28BC - Exhaust Camshaft Bank 1 Stiff

[BerDz3nA]

Greetings,

My 2004 ZHP keeps the error 28BC - Exhaust Camshaft Bank 1 Stiff
I changed the vanos exhaust solenoid along with the spring but it didn't solve the problem.

The previous owner changed the exhaust camshaft sensor but the same code appears.
Anybody familiar with the problem and what the solution might be ?

[DeathTrap]

VANOS seals leaking? How many miles/KMs on her?

[Sockethead]

I had the exhaust camshaft stuck error after rebuilding my VANOS. It eventually went away but the Raj from Beisan has this suggestion If you read on to the end, you see that he doesn't recommend aftermarket solenoids either


This is likely due to a sticking vanos exhaust solenoid valve.

Here's how to check and resolve a sticking vanos exhaust solenoid valve.
With the vanos mounted on the engine, remove the vanos exhaust solenoid with a 32mm deep socket.
Most 32mm deep sockets aren’t deep enough for the vanos solenoid. The Advance Auto AutoCraft 32mm deep socket works. Also a showerhead socket works.
Place paper towels on the radiator lower hose to catch dripping oil. Also have a paper towel under the solenoid junction when removing the solenoid.
Where the solenoid screws into the vanos is a cylinder with red spring loaded piston. Press in the piston and release. It should press in with resistance and spring back when released. The piston movement should be smooth. If it’s not then this is likely the problem.
Pull out the piston while holding a paper towel under it to catch oil.
Spray clean the piston and it’s cylinder with brake cleaner. Dry the piston and cylinder.
Oil the piston and cylinder and reinstall the piston.
Check the piston movement. Press in and release the piston multiple times. Its movement should be very smooth.
Reinstall the solenoid.

Another possible cause could be an aftermarket exhaust camshaft position sensor. Aftermarket CPS sensors don’t work. You need a BMW or Siemens (OEM manufacturer) sensor.
This is part of the vanos and you got a different one if you didn’t swap it out with the one you had on your vanos.

Rajaie Qubain (Raj), President
Beisan Systems, LLC (bee-saan), www.beisansystems.com (http://www.beisansystems.com/)

[BerDz3nA]

VANOS seals leaking? How many miles/KMs on her?


270000 KM but the engine has been rebuilt and clocks only 35000 km.
Also the vanos has been rebuilt with beysan kit.


I had the exhaust camshaft stuck error after rebuilding my VANOS. It eventually went away but the Raj from Beisan has this suggestion If you read on to the end, you see that he doesn't recommend aftermarket solenoids either


This is likely due to a sticking vanos exhaust solenoid valve.

Here's how to check and resolve a sticking vanos exhaust solenoid valve.
With the vanos mounted on the engine, remove the vanos exhaust solenoid with a 32mm deep socket.
Most 32mm deep sockets aren’t deep enough for the vanos solenoid. The Advance Auto AutoCraft 32mm deep socket works. Also a showerhead socket works.
Place paper towels on the radiator lower hose to catch dripping oil. Also have a paper towel under the solenoid junction when removing the solenoid.
Where the solenoid screws into the vanos is a cylinder with red spring loaded piston. Press in the piston and release. It should press in with resistance and spring back when released. The piston movement should be smooth. If it’s not then this is likely the problem.
Pull out the piston while holding a paper towel under it to catch oil.
Spray clean the piston and it’s cylinder with brake cleaner. Dry the piston and cylinder.
Oil the piston and cylinder and reinstall the piston.
Check the piston movement. Press in and release the piston multiple times. Its movement should be very smooth.
Reinstall the solenoid.

Another possible cause could be an aftermarket exhaust camshaft position sensor. Aftermarket CPS sensors don’t work. You need a BMW or Siemens (OEM manufacturer) sensor.
This is part of the vanos and you got a different one if you didn’t swap it out with the one you had on your vanos.

Rajaie Qubain (Raj), President
Beisan Systems, LLC (bee-saan), www.beisansystems.com (http://www.beisansystems.com/)

Thank you for the information, I did the procedure mentioned above with cleaning the spring but it read the same code again. Then i changed the vanos solenoid and it poped up once and then not. I will observe.

I think it is due to the vanos rebuild kit, something doesn't work as it should and sometimes stucks. The error that PA Soft reads isn't present at all times, it happens once and then resolves itself and has the error in history.

[Sockethead]

How many miles since you installed the Biesan kit? Takes a while for them to break in.
I’m thinking that my code might of because I went right out and thrashed it after installing the kit instead of taking it easy for a while

[Newjack]

How many miles since you installed the Biesan kit? Takes a while for them to break in.
I’m thinking that my code might of because I went right out and thrashed it after installing the kit instead of taking it easy for a while

Rob I don't think thrashing the car is a bad thing for the seals, they even recommend spirited driving to make it through the 200 mile break in period quicker.

Quoting from their website all the way at the bottom of the page under Post Repair Procedures (http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/vanos_procedure.htm)


On first engine start after repair the engine can experience a couple engine hiccups at idle. This might be related to trapped air in the vanos.

Check and replenish engine oil.
Drive car, then park car and let engine oil settle.
Remove oil dipstick; wipe dipstick end; fully reinsert dipstick; remove dipstick again; read oil marking. If oil is low add needed (small) amount of new oil at oil fill cap at valve cover.

~200 miles (320 kilometers) of city driving is needed to fully break-in vanos seals and achieve optimum performance. Spirited driving will hasten break-in period. Initial improvements will be felt in the first few days of driving.

[Sockethead]

Ok, I was definitely wrong on that one!

[Newjack]

Ok, I was definitely wrong on that one!

:grouphug

[BerDz3nA]

How many miles since you installed the Biesan kit? Takes a while for them to break in.
I’m thinking that my code might of because I went right out and thrashed it after installing the kit instead of taking it easy for a while

It's been around 15000 miles since the vanos rebuild. As i mentioned i did change the vanos solenoid and the spring, the same day the same error was reading, i cleared the codes and rescanned after 1 week, there was no error then after 1 week (yesterday) i scanned again with PA Soft and nothing appeared, i think it was the vanos solenoid and the spring that solved the problem :)

Only ony guy had reported such a solution, others changed the vanos itself along with the solenoid and thought the vanos was the problem after the solution.
I will repost results everytime i scan it as this problem remains unsolved in some cases.

[BerDz3nA]

@ 25.11.2018

Still no error in the DME. Everything's fine guess that solenoid really was the problem and changing it along with the spring solved it.

[BerDz3nA]

@ 08.12.2018

The error has shown up, 28BC [10428] Exhaust Camshaft Bank 1: Stiff
I cleared the code but it showed up again after driving.

To sum up, i think it is due to the beisan vanos rebuild kit which had been done recently.
Looking for your opinions.

[Sockethead]

Email Raj at Beisan. He’ll help you TS. He knew exactly what to do when I had my “camshaft stuck” error