E91 Straight Six Bearding

[RSTurboPaul]

Mr Tidy said:

Congratulations Sir Dave!

I know you pull Fuse 40 on E85/86 Z4s to disable the headlamp washers because after fixing the leaking one on mine that's what I did. Can't see the point of them really, all they do is leak, sometimes fly out, lose the caps and leave streaks up the wings!

Plus you don't need them for the MOT on a car registered before 2009, even if it has Xenons.

I must get around to disabling them on my 3 Series.

This is excellent info, thanks!

[RSTurboPaul]

danb79 said:

RSTurboPaul said:

With apologies for asking what has undoubtedly already been asked...


Is there a recommended list of things to do upon purchase of a 330d?

Not everything has a decent service history but the M57 and its turbo and DPF seem pretty bombproof if looked after, going from the internet, so I was thinking a full service at least would be a good start 'just in case'...

So...

Oil + filter
Air Filter
Cabin Filter

Tailgate hinge lubrication?
Tailgate connector check/attend to?
Gearbox oil?
Diff oil?
Check out the rear subframe if it is up in the air and potentially give it a rub-down and a coat of something rust-resistant?
Find the 'secret menu' in the dash menus to check the running temperature is correct / the two thermostats are not borked?

I'm struggling to think what else might be needed, as tyres / lights / rust / sunroof / blower motor / rear window motor issues would all be obvious things to check upon viewing.

It seems swirl flaps removal is a good idea, with or without EGR kit removal? (And it should run just fine without changing the map to something aftermarket?)


As noted, everything is fetching strong money, so buying something at 'trader' price then having more to do would be annoying... lol


Many thanks in advance for any advice!

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Sunday 2nd February 15:42

Not the same car; but same engine...

When I had my E65 730D M Sport; I did a full service on it (oil, filter, diff oil etc); left the swirl flaps in (had them checked and they were fine/undamaged and working as they should be). This was due to the research I did and a lot pointed to the engine not being as good as it could be with them removed. EGR & DPF in place with zero issues also

I had the rocker gasket replaced as it was leaking, like they all do. A new air filter fitted at the same time

If the one you're getting is an auto; deffo get the ZF6 serviced by a local autobox specialist etc - it'll do it a world of good

Re subframe, same issues that my E81 had and that's surface rust; I reversed mine up on some solid high ramps I bought off Amazon, wire brushed it (hand held and drill attachment etc); vacuumed all that off and then treated it with Bilt Hamber Hydrate (works superbly) and once that'd fully cured; I gave it all a good spray with Jelonite too, more so the areas I couldn't get the brush into...

This is how it looked after; I did the diff casing also as that had surface rust




BH Hydrate: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bilt-Hamber-Hydrate-80-50...

Jelointe: https://www.amazon.co.uk/JENOLITE-Converter-Aeroso...

helix403 said:

My 335d wouldn’t regen properly without swirl flaps. This is a rare issue but can occur on M57s with DPFs.

g3org3y said:

As dan says, assuming you'll have the auto (ZF 6HP), ignore the sealed for life claims and get it serviced.

(Reminds me, I need to get it done on the 6).

sortedcossie said:

for the cost of them, change the fuel filter. I'd also be examining the brake pipes and unions, and changing the brake fluid.

I'd leave the swirl flaps personally as they loose a bit of low down torque without, unless you remap.

Many thanks for the input, all, it is much appreciated

[sparks85]

RiccardoG said:

sparks85 said:

Got an odd one that Google doesn't appear to be much use with and wonder if anyone has heard of this.

Fuel range on the cluster - the value is starting to drop really quickly. Tank around a quarter full mark. Range will drop 6-7 miles over the course of a true mile. It's not the computer adjusting based on driving speed etc. no signs or smells of leaks. No fault codes.

330i pre facelift

Does the E91 have a saddle tank with two sensors, one per side, where one could be playing up?

Any ideas?

If the battery is getting weaker then the car starts cutting back on some "services". You start noticing weird behavious, such as the fuel range not giving sensible info and other unexpcted behaviours. New battery solved that. We got 10yrs from the factory battery.

How old is your battery?

So checked the battery voltage and getting

12.30V when off

Between 14.8-15.0V when running (starts at low 14's but then creeps up to this range after a few mins).

I'm led to believe 12.3V is lowish but still in acceptable range but 14.8-15.0 might be a little on the high side? I don't really want to fork out for a new battery if I'm not certain it's this.

Any value in sticking a charging pack on perhaps?

Did a check of fuel used by brimming tank and then measuring refill, vs trip computer mpg. Car reckons 13mpg (very low, normally we get mid 20's) but manual calcs reckon 9mpg!! Gulp!!

No smell of fuel leaks or drips under the car as best we can tell.

No change in driving or work done that could have caused this.

I'm wondering if a lambda sensor or similar is failing and the car is overfueling.. smells a little rich on start up/idle but not like 'decat' rich.

Anyone any ideas the next place to start looking?

[Court_S]

Mr Tidy said:

Congratulations Sir Dave!

I know you pull Fuse 40 on E85/86 Z4s to disable the headlamp washers because after fixing the leaking one on mine that's what I did. Can't see the point of them really, all they do is leak, sometimes fly out, lose the caps and leave streaks up the wings!

Plus you don't need them for the MOT on a car registered before 2009, even if it has Xenons.

I must get around to disabling them on my 3 Series.

You can turn them off with the likes of Carly. I turned the washers off on my 335i, the current 330i and my Z4. I hate them because I can’t stand the dried on washer fluid over the wings etc.

Plus on the Z4 one of the washers started leaking and they’re expensive.

[RSTurboPaul]

Court_S said:

Mr Tidy said:

Congratulations Sir Dave!

I know you pull Fuse 40 on E85/86 Z4s to disable the headlamp washers because after fixing the leaking one on mine that's what I did. Can't see the point of them really, all they do is leak, sometimes fly out, lose the caps and leave streaks up the wings!

Plus you don't need them for the MOT on a car registered before 2009, even if it has Xenons.

I must get around to disabling them on my 3 Series.

You can turn them off with the likes of Carly. I turned the washers off on my 335i, the current 330i and my Z4. I hate them because I can’t stand the dried on washer fluid over the wings etc.

Plus on the Z4 one of the washers started leaking and they’re expensive.

I saw that Carly OBD thingy plugged on a YouTube channel - are they good?

I would want something I could basically leave in the car so I could read codes when standing by the side of the road after failing to proceed lol

[Court_S]

RSTurboPaul said:

I saw that Carly OBD thingy plugged on a YouTube channel - are they good?

I would want something I could basically leave in the car so I could read codes when standing by the side of the road after failing to proceed lol

There are certainly positives with Carly; it’s bloody easy to use and creates a back up. But it’s really expensive now and there is no warning when the subscription expires which annoys me immensely.

I keep a Creator 410 in the back of Z4 (just in case). No use for coding though.

[Sir_Dave]

JakeT said:

He’s back! I feel like you always gravitate to some sort of E90, Dave.

I think the last owned was active on hear. I recall a rear wheel bearing being replaced? But I could be wrong.

They are just such a good car, i also know them inside and out ... didnt want to sell the last 335i, but rear facing baby seats are sooo massive!!

Previous owner on here did a few bits & bobs - this chap: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

The guy i bought it from purchased it fairly broken a couple of years back (unsure if from then PH man), then proceeded to do the following:

ABS Pump repair with full brake fluid flush
Front discs and pads, Front Wheel bearings, Rear Wheel bearings
Front end control arms replaced, Steering track rods and track rod ends replaced
Oil cooler and filter housing gasket, oil sump gasket
Twin turbo wastegate flappers and bushings replaced (rattling massively and not holding boost)
ZF gearbox service inc. new sump filter tube seals bridge seal etc
Full service oil change air filter pollen filter

So it drives really nicely considering the mileage, few little gremlins to sort out, although i think they are mostly battery related. The rear tints are cloudy as well so i'll pull them off - they are aftermarket, its a clear glass car

Swervin_Mervin said:

sortedcossie said:

It''s got the common sticking headlamp washers - fuse 40 I think stops them.

Piece of piss to replace them, rather than go without.

I thought you weren't going to buy anymore Dave?! I'm sure I threatened to sell mine to you a few years ago

Haha, as above, love them, plus this was a bit of a bargain i think

Already coded sticky washers out with Carly, along with digital speedo, angel eyes on unlocking etc.

Nice to be back in here posting

[RSTurboPaul]

If I may consult the wise denizens of PH...!

E91 330d power steering...

- noisy as **** (like the pump is rattling?) that rises and falls with engine speed
- groaning much more when turning
- fluid dripping/pissing out of the rubber gaiters at the wheel ends of the rack and also somewhere in the centre (undertrays in the way)
- steering 'tugging' when turning (like the pump is only intermittently working)
- power steering reservoir had a load of bubbles on top of the fluid before it was topped up (which then disappears again in a stupidly short distance travelled
- the fluid level was below the minimum when checked - the stick thing in the cap was dry when removed, dried off, refitted and then removed again to check


Is it going to be the power steering pump breaking?

Has the system sucked in air that is now causing issues? (Can the system be bled?)

If the pump decides to completely fail, I presume the car can still be driven (with extra steering effort) and it won't screw up the drive belt it is attached to?


A new OEM replacement pump appears to be 700+ Euros/USD...
https://www.estore-central.com/bmw-parts-catalog/E...
so are pattern parts an option?
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3241676816...



I don't understand how/why fluid is leaking from both ends of the rack - it seems to suggest the pressure is massively high, which seems like a weird way for a pump to break given they usually just sort of stop working...?!


Any advice or recommendations gratefully received!!


EDIT: If it is the pump, what else should one change while getting it fixed? Serpentine belt?

Sorry for all the questions

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Wednesday 19th February 20:31

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Wednesday 19th February 20:37

[JakeT]

If you’ve got fluid in the rack gaiters the rack is Leaking, and is toast. If you top up and bleed the system does the pump quieten down? But for a cost effective repair I’d fit a used rack and pump (if needed), and a new reservoir, as it has a filter in it.

[meddler]

I’m planning to replace the steel fuel lines on my N53 after noticing the tiniest of leaks on a couple of them (where the line meets the injector). Tightening above recommended torque hasn’t helped.

But I’m being told by genuine parts dealers that these lines aren’t being supplied “pre-bent” any more. So you get straight fuel lines and have to bend them yourself. Which seems stupid, unless I’m missing something.

Has anybody else had to deal with this? And has anybody else had any luck sourcing “pre-bent” lines? Thanks

[RSTurboPaul]

JakeT said:

If you’ve got fluid in the rack gaiters the rack is Leaking, and is toast. If you top up and bleed the system does the pump quieten down? But for a cost effective repair I’d fit a used rack and pump (if needed), and a new reservoir, as it has a filter in it.

Many thanks for the reply

I don't quite understand how it was fine and then it wasn't - there was no intermediate stage of slight noise or weird steering, it just went from working to pissing out fluid everywhere!

Topping up just gives it more to piss out... and doesn't seem to make what must be the pump much quieter, so perhaps it has all just given up the ghost.


On a plus note, I did find what appears to be an actual Workshop Manual online, which seems to suggest a pressure relief valve could have failed in the pump - I'm not sure if that would also give bubbles in the reservoir, but perhaps that is a secondary symptom triggered by loss of fluid through the gaiters due to pressure build up pushing it out??

https://workshop-manuals.com/bmw/3_series_e91/330d...

workshop manual site thing said:

Loud grinding and clacking noises can be clearly heard when turning the steering wheel to full lock: the pressure relief valve in the power steering pump is faulty. Replace the pump.

I am attempting to find part numbers etc. - it is confusing as there seems to be various numbers for the same thing, and then 'real-OEM' numbers are different again...

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partgrp?id=VU92-E...


Options for replacement racks seem to go up to about 700 quid for the ZF option (which I presume is OEM as I see reference to ZF in that manual):

https://www.motor-doctor.co.uk/products/7693426-st...

https://www.motor-doctor.co.uk/steering-gear/bmw/3...

so perhaps starting with replacing just the pump might be an idea (if it is not 'NLA'...) as they appear to be a third of the price:

https://www.motor-doctor.co.uk/power-steering-pump...

It might also be the only option right now unless I go secondhand for the rack as suggested - it looks like nowhere actually has stock...

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Thursday 20th February 14:18

[RSTurboPaul]

Question - if the belt is removed from the power steering pump, just how (un)driveable would it be...?

IIRC the fluid still being (mostly...) in the rack would make it high-resistance / super-heavy to steer, but I am wondering if that might be best to prevent total pump implosion / reduce fluid loss until fixing...?

Thoughts welcome!

[pmorg4]

It will be very heavy, even on the move. On my E46 330i the power steering pump shaft sheared internally, which meant that the belt stayed in place but it was no longer shifting any fluid. I expected it to be heavy at low speed but it was actually still very heavy even at speed. Not recommended for doing any distance.

[Mr Tidy]

I'd agree it will be ridiculously heavy, as I found out on my E46 325ti when one of the PAS pipes split!

[zippyonline]

Hey everyone!

So remember this...

zippyonline said:

the TLDR version of my battery drain issues, after finally pinpointing it to the waterpump, and it's clearly running when it shouldn't be. It will timeout after 30 mins or so, but if you open a door, or unlock it or whatever, it starts all over again.

My diagnosis process is that basically the water pump has power+ground all the time. And then gets a PWM signal from the ecu to control it/the speed.
So the DME calculates what seed signal to give water pump and sends it over.

So I have the following options as to why the water pump is running

1. Bad pump (I’ve replaced this, and it’s behaving the same, so rules this out... I mean I didn't just jump straight to this, if I pulled the fuse for the water pump, obviously it stops, but when you put it back in, it doesn't start again so figured the DME wasn't telling it to go..)
2. Bad DME
3. Bad sensor input to the ECU telling it the engine is hot when it's not – (I’ve verified the temperature sensors are operating, and they seem to be doing so correctly.)
4. Dodgy wiring I guess – but again I’m getting readings and sending commands to water pump/from temperature sensors via ISTA so I don’t think it’s this.

So er, currently looking at a bad DME.

Interestingly, the water pump stops operating if I put the key in the slot and turn the ignition on (no engine start) – and I wouldn’t expect the pump to be running until it needs to be!

Gonna go contact ECU testing. Allegedly the MSV70 DME is an easy one to clone, but I can't see it listed on ECU Testing site as to one they're happy to work on.

I fixed this, took forever and a brainwave to do so, and the actual fix cost nothing.... and I'd had this problem all the time I've had this car. It also explains a lot of odd behaviour that I didn't understand and had just shrugged my shoulders on.

So after a lot of this. (note the thermal imaging camera to see if I could see anything warm! - it didn't help... lots of fuse backprobing occurred...)



and this



My battery was fooked and it was a fairly new Yuasa. I sorta blamed the battery, coz it was new I even got a warranty replacement which I now feel bad about, but thought it may have been a duff battery without any other explanation - and the battery being in bad condition did lots of things that you'd expect a bad battery to do. After much fault finding...I concluded I needed a new waterpump despite having changed it in my ownership and that one I changed being the original that lasted 188k miles and this one had only done 60k miles or so and was only "failed" in the way it was operating rather than it's pumping ability or leaking or anything (I learnt quite a bit about the inner workings of it and which cable did what...). I changed the pump...did it quite quickly having done it before...no dice, horrific battery drain still and the same behaviour which was a bummer.



And then I had a brainwave. The climate control panel has a "rest" button on it, which pumps hot water round the cabin heating system when parked. Now I've never pressed this button...but I then remembered I've had a IHKA error on the bmw reader since forever telling my my auxiliary cabin heater doesn't work or something - which given I don't have one coz it's a diesel car thing, I had previously shrugged off. I then also started suspecting the IHKA, because if I'm doing a longer drive (3 hours or more) it starts losing it's ability to keep cabin temperature at whatever I had set it to and it would get quite hot, but if I press "Max AC" it all cools down and the actual AC is good.
I then remember that when I first bought the car, I got given the original IHKA unit, and a newer one was fitted coz it had the LCI shiny dials with the chrome/silver rings.



As it was no effort, I pulled the IHKA unit out.

and then put the original one back in.



And then, for the first time in it's life (well it's life in my ownership), the waterpump didn't run when you simply pressed unlock! I verified a few current readings, and voila I'd only gone and fixed it!!

So I've had this problem since when I got the car, it explains why when it was parked up when I first got it, there was an electrical humming that would go away after half an hour (car had gone into proper sleep mode and no more water pump running) and the humming went away when I changed the water pump the first time...but really there shouldn't have been any humming. It explains the auxilary heater error code (coz the ihka unit had been from a diesel model, so didn't play ball with my petrol car properly), explains the whole battery drain thing and the seemingly random way in which it had gone dead a handful of times over the years and why I never thought my AC controlled the cabin temps quite as it should....
Who knew!

This has been the most brain testing issue I've had so far, all for some shiny climate control dials originally!

Edited by zippyonline on Monday 3rd March 19:42

[zippyonline]

helix403 said:

I changed a leaking boost pipe on mine today. I hate E9x undertrays! I’m not sure why BMW changed from the quick release fixings on the E46 to a multitude of 8mm screws.

I know what you mean. Mine are all nice SS ones with 4mm allen heads after changing out all the originals which have since died for obvious reasons. The 1/4 turn zeus fittings that hold my motorbike fairings on are a far nicer way to do things.

MajorMantra said:

Regret to report that after more than 7 years and 52k miles I'm not longer a member of E91 club. Farewell old friend.

After years of swearing I'd never have another diesel, or an auto gearbox, I've replaced my manual N52 car with a dirty 5 cylinder diesel auto. Go figure...



Safe to say it's a little comfier than the BMW, and very much not a driver's car.

Thanks to all in this thread who've helped with sage advice over the years. I might still dip in now and again...

Good luck sir, I was quite disappointed when I remembered that any volvo newer than 2020 is restricted to 112mph, but at least you won't have that problem!

JakeT said:

Classic N52 stuff, that mine was sounding very poorly, so I put one in before I had to push start it. I did the CCV, inlet and throttle body seals and replaced the big DISA after I found the flap rattling around in the inlet. The starter looked like a bush had fallen out of it, and was machining into case as gears push away from each other under load.

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt! I remember the car stuttering a bit and losing some shove when mine failed (quite early in my ownership), the engine also sounded properly clattery. I replaced the big one with one from BMW and the little one for "peace of mind" I split apart and used a "repair/upgrade" kit. I could never get the back of the unit to stay stuck together, so the back fell off and lost it's internals (which I managed to repair once using the bits from my failed DISA I still had)...so then I just had to get one from BMW! At least they'd updated the design so the failure mechanism was removed (metal shaft, not plastic) and I managed to retrieve all the bits of flap!

Court_S said:

Braved the cold this afternoon to remove the salt from both cars. The E91 was particularly bad and I was ordered to clean it!


]

Ha nice - mine was a bit worse and made it quite stealth with the dirt.



(Don't worry, I have now cleaned it!)

Edited by zippyonline on Monday 3rd March 18:07

[Court_S]

zippyonline said:

JakeT said:

Classic N52 stuff, that mine was sounding very poorly, so I put one in before I had to push start it. I did the CCV, inlet and throttle body seals and replaced the big DISA after I found the flap rattling around in the inlet. The starter looked like a bush had fallen out of it, and was machining into case as gears push away from each other under load.

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt! I remember the car stuttering a bit and losing some shove when mine failed (quite early in my ownership), the engine also sounded properly clattery. I replaced the big one with one from BMW and the little one for "peace of mind" I split apart and used a "repair/upgrade" kit. I could never get the back of the unit to stay stuck together, so the back fell off and lost it's internals (which I managed to repair once using the bits from my failed DISA I still had)...so then I just had to get one from BMW! At least they'd updated the design so the failure mechanism was removed (metal shaft, not plastic) and I managed to retrieve all the bits of flap!

I think one of the DISA’s on my Z4 is on the way out. It’s a little rattly on idle and it sounds like it’s coming from the intake. I think they’re both still intact because when you switch the key to position two, you can hear them shut so I’m guessing that there’s just a bit of play in them at the moment. I’ll whip the big one out at some point this week to see. I’m tempted to buy a small one just in case and return it, if it’s ok. I need to pull the manifold off again at some point to replace the angled heater connection for the CCV. I never got round tomorrow last year because I got a bit fed up pissing around with cars.

[E92_325]

Anyone dealt with a bad Camshaft position sensor on an N52?

On Friday, the car cranked for ages before starting. Thought it could be a bad battery but then I remembered the battery was changed only in March 2023. After scanning the car, code 2A9A appeared which relates to the camshaft position sensor. Symptoms of a bad camshaft sensor are long cranking and stalling during driving (didn’t have that issue).

Once started, the car drove fine. I drove it the following Saturday, Sunday and today, and the car started and drove perfect each time weirdly.

I want to say it was an anomaly, but in my experience that doesn’t exist with cars. I think this is the beginning of the sensor crapping itself. Will give it a more few days to see if it happens again before deciding on replacing it. It’s at the front of the engine so seems an easy enough job. Luckily it’s not the crankshaft position sensor which is under the intake manifold..

[JakeT]

zippyonline said:

Hey everyone!

So remember this...

Good job finally getting the drain sorted! Shame you had to throw a waterpump at it again to no avail. How many miles are you at, now? Mine is on 225k now. Funnily my IHKA also has a habit of occasionally thinking the cabin is freezing and going to full heat, only for a couple of minutes at a time. It doesn’t run the waterpump, but the newer panel does look nice.

I replaced that DISA 4.5 years ago, now. I last did a pump on mine in late 2019, around 80,000 miles ago.

[zippyonline]

Court_S said:

I’m tempted to buy a small one just in case and return it, if it’s ok. I need to pull the manifold off again at some point to replace the angled heater connection for the CCV. I never got round tomorrow last year because I got a bit fed up pissing around with cars.

On mine, I managed to one of the times I got the little DISA out, I think I removed the airbox and just loosened the inlet manifold which gave me enough space/slack to change it. Yes you're working blind, but it wasn't too bad. This was many years ago so YMMV!

JakeT said:

zippyonline said:

Hey everyone!

So remember this...

Good job finally getting the drain sorted! Shame you had to throw a waterpump at it again to no avail. How many miles are you at, now? Mine is on 225k now. Funnily my IHKA also has a habit of occasionally thinking the cabin is freezing and going to full heat, only for a couple of minutes at a time. It doesn’t run the waterpump, but the newer panel does look nice.

I replaced that DISA 4.5 years ago, now. I last did a pump on mine in late 2019, around 80,000 miles ago.

Yeah, I was gutted when the new waterpump didn't fix it... I do still have the one I took off being stored with the coolant inside it like it says you should if you store them. It was a bit of a low point!

I'm on 249700ish miles now. I don't do the mileage I used to, when I first got it in 2016/17 I was doing circa 12k miles/year, often with a MTB in the boot. Life's changed and I'm doing more adulting and I'm doing like half that now, so the miles aren't ticking over quite as quickly.

I have a few more little stories of "fun", I'll dig up a handful of photos and catch you all up as we go... (I don't tend to do forums much, but I really should keep up to date on this thread!)