Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

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DanHolman
Joined: Sun 10 Jul, 2016 10:43
Posts: 45

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by DanHolman »

£130! That's the price for one genuine cam sensor from BMW, or a very reasonable £30 from my local reputable motor factors? I've got my friends dad telling me I'm an idiot to even consider laying out £130 for the oem one.

Can I get a vote on it? Anyone successfully replaced theirs with one from a decent motor factors?
Last edited by DanHolman on Fri 26 May, 2017 07:41, edited 2 times in total.
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
Posts: 2225

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by BladeRunner919 »

No. Do a search and you'll find plenty of stories of people fitting aftermarket ones, then buying genuine ones. Get your friend's dad to promise to reimburse you for the aftermarket one when it doesn't work properly if he's that confident.
DanHolman
Joined: Sun 10 Jul, 2016 10:43
Posts: 45

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by DanHolman »

That is a convincing No. Darn I may be in for £130 then...

I would just like to add; could the stories of aftermarket cam sensors woes be misleading? How do we know that people are buying them from a reputable motor factors like PMA or a Chinese knock off from eBay???

I sense I'm clutching at straws

Oh Well, As my first girlfriend used to say; quality is better than quantity.
DanHolman
Joined: Sun 10 Jul, 2016 10:43
Posts: 45

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by DanHolman »

I'm going with OEM.
gookah
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Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
Posts: 2737

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by gookah »

DanHolman wrote:That is a convincing No. Darn I may be in for £130 then...

Maybe, so total cost will be £160, and job being done twice.
Some things of BMW are not the best, and don't last long so aftermarket is good,, but if they have been on for 20 years before a problem then an original is a good idea.
Anything sensor wise is usually a good buy from BMW as it rules out a recurring fault leading you down a path of 'it must be something else then because I changed that a month ago'.
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Z3 2.8 Progress Journal (Mine)
Z3 1.9 Sport Progress Journal (Wifey's)

I have an element of 'M-styling' on my car, If that's a good enough reason for the manufacturers to adorn a 320 with the M badge, then its certainly a good enough reason for me..
therealdb1
Joined: Tue 25 Jun, 2013 21:47
Posts: 263

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by therealdb1 »

What makes you think you need a cam sensor anyway?
Before you spend any money make sure the one you have is faulty.
If you are relying on a cam sensor fault code the actual fault on the car may be something else for example an air leak at the intake bellows.
Check the easy, and free, things first before condeming the cam sensor.
Once you have decided you must have a replacement sensor buy a BMW one and do the job properly once only. As gookah says you will regret fitting a £30 sensor and you will ultimately buy the BMW one after a short period of time.
DanHolman
Joined: Sun 10 Jul, 2016 10:43
Posts: 45

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by DanHolman »

Inpa has given 112 phase sensor; value unplausible. The logic counter is at 40 meaning the fault is very recent.

The pattern of the fault suggests it's definitely electrical; infrequent, frequent then almost dead is consistent with sensor failure I've seen it before on another car.

I've been getting intermittent 'crank but no start situations' which are getting more frequent, in fact it probably wont start anymore. I think it would make more sense if it was the crank sensor, but both my inpa and my c110 scanner say cam sensor. Well c110 gives cam and inpa gives phase.

Other symptoms- lack of power but that was with cold engine immediately after start up going up a hill? plus slight hesitation very infrequent.
Cooper01
Joined: Tue 29 Apr, 2014 08:06
Posts: 163

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by Cooper01 »

Hi, here in Australia we have a couple of supplier that sell OEM products [same manufacturer] but don't have the BMW stamp on them. These parts are same quality and usually 25-50% of the BMW stamped product. However, if you cannot verify the quality it is best to avoid the products as mentioned in several posts above.
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by Gazza »

I have a mechanic friend and he always says use OEM over cheaper aftermarket
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

Z3 S54 M roadster Image, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by colb »

Been there done that with cam sensor and Maf, oem for these don't throw money away on pattern parts.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
DanHolman
Joined: Sun 10 Jul, 2016 10:43
Posts: 45

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by DanHolman »

first of all, hello to cooper01 in Australia- no less,

Well, by a majority it seems that the expensive BMW OEM cam sensor has won the vote then.

As my first girlfriend used to say, 'You appreciate quality long after you've forgotten the cost!

Thanks all for the input.
handsomejackuk
Joined: Sat 18 Jun, 2016 10:35
Posts: 296

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Blaenau Gwent South Wales...

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by handsomejackuk »

bought oem fitment.. for £30 works great for me... sensor was exactly the same as oem... seem to remember it being lucas...
gookah
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Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
Posts: 2737

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by gookah »

handsomejackuk wrote:bought oem fitment.. for £30 works great for me... sensor was exactly the same as oem... seem to remember it being lucas...


spanner/works.....
actually good to hear a success story about aftermarket ones.. there is hope then..
Image

Z3 2.8 Progress Journal (Mine)
Z3 1.9 Sport Progress Journal (Wifey's)

I have an element of 'M-styling' on my car, If that's a good enough reason for the manufacturers to adorn a 320 with the M badge, then its certainly a good enough reason for me..
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by colb »

Lucas would have been an acceptable make as would oem made by Bosch or Siemens, its the cheap Chinese ones you have to avoid.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
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Devon Z
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Joined: Thu 20 Nov, 2003 21:39
Posts: 651

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Brixham, Devon

Re: Buying cam sensors, whats all the fuss about?

Post by Devon Z »

Both after market on mine, done them about three years ago but only got codes properly cleared with Snap on software resently.
99 2.0 Topaz Individual
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