BMW N55 Valvetronic Eccentric Shaft FIXED

Background

BMW has a long history of manufacturing reliable and powerful straight 6-cylinder engines since at least the 1950s. The one we see most commonly experience eccentric shaft issues is the N55 engine, commonly found in BMW X5, X6, and X3 SAVs, and 5 and 3-Series sedans.

The N55 is a technologically advanced, powerful, and very advanced power plant. As it is in such widespread use, many of its weak spots are well-known, and proven solutions have been developed to address them. Having worked in hundreds of them, we at CarHavn EuroTech know them very well.

The eccentric shaft and motor work hand-in-hand to form the 3rd-Gen Valvetronic system, which regulate how much lift form the camshaft is applied any anytime. This is controlled by the Engine Control Module. N55s still have throttle bodies, but when the Valvetronic system works well, the throttle body is fully open.

The Issue

With regular wear and tear, and BMW's terrible recommendation to perform oil service every 10K miles (as opposed to the 5K miles or 6 months most specialists recommend), the eccentric shaft develops wear in the gear that engages with the motor. This wear prevents the Valvetronic system from performing the precise job it's designed to do, causing the engine to run poorly, and a check engine light, and a 'Drivetrain Malfunction' on your iDrive screen.

Symptoms

A Valvetronic system caused by a worn eccentric shaft has some specific signature symptoms in this engine.

• Long crank times on startup, caused by the engine computer compensating for the Valvetronic failure
• A Check Engine Light on
• Diagnostic Trouble Codes set in the engine computer, including:
• 133E10, Valvetronic System: Deactivated, Adjustment Fault Too Frequent
• P10DF - Valvetronic Overload Protection Output Stage System Shutdown
• P10E0 - Valvetronic Overload Protection Control Motor System Shutdown
• P10E1 - Valvetronic System No Travel Detected

The only sure way to check for Valvetronic failure is to use ISTA, BMW's repair software, to run a 'test plan' to determine the failure.

Repair

This is a major repair that needs a highly-trained BMW mechanic, very specific high quality parts, specialist and expensive tools, and a laptop to perform final adjustments.

While we absolutely encourage mechanically-oriented owners to save by working on their own cars, this is a jib best left to trained professionals.

Additional Work

When replacing the Eccentric Shaft and motor, a number of parts need to be removed. We always advise our guests to take advantage of the opportunity to save on labor, and upgrade parts like the valve cover assembly or gasket, spark plugs, ignition coils, and more.  These can be done for the parts price alone, or minimal additional labor.

Result

A smooth running N55! With a properly working Valvetronic system, your engine will be back to being the smooth, reliable, and fuel efficient engine you love.  And most importantly, you will be avoiding the high and expensive risk of a massive mechanical event in your engine. 

Warranty

All of our repairs are backed by at least 12-month, 12,000 mile warrnty in parts and labor. We stand by our expertise!