Finally got the car back from having the head gasket done and the temp gauge sorted out. Temp gauge turned out to be connected wrongly - by previous owner.

On testing the temp gauge it was put on the diagnostic to check the temp was ok and matched, it was noticed that the camshaft sensor was on its way out and needed changing. The garage that did the head told me this and i duly ordered it straight away for delivery this morning.

I drove the car home and it was a little sluggish which I put down to the cam sensor, but, after a few miles the  car started to backfire and it is very unresponsive, it sounds very lumpy - as if it was running on three cylinders, if that is possible? 

 I changed the cam pickup sensor this a.m. and took it out for a drive but nothing has changed and it has just set me back £70 for the sensor and it will be a full week before I can get it put on the diagnostic.

Has anyone got any ideas as I am slowly loosing the plot and all my hard earned cash, especially as Ive got to put on four new tyres and an air regas of the air con  still to do.

Jon

1995 520i Touring

I'm sorry your suffering, why have you got to wait a week ?

Is it an independant, or main dealer you are using ?

Are you in the AA or RAC, if so, "breakdown", see if they can help.

its an independant, good point about breakdown company hadn't thought about that. might try and blag them later.

Thanks

Jon

OK got home from work and started playing took of the cover from the coils and started listening and one didnt sound right... basically traced the fault down to a perished rubber boot on the coil - I have used insulation tape as a test to see if it would cure the problem and it did. No more misfires

Seems to be the major part of the problem sorted out, I am still going to get it checked on the diagnostic and see what their machine says.

I think the lack of power I noticed may be due to the fact that I have been used ot driving a 525 24v.

Cheers

Jon

b8alk,

The car wasnt very well when it went in, the breakdown of the spark plug boot I think is due to age / perishing and coincidence? it seemed to run ok when it wasn't under load. Hopefully it will be fine now.

The job cost £450 but that included the head skim, towing to the garage, towing to the independant for the temp gauge to be sorted (£20 included in the invoice) and collection back to the original garage. This came with a 1 year unlimited mileage warranty, so could have been alot worse I think.

Jon

OK......The next problem if you can beleive it!

Car went in to independant today to be checked over as it was coming up as camshaft position sensor on the quick diagnostic tester ( it was replaced on saturday and still drives like pooh).

The car was driving but with very little power at the bottom end, very hesitant under accelaration ie coming out of junctions and using a horrendous amount of fuel! about thirty pound for 120 miles up to now!!

Got the phone call saying still showing camshaft sensor failed and can they take the rocker cover off as they think that something is definitely amiss...

Right here goes - the vanos unit is completely missing and the wrong intake cam is installed - and the wire to the vanos solenoid has been cut

So the car doesn't run very well at all I need to buy a complete vanos unit and an intake cam costing me another £180 and the the labour for fitting - this is after I have had the head done,  new radiator, new tyres, cranshaft sensor and cam sensor etc etc etc -  where are the matches!

I can't sell it as it owes me so much money at the moment, but then again who would buy it? I don't want to keep throwing money at it as I simply can't afford to. I am not the sort of person to bodge up a car to sell it. Its just not in my nature as I have a concience. Its been well and truly done to me this time tho....                                                                                 

Oh and the mot is due in a couple of months as well so going to have to ask the garage to check the car over for that as well.

cheers

Jon

It was just over 5 weeks ago when I bought it, I dont think I will have any come back as it was a private sold as seen sale.

Jon

unless the reciept or bill of sale (call it what you want) actually has the words " to be sold as a collection of spare parts with no guarantee given or implied whatsoever", then you do have a comeback. Try ringing Citizens Advice and see what they say, you'll probably get a nice surprise!

Ian  

i am a mechanic at a garage in the north east and have recently replaced head gasket, skimmed and pressure tested head, replaced pulleys, carried out full service and M.O.T. on 1997 523, all this for £356.57p. Seems to me that some garages are taking the p***!

Ian          

Ian , out of interest was that including parts and labour , I have just got a 525 sport an touch wood all is fine with the head but I was always worried it might go and i'd be up for a £1,000 bill

Jon , sorry to hear of all your problems I hope everything gets sorted soon so that you can start to enjoy the car

Hi Jon,

A code read on one of these will not show a cam sensor on its way out. Either the ECU can see the CAS signal or not. If the signal is missing or low, a code will be logged.

When they read the codes, if the vanos Solonoid was disconnected, that would have put a code up too.

I am pretty sure that the wrong cam cannot be fitted.

If the car ran ok before the head job, then the fault has to be related.

If the cam timing or the vanos set up has not been done correctly it could log a CAS code, and will run like c**p. This has to be disturbed during a head job.

Sounds to me like someone is taking the p*ss.

Get a second opinion from someone who comes reccomended.

Alan

Hi Alan,

It seems the wrong cam can be fitted if they rip out all of the vanos unit and basically leave a big hole there where there should be some bits.

Basically it is in a recommended garage (now) and they were a bit concerned as to what they saw / did not see fitted. The car had been stood far a few months when I bought it and it didnt run very well but I put this down to being a little sluggish due to standing (doh!). and thinking it needed a damn good service and TLC.

Cheers

Jon