Of course, as long as the cable with this connector can reach both sockets, it must be irreplaceable - absolutely not what I expect from a BMW engineer. @@Diagnosedan
@@AMGswede likely, the solenoid is the same for both Intake and exhaust. So keying the connectors would increase the number of unique parts, increasing cost and likelyhood of "out of stock". Of course, some Poka yoke would be nice, but not at all costs.
How sincerely can I thank you for the information that you share, Words escape me. There are some folks on the internet [ hint hint ] calling themselves technician who find every opportunity to defame and lambast BMWs and Mercedes. I will never say that there are not some models that I wanted to release the brakes on a steep cliff, [ I would have if I had a ride home ] but I will never stop learning as long as talented people like you exist.
I’m one of those who’s mechanical knowledge started with being told to stand and watch your dad fixing the family car on the drive. Dan’s educational style is a great way to learn without knowing your learning new things. Once more the TH-cam algorithm has shown me a diamonds in the rough. Hopefully Dan and the channel goes on from strength to strength. Excellent channel.
Thanks a whole lot for this video. This content is extremely hard to find. I have been trying to wrap my head around how the VANOS system on my N54 works for a little over a year and this video has given me more than what I've collectedly gathered since.
Im not trying to take anything away from Dan, he is very competent and likable, but take a look at south main auto channel. Eric O is very good aswell :-)
Excellent work! I'm a BMW owner and enthusiast, and sometimes people come to me and tell me that BMWs are not reliable, but most cases are just bad maintenance made by unqualified mechanics.
14:16 The moment you pointed to those Vanos wires and plugs, i thought "i bet you can swop them a round, the plugs are the same" and my god i was right. I know this because i did a similar thing on a Rover VVC engine once but it was with wires swopped between the vvc unit and something on the inlet manifold. That also ran like a bag of bolts but i knew what i had done straight away because i was very use to working on them lol. Can't believe BMW has done such a stupid thing by having the same plugs. Well worked out, all the beers on them lol
bodgit and leggit (Irish mechanic tuber) had a similar job. A diesel car (Astra, I think) had the engine replaced and wouldn't start, been through 2 garages with no fix. The garage that did the swap numbered the plugs for the injectors and they were connected up in numerical order. However, somebody had forgotten which direction they'd numbered the plugs in...
I'd expect it for a Rover but for a newish BMW it's beyond belief that their engineers are so sloppy when it is very easy to design against such mishaps as is done for most other modern cars
Brought a smile to my face. Connectors reversed et Voila! Genius! Thanks for the variable valve timing and oil filter info simple if you KNOW. Well done Dan! What would a different colour socket have cost BMW or do they want to make it difficult so you have to go to BMW main dealers?
Its happens to everybody at least once. Something doesn't get plugged back in or gets plugged into the wrong spot, but its embarrassing every time. Great video.
You are gonna be the ONLY car mechanic in the world. You are the only one who acctualy fixes cars. If the carmechanic is not you, then he is worthless... Love you fixes.
No way Dan, I’m just not believing this. There’s about a dozen BMW engineers who should be fired for this. No way should it of been designed for this error to happen so easily. Those wire looms should be tagged or labeled. The connectors themselves should not be interchangeable, the connector colors should be different. Take your pick but I lay this fault squarely on BMW’s shoulders first.
A basic tenet of design which the Japanese call "poka yoke" is that it should not be possible to assemble such parts incorrectly. So the electrical plugs to the solenoids should have been physically different and the machining of inlet and exhaust vanos units and camshafts physically different so impossible to inadvertently swap them over. Same principle to be used for fitting the cam assemblies to the engine and indeed for the WHOLE CAR.
The Vanos units at the cams I get. It's bad engineering, and they should be keyed. But NOT the solenoids. They are the same part number x 2. Just don't stuff up the connections. If they were two separate parts then BMW would need to manufacture two different parts for the 'same' job, and have to charge more for them. That would result in increased manufacturing cost, warehousing cost, etc, etc., right on down the supply chain. Sure, design better connector reach/placement, but they did. Like Dan said, there are guides and sleeves missing...
Really enjoyed this video mate, I work in the parts department of a dealership, and watching diagnosis videos like this, really helps me to understand the various parts better.
Danny, the more videos I watch on your channel, the more I become convinced to stay the hell away from BMW and Audi... Keep up your brilliant work teaching us!
Dan , that is a fantastically informative video. I haven’t yet signed up to DDTSB but you just made me feel I need it in my workshop. The smaller the issue the harder it is to find, so very well copped 👍 & thanks for doing all your vids
Dan, what can we say your a genius, it makes my day when i see a new DD video, thank you so much for taking the time in bringing these great videos to us all. Kindest regards Jay
Great video and thank you for explaining how the VANOS work! I swapped connectors in a Sentra AF sensors and and drove me crazy! I am sorry for them because it is hard to find our own mistakes!
Great to have you back Dan, you have been missed! Amazing video as always, looks like they had marked up one of the VANOS solenoids and its connector with a white paint/marker so they did not get them mixed up. I think we have all been there at some point but that is one expensive connector swap. Thank again for these excellent videos!
Thanks for sharing another great diag video, and thank you for always taking the time to break things down for clearer explanations. Just out of curiosity, were there any other tests done prior to incylinder testing that lead you to it? It sure was a great way to tell for sure the timing change before and after. Again, thanks for sharing!
@@Diagnosedan Hi Dan, sorry i'm so late to this, was the red tracer wire the hot / exhaust side and the blue tracer wire the cold/inlet side solenoid ? Just wondered. Thanks for the amazingly informative video.
I have to give you credit for making the point that some of these issues are mistakes that are easy to make. The vanos intake and exhaust connectors being switched can be handed to you by another shop who previously worked on the system and you diligently memorised which connection went where when you disconnected, but wiring diagrams sometimes if properly used can remove some confusion. The oil filter casting explanation is the first that i have hear of this so thank you for rhat. I can see why a technician may have been leed into the situation where he is considering all the oil passages and routing from the camshaft through the variable sprockets which will have you looking at hardware and seals in the camshaft assembly and its carrier housing. Most technicians do a great job but there are things done previously to the engine that you fall victim to.
Yeah, on my M52tu, I mark the connections with different paint pens to keep the connectors on the right connectors, as I have crossed them before!😂 😎🇺🇸
Man you are the best! Finally found someone explaining my exact issues in my BMW S63 engine! Going to replace my Vanos solenoids hopefully tomorrow and hopefully all my issues will be resolved 🙏🏻
I don't know anything about European vehicles, so what I see you do for diagnose/repair is a total learning curve. Thank you. Great catch with this vehicle's problem! Also I don't know why Domestic (U.S.) and Asian call it Variable Valve Timing when CLEARLY, Europeans call it Variable Cam Timing which is correct! My 06 Nissan Frontier 4.0L V6 has Variable Cam Timing on the Intake Cams only, but they're NOT Variable Valve Timing! The whole cam timing moves, NOT individual valve timing.
Thank you for the valuable information and innovative tests! As a BMW technician, I came across mixed VANOS connectors multiple times too! With trained eyes, the problem can be seen right away with the VANOS harness. Also I see a lot of missing central part in the oil filter cap after an oil change, causing low oil pressure and debris flowing through the engine and VANOS solenoids!
Hi Dan, I have a code 2A7C, Variable camshaft timing control, intake, cold start, for a month cannot figure out what was wrong, I replaced a lot of things it still there, after I watch your video I swapped the connector as you said then the problem is solved, I don't know why the BWM didn't use different connectors in that area so people never screw up by plugged in wrong place. OMG you are so smart, thank you so much for your help, god bless you. ❤
Reminds me of my teacher, Phil Malpass at mechanics college. His version was suck,squeeze,bang,blow. At 16 thats all you wanted to do lol. i'm 51 now and its still all i want, i love suck, squeeze, bang,blow lol
Hi Dan: There is nothing better then experiance. You can have all the knowledge but haveing years of experiance is worh its weight in gold. I always enjoy the way you diagnose and repair cats. It is always worh an "ATTABOY!!"
You explained this very well,I am a (diagnostic) mechanic at an Opel dealer recently got a car in for a diagnostic on the same system (cam gear timing) for loss of power and rattling noises the previous garage changed both solenoids and both intake and exhaust cam gears (400 € a piece) because they where making loud noises at start up and sometimes at 800/1000 rpm Gues what I found in 5 min time... a clogged oil filter that was falling apart when I took it out. Changed the filter and put in some new oil and everything was fixed. Always check the oil system (pressure)
your video is a really living proof that there is a lot of machanical who doest not know what they were doing and ripp off their customer. i have seen a lot also. i hope your video reach those machanical
You would think they would differentiate the connectors for the solenoids. Tag the harness, colour code or the like. Seen it happen on cam timing sensors on DDC Engines....Good pickup there Dan.
@@larryskeeper1197 I agree, I mean, even something as simple as a red and blue marker on each of the connectors and the solenoids would have done the trick. But then again, you can also swap the solenoids around as they look identical.
@@Stoney3K the solenoids that extend through the opening on the front of the cylinder head are identical, same part number for both cams, it’s the VANOS sprockets that are unique to each side.
Man, I would never have thought to check the condition of the oil filter cap assembly for that tiny "O" ring not seating or not there as a possible cause for vanos problems, but it makes perfect sense. Low oil pressure will affect those things in a heartbeat. Thanks for pointing that out!
The way you explain everything showing examples sets you above many others. Brilliant step by step diagnosis and a no nonsense approach with intelligence and creativity! Love your videos Dan. Kind regards.
@@Diagnosedan Whoa!! I'll bet this goof will make them double and triple check their work from now on!! At least some customer didn't get taken advantage of.
@@Diagnosedan Good to hear that the shop owned the car (and will therefore take the costS themselves). I do understand that this was very tricky but I don’t understand why people would just replace (expensive) parts without knowing if they are faulty or not. Thanks for your excellent explanations!
@@Conservator. Quite agree. It is doubly hard to understand replacing the camshaft and its housing. How could that have helped in any credible circumstance?
Wow I bought a 525i N52 2 weeks ago and have replaced Vanos, Cam sensors, Oil filter housing with filter and oil change , Cleaned screens and coil and plug change and still had this same exact problem I checked today and the previous tech or owner had the connectors swapped , I swapped them so they are correct and car runs beautiful now
this really was a great lesson, Dan! Thanks for sharing this one and thanks for going the extra mile to show the operation of the Vanos! This also goes to show how important it is to pay attention to the wiring diagram! This will be one that sticks in my mind for sure!
Poor design when parts can be interchanged to the detriment of the engine eg the Vanos drive units and the wiring connectors and there may be many more. Thank God for electric motors I say because we all can't have a miracle worker like Dan at our disposal.
@@Diagnosedan the thanks is all ours, thanks for posting the videos, thanks for your perseverance, thanks for your skill sharing and thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge to help others.
@@malchone1 all mechanics aren't equal and how many competent mechanics have been caught out because they simply didn't know? Your comments are no excuse for poor design, quality starts on the drawing board, at the beginning and should not depend on the mechanic, the end user. Sorry to disagree
@@anthonyxuereb792 Don't get me wrong I know that car manufacturers do make mistake when design cars but to blame them for incompetent mechanics it is wrong.Good mechanics use tools and common sense to figure out problem.Spraying parts on car,charge costumer,then tell them"I don't know what is wrong with it"is not ok.In the end car are just machines and with thorough approach can be fixed.Cheers
Great video and great explanation got yourself a new subscriber! In 2020 had a 3-series BMW stalling when starting engine and immediately shifting to D and not stalling if idle engine more than 10 sec. Aside from that engine felt rough. The vehicle owner did his own repairs but kept making it worse off so he brought it to me. Upon asking him questions he had done oil change and replaced both vanos sensors. Owner had missed the clogged vanos filter screens so I cleaned them. The vanos sensor connectors were switched and the plastic retainer within the oil filter was missing. Once these were corrected the engine ran much better.
After watching this vid. It seems that BMW overengineer everything on their cars, unless the car is in warranty i would never think about buying one, ever!
Hi Dan, since i joined your Facebook page and TH-cam channel every episode i grow more confident in starting my project car. You are the real deal in problem solving and analytical thinking. Thank you.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Since i bought a new oscilloscope and an incylinder pressure transducer , i hope to see some training videos from the best. Keep teaching us. Nice video .
Congratulations with the 12 month subscribtion to DDTSB!
@@Diagnosedan thank you
@@Diagnosedan Men. I am from Russia and I very wait your new episode. You there cool 👍 and "understand technical specialist
I worked out from very beginning of your video, listening to engine running it was timing problem, thought @first may have been static timing set up incorrect so out of range of vanos,or seals gone! Stuart.
Μπράβο Γιάννη, εάν επιτρέπεται, έχεις μαγαζί?
Diagnose Dan is actually a genius. His videos are just so much better than anyone else.
Wow thanks!
True mate his videos are miles ahead
True
Dan fixed my car, where no other shop wanted to even look at it...
@@bugattibuilder Nice dude. Yes he is a really good mechanic. His shop is in Amsterdam right?
I've had 4 BMWs over the past 13 years and this is the only true VANOS explanation I've ever seen! Awesome video!
It's just astonishing to think BMW used identical connectors so close together with just a tiny difference in trace colours I can't blame the other workshop for missing this but once again Dan's diagnosis found the problem which is just amazing this is the only diagnosis channel I watch because its head and shoulders above the rest excellent work Dan keep up the great work
yes really stupid design..
Thanks for the great comment it's appriciated!!
@@bobl78 it's on purpose. Don't mess with it if you don't know what are you doing. It reminds me of connectors for park assist control unit and for headlight position control unit. Those connectors are same on Peugeot 208. If you switch them the car won't work at all.
The same deal with the splines that engage with the camshafts on each end, they could have easily put a mirrored notch on each of the wheels so they would never be interchangeable in the first place.
I mean ya gotta be pretty fucking incompetent to mix these up. Everytime you remove connectors, you mark them or you trace them. Even the BMW workshop manuals tells you which one goes where. Again, this is just pure incompetence. I'm a DIYer with no mechanical professional background and cmon even I don't fuck up like this.
EDIT: After reading the comments, I concur it is stupid. It's easy to make it fit one spot when it's not. It's just at the same time, I feel like it's also stupid to mix them up but yeah... I guess that's the point of good design. Prevent mistakes like these ha
Thanks Dan, I worked for bmw dealerships for 6years and I have seen even bmw mechanics who still don't understand their products. Your are a blessing to the world of vehicle diagnostics.
Thank you very much 💪
In the minds of technicians who work in dealerships, it's not "their products". Those technicians are 9-5 employees. The only thing they care is when are they going home. It is owner-based shops like Dan, who really care to *Understand* and diagnose the problem, both quickly but more importantly, correctly. The issue is, where can you find such shops, at least here in the UK.
Aaaaa
Man made problems can be the hardest to diagnose. Great video Dan.
That's right!
One would wonder why they didn't use different connectors to avoid such a problem. Maybe cost considerations.
@@obsoleteprofessor2034 i've seen a lot of this kind of mistakes in motorbikes, motorbikes often use the same connectors for different components also!
Wow all those parts thrown at the car only to find out that they mixed up the connectors? But this guy just made the diagnosis seem so easy I also learned some thing about the pressure wave form I would have never know that the little exhaust spike would indicate a timing problem.
Today while driving home from work I suddenly realised that I haven’t seen Dan uploading new videos for a while now. And here it is, I kid you not!
Telepathic?😜
@@Diagnosedan 100%
Love it when Dan says let's diagnose it together 🤣🤣🤣
Then does everything him self 😀😀
😂😂😜
That was a good one
I try to think to but never thought it had something to do with de connections.
For the next Video we should all go to Dan’s shop so we can diagnose the problem together. Afterwards we’ll help Dan drink his Beer.🍻
Dan does take us by the hand and spoon feed every step of his diagnosis and repair.
I don't know of any other mechanic that's so thorough and skilled as Dan. Awesome
Thank you!
This was perfectly explained. The actual mechanic attempting to repair the vehicle actually made the problem worse after throwing $3000 in parts into it.
So simple but so difficult. You very good at explaining systems. Years ago had no start on a mustang and wires were crossed, bloody connectors should be all different. Good work.
I diagnosed a Mercedes once. The airbag went off after the Car was unlocked with the remote. It was in a bodyshop that Just repaired the front bumper.
It turned out that the connector for the front foglights (in the bumper) and the front crash sensor (under the headlight) are exactly the same. After unlocking the Car the lights of the car came on and triggered the airbags to deploy. €4000 damage😬
BRAVO - Had VANOS fear buying second hand - But with your clear explanation, you cured my illness!
I would volunteer to work with/for Dan just to learn. Truly a master in his field.
Thanks Rob
Just a little thank you for this video sir. I have a 07 335i new to bmws and working on them and many months ago i took out vanos solenoids to clean and inspect. somehow placed the connecters incorrectly. I have been down every rabbit hole chasing every issue and code. Never thought it could have been this. Almost 1am watching this video i thought it couldn’t hurt to try and swapping them. Car started up ran like normal with no codes!❤
It's nearly always a simple fix, but there's often very little appreciation for the skills required to find it. A great video as always, thanks Dan
Thank you very much
Exactly! Simple fixes like this makes the customer not willing to pay the price which matches the skills required for finding the fault in the first place. Certainly a problem that I face in my career. How do you manage that aspect of your work, Dan?
I owe you a lot of beer too Dan. God bless you for making this video! Made same mistake. Only cost me 400 for new solenoids.
Your vvt explanation reminded me of the one you did on high pressure fuel pumps. They are both excellent.
Thank you! It's great to hear you liked the video
When testing either a car or a computer, never, never ignore a small item that could be the problem. Dan saw the little hump in the wave forms that is very easily overlooked. Great job Dan!
Well Dan, no matter how much beer you drink your hangover will be cured long before the other garage's hangover is after that mistake!
😂😂Let's drink "Together"
I'm not even close to try to fix an BMW engine but I'm amazed by the explanation, demonstration and methodology to track and fix the problem. Congrats!
Dan. This video was nothing but SUPERB! Your explanations were truly clear and concise. Your "explanations and demonstrations, using the actual parts, was a College Level presentation. You are, without a doubt, Dan - "THE MAN" Many thanks. I've been a subscriber and you never fail to teach us something. Thank you, Sir.
I have also made that mistake of incorrectly switching the vanos intake and exhaust solenoid connectors after removal, cleaning and reinstallation. This lead me to pre-maturely replacing both solenoids, both camshaft position sensors and both vanos check valves only to realize later the solenoid connectors were opposite. I put both the old solenoids and camshaft position sensors back in and realized the actual problem was only a faulty intake camshaft position sensor. Anyway, very good video with explanation of how the vanos works, view of the all the parts and tools used to diagnosis vanos problems. Also good reminder to not throw parts at a problem. Thank you!
you explained it in great detail . In 30 years of being a diagnostician / mechanic I really have seen all the problems with the VANOS , even the one you just fixed . Stupid as it may sound , a paint marker is one of my best friends . Easy for me to say after the facts ? No , I live in a country of DIYers .
If you look closely at the video you can see that they actually marked one of the connectors with white paint
Didn't see that. Djeez , they must have gotten frustrated and missed that . I have eaten a lot of hours in my life but this one must hurt. Hopefully the garage and the client settle things in a human way.
Finally! It was about time for you to create this video, where we all see you again in your typical and best role.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment! It's appriciated!
I know the original mechanics are gonna have that "dead inside" kinda feeling once they found out the answer.. Gosh, I feel bad for them, When we overlook something so simple! It's a costly mistake we all... Have made. Lesson learned
Yes, but he was also very glad the Car was fixed without the need for more parts
Agree, but huge shame on the BMW engineers who decided to put two similar type of connectors at such a place. Of course, as long as the cable with this connector can reach both sockets, it must be irreplaceable - absolutely not what I expect from a BMW engineer. @@Diagnosedan
@@AMGswede likely, the solenoid is the same for both Intake and exhaust. So keying the connectors would increase the number of unique parts, increasing cost and likelyhood of "out of stock". Of course, some Poka yoke would be nice, but not at all costs.
Point taken - cost is of great importance. But then BMW could have color coded the connector on the wiring harness.
@@kain0m kinda agree with this but, a well-versed mechanic would have known they were the same connector and marked which one they went to.
Awesome...just goes to shows how important it is to cross check and double check your work. Well done Dan.
Everybody makes mistakes, i've made quite a few myself. The most important thing is that we correct them before the Car is returned to the customer!
How sincerely can I thank you for the information that you share, Words escape me. There are some folks on the internet [ hint hint ] calling themselves technician who find every opportunity to defame and lambast BMWs and Mercedes. I will never say that there are not some models that I wanted to release the brakes on a steep cliff, [ I would have if I had a ride home ] but I will never stop learning as long as talented people like you exist.
Parts canon got a lot of use on that one
That's right! Lot's of parts replaced that didn't fix the Car😬
If I owned the car I would not be pleased!
I’m one of those who’s mechanical knowledge started with being told to stand and watch your dad fixing the family car on the drive. Dan’s educational style is a great way to learn without knowing your learning new things. Once more the TH-cam algorithm has shown me a diamonds in the rough. Hopefully Dan and the channel goes on from strength to strength. Excellent channel.
Unbelievable, I would even say - a cruel mistake. Thank you Dan.
Thanks for watching Marius!
BMW's are full of "Easter Eggs"!
Attention to work can prevent this kind of problem. You are the best 👍
Thank you very much
Today was a good day, Dan uploaded a new video. I can sleep good tonight, knowing another car lives another day.
That's a Nice comment thanks, it's appriciated
Thanks a whole lot for this video. This content is extremely hard to find. I have been trying to wrap my head around how the VANOS system on my N54 works for a little over a year and this video has given me more than what I've collectedly gathered since.
One of the best episodes, especially the tips at the end re oil pressure. Thanks Dan!
Thanks!
Dan, you are just amazing. Not only as a technician but your ability to explain everything is just genius. I am so grateful for what you do.
I second that statement!
YES!!!! The man returns!!! Nobody does better diagnostic videos than you Dan!!
You make me blush😜
Im not trying to take anything away from Dan, he is very competent and likable, but take a look at south main auto channel. Eric O is very good aswell :-)
@@MC-Racing I'm good I'll stay right here😉 nothing against anyone else
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Excellent work! I'm a BMW owner and enthusiast, and sometimes people come to me and tell me that BMWs are not reliable, but most cases are just bad maintenance made by unqualified mechanics.
Good maintenance is very important, it can prevent alot of troubles
This is a man at the very top of the game.
Thanks Bob
Brilliant Diagnostic technician 10 star work ethics
Great job. Proof that knowledge is key! Wish I was near you to have my own car diagnosed.
Missed this channel, can’t wait for more content!
Thanks Adam
one of the best simplified explanations of VANOS theory of operation on the tube, thank you so much, great channel, great character, cheers
Thanks!
14:16 The moment you pointed to those Vanos wires and plugs, i thought "i bet you can swop them a round, the plugs are the same" and my god i was right. I know this because i did a similar thing on a Rover VVC engine once but it was with wires swopped between the vvc unit and something on the inlet manifold. That also ran like a bag of bolts but i knew what i had done straight away because i was very use to working on them lol. Can't believe BMW has done such a stupid thing by having the same plugs. Well worked out, all the beers on them lol
Thanks for the comment it's appriciated Paul!
@@Diagnosedan No worries, love your approach to faults.................and the equipment/yools you use.
bodgit and leggit (Irish mechanic tuber) had a similar job. A diesel car (Astra, I think) had the engine replaced and wouldn't start, been through 2 garages with no fix. The garage that did the swap numbered the plugs for the injectors and they were connected up in numerical order. However, somebody had forgotten which direction they'd numbered the plugs in...
I'd expect it for a Rover but for a newish BMW it's beyond belief that their engineers are so sloppy when it is very easy to design against such mishaps as is done for most other modern cars
@@alanpartridge2140 BMW aint all they're cracked up to be
Ive always known what VANOS does and the basic concept of how it works but this is next level knowledge.
it was about time for You to upload a video - You know we need You - thanks
Thanks for the Nice comment!
Dan is the man, he not only fixed it but gave us a huge lesson on how vanos work. The best on youtube!
Brought a smile to my face. Connectors reversed et Voila! Genius! Thanks for the variable valve timing and oil filter info simple if you KNOW. Well done Dan! What would a different colour socket have cost BMW or do they want to make it difficult so you have to go to BMW main dealers?
Its happens to everybody at least once. Something doesn't get plugged back in or gets plugged into the wrong spot, but its embarrassing every time. Great video.
Thanks for watching
Hi Dan,long time no see. But glad to see You again.
Let's see, how Diagnose Dan Fix It Again!🙂
Thanks for leaving a comment!
You are gonna be the ONLY car mechanic in the world. You are the only one who acctualy fixes cars. If the carmechanic is not you, then he is worthless... Love you fixes.
Thank you very much
No way Dan, I’m just not believing this. There’s about a dozen BMW engineers who should be fired for this. No way should it of been designed for this error to happen so easily. Those wire looms should be tagged or labeled. The connectors themselves should not be interchangeable, the connector colors should be different. Take your pick but I lay this fault squarely on BMW’s shoulders first.
There were some guides and sleeves missing that would have made this mistake nearly impossible
But it's this kind of knowledge that will allow you to get paid a higher rate. Otherwise, anybody would be able to fix it...
A basic tenet of design which the Japanese call "poka yoke" is that it should not be possible to assemble such parts incorrectly. So the electrical plugs to the solenoids should have been physically different and the machining of inlet and exhaust vanos units and camshafts physically different so impossible to inadvertently swap them over. Same principle to be used for fitting the cam assemblies to the engine and indeed for the WHOLE CAR.
The Vanos units at the cams I get. It's bad engineering, and they should be keyed. But NOT the solenoids. They are the same part number x 2. Just don't stuff up the connections. If they were two separate parts then BMW would need to manufacture two different parts for the 'same' job, and have to charge more for them. That would result in increased manufacturing cost, warehousing cost, etc, etc., right on down the supply chain. Sure, design better connector reach/placement, but they did. Like Dan said, there are guides and sleeves missing...
Really enjoyed this video mate, I work in the parts department of a dealership, and watching diagnosis videos like this, really helps me to understand the various parts better.
That's great Nik!
Two idiots with 2 dislike ... Whyyyyyyy ... This man is a master piece 😍😍 and we love him.
Thank you very much
Absolutely brilliant.
What a clear and concise description of how a system works.
Some wickedly brilliant vanos tips.
This is one of the best videos ive seen on youtube. I learnt a few things . Thanks. More please!!!
That's awsome! Thanks
Danny, the more videos I watch on your channel, the more I become convinced to stay the hell away from BMW and Audi...
Keep up your brilliant work teaching us!
Dan , that is a fantastically informative video. I haven’t yet signed up to DDTSB but you just made me feel I need it in my workshop. The smaller the issue the harder it is to find, so very well copped 👍 & thanks for doing all your vids
You won't regret Subscribing to DDTSB. It will safe you time, money and frustration 😜
@@Diagnosedan I have done. Thanks for the reply Dan 👍
Definitely is a genius, I follow him for years already and every single video he does is a master piece!!!
Thank you Jairo but i'm just doing my job
@@Diagnosedan thanks for share Your knowledge
Dan, what can we say your a genius, it makes my day when i see a new DD video, thank you so much for taking the time in bringing these great videos to us all.
Kindest regards Jay
Thanks Jay
Ran into this exact same situation today, I remember watching this video years ago-so glad I did.
Dan-you the man!
Enough explanation and great effort, Professor Dan .. I hope to learn more from you, thank you very much 💪🏼😍
Thanks for watching
Great video and thank you for explaining how the VANOS work! I swapped connectors in a Sentra AF sensors and and drove me crazy! I am sorry for them because it is hard to find our own mistakes!
🤣🤣Thanks for watching
Great to have you back Dan, you have been missed! Amazing video as always, looks like they had marked up one of the VANOS solenoids and its connector with a white paint/marker so they did not get them mixed up. I think we have all been there at some point but that is one expensive connector swap.
Thank again for these excellent videos!
Yes he told me he did Mark them with White Paint😅
You are a genius with the goal of root cause before repair! Good job.
Thanks for sharing another great diag video, and thank you for always taking the time to break things down for clearer explanations. Just out of curiosity, were there any other tests done prior to incylinder testing that lead you to it? It sure was a great way to tell for sure the timing change before and after. Again, thanks for sharing!
No other test done, Just the ones showed in the video, i don't know what test were done by the previous shop
@@Diagnosedan Hi Dan, sorry i'm so late to this, was the red tracer wire the hot / exhaust side and the blue tracer wire the cold/inlet side solenoid ? Just wondered.
Thanks for the amazingly informative video.
I have to give you credit for making the point that some of these issues are mistakes that are easy to make. The vanos intake and exhaust connectors being switched can be handed to you by another shop who previously worked on the system and you diligently memorised which connection went where when you disconnected, but wiring diagrams sometimes if properly used can remove some confusion. The oil filter casting explanation is the first that i have hear of this so thank you for rhat. I can see why a technician may have been leed into the situation where he is considering all the oil passages and routing from the camshaft through the variable sprockets which will have you looking at hardware and seals in the camshaft assembly and its carrier housing. Most technicians do a great job but there are things done previously to the engine that you fall victim to.
This engine had some guides and sleeves missing that would have made this mistake nearly impossible
Yeah, on my M52tu, I mark the connections with different paint pens to keep the connectors on the right connectors, as I have crossed them before!😂
😎🇺🇸
If you look closely you'll see they actually marked one of the connectors with White Paint 🤣
Man you are the best! Finally found someone explaining my exact issues in my BMW S63 engine! Going to replace my Vanos solenoids hopefully tomorrow and hopefully all my issues will be resolved 🙏🏻
Perfect timing for my dinner! Hi dan, love your channel.
Bon appetit!😜
I don't know anything about European vehicles, so what I see you do for diagnose/repair is a total learning curve. Thank you. Great catch with this vehicle's problem! Also I don't know why Domestic (U.S.) and Asian call it Variable Valve Timing when CLEARLY, Europeans call it Variable Cam Timing which is correct! My 06 Nissan Frontier 4.0L V6 has Variable Cam Timing on the Intake Cams only, but they're NOT Variable Valve Timing! The whole cam timing moves, NOT individual valve timing.
Thanks for watching Mike!
where have you been? I have been wondering for a while? we need a video once a week Dan.
Take care
Thanks for watching 👍
Thank you for the valuable information and innovative tests! As a BMW technician, I came across mixed VANOS connectors multiple times too! With trained eyes, the problem can be seen right away with the VANOS harness. Also I see a lot of missing central part in the oil filter cap after an oil change, causing low oil pressure and debris flowing through the engine and VANOS solenoids!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment Eric it's appriciated
Really like your videos.. They are very educational.. 😊👌
Kind regards from Denmark 🇩🇰
Thanks! I hope to visit Denmark soon!
Hi Dan, I have a code 2A7C, Variable camshaft timing control, intake, cold start, for a month cannot figure out what was wrong, I replaced a lot of things it still there, after I watch your video I swapped the connector as you said then the problem is solved, I don't know why the BWM didn't use different connectors in that area so people never screw up by plugged in wrong place. OMG you are so smart, thank you so much for your help, god bless you. ❤
Reminds me of my teacher, Phil Malpass at mechanics college. His version was suck,squeeze,bang,blow. At 16 thats all you wanted to do lol. i'm 51 now and its still all i want, i love suck, squeeze, bang,blow lol
😂😂
🤣😂🤣😂👍
Hi Dan:
There is nothing better then experiance. You can have all the knowledge but haveing years of experiance is worh its weight in gold. I always enjoy the way you diagnose and repair cats. It is always worh an "ATTABOY!!"
I have an old electo-mechanical brain, sometimes a solenoid sticks and a quick thump on the side of my head gets it going again.
🤣🤣👍
And when it doesn't and remains loose when you don't want it, your thoughts keep going on like a pinball machine!
@@Stoney3K yes, thats the way it goes.
You explained this very well,I am a (diagnostic) mechanic at an Opel dealer recently got a car in for a diagnostic on the same system (cam gear timing) for loss of power and rattling noises the previous garage changed both solenoids and both intake and exhaust cam gears (400 € a piece) because they where making loud noises at start up and sometimes at 800/1000 rpm
Gues what I found in 5 min time... a clogged oil filter that was falling apart when I took it out.
Changed the filter and put in some new oil and everything was fixed.
Always check the oil system (pressure)
Great job!
Very informative - as always. Tks.
Thanks for watching
your video is a really living proof that there is a lot of machanical who doest not know what they were doing and ripp off their customer. i have seen a lot also. i hope your video reach those machanical
Yikes. That would be an easy mixup, the connectors are interchangeable.
Thanks for watching
You would think they would differentiate the connectors for the solenoids. Tag the harness, colour code or the like. Seen it happen on cam timing sensors on DDC Engines....Good pickup there Dan.
@@larryskeeper1197 I agree, I mean, even something as simple as a red and blue marker on each of the connectors and the solenoids would have done the trick. But then again, you can also swap the solenoids around as they look identical.
@@Stoney3K the solenoids that extend through the opening on the front of the cylinder head are identical, same part number for both cams, it’s the VANOS sprockets that are unique to each side.
Man, I would never have thought to check the condition of the oil filter cap assembly for that tiny "O" ring not seating or not there as a possible cause for vanos problems, but it makes perfect sense. Low oil pressure will affect those things in a heartbeat. Thanks for pointing that out!
Ohh...DD brilliant again....
This is the DD i like
Thanks Alexandru😁
The way you explain everything showing examples sets you above many others. Brilliant step by step diagnosis and a no nonsense approach with intelligence and creativity! Love your videos Dan. Kind regards.
I wonder how much the customer has to pay, for all the parts they didn't need 🤦♂️
The workshop that worked on the Car is also the owner they tried to fix the Car and re-sell it
@@Diagnosedan Whoa!! I'll bet this goof will make them double and triple check their work from now on!! At least some customer didn't get taken advantage of.
@@Diagnosedan Good to hear that the shop owned the car (and will therefore take the costS themselves). I do understand that this was very tricky but I don’t understand why people would just replace (expensive) parts without knowing if they are faulty or not.
Thanks for your excellent explanations!
@@Conservator. Quite agree. It is doubly hard to understand replacing the camshaft and its housing. How could that have helped in any credible circumstance?
@@alexanderSydneyOz
Exactly. I wouldn’t want someone who thinks (or doesn’t think;) like that even touch my car.
Wow I bought a 525i N52 2 weeks ago and have replaced Vanos, Cam sensors, Oil filter housing with filter and oil change , Cleaned screens and coil and plug change and still had this same exact problem I checked today and the previous tech or owner had the connectors swapped , I swapped them so they are correct and car runs beautiful now
It’s definitely the small things that can catch you by the 🏀🏐🎾⚽️⚾️🥎
🤣🤣
OMG wish I hqad found you 2 years agO !!!! BMW for me = Break My Wallet until I found you. Many thanks keep up the good work
Imagine being the bloke to tell the boss that he spent thousands on parts AND had to send the car to another worshop because you mixed 2 plugs up.
this really was a great lesson, Dan! Thanks for sharing this one and thanks for going the extra mile to show the operation of the Vanos! This also goes to show how important it is to pay attention to the wiring diagram! This will be one that sticks in my mind for sure!
Poor design when parts can be interchanged to the detriment of the engine eg the Vanos drive units and the wiring connectors
and there may be many more. Thank God for electric motors I say because we all can't have a miracle worker like Dan at our disposal.
Thanks for watching!
@@Diagnosedan the thanks is all ours, thanks for posting the videos, thanks for your perseverance, thanks
for your skill sharing and thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge to help others.
Well that's why when you are mechanic and charge people money for jobs, you have to know what are you doing so same connectors should not be a problem
@@malchone1 all mechanics aren't equal and how many competent mechanics have been caught out because they simply didn't know? Your comments are no excuse for poor design, quality starts on the drawing board, at the beginning and should not depend on the mechanic, the end user.
Sorry to disagree
@@anthonyxuereb792 Don't get me wrong I know that car manufacturers do make mistake when design cars but to blame them for incompetent mechanics it is wrong.Good mechanics use tools and common sense to figure out problem.Spraying parts on car,charge costumer,then tell them"I don't know what is wrong with it"is not ok.In the end car are just machines and with thorough approach can be fixed.Cheers
The great masters always explain thing easy, when it looks very very complicaties for others
Thanks for the comment Jan
When Scotty Kilmer was saying German machines are too much engineered and endless money pit he meant this
Has nothing to do with the Car, it was a mistake from the mechanic
Great video and great explanation got yourself a new subscriber! In 2020 had a 3-series BMW stalling when starting engine and immediately shifting to D and not stalling if idle engine more than 10 sec. Aside from that engine felt rough. The vehicle owner did his own repairs but kept making it worse off so he brought it to me. Upon asking him questions he had done oil change and replaced both vanos sensors. Owner had missed the clogged vanos filter screens so I cleaned them. The vanos sensor connectors were switched and the plastic retainer within the oil filter was missing. Once these were corrected the engine ran much better.
After watching this vid. It seems that BMW overengineer everything on their cars, unless the car is in warranty i would never think about buying one, ever!
Thanks for watching
Overengineered? This is really piss poor sloppy engineering, it's easy to get the connectors so they can't be swapped
asalamaleikum ! greetings from Kosova. Your videos helped me to retsore my BMW X6 to it's perfection. I love my car. Kosovo forever.
Asalamaleikum from Mexico!
I see why you don't do many vids. It takes too long to edit out the bloopers.
Yes i struggle with my English alot🤣
Hi Dan, since i joined your Facebook page and TH-cam channel every episode i grow more confident in starting my project car. You are the real deal in problem solving and analytical thinking. Thank you.
The most literal instance of Murphy's Law! If anything can go wrong, it will. Those connectors need to be keyed.
Thanks for watching Cameron
marking them would have worked....🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
Really enjoy your videos being a mechanic myself. Quality is the first word that comes to mind