M57 3.0d - oil everywhere and lots of white smoke

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by AUSBMX

Yeah good call on the coolant flange, is the Meyle flange okay? https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Or you recommend actually buying through BMW instead?

Get the original. It's not expensive.

https://www.hubauer-shop.de/en/conne...127806196.html

[AUSBMX]

Originally Posted by Clavurion

Get the original. It's not expensive.

https://www.hubauer-shop.de/en/conne...127806196.html

Thanks - I bought the one you recommended.

Another positive note, I checked the turbo compressor turbine, and seems to be no axial play and spins nicely.

I've currently got a bunch of penetrating oil sitting on the injectors, so hopefully they're not too stubburn to remove once I get back from Germany - with my suitcase full of car parts!

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by AUSBMX

I've currently got a bunch of penetrating oil sitting on the injectors, so hopefully they're not too stubburn to remove once I get back from Germany - with my suitcase full of car parts!

When removing injectors first run the engine warm. Then loosen one injector clamp nuts a few rounds and start engine untill the injector pops a bit and starts to blow by. Retighten the nuts and do the same on other injectors. After that start removing the intake manifold etc. The injectors will likely come out by hand.

If you want to do it well you also remove all glow plugs and blow compressed air into cylinder you are lifting injector out. That way no debris ends down in the cylinder. If you do this you could also renew the glow plugs (Beru GE102). (And the glow module Beru GSE102).

By the way do you have new copper washers for injectors?

[AUSBMX]

Originally Posted by Clavurion

When removing injectors first run the engine warm. Then loosen one injector clamp nuts a few rounds and start engine untill the injector pops a bit and starts to blow by. Retighten the nuts and do the same on other injectors. After that start removing the intake manifold etc. The injectors will likely come out by hand.

If you want to do it well you also remove all glow plugs and blow compressed air into cylinder you are lifting injector out. That way no debris ends down in the cylinder. If you do this you could also renew the glow plugs (Beru GE102). (And the glow module Beru GSE102).

By the way do you have new copper washers for injectors?

Good tip. I was hoping to leave the glow plugs from hearing too many stories of people snapping them, they have been dead since I have owned the vehicle. Not sure of the risk vs. reward on that one - what do you think?

No new copper washers, I'm not sure if I'm recalling correctly, but I think I read somewhere that each of the copper washers is a particular thickness matched to each injector? Happy to purchase if you think it would be a good idea - any suggestion on where to get them? I had a look on realoem but can't seem to find them.

[wpoll]

The glow plugs aren't hard to remove if the engine is warmed first (like the injectors).

I used a small torque wrench, set to a bit more than the tightening torque (when removing them) to avoid using too much force (and snapping them off!).

It's worth sorting them while you are in there. They assist the engine with clean running, not just on cold starts. And as Clavurion said, replace the glow plug controller too - they are often the main cause of glow plug faults on the M57N engine.

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by AUSBMX

Good tip. I was hoping to leave the glow plugs from hearing too many stories of people snapping them, they have been dead since I have owned the vehicle. Not sure of the risk vs. reward on that one - what do you think?

No new copper washers, I'm not sure if I'm recalling correctly, but I think I read somewhere that each of the copper washers is a particular thickness matched to each injector? Happy to purchase if you think it would be a good idea - any suggestion on where to get them? I had a look on realoem but can't seem to find them.

If you warm up the engine properly before removing the glow plugs there shouldn't be problems. And like wpoll suggested if possible use torque wrench and don't go above shear torque (35 Nm).

Those injector copper washers should always be replaced when injector is removed. Nr. 11

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=13_1150

[AUSBMX]

Originally Posted by wpoll

The glow plugs aren't hard to remove if the engine is warmed first (like the injectors).

I used a small torque wrench, set to a bit more than the tightening torque (when removing them) to avoid using too much force (and snapping them off!).

It's worth sorting them while you are in there. They assist the engine with clean running, not just on cold starts. And as Clavurion said, replace the glow plug controller too - they are often the main cause of glow plug faults on the M57N engine.

Originally Posted by Clavurion

If you warm up the engine properly before removing the glow plugs there shouldn't be problems. And like wpoll suggested if possible use torque wrench and don't go above shear torque (35 Nm).

Those injector copper washers should always be replaced when injector is removed. Nr. 11

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=13_1150

Appreciate the input guys, and great idea setting the torque wrench to just below failure torque.

Bought the injector copper washers. Any tips on fishing them out if they don't come out with the injector?

As for the glowplugs and controller - I cannot seem to find an an actual Beru GSE102 controller for a reasonable price in either Germany or Australia (300+ EUR), a few aftermarket options however.

I'm still on the fence if it's worth fixing the glowplugs, it's very rarely below 10C here, and I'd imagine the energy input from the glowplugs once the engine has started is minimal compared to combustion. It's never taken more than maybe 1 second of cranking to start. Admittedly I have started the vehicle in slightly below 0C conditions when skiing in the mountains, and it did run slightly rough for about 5 seconds, which is I guess to be expected. There is no DPF on this model to be worried about either.

Interested to hear of any negative thing I'm missing as a consequence of non-functioning glowplugs?

I'll try to summarise my thoughts, note this is a relatively mild climate. Melbourne, Australia.
1. Marginally longer cranking times -> Possible extra wear on starter + battery, however cost is same order as new starter and battery.
2. Worse emissions during first few minutes of running. -> Don't think this is much of an issue due to no EGR or DPF?
3. Possible no start if below -5C? -> This is probably the only thing that I think could warrant me fixing them, however quite an unlikely scenario I think where I live.

On the topic of temperatures, compared to the E53 M57, the E83 M57 seems to take quite a bit longer to get up to temperature (80+), approx 20 min of driving vs. 10 min (ambient temp dependant of course). Both have new thermostats, I actually replaced the E83 twice as it was bothering me. The only real physical achitecture difference is, the E53 does not have the EGR cooler.

E53: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_2976
E83: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3878

Does the EGR cooler pipework bypass the thermostat? Parts 7 & 6 in above link. If so, I think this is likely the cause of the longer heat up time, particularly so because I have blanked off the EGR just before it enters the EGR cooler, so the exhaust gas is not adding energy into the cooling circuit anymore. Is it possible to simply blank off the ports from Part 7 where it exits the waterpump, and the part 6 <-> part 1 connection?

Thanks!

[wpoll]

Only you can decide on the cost/benefit ratio in terms of replacing the glow plugs and controller.

As mentioned, the glow plugs are used for more than just cold starts - they are also activated when the engine is under light loads, to maintain cylinder temperatures. This helps the engine run cleaner and smoother. It's also important for emissions.

Several owners have commented about smoother running after glow plug changes. Can't say I noticed an improvement, but it was running pretty well when I changed them (while changing the split SS exhaust manifold).

I had four glow plugs being reported as "open" but in fact all six were fine - however the controller had four open outputs.

I was lucky and got the Beru GSE102 controller and six (Bosch) glow plugs for around NZD$250 landed here in NZ (2018 or so, from memory). It was sold as a kit. Can't find a deal like that now...

[AUSBMX]

Originally Posted by wpoll

Only you can decide on the cost/benefit ratio in terms of replacing the glow plugs and controller.

As mentioned, the glow plugs are used for more than just cold starts - they are also activated when the engine is under light loads, to maintain cylinder temperatures. This helps the engine run cleaner and smoother. It's also important for emissions.

Several owners have commented about smoother running after glow plug changes. Can't say I noticed an improvement, but it was running pretty well when I changed them (while changing the split SS exhaust manifold).

I had four glow plugs being reported as "open" but in fact all six were fine - however the controller had four open outputs.

I was lucky and got the Beru GSE102 controller and six (Bosch) glow plugs for around NZD$250 landed here in NZ (2018 or so, from memory). It was sold as a kit. Can't find a deal like that now...

That is a good deal. Best I've found is with a Hitachi controller and the Beru glow plugs (and some new Elring intake seals, probably better than the sketchy ebay ones I got with the swirlflap blanks I installed a few years ago): https://www.ebay.de/itm/383815398657...item595d2e3501

[AUSBMX]

I'm back! I replaced the Valve Cover Gasket today, and it was definitely well overdue, I really had to pry out individual pieces on the central section around the injectors and intake ports - it was like hard plastic.

The injectors came out relatively easily - I used the technique suggested, while running the car at idle, loosen off the 2x 8mm clamping nuts on the injectors a turn and listen for the engine sound to change once the seal on the injector is broken from combustion pressure, then retighten and move onto the next injector. I still needed an injector slide hammer as I couldn't just pull them straight out afterwards by hand (maybe if I loosened while running more than just a turn...), however they only needed very slight slide hammering. All of the copper washers remained at the bottom of the injector port unfortunately, however they were relatively easily picked up using a long pick to rotate them 90 degrees, then either using double sided tape on a screwdriver, or a grabby claw thing pulled up.

I cleaned up the injector mating/sealing surface on the head using a bit of scotch brite hot glued to the end of a socket extension, then vacuumed and then blew out with compressed air, so hopefully seals well with the new copper washers.

Only stumbling point was when replacing the coolant flange on the cylinder head (under the intake), the smaller outlet actually broke off inside the coolant hose going to the auxillary heater, I managed to eventually get it out of the coolant hose (after heat gun + penetrating oil). However I think I'm going to replace that coolant hose too, as I pulled out the o-ring to check it's condition and it's not in the best state. I actually thought I'd replace it with spare o-rings I have, but it's a different size to the ones from the main radiator tubes (I bought a 10 pack of the big ones, and small ones). And of course it's not a standard size for any of the big o-ring kits I have.

For anyone reading this and planning to do the same in the future, I'd suggest also getting the coolant hose that is part 3 (pn 64213400407) here:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=64_1404

That's obviously for the x3 (what I'm working on), however I think the equivalent for the x5 is part 12 (pn 64218381224) here:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=64_1413

I also replaced all the charge air pipes, turbo <-> intercooler and intercooler <-> intake manifold. They really needed some pushing to click in, but got there in the end using some vice grips on parts of the chassis and levering with a small pry bar.

Doesn't look like ebay or any aftermarket retailers stock that coolant hose I need, so I'll call BMW in the morning and see if they have stock. Does anyone happen to know the o-ring size or part number for it indiviudually?