2008 120i N46B20E help

[Sjk@xtra.co.nz 0]

Hi guys, I'm looking for some help with the above car. I bought the car for my daughter just before she had a baby, that was three months ago now. Within 3 weeks I replaced the AC unit at $1300, then the car started making more noises and Low oil warning kept popping up. Took the car to North Shore BMW who said the timing chain needs replacing and the valve stem seals need replacing. Just under $6K quoted, so this would make it a $14K car! So I paid the diagnostic fee and took the car home.

So in desperation I looked up the repairs on Youtube, bought the locking tools, engine support, and the BimmerZen valve spring compressor 3D printing files (printed by a local guy) plus all the parts.http://bimmerzen.com/store/product/4/BMW-N42N46-VSCT-3D-model-STL-files 

• Timing chain kit (guide and chain)
• Valve stem seal set
• VANOS solenoid o-rings: 11367546379, 11367506178 
• 2 x VANOS bolts: 11367500574, 
• Crankshaft front radial seal: 11117511395, 
• Oil Drain Gasket ring; 07119963151 
• Sump Gasket;: 11137511224, I
• crankshaft bolt: 11237503107
• oil pickup tube o-ring: 11417507756 
• Oil filter housing gasket GE 7411
• 5W-30 Synthetic oil
• Oil Filter
• Antifreeze

After a few very long nights and a lot of double checking, I was about to refill the water when I spotted that I'd snapped the breather on the top radiator hose. After taking the google advice to apply WD40 and having 3 goes (walking away to calm the farm) at getting the top hose off, I use the remaining google advice to used brut force. Nec minit, snapped the radiator pipe off. 

Now the new radiator and top hose was added to the list of parts.

Finally I start the engine, its running like a pig and I see the yellow check engine light, half yellow is on. It seems the engine is in basically limp mode.

I note that there seems to be a fair bit of pressure in the rocker cover but I cant figure out if that's "normal" or not. I expect the next step is a UBD2 scanner!

I'm now at the end of my run with this car, I'm reading every night and falling into black holes. My wife says get rid of it as is, but I feel I'm close.

Any advice from this group please? and please remember my sense of humor is at rock bottom... It would be good to have the car running before my grandson can walk!

Steve.

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by Sjk@xtra.co.nz
spelling

[qube 3568]

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear you're having troubles.

Unfortunately this model/motor is well known to be problematic and even once fixed it is never really fixed anyway.

My best advise is to cut your loss and move on.

If you still wanted to go down the route of trying to fix it then there will be some other members who could possibly help you with any questions you may have.

If you decide to sell it and look for a replacement we can also recommend you some better more reliable models.

Generally if you are looking in the 2006-2012 model year then avoid the 4 cylinder models and go for the N52B25 or N52B30 6 pot engines for petrol (325i, 130i, 330i etc). Diesels are usually pretty good all round (118d, 120d, 123d, 320d). For 2011-2015 1 series (116i, 118i, 120i) they are very good with the little 4 cylinder with a turbo.

 

 

[Sjk@xtra.co.nz 0]

8 hours ago, qube said:

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear you're having troubles.

Unfortunately this model/motor is well known to be problematic and even once fixed it is never really fixed anyway.

My best advise is to cut your loss and move on.

If you still wanted to go down the route of trying to fix it then there will be some other members who could possibly help you with any questions you may have.

If you decide to sell it and look for a replacement we can also recommend you some better more reliable models.

Generally if you are looking in the 2006-2012 model year then avoid the 4 cylinder models and go for the N52B25 or N52B30 6 pot engines for petrol (325i, 130i, 330i etc). Diesels are usually pretty good all round (118d, 120d, 123d, 320d). For 2011-2015 1 series (116i, 118i, 120i) they are very good with the little 4 cylinder with a turbo.

 

 

Thanks for the welcome qube and for taking time to reply. I am frustrated but not ready to walk away as yet, hence the question to the forum. If anyone has some suggestions as to the next step and an affordable OBD2 reader, or can recommend an Auckland service agent to take the car to I'll be happy to receive your comments.

 

[M3AN 4015]

Bro, that's a terrible experience, I'm sorry to hear that. I tend to agree with Kyu but since you're knees-deep now and want to keep going, if you can get it to my place in Mt Wellington I can plug it in and scan it for you for free. If you're close and willing to provide beers I might be able to travel to you...

[qube 3568]

You can get a cheap OBD scanner from eBay or AliExpress.

I use a Creator C310+ which was around $50-60. It can scan and read/clear fault codes, read live stream values etc. the user interface is not the greatest though and I think there are better ones out there.

Otherwise you can get a more comprehensive app for your phone and buy a Bluetooth adapter to send the signal.

 

[Sjk@xtra.co.nz 0]

4 hours ago, M3AN said:

Bro, that's a terrible experience, I'm sorry to hear that. I tend to agree with Kyu but since you're knees-deep now and want to keep going, if you can get it to my place in Mt Wellington I can plug it in and scan it for you for free. If you're close and willing to provide beers I might be able to travel to you...

Thanks M3AN, I'll spend some time on the car tomorrow, I decided not to put all the covers over the engine and under the car until I had it running, so my goal tomorrow is to get it to a drivable state. Then I'll take it out and see if I'm confident I can get over the bridge. I'll be in touch again after that. 

Thanks again.

[Sjk@xtra.co.nz 0]

3 hours ago, qube said:

You can get a cheap OBD scanner from eBay or AliExpress.

I use a Creator C310+ which was around $50-60. It can scan and read/clear fault codes, read live stream values etc. the user interface is not the greatest though and I think there are better ones out there.

Otherwise you can get a more comprehensive app for your phone and buy a Bluetooth adapter to send the signal.

 

So the Creator C310+ looks to be around $90 and 2 weeks away from Amazon or $170 from Trademe! Others on Trademe seem to be very cheap which probably means they are crap. Is there anything sub $100 available locally that will get me past the immediate concerns, in other words I'm not worried about using this long term for other things. 

[aja540i 1895]

Where are you based? I don't have any experience with that motor specifically but I have a scanner I can plug in and scan it for you.

[Sjk@xtra.co.nz 0]

1 hour ago, aja540i said:

Where are you based? I don't have any experience with that motor specifically but I have a scanner I can plug in and scan it for you.

Awesome, I'm in Browns Bay. I have messaged you.

Thanks. 

[NZE90 9]

1 hour ago, Sjk@xtra.co.nz said:

Awesome, I'm in Browns Bay. I have messaged you.

Thanks. 

Just a thought here, try swapping the VANOS solenoid plugs from one to the other. I've seen it before where people have reconnected them incorrectly, ie: intake onto exhaust solenoid and vice versa. The plugs are the same and very easy to mix up if they aren't marked prior to removal. Try swapping them and see if it's any better.

[Sjk@xtra.co.nz 0]

1 hour ago, F30N20 said:

Just a thought here, try swapping the VANOS solenoid plugs from one to the other. I've seen it before where people have reconnected them incorrectly, ie: intake onto exhaust solenoid and vice versa. The plugs are the same and very easy to mix up if they aren't marked prior to removal. Try swapping them and see if it's any better.

Your right I didn't mark them and reconnected them on the basis of where the wires sit naturally. I'll try that though. Thanks.

 

[santa 1]

how did you get on in the end?