M50 Crank and cam pick-ups whoops!

[fujioko]

Day six of the engine swap. So far so good, however I did manage to forget to tag the cam and crank pick-ups… whoops.

Looked in the Bentley bible and that was no help. Apparently BMW thinks its funny to make all the connectors the same.. that wouldn’t be so bad but they also use the same color code back to the ECU (according to Bentley). Arggggg.

Electrically speaking, the pick-ups would not damage anything if they were swapped, however I wonder if there is a way to get it right the first time.

I guess I could beep the wires back to the ECU or is there an easier way?

Asking for a miracle?

Thanks

[Dave M]

I may need more info to help.

But......are you talking about the 'trigger sensor' which reads the 'ID' tag bolted behind the intake cam, and the sensor bolted above the harmonic balancer?

If so, It might be difficult to mix these up as the shorter one has a 'nub', while the other is longer to wrap around the front of the head and lacks a 'nub'.

Anyhow, probably didn'y help, but its all I can think of at the moment.

Provide us with more info if you can (a picture's worth a thousand ducks)

Dave M

[yaofeng]

Does non-Vanos engine also have a cam sensor? I agree it will be very difficult to mix up the cam position sensor and the crank position sensor. The wiring is of different length to begin with. The shroud for the crank position sensor on the timing cover and absence of it for the cam position sensor makes it virtually fool proof.

[winfred]

it won't hurt anything to get the cam and crank sensor mixed it just won't start, the wires should be bent in the direction that they were in orignally

[fujioko]

Hi 'ya

Yes, the “triggers” for the cam and crank. The real trouble is where they connect to the main wire harness under the intake manifold.

Actually another question arises as well.

There is a bracket under the intake manifold where the crank and cam triggers terminate. Apparently this bracket holds the header mates in place (connectors).

Prior to removing the engine, I haphazardly disconnected all the electrical connectors . Normally I would expect the connectors to be “keyed” so they would not be accidentally swapped. Such is not the case, for the crank and cam triggers can be swapped when they plug into the main harness.

I was wondering if there was a way to determine which connector on the main wire harness was the crank or cam. Supposedly your required to tag the connectors before removing them.. Whoops, my bad.

Also the other question… The bracket that holds the connectors has a top position and a bottom position.. currently the bracket is sans the both halve of each connector.. basically empty. Anyway I’m sure nobody will ever notice, but what position should the cam and crank connector fit into the bracket… ie cam in top position and crank in bottom? That really doesn’t mater.. I could live my entire life just as well if I did it wrong… just thought I would try and make the BMW purist happy.. if there are any.

Thanks

[Jon K]

just check for continuity, real easy 2 minute trick

[fujioko]

For most of the engine, I was able to determine where the connectors went just by the way the wire were "bent" The trouble is the cam and crank wires that were on the new engine dont seem to have a proper bend in them that would fit the bracket. I think they were never in the bracket and the heat and vibrations re-bent them.

[fujioko]

Since there is about a bazillion things I can screw up while putting the car back together, I figured that at least getting the wiring right would be one load off my mind. I’m aware that accidentally swapping the cam and crank would do no harm… the engine just wont start.

Anyway after a long day at the office and a few hours of knuckle busting in the garage I was ready to start attaching the harness.

Jon’s suggestion seems the most logical, so this evening I’ll grab the DVM and confirm the cam and crank plugs on the harness… maybe even tag them.

I may be able to “fire up” the big bad bimmer tonight…. Ahhh its been too long since I have occupied the drivers seat. Zooooom!

[Dave M]

Fujioko,

When I get home I'll take a look a which 'terminus' is which. I believe they connect one above the other in a bracket of sorts. Your problem now makes sense:)

Maybe you'll have it solved by then,

Dave M