Greydog

Morning Andrew If you are hearing a hissing I would check the intercooler and all pipework as this where pressurised air is. It shouldn't retain pressure so the manifold pressure sensor needs checking. Diesels don't have a throttle valve as such engine speed is controlled by the amount of fuel entering the engine. My understanding is when you shut off the throttle valve closes for a few seconds reducing air flow the reopens relieving any pressure. The suction from the vacuum pump is controlled by the pressure regulator which in turn receives signals from the EGR coolant thermostat the engine thermostat the MAP sensor MAT sensor and MAF. Information from those sensors is processed by the DDE and a signal tell's the pressure regulator to open the EGR to divert a small amount of exhaust gas to enter the inlet reducing NOx output to the exhaust and help charge cooling. If your still chasing an EML either invest in a good BMW diagnostic program of your own and a Mukti Meter then you can accurately diagnose and check sensors for correct function before spending your hard earned cash. always check sensor looms for continuity as well as plugs and connectors. Many sensors have been changed only to find it is either a wiring issue or plug pin issue. If you don't want to do that get a garage either BMW or a BMW Specialist to run the diagnostic check it will cost but probably less than constantly throwing money at it Dave

My Brother Inlaw runs a 535d Touring (his 4th) all have been ECU tuned. The current car was around 300bhp when new, now 400bhp and 500+Nm A 530I Tuned would be 300/350bhp Torque would be around 350/400 Nm while top speed may be the same mid range acceleration would be down. Mid range 30mph up it is a super car killer, Brakes are M5 the rest of the car is as he ordered it new it still returns 40 odd MPG when traffic keeps his foot off the gas. All his his cars have run to high miles with only a couple of EGR issues on the early cars no DPF issues at all. He has it serviced by BMW to maintain history but we change oil and filters every 5k (this I believe helps DPF life) he also runs fuel additives once a month. So while I am a petrol driving old bloke who has never owned a diesel in his life my children do and I as an engineer can see the benefits Dave

Morning Joha Welcome to the Forum There are a few out there that can do it now iCarsoft is one I am aware of but ISTA/INPA is BMW Dealer level diagnostic software it also contains TIS (technical repair information) I have 2 BMW programs on an old laptop in my garage BMW 1.4.0 (great with iBus system cars) and ISTA/INPA for use with Kbus and above (your car) both allow Dealer Level access and diagnostic. Hope that is helpful Dave

Morning Gary Check the BMW Specialist dismantlers like Quarry Motors they may help at a sensible cost plus there is always BMW but not cheap, don't forget mounting clips/screws Take a look at www.realoem.com it's a BMW parts list put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model then look in Bodywork it should list everything you need. Good Luck Dave

Morning Jack If your going the tuning route it makes your choice a little more complicated, do you look at a car that is already modified (thrashed no one does that to drive like Miss Daisy's Chauffeur) Or do you buy an un-modified car and carry out the work your self? A simple ECU tune can get both petrol and diesel around 200bhp but the diesel will be way out front with torque 400+ Nm easily achieved. Plus torque is what gets you down the road particularly mid range and still be economical. (says the old boy in a Tuned V8 🤣) If I were spending my money I would take the second option and know all mods were done right and to my taste/spec. Don't forget brakes and suspension going faster means often needing to stop quicker to and going where you point it is a big plus. Good hunting Dave

Hi Jack Welcome to the Forum The diesel may give a few more MPG but there would be little to choose in performance so really it is down to the car with the spec and accessories that you want. Good luck with the hunt Dave

Morning Jay Welcome to the Forum Your issue could be several things I am afraid First the simple things try putting it in N to see if it starts that would point to the Inhibitor on the gear selector.It could be the ignition switch (not as hard to change as some think) It could be an intermittent fuel pump or power relay. A diagnostic session would help Hope this is helps more than hinders Dave

Morning Andrew It is impossible for anyone to diagnose the issue without seeing it !! All I or anyone else can do is ask questions !. I have to assume (dangerous) that your Vacuum Pump is OK ? 2. Have you changed ALL the vacuum lines from the pump, the main line and sub lines to the EGR via it's controller to the Inlet manifold and its controller? 3. Have you checked the EGR cooling and Thermostat. At what engine revs/temperature does the EGR begin to operate (ie: Vacuum actuator open) Get the car diagnosed by someone with a BMW specific program if you can't do it yourself or you will be throwing money and time at the car. Why do suspect the Vacuum feed to the EGR ? Your earlier Post seemed to indicate you have an EML light on which could be the O2 sensor (what miles has it covered) have you checked the O2 sensor ? Dave

Morning Gary It should have insulation under the Bonnet bare metal will suffer with temperature changes particularly as we move into cooler evenings which will cause condensation to form. Dave

Morning Martin Welcome to the Forum BMW 320d 2.0 Diesel N47D20A 2007 to 2009 and the BMW 320d 2.0 Diesel N47D20C 2009 to 2012 were where the main issues surfaced. As I understand the issue was with the crankshaft sprocket being defective which damaged the chain which if left then snapped. While the number of Engine failures was significant enough to cause the press and others to report on it which gave the impression that all BMW's were falling to bits. However when you look at the actual numbers of these engines that were produced against the failure rate while it wasn't good for BMW it was well below recall levels. My assessment is that a defective part coupled with extended service intervals and an owner base that are not mechanically minded meant initial indicators were missed ending in rapid total failure. Having said that a friend of our eldest son is now on his 3rd 120d all in the year group that is "at risk" his first was high miles when he brought it he had it 3 years and traded it with over 200k (I persuaded him to do regular Oil and Filter changes, every 5k) His second one he stuck to the 5k oil change routine which has made him more aware of his car (noises etc) he had lots of initial Turbo issues (sticky actuator and vanes) eventually we fitted a refurbished turbo, he traded the car with just shy of 200k and currently has a 2012 120d and so far so good. (by the way our youngest son is 40 so these aren't kids any more) As the car you have is on 61k and running well I would adopt a frequent inspection oil and filter change policy rather than the extended BMW schedule. Unfortunately there is no way of knowing if your car has an issue but as most seem to have shown up quite early in the cars lives fingers crossed your OK Enjoy your Beemer Dave

Afternoon Stewart If you had the gauges and they give the information you need then why not If you have an old lap top the BMW 1.4.0 as a diagnostic program should give you everything you need and on the plus side its Cheap about £15 I use it on all Ibus based BMW's it allows re-setting of all Fault codes plus it will give access to all control units. If after 2008 vintage then INPA?ISTA is the go to both programs give Dealer level information and access. Enjoy Dave

Morning Andrew First when a car throws a fault code sometimes it is a Symptom of the fault not the actual cause of the fault. Companies such as Carly have access to all the Generic BMW codes which is what your seeing. As an example my X5 is currently showing a Fault with a General scanner which comes up as PDC failure the in car system has 8 sensors (4 front 4 rear) plus the control unit, what is the cause or do you throw money at "expensive sensors" ? INPA and BMW 1.4.0 both tell me the fault code but also identify the fault as Rear Centre Right PDC Sensor at fault. So the specific program has narrowed the fault from the system to a single sensor, but as an engineer I test the sensor either with a tester or simple swap it for the one next door if the problem moves it is the sensor if not it will be with the loom or connector. So before buying sensors I test all the things that could cause the issue and even then see if I can repair it first. Now to your car while you tell us it is a 2008 5 series Touring I have guessed at 2.0d as the engine which will have an O2 sensor and temperature sensor on the DPF with a second temp sensor just ahead of the Cat. If it is the 6 cylinder 2.5d you will have an O2 sensor and 2 temp sensors on the DPF I would expect the 3.0d to be the same. I would still test the sensors before "Throwing Money" at it even with an accurate diagnosis. One thing I have learned through our sons Toyota Pickup is after an EGR clean and DPF regen (he carries out lots of short journeys for his work) it needs an oil and filter change it really makes a difference to the length of time before the next occurrence INPA/ISTA is BMW Dealer level diagnostics plus it contains TIS (Technical Information System) which explains how too change parts. Just always remember a thermometer will tell you your temperature but not why it is High or Low. that always needs a bit of detective work. Even Dealers fall into the trap of believing the Diagnostic Screen and changing parts as it isn't their money? Often they are working under Warranty sometimes it is the Customer paying rarely the Dealer. So if you like your BMW and want to keep it, the invest in a good Diagnostic program. My old Lap Top has programs for VW, Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Toyota and Subaru on it plus I have a Generic reader for the odd Mazda, Ford or Peugeot that turns up on the driveway that belong to family friends and neighbours. But then I am an Old Bloke with a need to know and enjoy BIY Mechanics. Dave

Morning Stewart What are you trying to achieve by fitting a vacuum gauge ? You have the MPG gauge already fitted surely a vacuum gauge will only convert that to numbers ? Stirring up the old grey matter there were blanked off ports on the back of the inlet manifold which would be my choice, have a feel Dave

Morning Tony Welcome to the Forum Congratulations on the X1 (which Model) Remember the old saying "A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous thing" well reading a Forum is a little like that. First by the nature of the beast you see issues and problems posted here some for help and some just to vent their frustration. Most posts deal with cars out of warranty and poor maintenance practices. BMW are no worse than any other manufacturer in terms of reliability. As an OLD engineer with an inquisitive nature I have always had a "Need to Know" how stuff works and have never accepted the "sealed for life change the whole unit" approach, while it may be more efficient for Franchised Dealers their young technicians have never learned how to actually fix things. So for those of us who like the challenge of actually fixing things there are places like this. Look on the Forum as a great big pool that we can all fish in for knowledge when we need it, sometimes for support, an sometimes for help in repairs. So here is my BMW experience 1st BMW a 4.4 X5 brought in 2001 converted to LPG a great car that unfortunately got squashed by a falling tree in 2004 I replaced it with the current 4.6is X5 now at 160k and last Thursday a 300+mile round trip without a blink. Like all volume car makers BMW engineers are compromised by their production engineers and accountants. We have to reach the stratospheric area of Bentley, Aston, Rolls Royce etc where the design is the design and the cost is the cost yet even they have occasional hiccups. So don't worry ENJOY your X1 Dave

Hi Gary Welcome to the Forum Obviously general engine condition has to be considered/ What mileage and which engine? There are a lot of "Could Be's" so you really need a Diagnostic session. First thought is check the fuel pump fuses and relay but it could be a sensor ?? Dave

Hi Andrew You should have 2 O2 sensors one on the DPF and one after the DPF so they can measure the difference between exhaust gas entering the DPF and leaving Testing An O2 sensor will cycle between 0.10 to 0.90 or almost 1 volt. An O2 sensor has to reach the 0.8x Volts amplitude mark while at full operation. An O2 sensor also has to reach the 0.1x Volts amplitude mark while at full operation. (Full operation means the engine is fully warmed up, O2 sensor above the 600 deg. If the sensors are OK then the DPF may need cleaning or a forced regeneration cycle if you do a regeneration cycle or clean the DPF do an Oil and Filter change as well As for the program ISTA/INPA will be the one to go for there is plenty of online help setting it up so no worries Dave

Morning Andrew Have you checked the O2 sensors ? While Carly is good it is nowhere near as acurate as BMW 1.4.0 or ISTA?INPA What exactly is the Aircon problem ? Does it work? When was it last checked ? Dave

Morning Roger Sorry to burst your bubble but no pressure release valve. The cooling system is a sealed system take a look at www.realoem.com either select your model or put the last7 digits of your Vin into the search box. Then search the relevant section, it will show you the parts and where they fit. My guess would be a hose or "O"ring split and low coolant level maybe a gasket (water pump or thermostat seal) If the system was full there would be signs of a leak somewhere (white residue) around or near the leak. Dave

Morning Mando Yes I thought there was a dipstick on your model not obvious hidden down the side of the engine. I just don't understand why manufacturers are so hell bent on making everything sensor driven when we know they will degrade/suffer/break given time while a dipstick ??? Hey Ho Dave

Just one word Kenny HERO Dave

Morning Andrew For your fault with the rear air flow adjustment Check the pop out the plugs and clean the contacts also check the earth feed. What does your Carly say ? Dave

Morning Mando On the brother inlaws 535d touring the onboard system adjusts it's self so you should be fine, always check with the dipstick though Dave

Morning Andrew The "Stratification Wheel" (BMW speak for air control wheel) you should have 2 on the dash and the rear ones are on the back of the arm rest between the front seats. Not all models had the rear seat vents (which will make them hard to find) Fingers crossed on the AUC sensor Dave

Morning Kevin Welcome John has said most of it above, History History is important plus make sure everything works as it should press every button and switch. If you get the "Easy Fix, only £20 on Ebay" for anything not working, ask yourself why ?? If it's that simple hasn't it been done? Obviously Dealer Purchase gives more protection but Private purchase can give great savings and more room to negotiate. Dave

Morning Dave Welcome to the Forum Your local BMW Dealer would be my first port of call for New I would also contact some of the BMW Specialist Breakers (I have used Quarry Motors with great success in the past) Dave