Faulty camshaft position sensor codes?

[props]

After doing some VANOS work to my car, I drove around for ~50 miles are so with no issues, until my SES light came on. I scanned the car with my code reader and got the following codes:

P1531 - B Camshaft Position Actuator Control Open Circuit (Bank 1)
P0015 Exhaust Camshaft Position Timing - Over-Retarded (Bank 1)

From what I can tell I have a faulty camshaft position sensor? Figured I'd get your guys .02 before I replace the part.

Cheers.

[Arith2]

Did you have to retime the car when doing your vanos work?

[props]

Update: I checked my oil and it was a little low, I topped off the oil and my SES light turned off. A video is attached of my car idling, then revving up to 4k RPM (car is fully warmed up, oil temp is ~210).. please let me know what you guys think, and whether things are totally fine or if I should trailer it to the shop asap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2cxuUJ7jZw

[props]

Did you have to retime the car when doing your vanos work?

Don't believe so, we didn't do anything major in the vanos yet. The car does sound a little loud at idle though, which is worrisome.

[Arith2]

Do you have INPA? Also check you connectors for oil in them. It's super easy to get it in there and takes alot of cleaner to get it out.

[props]

Do you have INPA?

No, only at the shop unfortunately

[Arith2]

That's not a CMP code. It's for the solenoid. CMP would be a P0365 I believe which is a generic code. A P1xx is manufacturer specific while P0xx is generic for OBDII.

The reason I mention this is it points out something is wrong with the Vanos rather than the position sensor. I would check connectors for oil in the connectors first and foremost. Then just look for any visual damage to the wires. These are quick and mostly free steps. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

[props]

That's not a CMP code. It's for the solenoid. CMP would be a P0365 I believe which is a generic code. A P1xx is manufacturer specific while P0xx is generic for OBDII.

The reason I mention this is it points out something is wrong with the Vanos rather than the position sensor. I would check connectors for oil in the connectors first and foremost. Then just look for any visual damage to the wires. These are quick and mostly free steps. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

Thanks, really appreciate the help. I'm taking it into work tomorrow (BMW dealership) to have codes read with INPA, and have everything inspected. In your opinion, does the car sound abnormally loud for an S54? It has a carbon fiber beauty cover, so I've been told things should be a bit louder than OEM but that just sounds louder than usual.

[Arith2]

I don't keep a beauty cover on my engine(heatsoak reasons) and it doesn't make that sound. It's super convenient you work at a dealer. Are you a service advisor? I know you said to have it read rather than read it yourself. I believe what they'll use is ISTA which is much more updated. INPA is old as dirt but you can get on a laptop at home and read the car yourself thoroughly. Scanners can't test modules or bleed systems usually unless it's the fancy Autel or SnapOn ones.

[props]

I don't keep a beauty cover on my engine(heatsoak reasons) and it doesn't make that sound. It's super convenient you work at a dealer. Are you a service advisor? I know you said to have it read rather than read it yourself. I believe what they'll use is ISTA which is much more updated. INPA is old as dirt but you can get on a laptop at home and read the car yourself thoroughly. Scanners can't test modules or bleed systems usually unless it's the fancy Autel or SnapOn ones.

Ah, good to know! I work more in the sales side of things.. I would just take the car back to the shop and do it myself but due to insurance reasons it's always preferable to have an R/O written up; plus some of our techs have been working on E46 M3s since they did the original inspections on them when they first came into the dealer.. I know practically nothing aha.

Hope I didn't bend a valve or anything major.. car still pulls strong, I can't feel any loss in power.

[Arith2]

Ah, good to know! I work more in the sales side of things.. I would just take the car back to the shop and do it myself but due to insurance reasons it's always preferable to have an R/O written up; plus some of our techs have been working on E46 M3s since they did the original inspections on them when they first came into the dealer.. I know practically nothing aha.

Hope I didn't bend a valve or anything major.. car still pulls strong, I can't feel any loss in power.

I wouldn't advise testing the power of the engine right now even though it's tempting to see if it's still there. If you didn't touch the timing then there won't be any bent valves. Those guys, in my experience, don't mind answering questions thay you have usually. I learned alot from guys who worked on E46 when they came out. I don't mean to bombard you but these are some of the questions I have.
What was specifically done to the vanos and why? If all the codes are off and stay off then maybe it was just oil starvation to the Vanos. That would lead to more questions. How long was the oil? What was the color and how long do you go between oil changes? Where'd the oil go and how bad did it damage the rod bearings? When were the valves last adjusted? Who adjusted them?

[props]

I wouldn't advise testing the power of the engine right now even though it's tempting to see if it's still there. If you didn't touch the timing then there won't be any bent valves. Those guys, in my experience, don't mind answering questions thay you have usually. I learned alot from guys who worked on E46 when they came out. I don't mean to bombard you but these are some of the questions I have.
What was specifically done to the vanos and why? If all the codes are off and stay off then maybe it was just oil starvation to the Vanos. That would lead to more questions. How long was the oil? What was the color and how long do you go between oil changes? Where'd the oil go and how bad did it damage the rod bearings? When were the valves last adjusted? Who adjusted them?

The solenoid was cleaned, and to my knowledge the hub was inspected and looked fine. I was planning on getting a total VANOS rebuild soon but because I live in an area that only has 2-3 reputable shops (the majority of whom don’t feel “comfortable” using after market vanos parts i.e Dr.Vanos) I was planning on trailering the car to Denver to have a new unit installed.

I replaced the oil at 150,000 with BMW 10w60, the car currently has 151,200 miles. When I replaced the oil, it looked pretty dirty - although the previous owner in adamant he changed the oil every 3-5k miles, he said the oil could have been dirty because of some fuel additive he used? Not sure. The previous owner also claims the valves were last adjusted ~10,000 miles ago, although that was another maintenance item I was planning on having done when the VANOS was being over hauled. When I checked the oil, it was at the half way mark on the dipstick, which surprised me. I promptly added 1/2 a quart of oil and the oil level went back to full, and the SES light turned off. The bearings were done at 142,000 miles, with BE bearings although I’m not quite sure if that’s what you were asking.

I don’t mind the questions at all! Good to get everything out in the open.

[Obioban]

The solenoid was cleaned, and to my knowledge the hub was inspected and looked fine. I was planning on getting a total VANOS rebuild soon but because I live in an area that only has 2-3 reputable shops (the majority of whom don’t feel “comfortable” using after market vanos parts i.e Dr.Vanos) I was planning on trailering the car to Denver to have a new unit installed.

I replaced the oil at 150,000 with BMW 10w60, the car currently has 151,200 miles. When I replaced the oil, it looked pretty dirty - although the previous owner in adamant he changed the oil every 3-5k miles, he said the oil could have been dirty because of some fuel additive he used? Not sure. The previous owner also claims the valves were last adjusted ~10,000 miles ago, although that was another maintenance item I was planning on having done when the VANOS was being over hauled. When I checked the oil, it was at the half way mark on the dipstick, which surprised me. I promptly added 1/2 a quart of oil and the oil level went back to full, and the SES light turned off. The bearings were done at 142,000 miles, with BE bearings although I’m not quite sure if that’s what you were asking.

I don’t mind the questions at all! Good to get everything out in the open.

Hub inspection is 100% useless. You're no better off with it inspected than the day before it was inspected.

Don't get Dr. Vanos-- doesn't solve the underlying issue. Get the beisan suite. Get it installed asap.

Very unlikely the sensor failed right after the timing was touched-- far more likely your timing isn't correctly set.

Between min and max isn't low. At min isn't low. Anywhere in the range of min to max is correct... and low oil doesn't trigger a CEL.

[Slideways]

Update: I checked my oil and it was a little low, I topped off the oil and my SES light turned off. A video is attached of my car idling, then revving up to 4k RPM (car is fully warmed up, oil temp is ~210).. please let me know what you guys think, and whether things are totally fine or if I should trailer it to the shop asap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2cxuUJ7jZw

What phone was this filmed with cause the audio quality is not very good? In that clip, the VANOS doesn't sound like it is making the right noises. Check the "After" part here for what it should sound like -

[props]

Hub inspection is 100% useless. You're no better off with it inspected than the day before it was inspected.

Don't get Dr. Vanos-- doesn't solve the underlying issue. Get the beisan suite. Get it installed asap.

Very unlikely the sensor failed right after the timing was touched-- far more likely your timing isn't correctly set.

Between min and max isn't low. At min isn't low. Anywhere in the range of min to max is correct... and low oil doesn't trigger a CEL.

Beisan it is! Their prices are a lot more reasonable too. Good to hear that the oil wasn’t low, I was told to try and keep the oil right around full (not at the line or above it, but right under it,) and panicked when I saw it at half. It’s weird my SES light turned off after putting oil in. I figured low oil would trigger a CEL either.