Engine Light + Tractor Idle - Help

[phat///M3]

Had the Engine shaped light (not the EML letters) come on yesterday afternoon, so instantly pulled over only to notice the car was idling very roughly, I mean the whole car is vibrating very badly.

Was only 2 mins away from home so nursed the car home, not sure if there was a loss of power or not as I was too worried I would mess something up.

My first thoughts are coils, as my car is a 2003 so technically speaking should have Bremi ones in it, might be a spark plug but its had inspection II really recently so would think they should be new.

Thinking of having a look at the coils myself and swap them out for Bosch ones.

Can the car be driven to the dealership without hurting anything to get the codes read?

[mattCSLnut]

Had the Engine shaped light (not the EML letters) come on yesterday afternoon, so instantly pulled over only to notice the car was idling very roughly, I mean the whole car is vibrating very badly.

Was only 2 mins away from home so nursed the car home, not sure if there was a loss of power or not as I was too worried I would mess something up.

My first thoughts are coils, as my car is a 2003 so technically speaking should have Bremi ones in it, might be a spark plug but its had inspection II really recently so would think they should be new.

Thinking of having a look at the coils myself and swap them out for Bosch ones.

Can the car be driven to the dealership without hurting anything to get the codes read?

Is that the Yellow engine outline light (Emission light) that's come on ? Might be one or both of your Lambda sensors or maybe the cats are getting old.

If the said dealer did the Inspection 2 recently get them to recover the car and look into it as I'm sure all their work is covered by a two year warranty.:thumbs: Just my 2 pence worth :whistle:

[phat///M3]

Yup its the engine outline one.

Need to find someone with diagnostic software around me to find out what it is.

[shane@mbtech]

Is that the Yellow engine outline light (Emission light) that's come on ? Might be one or both of your Lambda sensors or maybe the cats are getting old.

If the said dealer did the Inspection 2 recently get them to recover the car and look into it as I'm sure all their work is covered by a two year warranty.:thumbs: Just my 2 pence worth :whistle:

And when its nothing to do with what the dealer did at the service he then gets a recovery charge. :banghead:

[phat///M3]

Yeah the stupid service guy at BMW said to have it towed there as they couldnt determine whether I would get new coils under a service bulletin that is floating around on the internet.

The SIB says its unlimited mileage and 8 years I believe, so I fall in that, but they say it most likely wont be honoured and that I need to bring the car in for them to present it to the manager.

I know I wont get them from them, as last time the muppets changed my dif oil for the old oil and they test drove the car with the dif being noisy, I went mad and in the end they still made me pay for the new dif oil just not the labour.

So I know they will try to screw me there even if it is their fault.

[Nords]

Is that the Yellow engine outline light (Emission light) that's come on ? Might be one or both of your Lambda sensors or maybe the cats are getting old.

If the said dealer did the Inspection 2 recently get them to recover the car and look into it as I'm sure all their work is covered by a two year warranty.:thumbs: Just my 2 pence worth :whistle:

My Lambda sensor was knackered and has just been replaced but the emission light didn't come on...
:smt087

[Bounce]

I had this once on my Mrs e46 tourer,turned out to be a split breather hose,so may not be to bad a fix.;)

[phat///M3]

Thanks for the tip, Im going to investigate the breather hose thing tomorrow morning as I found that on another forum this morning too.

This just had to happen on a Friday.

[mattCSLnut]

My Lambda sensor was knackered and has just been replaced but the emission light didn't come on...
:smt087

Maybe your dash bulb was knackered as well :whistle:

[Nords]

Maybe your dash bulb was knackered as well :whistle:

Quite possible! :hahaha:

[cantfind1]

Sounds like a coil with the symptoms you are experiencing, lambda sensor would not produce that rougher running, and cats should not have failed so soon. Easy to diagnose which coil it is. Remove strutbrace, microfilter and housing, rocker cover, replace oil cap and breather tube from oil separator. Start engine then starting at coil 1 remove and note any change in idle or if engine cuts out. If there is a change or it cuts out it is not that coil. If there is no change then it is that coil(or spark plug). Once you have identified the coil you can then swap them over to see if it is the spark or the coil.

If you have the Bremi coils then just replace all six they are useless and will all go eventually.

Hope this helps.

[phat///M3]

Sounds like a coil with the symptoms you are experiencing, lambda sensor would not produce that rougher running, and cats should not have failed so soon. Easy to diagnose which coil it is. Remove strutbrace, microfilter and housing, rocker cover, replace oil cap and breather tube from oil separator. Start engine then starting at coil 1 remove and note any change in idle or if engine cuts out. If there is a change or it cuts out it is not that coil. If there is no change then it is that coil(or spark plug). Once you have identified the coil you can then swap them over to see if it is the spark or the coil.

If you have the Bremi coils then just replace all six they are useless and will all go eventually.

Hope this helps.

Thanks mate, this is what I am going to do today, wanted to do it last night but the light in the garage (appartment community) has given up so no chance for that.

Will report back if its the coils, and yes if it is the Bremi's I will replace all 6 with Bosch items. Fingers crossed its the coils.

[phat///M3]

I have Bremi coils, but the thing is when I unplug one (whichever one that may be) I notice a difference in idle (it gets worse and the engine vibrates even more).

So I guess I need to find a way to get diagnostic to my place.

[phat///M3]

Forgot to add, funny thing is when I started it earlier the light showed up but the idle seemed normal at first and it took a while for it to be rough again.

[phat///M3]

Car starts up/idles like normally when cold, not long after the rough idle kicks in. Any guru's out there?

[phat///M3]

Diagnostic points to intake camshaft sensor, and has logged a misfire on all cylinders.

Before that there were more codes (including cats, misfire and camshaft sensor) some of them must have been from when I disconnected the coils, so the garage suggested to clear the codes and to drive the car to see if the fault would come back.

At first no engine light but the car was still idling like a pig, let the car idle a bit on the 10 min "test" drive, turned it on and off 2 times or so, and the idle was back to normal car also felt a lot better and quicker to respond.

Read the codes and it said misfire on all cylindres (would think this is from before the idle went back to normal) and intake camshaft sensor.

The garage said that it also registered exhaust camshaft sensor before the test drive but I personally didnt see that, so they say best to change both out when the code/light comes back.

Car drove fine on the 15 min drive back home.

What do you suggest as it will cost around 300 Euros to swap out both sensors?

[phat///M3]

Drove the car today and for the moment no sign of the fault and it runs as it did before (touch wood).

[shimmy]

http://kenoath.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/time_bomb.jpg

[phat///M3]

Thanks Shimmy :thumbs:

BTW where are the pics of your steering wheel :banghead:

[shimmy]

Thanks Shimmy :thumbs:

BTW where are the pics of your steering wheel :banghead:

dont mention it!

see other thread

[phat///M3]

I guess I shouldnt have asked for the pics in this thread, as its all going to go downhill from here and now I wont get a serious answer or advice on the car.

[shimmy]

sorted

[phat///M3]

sorted

I was kidding Shimmy, but will have a look at the other thread now.

[Nords]

Just my sort of thing!

http://kenoath.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/time_bomb.jpg

[shimmy]

far too compicated for you matey :thumbs:]

du bist ein 'deskjockey'

[phat///M3]

I took the car out the other day and it was running fine again no CEL and no rough idle, ever since the codes were cleared and I turned the car on and off a couple of times it has been back to normal.
Shimmy has worried me with his bomb pic :banghead:

[mattCSLnut]

Shimmy has worried me with his bomb pic :banghead:

... it what he does best :whistle:

[shimmy]

... it what he does best :whistle:

http://mokellyreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/dr-evil.jpg

[phat///M3]

Car is still running normally, could bad/dirty fuel have caused this issue to come up?

[cantfind1]

You could also look at the throttle position sensors there are three on the CSL in the engine and two on the normal M3 engine.

On the CSL one is located at the end of the throttle bodies, the other is located under the intake plenum, and the other is located on the airbox beside the flap.

They are all the same part and part number. It is part number 2 in this diagram. Part number is 13637840383

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BL92&mospid=47621&btnr=13_0911&hg=13&fg=15

There is also a Throttle Position Sensor in your pedal in the car. Now diagnosing which one is playing up is another matter!

These can cause erratic idle and jerkiness while driving along with a host of other problems. worth looking into this definitely.

Good luck for now.

If it blows up let me know!
:thumbs:

[phat///M3]

Will let you know if it blows up mate :banghead: