E46 330ci Fault.

[d_a_n1979]

Touring442 said:

E46 ABS sensors are rarely easy to remove - despite being plastic, the iron hub rusts around them and they require serious beasting to remove and never go again.

I removed all 4 of mine in less than an hour and gave them all a good clean. No issues with removing them or putting them back.

Might be that my touring is a Jap import with no rust at all, but a spray of Wurth Rost Off and they all popped out easily

[4rephill]

d_a_n1979 said:

Touring442 said:

E46 ABS sensors are rarely easy to remove - despite being plastic, the iron hub rusts around them and they require serious beasting to remove and never go again.

I removed all 4 of mine in less than an hour and gave them all a good clean. No issues with removing them or putting them back.

Might be that my touring is a Jap import with no rust at all, but a spray of Wurth Rost Off and they all popped out easily

Good for you! - But just because your wheel sensors came out without an issue, doesn't mean they all do (and being a Japanese import, you've no way of knowing if they were all changed at sometime more recently in Japan)

I had an E46 wheel sensor replaced by my local BMW dealership, and they had to drill the ba$tard thing out!

I also had a similar issue with a failed wheel bearing - It turned out to be an absolute ba$tard to remove, requiring all manner of cutting away to remove it.

But the good thing was, by going to my local BMW dealership, I saved money in labour costs for the removal of the sensor (and a shed load of money on the removal of the wheel bearing at that time), because the BMW factory set a time limit on how long each job should take, and if the dealerships go over that time, they can't charge for it.

This works out because, in their wisdom, BMW carry out each job required, in the factory when the cars are brand new, and then add an extra unit of time to the job, to allow for possible issues. The problem for the dealerships is, when the car is 15~20 years old+, parts don't come off half as easily as they do on a brand new car, and they can easily go over the factory set limits.

[Cledus Snow]

Obison said:

I would bet a battered sausage its the crank and or cam sensors failing,

Right then, where would you like your bartered sausage posted to?

Plugged in and checked over by a specialist this morning. He’s 99% sure it’s a duff crank sensor. So a new genuine BMW part is on the way and being fitted tomorrow.

[Obison]

Very nice, they have a tendancy to do strange things when any of those 3 sensors fail, they don't normally show a cel either.
If the exhaust gets loud and it lacks bottom end and midrange its the exhaust cam sensor, if it stalls or goes lumpy its usually the inlet cam or crank sensor.
And I've had no bother with pattern ones so far.
Glad its sorted.

[Cledus Snow]

• Update.

Without wanting to tempt fate as i’ve only done 20ish miles. All seems good. All lights out, power back and normal starting. £100+vat for a genuine crank position sensor seems to have sorted it.

[d_a_n1979]

Cledus Snow said:

*Update.

Without wanting to tempt fate as i’ve only done 20ish miles. All seems good. All lights out, power back and normal starting. £100+vat for a genuine crank position sensor seems to have sorted it.

Glad you've got it sorted