Do you have any suggestions how to best test/diagnose vacuum leak and intake hose problems on these cars?

You know, I don't. Hope there are some other responses because it'd be useful for me (us) to know.

UPDATE:

Hey all! I need some urgent advice on what to do with my X5 35D which now doesn't start.

Over the weekend, I took off the manifold and replaced the vacuum lines and the EGR Valve Pressure Converter. I put everything together and started the car, it didn't fix the rough idle, so I turned it off.

Today I started it in the morning and took it out for a drive. After about 5 minutes of low RPM driving, I accelerated harder, and heard a loud rattling sound. It sounded like loose bolts in a metal can, literally like something was loose in the engine. The display showed Engine Malfunction and after about 5 seconds, the X5 shut off.

I got it towed back to my apartment complex(best spot a flat bed could make it to), however it won't start anymore. It cranks but won't fire up, almost like no fuel is going into the rail and injectors. I ran the Low Pressure fuel pump in the fuel tank (via Foxwell scanner) it hums and seems to work. I don't know how to test the High Pressure fuel pump. I checked the fuel fuse in the trunk, it's intact.

How screwed is my X5? The rattling sound was pretty audible. I know for sure that when I worked on the engine, I covered all ports in the intake head with rags, so couldn't have dropped anything inside. I also got a few new codes which weren't there earlier(posted below). Is it possible a glow plug broke inside the cylinder? Or possibly the High Pressure fuel pump is toast from Hotshot's diesel additive?

I have to get the X5 into my garage which is about 300 feet away from the space that the flat bed truck dropped it off at, but it's all uphill, no way I can push it up there. Is there a temporary way to start the 35D (similar to using a brake cleaner on a gasoline engine?). I just need it to run for a minute or so. (I know it might be a stupid idea but otherwise I might be facing a big ticket/tow from the complex).

Appreciate any helpful advice that you can provide!

codes:

-459C Smooth Running Controller Cyl 1 (old code)
-4596 Smooth Running Controller Cyl 3 (old code)
-4CE1 Misfire Detection Cyl 1 (old code)
-4590 Rail-Pressure Plausibility delivery-controlled (new code)
-4A6E Glow Plug, Cyl 1 Activation (new code)
-46E6 Subsequent injection volume 1, plausibility (new code)
-46E7 Subsequent injection volume 2, plausibility (new code)
-4B90 Rail-Pressure monitoring on engine start (new code)

Try starting with inj 1 unplugged or 2 unplugged. If one of those injectors are sticking then maybe it will help.

Check all your injectors for resistance (I believe I used to get .184 on each good one). Sounds like a fuel issue and is most likely an injector. That rattle sound you heard is probably just parts of the car violently jerking from a quick shutdown. When an injector goes they all stop working (usually) and the car won't start at all it just cranks.

Check resistance to ground on both pins too... Should be at least 200k ohm and after d double check the ground works by touching the test lead to metal. Always a good habit to verify your ground lead was good in the first place

All injectors are showing roughly 181-182 kOhms.. No shorts to ground on any of the pins. Isn't that normal resistance? Is it possible that an injector can show resistance within specs but still operate incorrectly?

Tried starting the car and it studders occasionally as it cranks, but just won't fire up.

I ordered an injector puller, it looks like I will need to get them out and send out for testing/repair.

Does anybody know a shop that can test and/or repair Bosch diesel injectors in Northern California?

Absolutely, an injector can be OK electrically and still not work properly.


Once you cannot drive to the shop and need to ship it- doesnt mater where they are. Give or take.


Give Valley fuel injection and turbo a call, see what they say.

UPDATE:

I pulled 4 out of 6 injectors tonight (1-4), couldn't get the last 2 injectors just yet since the slide hammer was too big to fit under the cowling.

-Injector 1 (Cyl 1): Completely wet/oily and covered with a LOT of CBU. I'm assuming the injector is covered with unburned diesel that's been collecting in the cylinder since it was misfiring? Or could this be oil leaking through the cylinder rings?

-Injectors 2-4 (Cyl 2-4): Mostly dry, however the tips of the injectors are covered with CBU.

I called a few shops and found a place in Los Angeles that charges ~$30 per injector to get it tested. However, the technician told me that if 3 injectors or more are faulty, it's better to replace all 6 (not a good idea to mix 3 old with 3 new, etc - "Once a few of them go, they all go" - was the technician's response). It looks like I might be out of ~$2000 if I proceed with 6 new injectors, and that still doesn't guarantee that the X5 will run well, since I most likely have other issues affecting the operation of the engine(might need new DPF, Active tank, CBU cleaning).

Does it make sense to get the old injectors tested and see if I can salvage a few of them, and then just purchase used ones to match? Or is this a waste of money and better to get all new right away?

Also, according to the technicians that I spoke with, there's a shortage of Bosch injector parts (specifically for the 35D and 335D, and the shops don't even offer to rebuild these, only to sell the re-manufactured ones directly from Bosch. There has to be somebody in the US able to rebuild these injectors for less than $300-$400 that the re-manufactured ones run for. Anybody have any luck finding such a shop?

Thanks all!

Did you make it clear to them what type of Bosch injector these are? I seem to recall they may require special equipment...