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  #21  
Old 06-10-2021, 12:33 PM
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More info that might help

I was thinking it might be a broken wire in harness is why I checked with noid light. But maybe more info a about the moment misfire started and some backstory. The car always had quite a bit of blow by out of oil filler hole but ran pretty good. I filled up an almost empty tank with gas, and was on the freeway for about 30 miles at about 70 miles when I felt a miss. Then in about a half mile later another and I was sure something was, so exited freeway and at red light was loping bad. I made it to work and took a chance on plugs ans coils in hopes that was it and could get back home. Problem still there but made it back. One other thing is that serpentine belt went out on freeway about 2000 miles earlier and I got the overheat light. I had just pulled off when the light came on. I let it cool down then drove about 5 min to autoparts and changed belt in parking lot. About 2 tablespoons of coolant had o overflowed around cap. It seemed fine after that but maybe the heat damaged something that just took a while to show up. Like bent or burnt valve. Maybe unrelated. The other thing is the first time I cleared to codes it had some pep and was feeling zippy or pretty good until the moment the check engine light on, so much so that my girlfriend thought I had fixed it. The moment check engine light came on it started crapping out again. I dont know if any of this is relevant. I'm starting to just lose my mind with frustration.
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  #22  
Old 06-10-2021, 12:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Briansbummerbmw View Post
I was thinking it might be a broken wire in harness is why I checked with noid light. But maybe more info a about the moment misfire started and some backstory. The car always had quite a bit of blow by out of oil filler hole but ran pretty good. I filled up an almost empty tank with gas, and was on the freeway for about 30 miles at about 70 miles when I felt a miss. Then in about a half mile later another and I was sure something was, so exited freeway and at red light was loping bad. I made it to work and took a chance on plugs ans coils in hopes that was it and could get back home. Problem still there but made it back. One other thing is that serpentine belt went out on freeway about 2000 miles earlier and I got the overheat light. I had just pulled off when the light came on. I let it cool down then drove about 5 min to autoparts and changed belt in parking lot. About 2 tablespoons of coolant had o overflowed around cap. It seemed fine after that but maybe the heat damaged something that just took a while to show up. Like bent or burnt valve. Maybe unrelated. The other thing is the first time I cleared to codes it had some pep and was feeling zippy or pretty good until the moment the check engine light on, so much so that my girlfriend thought I had fixed it. The moment check engine light came on it started crapping out again. I dont know if any of this is relevant. I'm starting to just lose my mind with frustration.
Check engine light came on most likely due to misfire (count on the DME). When that happens the DME shut down the injector to the cylinder that the misfire was detected on. With the injector shut down, you lose that cylinder that is why you don't have zip. Normally shutting down the engine will reset the misfire counter and the DME will fire the injector again until that magical misfire count is reached. As for the overheating, you most likely warp the engine head and now you have a damaged head gasket. That could be the source of the low cylinder compression.

Do a leak down test to determine if you have a cylinder leak.
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  #23  
Old 06-10-2021, 01:25 PM
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That makes sense. I was thinking it computer shut off signal to coil, but I get now that it would be the injector so it wouldn't be moving fuel through dead cylinder. I wonder how much other stuff I don't know that I don't know. Actually I have learned quite a bit in last couple weeks. Would it shut down over low compression and if so How does it know? The crankshaft sensor?
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  #24  
Old 06-10-2021, 01:26 PM
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I'll see if I can figure out how to perform a leak down test.

Last edited by Briansbummerbmw; 06-10-2021 at 01:34 PM.
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  #25  
Old 06-10-2021, 02:37 PM
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It will shutdown under low compression because that cylinder is weaker than a good cylinder, hence a misfire is recorded. The crank revolution is known to the computer as rpm. The computer can detect a drop in rpm from a weak cylinder.
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  #26  
Old 06-10-2021, 02:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Briansbummerbmw View Post
I'll see if I can figure out how to perform a leak down test.
You tube is your friend. Some auto parts stores may loan you the tool to perform a leak down.
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  #27  
Old 06-10-2021, 03:23 PM
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Put a few squirts of oil into the cylinder and do compression test again, If it goes up (will probably be almost normal) it's stuck rings.

BTW -INPA will give you a live power balance on each cylinder.
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  #28  
Old 06-10-2021, 09:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 80stech View Post
Put a few squirts of oil into the cylinder and do compression test again, If it goes up (will probably be almost normal) it's stuck rings.

BTW -INPA will give you a live power balance on each cylinder.
Even a cylinder with good rings will go up in compression if you squirt oil into the cylinder.
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  #29  
Old 06-11-2021, 02:31 AM
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I was contemplating just taking off the head and having a look. I dont have much to lose. I couldn't get much more than scrap price with the shape it's in. Maybe the cat converters are worth something. But with that many miles something in the bottom end might go next so it might be better to give up. So I put seafoam in the 2 misfire cylinders and let it soak all day. Turned it over a bit to spit it out then put plugs back in, hooked up everything and cranked her up and sputtered around the block. No improvement.. Just blowing smoke. In the morning I'm going to check the compression in the other cylinders I'm really curious. The next thing on plan is the leak down test, or maybe first (If I am understanding correctly) I'll put a bit of oil in the cylinder and if the compression rises significantly that would mean the problem is more likely the rings and not the valves or head gasket. That would be the end of the road. Maybe a used motor is an option. Well tomorrow is a new day.
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  #30  
Old 06-11-2021, 08:03 AM
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If the rest of the X5 is worth keeping, an engine replacement or a head gasket job is not too bad.

While I have seen ring and piston failure, a problem with your valves is more common. A leakdown test and/or a borescope might confirm this.
If your problems are just in the head, don't worry about miles on engine. These engines are good for well over 400k miles. My daily driver is an '03 530i w/411k miles.

In most cases involving an M54 engine, I prefer a used engine replacement to a head gasket job, but in a 6 cyl X5, you have really good access to everything, so I prefer a head gasket, which I have done twice.. The car stays on its wheels the whole time.

other tips:
lift head with exhaust manifold attached - use a hoist
plan on time-serting block (which I do even if it did not overheat)
use the slightly thicker 1.0mm gasket
replace coolant pipes and OFHG with intake off.
new CCV

I am not necessarily suggesting you do this yourself, but go have a conversations with a non-dealer BMW specialist in your area about a head gasket. I would strongly suggest you find somebody who has done an M54 head gasket before.

Last edited by Effduration; 06-11-2021 at 08:09 AM.
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