I think you are on the right track with a compression test. May find low compression on that one cyl. Try this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vo4fm0JDPY

 

his car is misfiring all the time and not just on cold starts. thats a different problem

 

How likely are injectors to go bad on the e46?

And if my compression was bad wouldn't it be misfiring all the time rather than just when it cold but goes away when I restart the car?

Thanks and I'll watch the video now


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It's due to the way the computer works. When it detects a misfire it shuts down the fuel to that cyl. Then when you shut off and restart it allows fuel to flow to that cyl again.

 

Not likely a injector problem.

You need to pull the DISA and it probably needs to be repaired or replaced.

You are thinking way too much into whether or not a vacuum line may cause a single cylinder or multiple cylinder misfire.

My money is on a vacuum leak if the engine runs fine when warm.

You need to log onto a computer and read the first link below in my signature.

Post warm idle Fuel Trim trims for comment.

Also consider a smoke test as well. Search YouTube Scotty Smoke Test for a the $3 smoke test.

 

Ok here is an update:

I checked my codes again after i cleared them. now its misfiring on random cylinders 1,3, and 5 and not just isolated to cyl 2. IT ONLY MISFIRES ON COLD STARTS AND GOES AWAY IF CAR IS RESTARTED. IM tired of starting my car twice, its been happening more and more. I spent almost $1000 trying to fix this problem alone

next step is
to check for more vacuum leaks(even tho i replaced all vacuum lines)
-crankshaft sensor
-cam sensor
-DISA
-CCV
(SO another $700)
right?

Im really starting to hate this car for real. what an annoying engine. my 335i is more problematic but when there is a misfire its more straight forward to fix

 

Bunp


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You need listen.

I need Freeze Frame and Fuel Trim data at warm idle. DO NOT CLEAR CODES until you have written down the Freeze Frame data.

You also need to perform a smoke test on both the intake path and crankcase.

Once you provide the data that I requested, might be able to provide more ideas.

Likely this is due to a vacuum leak.

You do not likely need a crank or cam sensor.

If the CCV is originals it is about 3-4 years over due to replacement.

You may have a cracked valve cover and/or a bad power brake booster.

If the DISA is original, it needs a repair kit or replacement and it is about 3-4 years overdue as well.

 

Pull out the DISA and see if the flap is loose. Free to check that and they do cause misfire issues on random cylinders.

 

Looks like I need to do some more research on how to post fuel trim logs, can anyone guide me to how I can do that?

I really appreciate all your support


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Looks like I need to do some more research on how to post fuel trim logs, can anyone guide me to how I can do that?

I really appreciate all your support

Do not need anything fancy.

Bring up Fuel Trims and Freeze Frame info on your scan tool.

Also include engine temp info after the engine has been running for 15 minutres.

Write the info down and post it.

You could take pictures of the screen, but this can be tricky.

Just type if out will be fine.

 

The fuel cutoff is a result of the misfire, not a cause.

When there is a misfire, the fuel load is unburned and this can be bad for the CAT. The car stops delivering fuel in an effort to not harm the CATs.

 

I had a very similar problem, i replaced the plugs, checked the coils, but no luck. I went to my local BMW dealer & got lucky by talking with a tech privately, he said to buy a bottle of their fuel cleaner at the parts desk. That bottle cost me $27, but after 1 tank it completely fixed my problem.

 

Can I just bleed my fuel system from that port on the fuel rail?

Also my mechanic replaced a gasket in my cooling system but now every once and a while the yellow coolant light comes on but goes away once I remove the radiator cap and let the air come out. Do you thinking maybe he forgot to bleed the system

-and for some reason I feel like the techron is helping a lot more than I think


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It's hard to say for sure when I cannot put my hands on the car and see/hear the issue first hand.

It I had to guess, it would be a flaky Intake camshaft sensor. They do go soft without triggering any codes and cause extended crank issues before they finally do fail to the point they can trigger a code.

Please NOTE, DO NOT BUY A CAM SENSOR FROM ANYWHERE BUT THE DEALER!!!

That being said you can buy it from an online dealer for about 20% off list price and have it delivered to your door.

You might try these guys - http://www.bmwoffairfax.com/order-parts-online.htm

Not a fan of their Service Dept, but their Parts staff is very good, almost the best dealer Parts guys I have ever dealt with. I am local so I always pick up, but they are the largest Parts Dept on the Easy Coast and they have a really good inventory. I rarely have to wait for parts from these guys.

 

It's hard to say for sure when I cannot put my hands on the car and see/hear the issue first hand.



It I had to guess, it would be a flaky inta



Intake camshaft sensor. They do go soft without triggering any codes and cause extended crank issues before they finally do fail to the point they can trigger a code.



Please NOTE, DO NOT BUY A CAM SENSOR FROM ANYWHERE BUT THE DEALER!!!



That being said you can buy it from an online dealer for about 20% off list price and have it delivered to your door.



You might try these guys - http://www.bmwoffairfax.com/order-parts-online.htm



Not a fan of their Service Dept, but their Parts staff is very good, almost the best dealer Parts guys I have ever dealt with. I am local so I always pick up, but they are the largest Parts Dept on the Easy Coast and they have a really good inventory. I rarely have to wait for parts from these guys.

Ok thanks for telling me because I was going to buy one from eBay for 25 bucks lol

I'm going to my mechanic, we are gonna check the fuel pressure as you said, maybe my injector O rings are worn or when he incorrectly installed the fuel filter, we will see

I will also ask him to smoke check my system hopefully he has the equipment


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Yeah I'm definitely not buying it from eBay lol

Ok I'm at my mechanics shop right now he's a Mercedes mechanic and works on BMWs as well. Even he is confused about this problem.

He suggested I leave it overnight for him to check the fuel pressure in the morning when the car will have that issue.

I told him about the cam sensor also. Is it a can sensor or camshaft position sensor ? I'm confused.
He mentioned that could be the problem


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Yeah I'm definitely not buying it from eBay lol

Ok I'm at my mechanics shop right now he's a Mercedes mechanic and works on BMWs as well. Even he is confused about this problem.

He suggested I leave it overnight for him to check the fuel pressure in the morning when the car will have that issue.

I told him about the cam sensor also. Is it a can sensor or camshaft position sensor ? I'm confused.
He mentioned that could be the problem

Intake camshaft position sensor.

 

When he was bleeding my radiator, the coolant kept on overflowing even after he bled it. This is while the car was running. He said I might have a blown head gasket although I'm seeing no symptoms of a blown head gasket


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OP, please go back and read all of jfoj's posts in this thread. He has given the most important things to check, but you haven't really followed his advice much. You need to isolate the problem to the offending part(s), and the easiest and cheapest way is by performing some simple tests and posting the results.

You will get all the help you need here if you cooperate. jfoj knows his sh!t.

 

Fully charged battery is 12.6 Volts.

A battery at 12.0 Volts is 75% discharged.

Proper charging is 13.5-14.5 Volts.

You also need to have your battery charged and tested. Bad batteries can make these cars do screwy things.

You need to make a video of the long crank time.

 

OK got the video made as you requested. The car has been sitting out for 24 hours in the sun. I primed it 3x. New battery has been installed.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlEKaDIX84o&feature=youtu.be

 

I have a video of it, I'll make a YouTube account and post it here shortly


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Well I'm getting a battery tomorrow anyways so we will see


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Heres what should you do. Get smoke tester, and smoke it. I bet you that the intake manifold is leaking, because the gasket are gone or warn out. Trust me


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I doubt it because we sprayed it with brake cleaner and didn't find any leaks. The car isn't throwing any codes. Although maybe a smoke tester would be better


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Your number one priority should be checking fuel pressure a few hours. You can rent a fuel pressure gauge from auto part stores.
Connect the fuel pressure gauge (rag around the connector to catch gas spill), start engine and record the fuel pressure, stop the engine and record fuel pressure, let it sit for a few hours then check it.

 

Your number one priority should be checking fuel pressure a few hours. You can rent a fuel pressure gauge from auto part stores.

Connect the fuel pressure gauge (rag around the connector to catch gas spill), start engine and record the fuel pressure, stop the engine and record fuel pressure, let it sit for a few hours then check it.

That's what my next step is. I checked auto stores around and couldn't find a fuel pressure regulator


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A few things.

1. I see you have only about 1/8 of a tank of fuel in the car. Have you noticed if the same thing happens with 1/2 tank of fuel?

2. A bit hard to tell from the video as sometimes they can be misleading with choppy YouTube streams, but pay very careful attention to the tachometer when trying to start the engine. You should see it hang around 200 RPM when cranking, indicating the crank sensor is stable. If you see the tach dropping out, this may be an indication that there may be a crank sensor issue.

3. Just buy a fuel pressure tester if you cannot find a parts store to loan one out. Only about $30 and you will easily save this in parts and labor if you can rule out a problem and get this issue sorted yourself. You could also look around Amazon or ebay as well. Here is a reasonable priced FPT on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/OTC-5630-Fuel...00R5IASC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407037229&sr=8-1&keywords=fuel+pressure+tester

4. I will have to go back and read the thread from the beginning again to refresh the history of what is going on here.

 

A few things.



1. I see you have only about 1/8 of a tank of fuel in the car. Have you noticed if the same thing happens with 1/2 tank of fuel?



2. A bit hard to tell from the video as sometimes they can be misleading with choppy YouTube streams, but pay very careful attention to the tachometer when trying to start the engine. You should see it hang around 200 RPM when cranking, indicating the crank sensor is stable. If you see the tach dropping out, this may be an indication that there may be a crank sensor issue.



3. Just buy a fuel pressure tester if you cannot find a parts store to loan one out. Only about $30 and you will easily save this in parts and labor if you can rule out a problem and get this issue sorted yourself. You could also look around Amazon or ebay as well. Here is a reasonable priced FPT on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/OTC-5630-Fuel...00R5IASC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407037229&sr=8-1&keywords=fuel+pressure+tester



4. I will have to go back and read the thread from the beginning again to refresh the history of what is going on here.

I'll save u the time and tell you the brief history. Car used to have a lot of codes like system too lean, MAF, o2, and multiple misfires.

I Changed all plug and coils, replaced MAF o2 sensor. Vacuum lines, DISA gasket, fuel pump/filter.

Now car is has no codes or SES. Car cranks long even when full tank. (Problem has been happening even before parts were replaced)

Based off my video are you able to see the RPMs drop out while cranking? I noticed it does go to 200 then drop down again. Should I post another video more focused on the RPM cluster?

If my friend doesn't have a fuel tester by Thursday I'll buy it. I'm guessing maybe the fuel filter with the regulator the mechanic installed was defective or maybe he didn't change it at all and lied. I'm leaning towards a fuel issue. I tried Parking it in the garage expecting a fuel smell but didn't notice anything

Also I noticed the big vacuum line from my Secondary air pump to that valve thingy is not OEM. Looks like the previous owner replaced it using a generic hose that isn't curved so it's bent or somewhat kinked. Do u think that can be related ?? I still hear the SAP cycling on after start up

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Anyone?


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Any ideas??


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With little to no factual details, this is all hard to get a grasp on at this point.

We are now up to 50 posts in this thread, the details have all been lost now.

The title stated out to be about a single cylinder misfire but then turned to long crank times.

The original misfire was for cylinder #2, however, the low compression is in cylinder #4 & #5. You mention random misfire codes, are these really random or are they cylinder specific??

You also mention milkshake under the oil fill cap, this is "normal" on these engines, so how can we determine what is normal and what is abnormal?

You are all over the map with this car and issue and grasping at straws.

I have no idea how to give you any direction at this point other than you need to read the 3rd link in my signature and they read VERY carefully about the yellow mayo under the cap.

If you plan to post anything else on the forum or in this thread, you best provide DETAILS, PICTURES, NUMBERS, FAULT CODES.

If your motor is milkshaked you would be loosing coolant, no mention of this or if there is it is buried in the body of 50 posts. If your engine is milkshaked you can open the oil fill cap and take pictures and post them.

If your CCV is bad, which they ALL are on these engines after 8-10 years, and the engine is running too cold, then yellow mayo under the oil cap is NORMAL.

Also the person that checked your fuel pressure would have had to leave the gauge on the car for a few hours to make sure the static fuel pressure does not drop off to far.

If the head gasket is blown the engine would likely run rough, you would have some smoke from the exhaust and you would likely have an issue with the cooling system/loss of coolant.

If you have another key even try that as there have no been a few cases of questionable keys that had long crank times or crank no start due to a flaky key.

So I wish you a lot of luck with all of this.

 

With little to no factual details, this is all hard to get a grasp on at this point.



We are now up to 50 posts in this thread, the details have all been lost now.



The title stated out to be about a single cylinder misfire but then turned to long crank times.



The original misfire was for cylinder #2, however, the low compression is in cylinder #4 & #5. You mention random misfire codes, are these really random or are they cylinder specific??



You also mention milkshake under the oil fill cap, this is "normal" on these engines, so how can we determine what is normal and what is abnormal?



You are all over the map with this car and issue and grasping at straws.



I have no idea how to give you any direction at this point other than you need to read the 3rd link in my signature and they read VERY carefully about the yellow mayo under the cap.



If you plan to post anything else on the forum or in this thread, you best provide DETAILS, PICTURES, NUMBERS, FAULT CODES.



If your motor is milkshaked you would be loosing coolant, no mention of this or if there is it is buried in the body of 50 posts. If your engine is milkshaked you can open the oil fill cap and take pictures and post them.



If your CCV is bad, which they ALL are on these engines after 8-10 years, and the engine is running too cold, then yellow mayo under the oil cap is NORMAL.



Also the person that checked your fuel pressure would have had to leave the gauge on the car for a few hours to make sure the static fuel pressure does not drop off to far.



If the head gasket is blown the engine would likely run rough, you would have some smoke from the exhaust and you would likely have an issue with the cooling system/loss of coolant.



If you have another key even try that as there have no been a few cases of questionable keys that had long crank times or crank no start due to a flaky key.



So I wish you a lot of luck with all of this.

I know my thread is all over the place but u stated exactly what the car is went thru. Forget everything else so it won't confuse you. You have been a lot of help. I didn't wanna start a new thread and flood the forums so I kept it going on this one

I had fault codes which were misfires in random P0300 and random cyl with fuel cut off and system too lean codes. I also had long cranks when cold. After following your 3rd link on your signature I was able to eliminate all codes and the car ran great however would crank long when it's cold or whenever it's sitting out.

I replaced the fuel pump and filter.
Also replaced the battery
Tried different keys.

I tried another mechanic who works at BMW. He said this engine is pretty much finished compression was low on 2 cyl and there may be a crack between the block and the head.
He couldn't duplicate the long cranking issue but told me it could be related to the cracked gasket, maybe it gets sealed once the car is on making it easier to start when it's warm. He never mentioned the CCV valve making a difference. Idk if he's full of crap

As for now I'm not losing coolant but the yellow light light comes on and off. It's been happening since my other mechanic said he found a leak and replaced it with an O ring, idk if he's full of crap as well. This guy is also suggesting I replace the crank sensor.


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