[djtroy]

I have been having an intermittent SES light going off and on. I have also been hearing ping and detonation around 3k RPMs once and a while. I was driving home and all of a sudden the car shuts off and dies. I pull over and try and start it up. It starts but quickly dies. Eventually it wont start at all it just turns over. I get it towed and the guy reads the codes and tells me I got a CPS fault, a VANOS fault, an auxiliary fan that doesn't work and my belts need changing (I changed them 20k miles ago). He thinks replacing the CPS will possibly fix a few codes, hopefully the VANOS one. He also told me the aux fan cools the car and it will cost about $300 for the part and about the same in labor because he has to remove the bumper. He quoted me $50 for the belts and $80 for labor. He quoted me $105 for the CPS and 1 hr labor and 1 hr diagnostic.
How does this sound what do you guys think? Will a bad CPS make the car quit running out of the blue?

 

[Envisage0]

I have been having an intermittent SES light going off and on. I have also been hearing ping and detonation around 3k RPMs once and a while. I was driving home and all of a sudden the car shuts off and dies. I pull over and try and start it up. It starts but quickly dies. Eventually it wont start at all it just turns over. I get it towed and the guy reads the codes and tells me I got a CPS fault, a VANOS fault, an auxiliary fan that doesn't work and my belts need changing (I changed them 20k miles ago). He thinks replacing the CPS will possibly fix a few codes, hopefully the VANOS one. He also told me the aux fan cools the car and it will cost about $300 for the part and about the same in labor because he has to remove the bumper. He quoted me $50 for the belts and $80 for labor. He quoted me $105 for the CPS and 1 hr labor and 1 hr diagnostic.
How does this sound what do you guys think? Will a bad CPS make the car quit running out of the blue?

Similar symptoms to mine last year. Pulling out of a motorway slip road, going hard for a gap in heavy traffic, suddenly all grunt disappeared just as I had joined the flow. The engine wouldn't rev although it didn't die. I put my hazards on and the truck behind me could see I had a problem, fortunately slowing down. At the end of the slip road I pulled onto the hard shoulder. 'Engine failsafe programme' was the message. I abandoned my trip, limped the car to my indie and he got codes for both exhaust CPS's. He fitted these next day and problem solved, hasn't been a problem since.

 

[Kmac]

Be careful posting "my car died". This is like the wild west out here, I was already thinking of buyers for your parted out carcass.

 

[Kmac]

No idea on the CPS or Vanos, but I know that the bumper is a pain in the butt to take off.

Since the CPS (Cam Positioned Sideways) and VANOS (Valves Are Not Operating Sucessfully) both have something to do with detonation and timing, yeah they could shut the car off. The worriesome thing is the belt. What is it attached to that is not operating properly and caused it to fail prematurely?

Do we have a belt driven water pump?

Also, it sounds like your engine got hot, did you notice anything on the water temp sensor?

 

[gsfent]

I have been having an intermittent SES light going off and on. I have also been hearing ping and detonation around 3k RPMs once and a while. I was driving home and all of a sudden the car shuts off and dies. I pull over and try and start it up. It starts but quickly dies. Eventually it wont start at all it just turns over. I get it towed and the guy reads the codes and tells me I got a CPS fault, a VANOS fault, an auxiliary fan that doesn't work and my belts need changing (I changed them 20k miles ago). He thinks replacing the CPS will possibly fix a few codes, hopefully the VANOS one. He also told me the aux fan cools the car and it will cost about $300 for the part and about the same in labor because he has to remove the bumper. He quoted me $50 for the belts and $80 for labor. He quoted me $105 for the CPS and 1 hr labor and 1 hr diagnostic.
How does this sound what do you guys think? Will a bad CPS make the car quit running out of the blue?

I can only comment on the CPS. $100 is probably about right for retail, you can find it for less, but the mechanic will usually mark up his cost 10%. 1 hour is flat rate time, unless drivers side exhaust, should be about 1/2 hour. So I would say those numbers are reasonable.

I would also change CPS first, that usually clears the VANOS codes since they are related. Bad CPS often throws VANOS codes.

Not sure the front bumper needs to come off for the fan, although it would make it easier. Might ask how much labor involved in R&R bumper, it might not be a big deal.

20k miles on belts suggests either they were NOT changed last time, or there are some other issues. The aux fan helps cool the car, especially with AC on, but it shouldn't prevent the car from running. Other folks have removed the stock fan and relied solely on the aux fan, so one fan should be enough, especially in weather this time of year (but not for summertime). I am not sure I would do the fan work without a second opinion unless you have trust in this mechanic. I assume all fuses have been checked...ouich

Regards,
Jerry

 

[TopEnd]

Remove the bumper????

WTF is This??

 

[MGZ]

Well if he has to remove the bumper it's an easy job. 8 small screws and 2 Torx 50 bolts. Furthermore remove the PDC contacts and clamp the headlight washer line. 15-20 minutes maximum. But why remove it?

 

[TopEnd]

But why remove it?

Thats the part I'm trying to understand!!

 

[djtroy]

Oh you guys are the best. I feel so much better now hearing about the CPS. I wonder if not fixing the Aux fan and running a better glycol radiator fluid or a "water wetter" for summertime will help. I do live in Florida and it gets hot though. I use Engine Ice in my dirt bikes and it actually makes the bikes run cooler.
I told the guy I was going to wait on the aux fan till after I get the cps and belts fixed. So I can get a second opinion if I want to get it fixed.
Thanks so much I feel better now.
Sorry no parting out the car just yet.

 

[vaporhat]

The bumper can't be anymore difficult to remove then my B5 A4. that little bastard has to be nearly preyed off. So scary. Although on that car the bumper has to be removed for everything.

No clue about the CPS.

Just wanted to say I was frightened when I read DIED. I think your beast is going to pull though this one.

 

[verhagke]

With CPS, do you mean Camshaft Position Sensor or Crankshaft position sensor. If the camshaft, car should run, but sound louder, and have less power. If the crankshaft, car should not run at all. (your spark is timed off this)

To me it sounds like a fuel delivery problem. Especially since you said you were able to start it briefly again, and then not at all. Fuel pump may have gone bad.

 

[Envisage0]

With CPS, do you mean Camshaft Position Sensor or Crankshaft position sensor. If the camshaft, car should run, but sound louder, and have less power. If the crankshaft, car should not run at all. (your spark is timed off this)

To me it sounds like a fuel delivery problem. Especially since you said you were able to start it briefly again, and then not at all. Fuel pump may have gone bad.

Camshaft Position Sensor

 

[nerio02]

for the aux fan the bumper must be removed indeed. also the headlights have to be removed. aux fan is a extra fan infront of the radiator that helps cooling the car when it overheats.you can see the fan iff you look into your kidneys, then you see the fanblades. but the function for the aux fan is original blowing cold air for the airco in the car when you stand still.normally you' have a freesing cold airfeeling,without the fan its outside air temp thats a little bit colder. when driving ,yu will not feel it that mutch.

try it when you are parked somewhere, you will see . when its hot and the aux fan doesnt work you will blow hotter air inside than when it operates well.watertemp will rise some degrees also.

now there are some things that can go wrong. the fan can be broke,or it can be te resistorpack that sends signals to the fan thats broke.

there is a diy tread on bmw tips and tricks ,how to check your fan and how to replace it etc... its for a 540 but its the same for the m5.


i think he's pretty fair in his estimates for time and money in general.
i think he knows whats he's talking about on my first impression.

 

[djtroy]

Well I got news back about the car. I figured it was not the CPS that made it shut off because the car just ran slower and the exhaust sounded louder. He just called to tell me the FUEL PUMP is gone. I guess that explains why it just died and eventually just turned over and never fired. He told me he was going to order and aftermarket pump because its half the price of the OEM or BMW part. This im sure is bad news. Any idea on how much would be involved? He told me he would get back to me on a quote for it tomorrow.

 

[djtroy]

for the aux fan the bumper must be removed indeed. also the headlights have to be removed. aux fan is a extra fan infront of the radiator that helps cooling the car when it overheats.you can see the fan iff you look into your kidneys, then you see the fanblades. but the function for the aux fan is original blowing cold air for the airco in the car when you stand still.normally you' have a freesing cold airfeeling,without the fan its outside air temp thats a little bit colder. when driving ,yu will not feel it that mutch.

try it when you are parked somewhere, you will see . when its hot and the aux fan doesnt work you will blow hotter air inside than when it operates well.watertemp will rise some degrees also.

now there are some things that can go wrong. the fan can be broke,or it can be te resistorpack that sends signals to the fan thats broke.

there is a diy tread on bmw tips and tricks ,how to check your fan and how to replace it etc... its for a 540 but its the same for the m5.


i think he's pretty fair in his estimates for time and money in general.
i think he knows whats he's talking about on my first impression.

Yes this explains it. I thought I needed an AC recharge because I was feeling hot air coming into the car even though I had the AC on. Now that explains why I was feeling this.

 

[JML M5]

I was driving home and all of a sudden the car shuts off and dies.

As soon as I read this sentence, I said "fuel pump" as it described exactly what happened to me a few months ago. Tell them to change the filter while they are at it. Good luck.

JML M5

 

[djtroy]

As soon as I read this sentence, I said "fuel pump" as it described exactly what happened to me a few months ago. Tell them to change the filter while they are at it. Good luck.

JML M5

How much did it cost you? Did you replace it with factory parts?

 

[ultraman206]

Well I got news back about the car. I figured it was not the CPS that made it shut off because the car just ran slower and the exhaust sounded louder. He just called to tell me the FUEL PUMP is gone. I guess that explains why it just died and eventually just turned over and never fired. He told me he was going to order and aftermarket pump because its half the price of the OEM or BMW part. This im sure is bad news. Any idea on how much would be involved? He told me he would get back to me on a quote for it tomorrow.

It cost me over $600 for a fuel pump replacement job at an indy on my X5. They used OEM parts.

 

[JML M5]

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DE93&mospid=47592&btnr=16_0209&hg=16&fg=15