Turbo and VANOS?

Can you do me a favor and clear the codes, then without starting the engine run the codes again to see what comes up? If the codes come back without running the engine the DME is bad or needs reprogramming. Here is the location of the DME and how to change it out. You can get a preprogrammed unit by searching Google or Ebay. Also did you check the camshaft position controls, you can get the connectors mixed up on this car, they do not have a specific connector for each like most cars.

Thank you for the information. It helped me eliminate one more possibility.

Good to hear, did you do the code clear and gather?

I did as you suggested, and the codes did not come back. I checked the cam position sensors, and they are wired correctly. I then looked at the DME and deleted adaptations and deleted adaptation for the variable camshaft timing control. I now receive the following codes:
DME (ECU) 120408 Charging pressure control: Switch off as consequence
DME 9ECU0 164040 Intake camshaft: installation defective
DME 9ECU0 164041 Exhaust camshaft: installation defective
I electrically activated the VANOS control solenoids with the following results: On the intake camshaft the engine stumbled but did not shut off when the solenoid was actuated at idle, on the exhaust camshaft the engine stumbled and stalled at idle.

It sounds like the timing chain marks might be off, there are a handful of special tools to do the job, can you check the procedure below to confirm the installation? Also, the intake and exhaust Vanos are different and cannot be interchanged. Check out the images (below). Please let us know what you find.

I purchased the specialty tool set to install the timing chain kit. I was meticulous in the reassembly of the engine. I guess I don't understand why "deleting adaptations" would change the Dtc's. I have read of more than a few owners that have had the exact same thing occur to them. No one seems to know why this happens or a remedy for it.

I am working on the car listed above N20.
When I received the vehicle, the owner told me it had been diagnosed with a catastrophic failure of the turbo charger. Upon inspection I found a bad timing chain. The chain was intact; however, the guides were destroyed. After replacing the timing chain, I found the turbo had bad oil seals. I replaced the turbo. I also replaced the turbo boost solenoid. At this point I was receiving these faults:
DME (ECU) 120408 Charging pressure control: Switch off as consequence.
DME (ECU) 130304 VANOS, exhaust: control fault, camshaft jammed.
DME (ECU) 130104 VANOS, intake: control fault, camshaft jammed.
DME (ECU) 131501 VANOS, intake, cold start: not controllable
DME (ECU) 130401 VANOS, exhaust, cold start: not controllable
DME (ECU) 128E01 Oxygen sensor before cat converter: Open circuit in Nernst line
I am not concerned with the oxygen sensor.
I have confirmed the VANOS pistons are free and the VANOS solenoids are operational.
The waste gate controller is pneumatic and operational.
I am scanning the vehicle with an Autel MaxiCOM MK808BT Pro.

I have since gone into the DME and “deleted adaptations” as well as “delete adaptation variable camshaft timing control” When I did this the VANOS faults disappeared and were replaced with.
DME 9ECU0 164040 Intake camshaft: installation defective
DME 9ECU0 164041 Exhaust camshaft: installation defective
I have also electrically activated the VANOS solenoids: on the intake it caused the engine to falter when energized at idle and on the exhaust the engine faltered and stalled.

Update: When I clear the codes and restart the car, I lose 164040 Intake camshaft: installation defective and 164041 Exhaust camshaft installation defective. It's not until I increase the RPM's that the codes come back. If the camshafts were, in fact, installed incorrectly it would set a code at idle (unless the computer is in a closed loop until an increase in RPMs is seen). It leads me to believe that the computer is not seeing the Vanos functioning. In a previous test I established they do.

I am wondering if the engine has low oil pressure and not actuating the VANOS correctly. Also, I have seen the electrical connectors get mixed up from side to side for the actuators, I know you think they can't be mixed up, but they can. BMW does not have designated connectors like most car companies, try to switch them side to side.

Hello,

When you replaced the timing chain, chain guides and tensioner did you also replace the camshaft gears and center oil control valves?

The oil control valves (OCV) are built into the camshaft gear retainer bolts and are prone to sticking and possible metal mesh failures.

Issues with these could cause the camshaft installation issues with the engine running as the camshaft gears cannot adjust as commanded as the oil supply is insufficient.

The VANOS actuators push onto the pin (red arrow) in image.
You can remove the oil control valve inners by removing the circlip of either center bolt.

See a good video on VANOS actuator testing also showing the OCV:
https://youtu.be/CX4oeLbNvws?si=hlZ0F_oKRqF9J5AX

It is also recommended to program the DME to latest software level.

Cheers, Boris

I did not change the camshaft gears. I did, however, disassemble and clean the oil control valves. Using a 12-volt power supply I electrically actuated the VANOS with the following results: the intake side caused the engine to falter while the exhaust side caused the engine to falter and the die. I switched the wiring on the VANOS actuators, and it made no difference. I would appear to me that the actuators are not receiving the command to operate.