KV6 Freelander warm starting problems

My V6 Freelander was not starting when warm and was sometimes throwing the code P0341.

Based on many threads with similar issues on the Rover 75
Such as http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=151543#/forumsite/20925/topics/151543
I bought and changed the camshaft position sensor. So far so good, no more starting issues when engine is warm.

I hope the pictures come out. Please note that the new sensor part comes in two pieces, the sensor itself and a new wire. I needed an 8mm socket and a flat screwdriver to remove the old sensor. Nothing else.

Good to see someone using Google to good effect!

Hot start problems vs cam/crank sensors are quite a common thing, good to see you fixed it.

with the camshaft sensor being that wet and dirty I would check all the breather pipes, and maybe replace if need be, or clean them out with carb cleaner, on the V6 it is best to try and keep the oil level between the minimum and max mark half way is good, that helps stop the oil from damaging the sensor and the vis motors as well, you may also find some oil in the throttle body and the hose fitted to it clean these out as well, we do that on our MGZT cars with the 2.5 V6 190 cars.

I wish I had seen the following before to save some money:

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=131343&page=1

When searching for the ebay item "Engine Camshaft Cam Position Sensor For BMW 3 5 7 Series X3 X5 Z3 Z4 Z8 325xi" it looks as a perfect match for the Freelander including cable!!

Well the landeover part failed about a week so I replaced it with the BMW camshaft position sensor from EBay BMW part number 12147539165

So far so good, it works good.

I attribute the reasonably short cam sensor life to the KV6's high running temperature.
The reason the engine doesn't start after a thermally failed cam sensor is down to clever programming of the ECU. The ECU only needs to receive a cam timing signal at startup. Once the engine is running, the cam signal is no longer required until the next start.

Nodge68 said:

I attribute the reasonably short cam sensor life to the KV6's high running temperature.
The reason the engine doesn't start after a thermally failed cam sensor is down to clever programming of the ECU. The ECU only needs to receive a cam timing signal at startup. Once the engine is running, the cam signal is no longer required until the next start.

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However Nodg68e, the camsensor with a Freelander part failed within a week, yet the BMW did not. I am wondering if it is due to the replacement Freelander part having a small hole in it, and oil getting in there. I am trying to get a refund so we will never know..

zefrench said:

However Nodg68e, the camsensor with a Freelander part failed within a week, yet the BMW did not. I am wondering if it is due to the replacement Freelander part having a small hole in it, and oil getting in there. I am trying to get a refund so we will never know..

Click to expand...

I suspect the sensor is faulty. There shouldn't be a hole in it. A non porous sensor can fail in as little as 10 K miles or last over 100 K miles. I've only changed one on 5 KV6 powered vehicles I've owned but have changed a few on vehicles I've worked on though.

Update. The camshaft sensor failed after a year and a half. Prevented the car from starting cold. It did not even do the warn start prevention like the last time.

Changing the camshaft sensor solved the issue.