No good deed goes unpunished by the X5 gods.

Big box showed up from FCP yesterday evening. For anyone needing a fuel sending unit (left side of gas tank, PN: 16116762044), FCP has the OE BMW part on a crazy clearance right now. Normally $404, on clearance for $159. I’ve never replaced mine, nor had problems for that matter, but based on my reading here I understand it to be just a matter of time. I was planning on implementing Andrewwynn’s fix, but this sale was too good to pass up for a lazy guy like me.

I also grabbed an oil level sensor that I’ll event need for my 4.4 motor build. The OE version was also on a huge clearance, but doesn’t seem to be on that list any longer.

So been fighting cat efficiency codes and a fuel trim issue.
was able to pick up a delphi pump from Rock on closeout for $70 and since the X5 has 225,000 miles, might as well along with finally putting the fuel filter in that has been on the shelf for about 4yrs. No luck

I scoped the front of the cats and they were clogged, not melted. Pulled both banks even though it was just bank 2 giving me problems. Bank 2 looked a lot worse than 1, but not good. Thought I would give them a bath in citric and oxyilic acid as people have reported works... It cleaned them up some but still had this granular build up. seemed to be the high temp packing they surround the ceramic with, and on the 3.0L cats, no way to really get at it.

I was not about to waste money on used cats or new, was going to go down the road of punching them out and deal with the CEL/smell. Then I found some really cheap new cats on ebay, $160 to my door :O they are stainless, free returns and 5yr warranty, so why not. well worth it if no stink and dealing with O2 eliminators/diode packs for the CEL

They are pretty nice, welds in the ports are pretty big, but then again the port in the head is way smaller than the gasket so its probably costing me near zero in performance. Welds look good, its really stainless, lower grade ferrous grade though. They bolted right up, fit perfect so there is that too.

I have been driving it off and on for 2 weeks and no codes and fuel trims are ok so I think they are a good option. you wont find them using the BMW part # though, just use X5 catalyist and they will show up.

In other news, a while back I asked about the new DHC brand FCP was carrying called SunNation. They seem to be fine for $45.
Looks a bit beefier in a few places and has a stop on one end of the pivot rod to prevent it from walking out like mine did.

I did that last fall (disconnected battery for 30min). It went away for quite awhile but it's been back for a month or so.

My Ancel scanner can read that kind of data but I have no idea what I'm looking at. But I think I can reset adaptations with it, so I'll try that again.

What did you do to / for your E[emoji2[emoji2391]9[emoji2391]][emoji2391] today??
 

Look for oxygen sensor; graph is best. That can give you similar info as fuel trim will.

Woohoo. After 5-6 years I finally solved my PDC error. Frayed wire between rear bumper sensor and the first connector inside trunk. Splice new wire piece in and clean up all other wires and a massive tape job to help insulate the wires again and even put wire loom over it to be safe and secured wires better. Also fixed broken bumper guides so bumper fits perfectly again (after installing new factory hitch about 8 years ago and perhaps not putting rear bumper on the guides properly).


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Here's what I was able to pull using the Ancel:

Oxygen - sensor controller, bank 1 0.97
Oxygen - sensor controller. bank 2 0.89

Signal. oxygen sensor. bank 1. before cat.[v] 0.68
Signal, oxygen sensor. bank 1, after cat.[v] 0.75

Signal, oxygen sensor. bank 2, before cat.[v] 0.12
Signal, oxygen sensor. bank 2. after cat.[v] 0.73

Adaptation. mixture. additive. bank 1[ms] -0.04
Adaptation, mixture. additive. bank 2[ms] -0.04

Adaptation. mixture. bank 1. multiplicative[%] -0.00
Adaptation, mixture. bank 2. multiplicative[%] -0.00

No idea what this all means. Same trim code popped up again today after reset of adaptations using the Ancel. I'm probably pulling the battery next, as I need to disconnect the driver's door airbag to replace the mostly-missing vapor barrier and that always freaks me out a little.

Which BTW I got an email this morning that a 2003 E53 was put out on the rims at the local pick-yer-part yesterday. Looked like it'd been sitting for a long time, there were a lot of old parts thrown inside, BUT it had by some miracle what looked like a virgin driver's door card that had never been off, and an intact vapor barrier. So I got that, all four window switches that look a little dirty, and a grill to replace the loose one in the snout.

Disconnected battery for 30min to see if that would help with fuel trims. Got a SES shortly after, same damn thing. Grrr!

Cleared codes, drove about 70mi today and so far it has not come back. Engine seems to run a little smoother.

Is there an easier way to disconnect the battery besides hoisting the spare out and removing the... hat? Because that is a huge pain in the ass, and my back.

Oh and replaced the one kidney grill that was rattling around with the junkyard one I yoinked last weekend.

You can do it at the fuseable link box fwd of the spare on the left front of the trunk, under the floor. The power cable from the battery runs directly from the battery to it, and can be taken off without taking the compressor assembly off.

I got home from a trip to find my new “click” style Gear Wrench torque wrench waiting for me. I have a digital, which although fine when working, always needs new batteries when I dig it out. Doesn’t matter if it’s been a week or a month between uses, they are dead. The new one was on a crazy sale so I grabbed it. 50 to 250 or 300 ft lbs. it also has a 15 degree one axis swivel head.

No kidding. Mine has been down for four weeks now. Replaced a leaking oil cooler coolant seal. Used new seals and cooler. Now, the lower transmission oil line won't hold at WOT. :( Trying one more time to click it on good. Next option, replace the entire line. :confused:

Salty B,
Graph the voltages.
Go here to the 26:00 minute mark. See the front O2 sensors graph up and down. The rear o2 sensors have more steady voltage reading.