Crank shaft sensor

[Sean d]

Guys, before I took my Z into the shop I ran it up and took it for a drive, it drove bang on, I left it ti idle whilst I chatted to a local, when I went back to the car it had cut out, I started it and it had a miss fire, I assumed it was a coil but today I put a scanner on it and it came up with code 85, crank shaft sensor, I called my local BMW dealer and a new one is £150, I seem to remember that after market ones are crap, has anyone had success with them or should I just buy genuine I would also appreciate a how to thread on the job,
Thanks

 

[t-tony]

Definitely do not buy cheap Sean. I got one for my Z3 from ECP, I think it was Febi branded but it was actually a genuine Bosch item with the Bosch logo ground off. It cost around £60 IIRC mate.

Tony.

 

[Sean d]

Definitely do not buy cheap Sean. I got one for my Z3 from ECP, I think it was Febi branded but it was actually a genuine Bosch item with the Bosch logo ground off. It cost around £60 IIRC mate.

Tony.

I rang Euro yesterday, they do 2 brands, Eicher and Hella,

 

[Ianmc]

Buy OEM for this critical part.

 

[Stevo7682]

Don't by Eicher Sean cheaper brand.
Hella better quality.

Stephen.

 

[Mint]

...a how to thread on the job...

I've never done a crank but I have done a cam one Sean but I think it would go:

1. Remove old sensor
2. Unplug from the wiring loom
3. Fit new sensor
4. Plug into wiring loom

 

[t-tony]

ZedShed West did one on a 2.8 last weekend. Was a bit fiddly

Tony.

 

[Sean d]

I've never done a crank but I have done a cam one Sean but I think it would go:

1. Remove old sensor
2. Unplug from the wiring loom
3. Fit new sensor
4. Plug into wiring loom

I don't even know where it is and what needs removing to get to it

 

[Mint]

I don't even know where it is and what needs removing to get to it

Realoem should show you where it is Sean

 

[Sean d]

Realoem should show you where it is Sean

I found it, low on the front of the block, hopefully I can get to it from the underside, otherwise its the radiator our, and the the connector is under the inlet manifold, looks like I can get my arm in if I remove the oil filter cap

 

[t-tony]

Have a word with Niall Sean it will be fresh in his memory from last weekend

Tony.

 

[Delk]

I thought all the crank sensors on the 2.8s were are the rear above the starter and below the intake. I did mine a few years ago and it can be done without removing much but its a right pain to reach. Only one bolt holding it in but getting a key on it wasnt easy.

 

[Sean d]

I thought all the crank sensors on the 2.8s were are the rear above the starter and below the intake. I did mine a few years ago and it can be done without removing much but its a right pain to reach. Only one bolt holding it in but getting a key on it wasnt easy.

That's what I first thought but there is definitely not one there, however the blank is on the block where it would have gone

 

[t-tony]

On my 2.0 2000 car it was above the starter. Allen socket and extension. 1/4” drive. Still not easy.

Tony.

 

[Nodzed]

Sean, buy OEM, its a PITA of a job and you wont want to do it twice.

Removing the Rad wont help much if at all. removing the fan will, we didnt but I will next time.

1. Remove the air filter housing, whole unit, this will give you much better access under the manifold.
2. Remove the plastic cover on top of the inlet manifold (give you extra vision, light and access with a long screw driver to the plugs)
3. Unplug the rear of the two plugs beneath the inlet (its a proper bugger we pushed the pin in with a screw driver from above and second person pulled the plug apart) You will need someone with long fingers and or thin arms, its tight.
4. Remove the front engine lifting bracket
5. Undo the vanos oil supply pipe (4 & 5 will allow the plug to be passed through, the gap is too small and cutting the plug off wont help as the new one needs to go back through)
6. Pull off the plastic shroud covering the wire, (its under the vanos)
7. Thread old sensor wire down under the car
8. Beneath the car remove the allen bolt holding the sensor then remove the sensor from the bracket
9. If its tight use a long 1/4 drive extension and a hammer to hit it out (upwards)
10. IMPORTANT If the new sensor wont just drop into the carrier DONT force it if it jams you will have to hit it out and could damage it. We found there was a lot of ali corrosion, I used a demel sanding wheel in a small long nosed mole grips at an angle and cleaned it out from the top of the carrier but laying under the car, 5 minutes and the sensor dropped in. Re-fit the allen bolt. Its nearly impossible to get anything into the carrier from beneath to clean it out, you'll see why.
11. Re-thread the wire and fix back into the plastic shroud (this is a proper bugger and you will need to sit it in the groove then slide the shroud down the wire, it will keep coming out, I used a very very small tie wrap on the end of the shroud to keep it in place while I pushed the shroud down the wire. If you use a tiny tie you can leave it in situ. (removing the fan will make this a lot easier to get the shroud on the wire in the correct position without the above messing around)
12. Re-thread the wire under the manifold and reconnect.
13. re-assemble the removed parts.

Hope this helps
N

 

[Nodzed]

I thought all the crank sensors on the 2.8s were are the rear above the starter and below the intake. I did mine a few years ago and it can be done without removing much but its a right pain to reach. Only one bolt holding it in but getting a key on it wasnt easy.

Some are rear some are front, they switched sometime in 97/98 I believe. But you need to check in case you have a change year car before you buy as Real OEM is not accurate, the car we did was a change over year and Real OEM using the cars VIN, said it was a rear sensor, so BMW gave the parts accordingly as they use it too, but it was the front version.

 

[Nodzed]

I've never done a crank but I have done a cam one Sean but I think it would go:

1. Remove old sensor
2. Unplug from the wiring loom
3. Fit new sensor
4. Plug into wiring loom

TiT

 

[Sean d]

Sean, buy OEM, its a PITA of a job and you wont want to do it twice.

Removing the Rad wont help much if at all. removing the fan will, we didnt but I will next time.

1. Remove the air filter housing, whole unit, this will give you much better access under the manifold.
2. Remove the plastic cover on top of the inlet manifold (give you extra vision, light and access with a long screw driver to the plugs)
3. Unplug the rear of the two plugs beneath the inlet (its a proper bugger we pushed the pin in with a screw driver from above and second person pulled the plug apart) You will need someone with long fingers and or thin arms, its tight.
4. Remove the front engine lifting bracket
5. Undo the vanos oil supply pipe (4 & 5 will allow the plug to be passed through, the gap is too small and cutting the plug off wont help as the new one needs to go back through)
6. Pull off the plastic shroud covering the wire, (its under the vanos)
7. Thread old sensor wire down under the car
8. Beneath the car remove the allen bolt holding the sensor then remove the sensor from the bracket
9. If its tight use a long 1/4 drive extension and a hammer to hit it out (upwards)
10. IMPORTANT If the new sensor wont just drop into the carrier DONT force it if it jams you will have to hit it out and could damage it. We found there was a lot of ali corrosion, I used a demel sanding wheel in a small long nosed mole grips at an angle and cleaned it out from the top of the carrier but laying under the car, 5 minutes and the sensor dropped in. Re-fit the allen bolt. Its nearly impossible to get anything into the carrier from beneath to clean it out, you'll see why.
11. Re-thread the wire and fix back into the plastic shroud (this is a proper bugger and you will need to sit it in the groove then slide the shroud down the wire, it will keep coming out, I used a very very small tie wrap on the end of the shroud to keep it in place while I pushed the shroud down the wire. If you use a tiny tie you can leave it in situ. (removing the fan will make this a lot easier to get the shroud on the wire in the correct position without the above messing around)
12. Re-thread the wire under the manifold and reconnect.
13. re-assemble the removed parts.

Hope this helps
N

Excellent, thanks Niall, much appreciated

 

[Sean d]

TiT

I thought something similar

 

[Sean d]

I got the sensor this morning so fitted it in my lunch hour and still had 20 mins to eat my sandwiches, removing the oil filter cap made it a lot easier, and thanks to Nialls advice I knew exactly what to do