328i E36: engine smoothness

328i E36: engine smoothness

Author
Discussion

B234R

Original Poster:

85 posts

100 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
Hello, I´ve got a 1996 328i Touring. It has about 130,000 miles on the clock but after a very high oil consumption problem, last summer I replaced the engine with an used one (this has 105,000 miles).

The "new" engine doesn´t use a drop of oil, which is very nice after pouring 1 litre of 10w40 every 200 miles in my old engine. But the engine, although isn´t rough at all, I don´t find it particularly smooth or creamy. The old engine was like that, too. After years reading magazines road tests and testimonies from owners, I expected a really nice engine. Low rpm punch isn´t nothing to write home about, too.

My other car, a Volvo 850 R, is waaaaay smoother and nicer.

My question is: could it be that a defective sensor (I´m thinking about crankshaft and camshaft sensors) cause a less than the silky running I can expect from a inline six? Any typical problem with these engines that reveal this symptom? I don´t want to spend a lot of money buying the new OEM sensors at BMW to see that the engine doesn´t improve.

The "new" engine came from a May 1998 528i E39 (without Nikasil), and the engine mounts were replaced.

Thanks!

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
As always, first thing to do is get the codes read - Chances are the car is already trying to tell you what's wrong.

It could be a fault with the cam-sensor/crank-sensor/one or more of the coils/one or more of the fuel injectors/one or more of the spark plugs/the engine ECU/a valve issue/a piston issue/a knock sensor issue/etc., etc., etc.

See what the car is telling you first before chasing possibilities by simply replacing parts one after the other!

bearman68

4,644 posts

131 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
I'd be suspicious of intake leaks after the MAF - seems to be a common issue with BMW generally, especially this era. - And that will make it run rough (ish) Cheapest to do as well.

PaulGT3

375 posts

171 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
Sounds like my m54 was like to drive before I changed the vanos seals, the M52 only has one vanos seal but sadly looks a trickier job than on the m54 as you have to lock the timing etc so maybe worth a trip to a specialist.

http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/vanos_sing...

E-bmw

9,106 posts

151 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
You absolutely DON't need to lock the cams, the seals can be changed in 20 min after removing the cam cover with nothing more than a 10mm spanner.

However that may not be the issue anyway, as above check the inlet hose from the MAF to the T/B first, as they perish in the "concertinas".

Jefferson Steelflex

1,428 posts

98 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
I had 4 BMWs of various types with the M52B28 engine and all of them were super smooth, even at high mileage, when they were working properly.

On my old E38 I had some rough running for a while which was sorted with a Crankshaft sensor (easy to replace as it site at the front of the engine and can be changed in 10 mins with an Allen key). That said, there was a clear error code present and the car had difficulty starting so it was fairly obvious.

That said, getting codes read can lead you to looking for the symptom rather than the cause, and I'd have a good look at the air intake, MAF connection and associated hoses that lead to the manifold. Common for these to perish and lead to small air leaks.

If you have someone with INPA software (easy to download for free), it's great to get the stats on the engine while it's running including water and oil temp readings, air flow, etc and you can read codes on it.

PaulGT3

375 posts

171 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
quotequote all
E-bmw said:
You absolutely DON't need to lock the cams, the seals can be changed in 20 min after removing the cam cover with nothing more than a 10mm spanner.
Thought it seemed weird as on the m54 I didn't have to lock the cams either.

Not owned an M52 but as said the vanos seals did transform my engine smoothness and by all accounts the seals all become brittle and useless after a period of time due to the material bmw used originally.

mon the fish

1,412 posts

147 months

Sunday 8th January 2017
quotequote all
Jefferson Steelflex said:
If you have someone with INPA software (easy to download for free), it's great to get the stats on the engine while it's running including water and oil temp readings, air flow, etc and you can read codes on it.
Can you not just do the same thing with the Torque app on your phone, and a bluetooth OBD dongle? Or does the INPA offer more functionality?

You can get the app plus dongle for £10, it's great

B234R

Original Poster:

85 posts

100 months

Sunday 8th January 2017
quotequote all
Thanks to everybody for your answers!

My car starts well (so it could dismiss the crank and camshaft sensors). Sometimes, at idle, RPMs can oscilate a bit, between 600-800 rpm, and a couple of times it has stalled at low engine speeds. I suspect a dirty idle control valve, but it could be an intake leak. The elbow hose after the MAF was replaced by a new one a year ago and it´s in good condition.

Performance is good, but I expected a bit better (I could be spoiled by my former cars, a 850 R and a 9000 Aero), and torque at low RPMs is a bit dissapointing.

First thing to do will be reading the codes, perhaps there could be an error somewhere. Then I´ll check air leaks, and finally VANOS seal replacement is a good idea. Does anybody sell Beisan seals in UK?

PaulGT3

375 posts

171 months

Monday 9th January 2017
quotequote all
B234R said:
Does anybody sell Beisan seals in UK?
I couldn't find anyone, I paid mr vanos for some seals but for some reason just got my payment refunded? So just went with the i6automotive ones on ebay and have had no problems.

B234R

Original Poster:

85 posts

100 months

Monday 9th January 2017
quotequote all
PaulGT3 said:
I couldn't find anyone, I paid mr vanos for some seals but for some reason just got my payment refunded? So just went with the i6automotive ones on ebay and have had no problems.
Ok, the shipment will be a lot cheaper than from U.S.

Is this kit enough to repair the vanos?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Single-Vanos-Seal-an...

Thanks..

PaulGT3

375 posts

171 months

Monday 9th January 2017
quotequote all
B234R said:
Ok, the shipment will be a lot cheaper than from U.S.

Is this kit enough to repair the vanos?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Single-Vanos-Seal-an...

Thanks..
Yes, the only thing that you really need to change is the seal, that shim can be replaced if your is really noisy but the operation of the vanos will be restored by just changing that rubber seal.

BGarside

1,564 posts

136 months

Wednesday 11th January 2017
quotequote all
B234R said:
Thanks to everybody for your answers!

My car starts well (so it could dismiss the crank and camshaft sensors). Sometimes, at idle, RPMs can oscilate a bit, between 600-800 rpm, and a couple of times it has stalled at low engine speeds. I suspect a dirty idle control valve, but it could be an intake leak. The elbow hose after the MAF was replaced by a new one a year ago and it´s in good condition.

Performance is good, but I expected a bit better (I could be spoiled by my former cars, a 850 R and a 9000 Aero), and torque at low RPMs is a bit dissapointing.

First thing to do will be reading the codes, perhaps there could be an error somewhere. Then I´ll check air leaks, and finally VANOS seal replacement is a good idea. Does anybody sell Beisan seals in UK?
FYI my 328 also started well and the idle speed fluctuated, particularly when coasting out of gear, sometimes causing the engine to stall. The car was lacking power at low revs and was a bit hesitant picking up from low revs when cold. Turned out the cam sensor was goosed. Replacing it made the symptoms disappear. Sounds very much like your symptoms.

B234R

Original Poster:

85 posts

100 months

Sunday 15th January 2017
quotequote all
BGarside said:
FYI my 328 also started well and the idle speed fluctuated, particularly when coasting out of gear, sometimes causing the engine to stall. The car was lacking power at low revs and was a bit hesitant picking up from low revs when cold. Turned out the cam sensor was goosed. Replacing it made the symptoms disappear. Sounds very much like your symptoms.
Yes, it seems the symptons are similar. I´ll take the car to the workshop to get the codes read, probably I will have to order a new cam sensor.

Original BMW part, or is there a decent (and cheaper) aftermarket one?

iSore

4,011 posts

143 months

Monday 16th January 2017
quotequote all
A dicky cam sensor - whilst it won't cause properly 'rough' running, will wipe 20-30 bhp off the power output. On an auto it will normally cause the trans warning light to come on.

It used too be a fairly common fault as well. A good 328i will go really, really well.

Bertrum

466 posts

222 months

Monday 16th January 2017
quotequote all
Another vote for the Cam sensor,

Had one fail on a 328i and had the same issues as you.

When it gets really bad it'll stall and not re-start....which is fun

B234R

Original Poster:

85 posts

100 months

Monday 16th January 2017
quotequote all
So probably it will be a new cam sensor, then.

I´ve heard than original BMW cam sensors are made by Siemens-VDO, which I could buy at half price compared to the original part at the BMW dealer...so Siemens makes the original sensor?

Thanks a lot!

iSore

4,011 posts

143 months

Monday 16th January 2017
quotequote all
Get the fault codes cleared after you fit a new one as it may still flag up a fault and not go properly.

B234R

Original Poster:

85 posts

100 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
quotequote all
Ok...I´ll get the codes cleared after changing the sensor.

I´ll buy the Siemens-VDO one, I hope it will work well.

B234R

Original Poster:

85 posts

100 months

Thursday 2nd March 2017
quotequote all
New camshaft sensor installed yesterday and I don´t see any difference. But then I didn´t clear the codes. Until I clear them, won´t I see a difference? I´m having a bit of a hard time trying to find a workshop with a pre- OBD II diagnostics equipment.