Hello,
This morning, as I get on the highway on ramp and accelerate, CEL comes on and car is running rough. Pull over, rough idle. I should have at this point taken a picture of the codes the scanner showed. Sadly I did not. But one of the four had a note at the end that read something like "mechanic: diverter valve stuck open." I cleared the codes hoping for the best, turned engine back on, and now I have multiple cylinder misfire faults, a fault saying misfires detected, fuel injector turned off (i assume this is a self-protect), and cylinder 4 misfire.

Plugs and coils were replaced 1 year ago.

Last weekend I replaced the diverter valve in an attempt to fix error code 2C57, a turbo boost problem code. I wouldn't think that new DV valve would cause misfires...especially since I drove it to/from work for three days with the new DV. I checked the vacuum line to the wastegate actuator as I had taken it off to replace the DV, but hose was still connected.

Searching this forum, it sounds like there are a number of possible causes of the misfire. I'm hoping someone might chime in with a diagnostic procedure to help narrow it down. When I get home I'll try and check vacuum, but I don't think that will be accurate because of misfiring. And I don't want to jump to a new HPFP, as I assume that would slowly give me problems...not all at once. Timing chain was replaced by dealership at 70k miles in 2019.

'13 R60 S ALL 4, approx 150k miles at the moment.

Any advice is much appreciated.
-J

 

What is the freeze frame code/data? That is the code for why the CEL was turned on.

In the meantime all I can offer -- and admittedly it ain't much -- is I think "last thing touched first thing suspected" applies here. That the DV was referenced in at least one error code I think is significant. Thus the DV or its installation and hoses is suspect.

HPFP's get all the blame but I would at 140K miles want to be darn sure the low pressure fuel pump was good. With direct injection engines I have had 2 low pressure fuel pumps go bad and zero HPFPs go bad...

With a good scan tool one can view in real time fuel pressure. Think looking at fuel pressure if the engine is operating ok and then when it is not might prove enlightening.

 

RockC,

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, I didn't look at any data or freeze frame. I was in a hurry to get a tow truck and get to work. Every engine on/off cycle the misfire comes back though, so I should be able to clear codes, start it up, and check that when I get home tonight.
The original codes, I didn't save. The codes that come on now, are all P codes for misfire, and one about turning off the injector(s). Should it be relevant, I'm using the Scwaben scan tool for reading/clearing codes.

I agree with you, and will probably put the old DV back in, as the new one didn't solve my turbo trouble anyway. But, if it was correct in saying DV is/was stuck open, I'd think that would essentially be the same as error code 2C57, where the engine bypasses the turbo, and it runs like a naturally-aspirated engine without boost. Will retrace my steps on that though, as you're right I should.

My comment on the HPFP, is from reading other threads with misfires. I imagine I can indeed use the scan tool and check fuel pressure. Will do that tonight. Even with misfires I'd expect the fuel pressure reading to be accurate, and representative of what it would be when not misfiring. Do you/anyone know a nominal/expected range for the fuel pressure value to be at? Is there a reading for both before and after the HPFP? A couple of threads mentioned VANOS and dropped valve seats, but those were all N12 engines mentioned. Not N18.

Thanks.
-J

 

DV installation, vacuum hose, and electrical connector all look fine to me.

This is a good bit of oil though, considering I wiped it dry last weekend when I put the DV in. PCV failure? Would cause multiple cylinder misfire? I replaced the whole top cover with integral PCV just a few months ago while chasing a front crank seal leak.

 

Funny enough, engine is still misfiiring but won't give me the P codes anymore. No codes at all, in fact.

High pressure fuel pressure showing 10.75 MPa. I don't know what is nominal, but that's a lot of pressure.

I didn't bother to put a vacuum gauge on anything because the needle will be unreadable as hard as the engine is chugging.

Cylinders compression is 185psi on the trans side of the engine, 170 on the pulley side of the engine, cylinders in between are in between. Except the pulley side cylinder did take longer to come up to pressure, if I'm being pedantic. So I think no dropped valve, no valve carbon fouled open.

Spark plugs all looked reasonably healthy. Definitely some carbon depositing, but look functional. Top of each piston has carbon on it. I'm assuming the carbon deposits are coming from the previous posts picture, the pcv/breather sending oil through the turbo into the intake. Wonder what my valves look like, almost definitely need walnut blasted. BUT, I still don't think explains a light-switch fast misfiring problem. Intermittent, yeah I'd buy it. But this happened all of a sudden and isn't going away.

Second cylinder from the trans side had oil around the sealing washer. At first I thought I must've spilled some in there. But then, how did I manage such a spill that it got all the way over there from the filler neck? But, dry in the combustion chamber.

Any and all advice/suggestion is much apreciated.

Thanks.

 

EDIT: Deleted as image apparently didn't upload.

 

Low Pressure fuel shows 98.x PSI.

Cylinder misfire counter has cylinder 4 counts going through the roof. Cylinder 2 indexes once every several seconds. Compression is good in 4, I THINK means no valve train problems, swapping coils and plugs does nothing. I guess my next assumption is cylinder 4 fuel injector.

I recall one of the early codes that I can't recreate said something about turning the injector off due to misfire. I assume this is a self protection feature. Maybe the ECU/DME is keeping that injector turned off? Such that I have a way to reset it back to on before I have to pull the fuel rail? If I do have to pull the fuel rail, does anyone have a hotlink to a good how to? And clean/test injector? Will look on my own too, of course.

Thanks.

 

Thinking about it a little more, the cylidner that my neighbor said climbed on the compression gauge a bit more slowly than the others....I didn't ask how much slower it was. And that is cylinder 4 which is showing the misfire. Maybe those valves are fouled and not closing perfectly. If thats the case, walnut blasting is probably not going to help, if the fouling is already on the seat. Probably need to pull the head at that point. But I think throwing an injector at it, checking the coil packs supply voltage, is a better starting point.

 

With the little data I've been able to give, does anyone have a suggestion where to start? Take the intake off and look at the valves with a mirror? Just move right on to pulling the head?

I always want to rule out any simple fixes before jumping into bigger stuff.

 

This is interesting. I have the same year and model, and very similar mileage. I just replaced my turbo and diverter valve, and I also am getting the same kinds of codes despite never having a misfire code ever before.
I've been back over all my work and I'm 97% sure everything I touched is properly attached. I replace the plugs while I was there since they were due.

My misfires are primarily Cylinder 1, but they cycle through the others at a much lower rate. But if I rev over 2500 rpm or so, the misfires drop from over 100 to 0. And I got codes the second I fired up the engine after the repair.

Given we've both replaced similar things, I'm wondering if there's a connection. Sadly I haven't had time to work through the diagnosis yet, but when I do I'll let you know if I find anything.

 

Leora83, what codes made you replace your turbo? What codes are you getting now? Just misfire codes or other things also?

For me, I'm thinking its carbon fouling on valves, timing chain, or fuel injector. Sadly I haven't had a lot of feedback/advice here, not that I'm owed it or anything like that. If your turbo died because of oil going through it like I think mine has, you might be in exactly the same boat as me with carbon fouling, excessive oil mist into the intake. Again, theory only.

Side note but related to the above, the pipe that runs from the intercooler to the intake, on the pulley side of the engine, the pipe has a joint with a clamp. For me, right below that joint, is a puddle of oil. Now, that would be a LOT of oil going through the turbo if that puddle came from that hose, so I don't think it did. BUT, I did have a good bit of oil in my pcv breather hose and intake hose, as well as an oil film on the metal bung of the turbo where the air intake hose attaches to it. I think this oil can hurt the turbo, and contribute to carbon fouling of valves/etc. If you have the oil in these spots, I would say you and I doing the same thing with our turbo parts are indeed related.

 

So I was able to get a borescope in the spark plug hole. It sure isn't good, but I can't tell if it is catastrophic. I need to rotate the cylinder to get the piston lower in the hole. But I don't think I'll get much better images of whatever is hanging off the valve side.

Carbon hanging off the valve? Valve Seat?

Carbon side of image is the top of the piston. Shiny is cylinder wall. Something sitting on top of the piston.

Same valve, camera rotated a bit. Looks like it is seated?

Half the picture is the fuel injector.

This is cylinder 2. Half shot of top of piston, half image of carbon on the back side of the valve and intake. Note, this is NOT the problem cylinder, yet. Valve is open, can sort of see the curve of the back of the valve.

 

So I guess with the above images, I know I'm at a minimum pulling the head. If nothing has crashed, maybe I can clean up/rebuild the head and be ok? If I did that, do a new timing chain while I'm there, which I don't know how to do...and haven't found a definitive thread on here to help.

Find a new head somewhere, for the price of the value of the car? Still would have to figure out timing.

If I pull the head, am I far enough into it to do a new oil pump, or does the rest of the engine need to come out for that? I don't have really good reason to think I should do piston rings...but I have had pcv issues related to pushing oil out of the front crank seal. Maybe that does indicate piston ring blow by?

Other things I'm not aware of I should do while in this situation?

Thanks.

 

I replace my turbo because it was whining and starting to throw low pressure codes occasionally. I did not have oil in the PCV, though there was some in the exhaust hose. I suspect the oil supply line had coked up somewhat and was slowly starving the turbo, but it hadn't gotten catastrophic yet.

I consulted with an expert BMW technician and he told me there were three things that might be causing the multiple misfires, given that they were on all cylinders and didn't move with coil swaps:
1. bad gas, possibly from sitting for a couple of months
2. bad coils, though it would be all of them, but possible since these have lots of kms on them
3. bad HPFP, not pushing enough psi to fire the cylinders

But it's my lucky day, finally! I put a tank of Ultra94 in it, along with some injector cleaner, and lo and behold, codes gone! Yahoo!
I hope you have good luck on yours too.

 

What do you mean my exhaust hose? The outlet of the turbo/inlet of the intercooler?


Really glad for you that it's over! Sound logic on the coked hose, and the mechanics logic behind multiple cylinder misfire are all sound reasons. If you replaced your turbo, hopefully you replaced the oil lines as well, especially if you think one was coked up.

 

Yes, the outlet side of the turbo, rather than intake.

And yes, I replaced the oil supply and return lines. I also replaced the oil filter housing gasket, since it's right there and prone to leakage too. Mine had just started a minor leak.