328i dies at stops when warm

[p38fln]

Maybe the fuel cap fixed it after all.  We drove down some positively spooky mountain roads in  light rain mixed with heavy fog by an abandoned sanatorium (Nopeming) at midnight and it didn't stumble or stall or even get a rough idle even after driving for two hours and letting it idle for 30 minutes. 

 

Maybe it had to have a drive cycle without the massive vacuum leak for the computer to realize it didn't have a massive vacuum leak anymore. 

 

Maybe one of the ghosts at the abandoned sanatorium fixed it.  

 

Either way it ran fine for once lol

[Greydog]

Snow Rain Fog Spooky Mountain Roads hells teeth I feel lucky to live in Sunny Sussex now !!

Seriously good fix though Eric now you can enjoy your Beemer.

Dave

[p38fln]

Maybe I can get some pictures off the dashcam from that drive so you can experience it yourself lol 

It's still doing it...  it took 3 hours instead of 1 and it rarely stalls now, but that's still not normal.

This time, I immediately restarted the engine, pulled into a parking lot, and pulled the oil cap while it was still idling like crap to see if I could tell anything.  It was nearly impossible to remove the cap due to the vacuum pressure, and when i finally did get it off, it made a howling whistling sound like a very intense windstorm would make in an old house or maybe like a furnace with a clogged filter.  Sticking PCV valve?

[p38fln]

New code now:
P0015 - "B" Camshaft position - timing slow (Bank 1)  (I changed the word)

[Greydog]

BMW fitted automatic advance and !Removed! of camshafts "Vanos" a sticking solenoid could cause the symptoms you are getting. I believe with your model you have solenoids on both exhaust and inlet camshafts. The Code you have is a general code BMW specific code will Identify the exact issue such as 2A9A intake cam sensor signal invalid, or 2A82 Intake vanos stiff or mechanically jammed. 

I would start by cleaning the solenoids as you are in the USA have you checked Pelican Parts website. Many guys in the UK use the site although it is specific to cars with the steering on the wrong side?? Their how too's are great and supported by pictures just did a quick search try this link  www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/BMW-3-Series-E90/FUEL-VANOS_Solenoid_Replacing/FUEL-VANOS_Solenoid_Replacing.htm 

symptoms of a Bad BMW VANOS System

• Loss of power and torque, primarily in the lower ranges, typically below 3k RPMS.
• Engine hesitation and bogging in the lower rpm ranges.
• Rough idle with frequent hiccups.
• Increased fuel consumption or poor fuel economy.
• Cold start issues and stalling in cold weather

It would be great to see some pictures the biggest "Mountain" near me is 750ft above sea level not exactly a challenge.

Dave 

 

[p38fln]

I'll see if I can get the BMW specific code.  I tried carly but it said there were no ECUs available then refused to even try to connect again without paying $60.

I've been using torque (which connects fine), there's probably some overly complicated way to pull the BMW codes with it.

The low flat land here is at 600 feet, i live about a mile from Lake Superior. The 'mountain' is 1250 feet.  Awesome views, but it's pretty small for a mountain.  

It looks like that's stuff on the front of the engine so RHD or LHD shouldn't change it

[Greydog]

Absolutely, mechanically everything is in the same place, I would start with the free stuff and clean the solenoids when I did mine I removed them took off the "O" rings carefully then washed them in petrol to remove as many deposits as possible, then blew them out using a small air line attached to a spare wheel. Then put it in a tray of clean engine oil so it could get oil back where it should be. then lubed the "O" rings put them back on and reassembled back on the car. Then on to the next, I do one at a time so my old brain doesn't get confused.

Remember to clean the electrical connectors as well.

I have been out on the Lake some years ago in a sail boat with an old business friend who lives in Ann Arbor, he keeps his boat in Marquette. Beautiful country and it's an inland sea not a lake a lake you can see the other side!!

[p38fln]

The only reason it isn't considered an inland sea is it's freshwater rather than saltwater.  The port here is considered an Atlantic seaport though, and it's as far west as you can go.  I've only been on the lake a few times, once on a commercial dinner cruiser and another time on a retired US Coast Guard cutter / icebreaker that someone bought for scrap and then realized still had several thousand gallons of fuel on board..so he started it up and found out everything still worked, registered it properly as a private, 180 foot, 1,000 ton fishing boat, and took oh....50 or 60 or 100 or something of his closest friends on a little trip out on the lake.  He had a "discussion" with the coast guard when he got back that led to painting over the USCG logos.  It was fun though 🙂

Who doesn't need a former military vessel to go fishing?  They took all the weapons off but the cannon mounts were still there.  It was built during world war II as a "buoy tender" that could also blow up submarines, but was built too late to actually see any wartime service.  All weapons were removed before it was transferred to private hands (It wasn't heavily armed, just a few 20 mm machinge guns, a 3 inch cannon and depth charges). 

 

Carista was running a free 1 week trial so I took advantage of it.  Here are the codes:

2E85 Water pump comm failure

2A87 VANOS exhaust cam timing

2A15 Fuel tank fine leak

29E1 Mixture control bank 2

29E0 Mixture control bank 1

578E Transmission oil wear observed

CF17 Actual mileage/Range

A559 Instrument panel power switched off

9314 ????

A3B2 CAN Signal fault

A8AB right dipped beam faulty

E595 Steering angle timeout

A8C2 right reversing light faulty

A8C1 left reversring light faulty

A8AD Right sidemarker light faulty

A8AC Left sidemarker light faulty

A670 Center roof module - Fogging sensor malfunction

[Greydog]

First action reset all the codes then see what comes back often the codes are just left in the memory. A lot of codes can be triggered by a low battery voltage, I would clear the codes and check what comes back. 

The Vanos is the key to fixing your stalling issue I would start with removing and cleaning the solenoid not unusual for them to become sticky. The rest of the mixture codes will likely be linked to the Vanos 

The others look like earth or connector cleaning so happy days.

Anderson's sail boat isn't in that league, but great fun he just thinks he is Captain Hook when he gets out there must be his Viking ancestors??

[p38fln]

I cleared the codes.  It almost immediately stalled out at the next intersection, and then really, really didn't want to start. 

So my thought is:

1. Clean the solenoids
2. Change the transmission fluid
3. Replace the battery

I convinced Carly to run, thinking it might give better results since it's better known.  I think Carista actually gave better explanations. 

002E85 Electric Coolant pump, communication
002F80 Motorabstellzeit, plausibility
002A87 Outlet VANOS, mechanics
00D363 CAN Fault
005DF4 CAS interface invalid / board power supply <9V ECU Internal ADC calibration error
00578E Transmission fluid deteriorate
00CF17 CAN BUS
00A559 KL30g f Cutoff
00A0B4 Error engine start starter operation
00A0B2 Error CAS supply
00A179 Overvolate / undervoltage internal voltage

[Greydog]

Sounds like a plan, certainly looks as though Carista is a better system. Check out the water pump connections as well last thing you need is no heater??

 

[p38fln]

It no longer starts.  It makes a noise like a fuel pump running..and that's it.  No lights come on or anything other than the key symbol.  

 

I tried unhooking the IBS because I saw that would occasionally cause this problem, and I tried boosting it from my cousin's husband's huge pickup truck and NOTHING.  Just the fuel pump sound and after about 10 seconds a warning that the ignition is on.  

[Greydog]

Is something unplugged ? I would make sure the battery is fully charged then read codes and back track slowly over whatever I have done checking all connections and earths 

Dave

[p38fln]

Well..it's still sitting in the parking lot at her apartment.  I'll be able to go troubleshoot it more on Saturday.  Where is the starter on this thing?  I can't find it, I was going to try tapping it with a hammer to see if it was just stuck.  

[Greydog]

Check www.realoem.com search the model the parts lists all have small exploded drawings that will show where stuff is. www.newtis.info will also help.

the Pelican Parts web site is also great for information how too;s and parts. Fingers crossed it's a simple fix

Dave

[p38fln]

I'm hoping that hooking straight to the battery might help.  It's clearly weak, but I didn't think it was far enough gone to prevent the starter from engaging.  

On MOST cars the starter is a simple fix lol I already looked up the instructions on how to swap it on this car...  If it wasn't sitting in a giant mud puddle 25 miles out of town I might think of paying someone else to fix it, but I don't want to pay the tow bill.  

[Greydog]

BMW's are famous for being power hungry beasts a low battery will trigger all sorts of spurious and seeming unrelated codes and warnings. So if your battery is on it's way another may solve a lot of issues.

Dave

[p38fln]

I'm going to swap the battery out this afternoon and see if it starts.  The battery is definitely at end-of-life, it won't keep the clock set, and even with the car refusing to attempt to start it still dropped under 9 volts after about 10 minutes of sitting with just the ignition turned on ( while I was reading codes).  

My hope is the old battery is so destroyed that the car wasn't able to tell it had full power when we tried to jump start it.  

[Greydog]

Definitely looks like dead battery at 9 volts it should be 12+ at rest 14 with engine running and charging. I suspect that with very low voltage even getting an accurate code read will be difficult. 

I read codes with the engine running, clear and reset any codes then turn off and leave the car to go to sleep, in the X5 it takes around 15 mins for the car to go into sleep mode (all systems off) the gear selector light is the key with the X5. Once it's asleep I restart and re-read the codes if any have returned they are the ones I investigate and fix, most codes with the X5 have tended to be caused by electrical connections poor earth being the most common with mine. My X5 shows 2 at the moment Aux Water Pump and Open Circuit Drivers Door Mirror so Suspension swing arm bushes then go digging for the cause of the codes, lifes never dull with a Beemer.if my wife doesn't have plans the car does.

Dave

[p38fln]

That's the biggest battery I have ever seen in a passenger car.  

The battery was definitely bad.  Still nothing after replacing it.  

I had someone take a 3/8" breaker bar and beat the starter while I hit start...and we got a very weak, pathetic sounding start.  He hit it a few more times and it cranked like normal and started.  Then we tried it a few more times, and about half the times it starts like normal, the other half it either cranks super slow and doesn't start or drags after starting.  

I've got the new starter in the back of the Chevy suburban (Which is every bit as good at breaking down as the BMW, it's record so far is a transmission, 4x4 transfer motor, rear seat entertainment, and probably some more crap I can't even remember) and we'll swap it out the next day it's above freezing.  

[Greydog]

Make sure it is the right battery Eric the previous owner may have fitted an over-rated battery in due to the sticky starter, an over-rated battery will never reach full charge as the alternator output will not be suitable. I believe yours should be 70ah 760Cca (cold cranking amps) but check your hand book.

There was a lot of issues recorded on forums here in the UK with starter motor failures but they tended to be pre 2005 and Magneti Marelli starters, symptoms were slow cranking or intermittent cranking but drawing massive current which fried batteries. I did read of one guy who measured over 900amps draw on cranking !!! Bosch starters were the replacement of choice.

When I was in business we built a huge distribution centre for Honda in the UK just to give Dealers an overnight spares service it helped perpetuate the myth of them never breaking down?? With one of my AMG.s the super charger bearings at the nose pulley failed more than once, clearly the bearings and housing weren't up to the task. In the end I got hold of a nose section from a breaker and with the help of a friend with an engineering shop re-machined the nose bearing housing to take better bigger bearings and increased the oil feed. We also up rated the output with a 10% smaller drive pulley. I never had another failure and George sells upgrade kits for Range Rovers and Jags here.

What was the old joke we all drive around in cars made up from 50000 parts all supplied by the lowest bidder!! No matter what they throw at us we will fix it and make it better

[p38fln]

We put an AC-Delco 800 CCA battery in, the one that it had was 900 CCA and was physically larger as well.  

The parts store only had their inhouse brand in-stock, and no one has the bolts.  Looks like I have to order the bolts, 2 to 4 days for delivery.  I think a BMW is a car you only buy if you have a backup car lol

[Greydog]

You buy two, it looks flash on the drive but one is for spares

[p38fln]

It's finally fixed!

Cleaned the VANOS solenoids with a can of ether that we found in a garage, swapped the solenoids positions (so the solenoid that was in the intake slot went into the exhaust solenoid slot) and cleared the codes - and I have a nice purring idle that doesn't bounce up and down by 100 rpm.  It also has at least twice the horsepower. 

I'll start another thread for any other issues it has 🙂  

 

[Greydog]

Well done Eric we will have to Nick Name you the "Sub Zero" for working in the snow and ice to get it fixed