Need help figuring out hoses on back of engine
 

I did the smoke test on my 2001 X5 3.0 today and the valve cover is leaking in two places so I ordered a new gasket for that.

But there was also smoke coming from behind the engine between the intake and the firewall.

I put my cell phone back there and found this.

The two pictures showing a single grey hose are what I could put my finger on laying across the motor. I cant get to the other hose in the 3rd picture that's darker looking.

The light grey hose did not have vacuum on it with the motor running. The dark hose I cant tell if it has vacuum as I couldn't reach it.

Is something missing that goes between these two hoses?

Could it be for the air pump? The yellow hoses in this picture sure look to be in the right area.

I think I found it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiqUAF0zxCk

Go to this guys video at 11:23

It shows the hose I think. From what I can see there Im missing the check valve and the rest of the hose that goes back around to the manifold on the drivers side.

I will try to compare it to the wifes X5 when she gets home to see for sure.

Its a small diameter hose aka standard vacuum line size.

Using that diagram above the yellow hose part labeled 7 and the check valve labeled 6 is what I think Im missing.

Ok after studying my own pictures I thought I had the phone flipped around.

But pic 1 and 2 are the two ends not the same hose from different angles. Both are grey. All Im missing I think is the check valve that goes between those two hose ends.

Its throwing codes and runs rough when I first crank it. Smooths out pretty well after it runs for a bit.

I cant remember what codes its setting. I was just doing the smoke test today and didn't bother checking them at the time.

Wife should be pulling up any minute. Now Im curious to see what the camera shows shooting pics in the same spot on her x5.

I don't think it is 4 in the diagram. I just replaced mine. The oem version has rubber to the plastic midsection, back to rubber on the air valve bolted to the head. The joints between the rubber and plastic are small diameter and very, very snug, and the plastic midsection is about a foot long.

Well I just tried checking the wifes and it doesn't look anything like the other one.

Her's is a 2005 and the other one is a 2001. Both 3.0's but they did the plumbing different I guess. There isn't much of anything behind her x5's intake.

I guess the main thing tomorrow is to find out if the side I didn't check has vacuum on it or not. If it does I need to cap it for now and get the check valve ordered.

I think you had it as of post #8. Here is a pic from my 2001 3.0i when I had it apart last summer.
Attachment 75818

Thanks for the pic. I should be able to know for sure using that tomorrow.

If the other hose is connected besides those two capped out spots I will know for sure that's it and it should have vacuum on it.

That would definitely be a noticeable vacuum leak engine running wise :)

Well if nothing else I have to stop the vacuum leak via plugging the hose. Smoke came out from there when I did the smoke test.

Well I haven't got it plugged yet but I was able to find out that it is for sure the hoses in question and all that is missing is the plastic check valve.

For right now Im going to plug the hose that has vacuum on it.

Well that was fun.

I had port caps but nothing that would plug a hose. I needed a golf tee but I don't play golf anymore so no dice there.

I went to the parts store and they just stared at me like I was from another planet when I asked them for something to plug a hose. They kept trying to sell me the caps which I had.

I ended up buying a pack of the unions for joining two hoses. I went home and put one of my caps on one end of the union and the other in the hose that goes to the manifold.

I then cranked the car and presto instant 200 extra rpms at cold idle and smooth as silk.

I still need to change the valve cover gasket when it comes in but that one hose made a huge difference. The real test will be clearing the codes and driving it. I will get around to that tomorrow.

Glad it's getting fixed. Would a short bolt work well as a temporary plug?

Since the car is new to you, and I'm guessing you have not taken off the famous stiffening plate with its infamous bolts yet, you might want to look there for the missing check valve. Amazing sometimes what that plate can catch. First time I had that off on my car, I found the plastic cover for the positive battery jump port.

I was afraid the threads would allow a small vacuum leak. I thought of it though :)

This is my 3rd x5 but I haven't had the plate off this one yet. It might be in there.

Im afraid to tinker with it on the air pump part if it isn't setting a code. If it runs fine after this and doesn't set any codes I will leave the plug on it and forget about it.

I still need to change the valve cover gasket when that gets here though.