[phazon]

Hi

Driving home this evening it appears my 335d has lost all power low down. Putting my foot down it kicks down and revs climb but the speedo does very little - a slow, painful climb up dial.

No warning lights, sounds fine, and if you were just dawdling along you wouldn't notice. I'm thinking maybe a turbo has gone?

Anyone got any thoughts?

[dxb335d]

Struggling to accelerate? Could be in limp mode, maybe a boost hose has worked loose?

also is your car tuned??

[edowen]

Doesnt sound good. If it was in limp mode you would know about it - it really limps, and you get warning lights.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by edowen

Doesnt sound good. If it was in limp mode you would know about it - it really limps, and you get warning lights.

I have experianced limp mode. There are no warning lights.
Massive failure of something then yes a warning lugth would day shut down and call bmw assist.

But just limp mode, caused either by a re-map issue or boost hose issue would not illuminate a warning on the dash.

[jjbirch]

you put petrol in it

[phazon]

No not tuned.

I've had a look under the bonnet (in the dark) and all looks ok to my untrained eye.

Anything else I can check out myself?

[phazon]

Originally Posted by jjbirch

you put petrol in it

Errr - no

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by phazon

No not tuned.

I've had a look under the bonnet (in the dark) and all looks ok to my untrained eye.

Anything else I can check out myself?

If its limp triggered by a boost spike or the like then, turn off the car start up again and it should go away.

If a hose has come loose then i would imagine it would go away but come on again as soon as the revs went abouve 1500rpm, it depends how much the hose is loose though of course.

[roofer]

Turbo actuator valve, very common.

[phazon]

Originally Posted by roofer

Turbo actuator valve, very common.

Originally Posted by dxb335d

If its limp triggered by a boost spike or the like then, turn off the car start up again and it should go away.

If a hose has come loose then i would imagine it would go away but come on again as soon as the revs went abouve 1500rpm, it depends how much the hose is loose though of course.

Thanks for all the replies. Just been out and it's still the same, so definitely looking like a mechanical issue. Absolutely gutless low down, but it doesn't really pick up that much higher up the rev range, which I would maybe expect if it was one of the turbos, or a turbo valve?

Dealers it is tomorrow then.

[dxb335d]

Think Roofer is right, if it is the actuator stuck open the turbo cannot build up boost therefore driving like its got no guts.

[BC4J]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Could be in limp mode, maybe a boost hose has worked loose?

Does bmwbailey suffer from this at all?

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by BC4J

Does bmwbailey suffer from this at all?

As far as im aware bud, he has never suffered a limp mode. If he had, i think he would be out of a job.

[Terza]

I've had the same problem as you, and it turned out to be a valve (maybe the turbo actuator valve mentioned before, not sure, because I have no idea about types of valves... ).

My technician said it's nothing major, but that the valve is just positioned quite close to the exhaust system and the heat probably had something to do with it.

[SoYank]

I had what seems to be the same symptoms (with a 6MT) and it was the oil condition sensor.

[635d]

Definatly Turbo actuator valve as mentioned, gets stuck in one position so you lose the low down boost and only have the high end boost. Known problem and simple dealer fix.

[phazon]

Got BMW roadside assistance out today (dealer couldn't look at it until Friday...), they diagnosed an actuator or vacuum issue. After they've looked at it and diagnosed a problem the dealer then has to treat it as an emergency AND you get a car for two days minimum.

So it's at the delears now. Thanks for all the replies.

[encee]

Anyone know if this can happen with the 330d ?

I have an E92 330d auto, and same thing with mine tonight, coming home from work.

I`d been in very heavy traffic for about 15 mins, then came to a set of traffic lights.

As I needed the outside lane (to where I was positioned) I gunned it away from the lights, and all felt normal, "disposing" of all traffic around me as usual. Okay, it struggled for traction initially, and the usual light came on, but then I slowed for traffic ahead, and ambled along for about 2 mins. Something else odd was the fact that as I stopped accelerating, I suddenly heard a sort of "pfft" sound from under the car, as though it had come from just under where the driver`s seat-belt base would be............?

When I went to accelerate again, I immediately noticed that the car seemed sluggish, and unwilling to accelerate from low-down the rev-range. Once further up the range, off it went again, just fine.

The odd thing was is that in manual mode it running fine, it just seemed to be more sluggish in "D" mode.

I did try kick-down a couple of times, and it seemed to really lag, longer than usual, and then almost ripped my arms out as it shot forward !? I also tried revving it up, in neutral, whilst at the lights further on, and it revved just fine, (and sounded great )

Anyone think it`s the same thing that the OP has had ?

Any replies gratefully recieved, as I flaming hate it when the motor`s "sick", makes me dead grouchy with everyone !!

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by encee

Anyone know if this can happen with the 330d ?

I have an E92 330d auto, and same thing with mine tonight, coming home from work.

I`d been in very heavy traffic for about 15 mins, then came to a set of traffic lights.

As I needed the outside lane (to where I was positioned) I gunned it away from the lights, and all felt normal, "disposing" of all traffic around me as usual. Okay, it struggled for traction initially, and the usual light came on, but then I slowed for traffic ahead, and ambled along for about 2 mins. Something else odd was the fact that as I stopped accelerating, I suddenly heard a sort of "pfft" sound from under the car, as though it had come from just under where the driver`s seat-belt base would be............?

When I went to accelerate again, I immediately noticed that the car seemed sluggish, and unwilling to accelerate from low-down the rev-range. Once further up the range, off it went again, just fine.

The odd thing was is that in manual mode it running fine, it just seemed to be more sluggish in "D" mode.

I did try kick-down a couple of times, and it seemed to really lag, longer than usual, and then almost ripped my arms out as it shot forward !? I also tried revving it up, in neutral, whilst at the lights further on, and it revved just fine, (and sounded great )

Anyone think it`s the same thing that the OP has had ?

Any replies gratefully recieved, as I flaming hate it when the motor`s "sick", makes me dead grouchy with everyone !!

Hope it's ok mate, have a manwell myself so can't comment on wahts seems to be an auto problem.

So what do you reckon to the Marangoni tyres then?

[encee]

Originally Posted by phazon

Thanks for all the replies. Just been out and it's still the same, so definitely looking like a mechanical issue. Absolutely gutless low down, but it doesn't really pick up that much higher up the rev range, which I would maybe expect if it was one of the turbos, or a turbo valve?

Dealers it is tomorrow then.

Just been back out again in mine, too, Phazon, but mine doesn`t feel like yours. I`m not sure quite sure yet if it`s still a bit lacking, lower down, but it`s continuing to pull like a train slightly higher up the rev range.

Does anyone know if the box deliberately limits low-down torque, if it senses that you will stress the box too much if the ECU doesn`t prevent you ?

I used to own a Focus ST, remapped, and these were/are notorious for limiting torque in the lower gears, especially if there is a lack of grip (with tonight`s sh1te wet-weather, for instance).

I just wondered if BMW did the same................?

Thoughts, anyone ?

[encee]

Originally Posted by willhollin

Hope it's ok mate, have a manwell myself so can't comment on wahts seems to be an auto problem.

So what do you reckon to the Marangoni tyres then?

Cheers Will, hopefully it will sort itself out, otherwise, it`s dealer-time.

As regards the Cooper Avons; the jury`s still out really. Feel very good in the dry, but a little bit remote when it`s icy. In the wet they don`t feel too bad, but I`m not convinced I`d have another set when it`s time to replace them. By the same token though, I`m not looking to replace them now until they`re worn.

[encee]

Thought I`d revisit this thread (again), as my account may be of some help to anyone else in the same predicament.

Okay, after my power-woes earlier in the week.........................well, I never did need a trip to the dealer, as my beastie just seemed to sort itself, without human-intervention

It still seemed a little bit sluggish the day after, lower down the rev-range, but, as time wore on, the sluggishness disappeared, and now the "animal" is back to its stunning best !

I don`t really know what to think; bad batch of fuel maybe ? I always brim the tank everytime I re-fuel, so it was full of BP`s finest. Funny that, as I`ve read that someone else`s on here didn`t like BP diesel either, but who knows ?

The father-in-law (now in his 70`s) used to be a mechanic a long time ago, and reckons that I`d partially flooded the cylinders after crawling along in traffic for ages, then suddenly asking for massive acceleration. He explained that diesel used to be more difficult to disperse in the cylinder, but whether that is still the case, I don`t know ?

Anyway, back to its best, as I said, and now with a full tank of Shell`s finest in it, so we`ll see.

My point being, after all this, is to say that a bit of poor running doesn`t always end in tears, and can just be down to something and nothing.