"Camshaft Position Sensor" changing procedure
 

I just purchased a 96 318ti for my son, "great dad eh!" This is my 5th BMW, and by far the coolest! I had a 635ic which was fast, and expensive, and sucked gas!

Well, after my son drove it 130 miles the check engine light came on and it was the Camshaft Postion Sensor. I see where it connects in front and when I follow the wire back, I can't seem to get to where it plugs in.

Can anyone tell me what needs to be removed to get to the other end of the sensor wire under the intake?

Thanks!

The upper intake manifold needs to come off to get to the plug. Kind of a pain, but it's not too hard. You'll want to buy two new gaskets for where the upper and lower intakes meet. Part #11611247478

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...69&hg=11&fg=40

Someone brought up the idea of cutting and splicing the new sensor end onto the old plug end. Might work in a pinch if done properly, but I'd take the upper intake manifold off.

Here's what it looks like with the upper intake manifold off. You do need to remove some simple ancillary things to get to this point like the throttle cable, main intake boot, a couple simple electrical plugs on the throttle body and a few vacuum lines.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...ling/work4.jpg

You have to take off the upper manifold (big silver metal piece) to plug in the CPS. Number 13 in the diagram http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...11&fg=40&hl=13

The sensor is about $100 for it at the dealership. They have an updated one which is a little bigger in size but it will fit.

Thanks... discovered two bad hoses while I was at it, and changing out the PS tank and hoses.

Also, discovered the fan clutch "MISSING". Always good to poke around a newly purchased car, even when it is 10 degrees outside! Good thing my garage is a bit warmer.

I am in need of changing the CPS as well (according to the error code). i am a mechanical idiot, any chance of some specific directions how to do this. After much poking and looking around the engine bay i was going to splice it in to the existing harnes. Any downsides to this aproach ?

Does anybody know the size of those hoses that lead to the injectors? The diagram doesn't show it. If I have to get in there I want to replace those with silicon while I'm at it.

I did mine about a month ago. It is so easy, that it would seem that splicing would be more work and cause possible problems further down the road. There are instructions, I think on this site, to remove the intake manifold. After it is off, it is obvious where the sensor plugs in. It is easier than I thought it would be. I will reiterate that you need to buy TWO gaskets, not only one. Pelican does not sell them is pairs.

On a related note. I had codes for both this sensor and the oxygen sensor. I replaced this first, since it was easy and cold outside. The oxygen sensor code disappeared after replacing the camshaft position sensor.

would iit be dum to try to reuse the gaskets cause it really needs done and no one around here has them !! haha let me i guess i might have to wait