BMW 318Ti E46 help needed

[Freak1]

Good Day Gents,

I'm new to the Forum and just wanted to know where do start a new Thread or post?

Nonetheless i have a BMW 318Ti E46 2003 N42 Motor. Recently took out the motor to check the cylinder head gasket and other things. Cyliner head gasket was shot had the motor reassembled and put back in the car. Had the timing set and everything but i put in the wrong oil. I thus replaced the oil with Castrol Edge Sport fully synthetic.

At the moment if i'm pulling through my revs it kinda feels smothered at 400rpm's and it feels as though the timing i going out. Idling rough and sometimes feels like theres a air pocket because your foot can be planted but there's no power and then suddenly it just appears and takes off again.

What can be done want to get it into tip top shape.

 

[P1000]

Nonetheless i have a BMW 318Ti E46 2003 N42 Motor. Recently took out the motor to check the cylinder head gasket and other things. Cyliner head gasket was shot had the motor reassembled and put back in the car. Had the timing set and everything but i put in the wrong oil. I thus replaced the oil with Castrol Edge Sport fully synthetic.

That is still far from the correct oil, and also only "fools"-synthetic, not a true synth...

---

Further, have your codes read, the timing should show up as a problem.

Mods, please split this into a new thread.

 

[Nic_s]

Done

 

[Freak1]

Thanks Nic,

Hi P1000 what oil should i use then?
Will be putting the car on the PC this weekend andcheck the codes and timing chain.

 

[Freak1]

Checked out the car last night and saw that i have a dead coil on Cylinder 2 on my car thats why it had a miss.

Checked the plugs and all look good. Spoke to my mechanic last night his gna organise me a coil for R150 going to pick it up this afternoon and install it so the car should be firing on all for cylinders and have no drag problems.

With the dead coil the car was burning rich and struggling to push the rev's after awhile. Replacing the coil today car should be running 100%.:idea:

 

[P1000]

:thumbs:

It would seem that freak did use the correct Castrol Edge 5w40 oil (which is not Castrol Edge Sport 10W60).

 

[Die_Miek]

you should be using castrol slx 5w30, LL01 spec.

 

[Don86]

Hey Freak1, Glad you found the problem mate :woot:

 

[zaleonardz]

I hope you fix this dude. I have a spare set of coils here if you just want to test.

I have similar issues with mine, although it appears to running well other then a deadness at 400 to 2000rpm in first gear.

i can write a list longer then your arm of the shit that i have tried, but I have to say that I dispise BMW for this motor..

Even though the N46 is bolt for bolt the same as the N42, the electronics, and the combination of both VVT and Vanos as an experiment means that your life is going to suck if something goes wrong.

Let me know, Im very keen on what you find, any error codes ?

 

[Freak1]

Na the only problem i had so far with the car was that the cylinder head gasket was blown to hells and gone. Replaced that , redone the timing, checked the bearing for a bearing knock, did a complete diagnostic test and recalibrated everything from the DME to the Key. Cleared all faults and everything.

Only problem was the dead coil but that i replaced yesterday and no more faults stored. Took the battery off for 30mins restarted the car so that it could reload the settings and the did the test and it came out clean besides for the ambient sensor......which is no biggie since its the outside sensor.:nonono:

Thus far the car is not too bad and i hope nothing else happens.:rollsmile:

But i have a mechanic that i normally take it to for servicing and stuff which helps............

Is the Motor that bad?

 

[zaleonardz]

No its not....

Its a lovely motor, I say with a sigh, its a lovely car actually..

I have just had an issue with mine that annoys the crap out of me, and I have spent days and days trying things with a mate of mine that works for BMW, and I cant get it sorted.

Here is my issue, between 500 and 2000 rpm, I have a flat spot in first, which is dangerous, and as it is my wifes car, Im contemplating selling it, as it could cause her her life.

I have to date replaced the following
Coils
Plugs
VVT motor
VVT sensor
VVT computer

Both Cam sensors, crank sensor, MAF
Both Vanos solenoids
Throttle body
Fuel pressure is exactly at 3.5 bar at the rail.

Have not done the MAP sensor yet, nor done O2 sensors yet, but the fuel consumption is pegged at 9.5 to 10 which is acceptable..

Not a single error on DIS, not ever. This excludes the other normal maint items i have done.

The body on the car is virtually immaculate, the interior is perfect, and apart from this issue, its exactly what i wanted for my wife, but alas I cannot figure it out,

Im not going to start swapping out DME's and wiring harnesses and stuff on the car... I refuse.

So in short, they are actually really really nice, when they are working... when they break, your life sucks the balls of several furry animals...

 

[Nick]

My 318Ti also ( very rearly ) get the shivers between 500 and 2000rpm... only happened twice and 3 months.

It can be very scary if you take a gap and bugga all happens when you put your foot down.

Now i kick the rpm's over 2000 and then pull off , seems to have never happened again.

 

[zaleonardz]

And there are so many people with this issue, and nobody has an answer....

 

[P1000]

Try to swap the MAP sensor? Possibly it could also be the TPS, I believe you should be able to read the analog value out in INPA, so check if it is nice and smooth.

 

[Freak1]

Will ask my Mechanic to find out if it can be solved or just do what P1000 suggested and investigate the MAP Snesor....

 

[Legacy]

The solution is very easy, always keep the car over 3000rpm :biglol:

 

[zaleonardz]

oh my shattered shatter bits....

That clutch is not going to last...

 

[Freak1]

Thanks for the words of wisdom guys....since then i've replaced 3 coils and guess what the power is still gone it comes and goes again......but i've spoken to a Mechanic at BMW SMG Canal Walk and i'm going to buy 6 Cylinder Coils for the car as they says its a better coil hopefully it lasts longer.....they only going for R400 at Bruce BMW.

Isnt there a way one can reprogram the electronics systems so that the flat spot is minimized?

 

[Iceman007]

Thanks for the words of wisdom guys....since then i've replaced 3 coils and guess what the power is still gone it comes and goes again......but i've spoken to a Mechanic at BMW SMG Canal Walk and i'm going to buy 6 Cylinder Coils for the car as they says its a better coil hopefully it lasts longer.....they only going for R400 at Bruce BMW.

Isnt there a way one can reprogram the electronics systems so that the flat spot is minimized?

MM that flat spot sounds like the valve tronic motor has a problem or the gear on the cams needs to be machined

 

[Diablo Jnr]

I have spoken to BMW mechanics about the lack of power and then the sudden rush of power low down...they all say its normal. When these motors were released in the E46's, people would bring them in complaingin that there was something wrong with the motor and BMW would send then on their way, claiming there is nothing wrong with the motor.