valve stem seals
 

2004 X5 4.4i 91,000m

After idling for 5 min or more my car will let out a huge cloud of smoke. The dealer says my valve stem seals are shot and there’s no sure way to guarantee the repair will fix my problem as it could possibly be a bad block as well. I have to add oil every 2 weeks or so. My question is, can I continue driving it like this or will the engine just seize up on me one day? I really don't want to pay to have it fixed as I was told it can be $7k and up repair bill. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My car has been smoking for over a year now. Got the diagnosis from dealer of stem seals. My car is fine. No loss of power or response, just occasional smoke and embarrassment.
It's pretty frustrating that they can't even be certain of how to repair these issues. My dealer didn't even want discuss it with me as though it was taboo. They probably just dont want to do risky repairs:dunno:

So I'm just gonna keep topping up the oil till I find out some new info. Oh and my car is practically identical to yours on make and mileage. I wonder whether its an inherent fault of the year of manufacture?

Thanks for the info. I feel the same way. I almost thought I wrote your post LOL. I hate the embarrasment. I work in NYC and every one just can't stop looking at my car when it smokes. I read in another forum that liquimoly motor oil saver can stop the smoking for a while and works well. I think I will have to research that better before I try it.

Haha, comforting to know I'm not alone. I have never been to NYC but I imagine the traffic would really get your X smoking. I have used a seal rejuvenator oil additive like liquimoly. I used an Australian brand, Nulon. It worked for 1-2k kms and then the smoke returned. To my knowledge you can only add one treatment per oil drain, so I'm waiting till the next to try Liquimoly

Yes the trafiic is a nightmare and gives me anxiety to know that I am going to polute the whole street. I tell my wife we look like exterminators when we drive by. Ah ha, so you still get oil changes? I am technically due for an oil change soon but, I second guess getting one as I am constantly pouring in new oil myself. Do I really need to change the oil? I am racing to the store to buy liquimoly.

Exterminators, that's a funny one. Well you still have to change the oil filter and drain out the oil in the process so I suppose you can see what the oil looks like and take it from there? I hope the liquimoly works better than the Nulon:popcorn:

Once upon a time a dealer told someone the same story so someone had a new bmw engine fitted after spending fortunes trying other ways to cure the problem .
The new bmw engine made no difference whatsoever so someone got a bit pissed off at the dealer and eventually figured out the real problem was the crankcase ventilation system diaphragm had burst causing the intake system to suck lots of oil at idle filling the intake manifold .
You can test for diaphragm failure easily by removing the dipstick or oil filler cap to feel for excessive vacuum . This link will demonstrate .
How to change a dead OSV on a BMW E38 7 Series with an M62 V8 4.4L engine. - YouTube

Thanks Amacman, that video as entertaining as it was informative. I was unaware the CCV when bad could cause smoke after idle?

Call me faint hearted but I'm a tad bit uncomfortable running the engine without the oil stick or cap, but I will do it anyway.

I hope my smoking problem is the CCV because it seems this would be cheaper than other repairs. I'm not that sure about it being CCV because my car started smoking only 40 k kms after the PCV valve was replaced on both sides of the engine. And the winters in Melbourne are not that cold. I assume PCV is the same as CCV in my instance? This was how it was named on the invoice.

Any info or advice would be appreciated

cheers

I prayed and prayed that this was my problem, but it was not. I have no excess suction when the dipstick is out and the engine is running.

Update: Today I took my x5 to an indy who does prestige cars and has a bit of experience with X5s. He used to own an 4.8is himself but sold it due to all the probs he was having. Yeah reassuring I know.

Anyway he diagnosed my smoking and oil consumption as VSS also :( So naturally I'm pretty bummed out. I know that I will be returning to the Japanese manufacturing base for good. Unfortunately for me I'm not mechanically inclined and even if I was I still don't think I'd buy another car like this.

So my situation is repair and keep for a while longer or sell/ trade up. Thing is I'm an honest person and I wouldn't do it without disclosing the problem. Will anyone even accept the car with this kind of problem? And the worry for me is even if I do repair the car I've heard of some valve stem seal repairs that don't do the job and how long till another multiple thousand dollar repair springs up, air suspension, cooling system the water pipe thing in N62s that are prone to breaking, T-case etc.

Anyway sorry for the long winded post just not in the greatest place and its a bit of a dillema:dunno:

Sucks. Sorry to hear that. What did they quote you for the repair?? I took my car to the dealer and they ran the car thought the ringer. Leak down test and all. After they told me the problem they pretty much said they can't promise it will fix the problem and that I may have to rebuild the engine. I am now driving the car around like that, white plum of smoke after any long light or traffic jam. I refuse to fix it but, now when it's really cold out, the car starts harder than a diesel engine. For now I stopped driving the car. I really don't know what the heck to do. Still owe 10 grand on the car. What a shame and loss for me. Guys on this site say it won't get worst but, I don't feel like that when I'm in the car. Feel like its gonna die anyday.

What they quote you for the repair?

Oh and by the way, nobody will take the car like that in terms of trading it in. If you tell them that is. I went to my local dealer and they didn't bother to run the engine long enough to find out. I'm seriously thinking of putting liquimoly in there and trading it in to the same guys who sold it to me. Idk gotta think about that one.

jeez that's rough......I stated I was honest but I have to say if they sold it to you with the problem they deserve it back...problem is they will probably dump it on some other sucker :confused:

The quote is a work in progress I only have what seems an estimate/ general description of the work as it is outsourced to another mechanic and am waiting on something more detailed from him.

4k for the following:
Sub contract R&R cylinder head work (valve stem)
Remove cylinder heads,
Send for rebuild,
Replace valve stem seals,
Refit cylinder heads with all new gaskets
.

Update:

My mechanic has put a different grade of oil in my engine due to the higher mileage and the associated internal leaking issues. This has helped curb the amount of smoking after idle quite dramatically compared to before. I believe the oil is Martini 10w 40.

I am sure someone very technical could provide an explanation on why not to use alternate grades of oil, but I am happy to be the guinea pig on this one. So far so good.

Given everything else that keeps breaking in this car at the moment an engine rebuild is just out of the question for me until it really needs it!

Julez,

Mate I've got the same deal - After extended idle I get a massive amount of smoke that is only cleared by revving the hell out of the engine (which I enjoy :P). I am ordering replacement valve stem seals and Pressure Regulator valves and will be replacing them within the month.

I will update you whether that works and can give you a detailed write up if you want to tackle it yourself.

Andrew

Maybe your dealers are reluctant because they do not have a reliable machine shop to send them too. We have sent out quite a good amount of cylinder heads to have the valve seals replaced, but only in E65s, E60s, and E63s. Havent seen any E53s that needed it yet (+1 for us!) but I can tell you that every single oil burning problem has been fixed by replacing the valve seals. They also
clean the entire head and install new retainers. They look brand new when we get them back and have had no problems.

Andrew,

Sorry to hear you may have joined the club. Good luck with the repairs though:thumbup:

I reckon a write up would be an awesome resource for this site....can't say I'd be ballsy enough to do it myself. Computers I can fix & build, cars on the other hand, I love em but just not experienced enough with them to do major work.

I am curious to know how many Ks were on your X when it started smoking?

It's been since I bought it with 160,000km's on it.

Wow that sux. Subscribed to see the fixes implemented.

anyone have a detailed how to guide?
 

im gonna do this myself but i little guidance its always helpful. anyone do this and can make a guide or know of a guide out there? this would help a ton!

I used liquimoly motor oil saver that i got from autohausaz.com . No luck. Still smoke. I also changed my CCVs and Use a heavy weight oil. Still no luck.

smoking x5
 

same issue. I swear the dealer KNEW about this issue when they sold it. I had it checked out but nothing came up on computer as an alert.
now... smoking after idle and the huge plume of smoke... makes drive thru at starbucks impossible. trying to find the humor. dealer quoted 7k to fix.
sucks. I really liked this truck ... not sure what I am going to do with it.

canymaine, search for the big 2006 x5 4.8is blue smoke thread here in xoutpost,,

there are a number of solutions, but i have posted mine, you'll find it in the post, and i smoke now maybe 15 min after idleing, and still a small amount, compared to 30 seconds before and a cloud.

A lot of reading but good info/debate on this issue;

545i Blue smoke after idle, Valve seals? - Page 12 - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

I actually never replaced my Valve Stem Seals. I replaced every piece of rubber that connects to the valve covers (There's a lot). Issue is almost completely fixed. Every once and a while after sitting for a very long time I'll let off a very small puff of smoke and I still have that slight oil smell to the exhaust but it's no where near the issue I used to have. I think one day I'll replace the valve stem seals just cause but for now it's very liveable