HELP!

[Rambam]

Hi Fellow Fanatics.

Would appreciate for advice here before taking my car in. About 4 days ago my E46 320i started puffing huge plumes of grey/black smoke when starting up, it then went away after driving for a couple of 100 meters. Now it is doing more regularly, even while I am driving. I find that it only really happens when starting the car or when free wheeling while in gear and then accelerating again. As soon as I do this it misses a little and massive clouds of dark smoke come from the exhaust. Again this burns off after about 1km and the miss goes away as well as the smoke.

This is obviously un-burnt oil coming from somewhere, I am thinking either valve stem seals, possibly rings (but then it would happen all the time) or perhaps a crank position sensor or one of the cam shaft position sensors.

Has anyone else had something similar? She doesn't appear to be using much oil.

Thanks!

 

[danieljames]

Uhmmm.... rings would smoke continuously...but I think that could be valve stem seals sir. Please don't quote me on this. Maybe a mechie on the forum can give u better advice

 

[Charlie Brown]

Valve stem seals, but smoke is more typically white / blue.

 

[Lloyd09]

Could very well be your valve stem seals. I had a similar issue abt 3 years ago, the guys at budler motorsport had that fixed for me. Hasnt smoked ever since.

Mine used to puff out abit of smoke if the car was idling for a few seconds. after driving of the smoke stopped.

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Valve stem seals, but smoke is more typically white / blue.

Yip. mine was whit/blue.

Come to think of it, could it be a leaking injector?
He says it only happens on start up. im thinking it could be excess fuel thats burning as the car has been sitting for a few hours.... just saying.

 

[danieljames]

Could very well be your valve stem seals. I had a similar issue abt 3 years ago, the guys at budler motorsport had that fixed for me. Hasnt smoked ever since.

Mine used to puff out abit of smoke if the car was idling for a few seconds. after driving of the smoke stopped.

---

Valve stem seals, but smoke is more typically white / blue.

Yip. mine was whit/blue.

Come to think of it, could it be a leaking injector?
He says it only happens on start up. im thinking it could be excess fuel thats burning as the car has been sitting for a few hours.... just saying.

---

Sounds very plausible aswell. How's your oil consumption?

 

[Rambam]

Could very well be your valve stem seals. I had a similar issue abt 3 years ago, the guys at budler motorsport had that fixed for me. Hasnt smoked ever since.

Mine used to puff out abit of smoke if the car was idling for a few seconds. after driving of the smoke stopped.

---

Valve stem seals, but smoke is more typically white / blue.

Yip. mine was whit/blue.

Come to think of it, could it be a leaking injector?
He says it only happens on start up. im thinking it could be excess fuel thats burning as the car has been sitting for a few hours.... just saying.

---

Sounds very plausible aswell. How's your oil consumption?

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Thanks for the input so far guys. I just popped up to the local garage to check it out. Topped up the oil with some expensive synthetic stuff and all I did was fiddle with the vacuum pipes near the MAF and reconnect the MAF itself and now the car seems to be behaving normally. I haven't driven far, say 10 km now, but so far no symptoms. She is purring again.

Is it possible for the MAF to cause this at all?

 

[Lloyd09]

:clapper: Excellent. lets hope that fixed the problem.

I knw that if you have a cracked or leaking pipe connected to the oil separator(ccv) that can cause some smoke. maybe you found the pipe causing the problem. Crossing fingers for you man.

 

[Rodney///Marsh]

oooooh ok.. I could be wrong but it may have been that there was no contact on the MAF or something of the sort and the ecu was over compensating for something missing.. more fuel and so on..

then again.. I could be wrong.

 

[Rambam]

Doesn't seem to have solved the problem at all. I've tinkered around and re-seated a couple of things but I suspect its an internal problem. Even more grey/blue smoke now when starting and accelerating after decelerating. Have booked it in at my local specialist for a diagnosis on Wednesday. He said its unlikely that its valve stems seals as its the M54B22 engine, not sure why valve stems seals would not be an issue on this particular engine. Anyway, updates will follow, holding thumbs.

 

[danieljames]

Goodluck.

 

[Lloyd09]

Sorry to hear that man. I would think it is the valve stem steals as I experienced the same symptoms as you. My advise to you would be to get a second diagnosis from a different specialist before opening your wallet.

You would'nt believe what crazy diagnosis i've got from some local mechanic's around JHB not to mention the ball cracking quotes they give me.

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O and keep us posted on what their diagnosis is.

 

[Pho3niX90]

Afaik black smoke means over fueling, oil being burned means it would be a blueish smoke and water would be white smoke.

How's the fuel consumption? Might be maf or a oxygen sensor

 

[KrS24]

I had a similar prob on my E90 320i. It was a breater pipe that needed to be changed.

 

[Rambam]

Car is back at the mechanic today, looks like the oil separator and associated pipes need replacing. Apparently there is also loads of sludge and carbon build up that will needs to be cleaned out. That and a service comes close to 9k, hope to get it back purring!

 

[bimmer330]

Yep
It feels like a breathing problem.