New owner, may have the dreaded rod issue

LiqourSnurf · 11-24-2019, 06:14 PM

So I recently purchased a 2011 335I XDrive with about 94,500 miles.

The car drives wonderfully, I've put on about 1,000 miles. I love it, great acceleration, the exhaust sounds wonderful, the turbo sounds great too. But I began to notice a sound I thought was the exhaust, was coming from under the hood. Up to this point I heard nothing bad about these engines, just that they are better than the N54 about needing carbon buildup removed every 10,000 miles. So I bought a car that drives very well, and as far as I could hear, had no rattles and no lights.

Then today I had my brother press the gas pedal for me and I hear, not a nice exhaust note, but a rattle (after the car has warmed up).

I took this video after a very brief warm up, just enough to get the temperature gauge up, but I'll hear a rattle like this under hard acceleration and letting off the gas after acceleration.

EDIT: I don't think I've heard it in higher RPM ranges, but around 2K, you'll hear in the video.

Please tell me it's something cheap.

OTHER VIDEO (not mine) the comment section mentions VANOS solenoids. How do I determine which one it is?

Update: 10/10 rod bearing, sitting on this car until someone interested in a project comes along.

iqraceworks · 11-24-2019, 07:59 PM

It sure doesn't sound good. Not sure I would be running the motor much with it sounding like that. It definitely sounds like something knocking in there.

LiqourSnurf · 11-24-2019, 10:11 PM

Could it be VANOS related?

N52bigblock · 11-25-2019, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiqourSnurf

Could it be VANOS related?

No definitely not. That's a rod bearing for sure. Remove your oil filter and have a look in it for metal flakes. The oil will have metal flakes in it as well. I wouldn't be running that engine anymore, it will be causing more and more damage everytime you run it.

dpaul · 11-25-2019, 05:17 AM

neilj35 is correct, sorry to say. I've experienced an identical noise, occurring in the same rev range - rod bearing failure.

type-dRew · 11-25-2019, 08:05 AM

rod bearing 100%

You bought an n55, it has 'less' issues with parts surround the engine. But has issues with the engine itself. So this is par for the course from what I can tell.

mecheng77 · 11-25-2019, 08:41 AM

Do the N55 engines in the F30 have this same issue?

balkanbemve · 11-25-2019, 08:48 AM

I'm so sorry to say but yours sounds exactly like mine did when I found out I had the rod bearing issue. See the video I recorded below. Same rev range.

iqraceworks · 11-25-2019, 08:50 AM

Just curious.....but when it's knocking that bad, will a simple rod bearing change fix the issue....or is it more involved than that?

type-dRew · 11-25-2019, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mecheng77

Do the N55 engines in the F30 have this same issue?

Yes

dpaul · 11-25-2019, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mecheng77

Do the N55 engines in the F30 have this same issue?

I think the 2013-15 F3x used the same revision N55 as the 2011-> E9x (N55B30M0). I think from 2016-> they used the B58 engine.

Edit: now I'm not sure. There are other N55 variants which I don't think were used in 3 series but I don't think those incorporated changes in crankshaft, con rods, bearings or pistons. For the record, N55 crank, rods and pistons are different than N54

Edit again: Realoem suggests bearing changes in F30 series over time. Who knows! Next time I'll think BEFORE speaking.

N52bigblock · 11-25-2019, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mecheng77

Do the N55 engines in the F30 have this same issue?

Yes. Saw one the other day. F30 Active Hybrid with N55. No2 rod bearing failure.

N52bigblock · 11-25-2019, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iqraceworks

Just curious.....but when it's knocking that bad, will a simple rod bearing change fix the issue....or is it more involved than that?

No. The crankshaft is quite badly damaged by that stage. It requires either a new crank and bearing shells, or a reground crank and new oversized bearing shells. Either way it's not cheap.

TheMidnightNarwhal · 11-25-2019, 10:18 AM

Damn another N55 rod bearing fail.

clegg · 11-25-2019, 10:30 AM

It's kind of strange for the knock to occur at a certain rpm range. Definitely is a rod knock though.

9krpmrx8 · 11-25-2019, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Damn another N55 rod bearing fail.

Yeah.... What is that like 10 supposed rod bearing failures in an engine that was many models over many years where BMW was selling 250k units or so a year for each series?

OP, How many previous owners? Documented maintenance history? have your engine checked by a qualified professional.

TheMidnightNarwhal · 11-25-2019, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

Yeah.... What is that like 10 supposed rod bearing failures in an engine that was many models over many years where BMW was selling 250k units or so a year for each series?

OP, have your engine checked by a qualified professional.

Waaaay more than 10.

9krpmrx8 · 11-25-2019, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Waaaay more than 10.

Post up the ones with showing a proven failure mode. I'll wait.

iqraceworks · 11-25-2019, 11:18 AM

Are rod bearing failures common in the N54's also.....or mainly the N55's?

TheMidnightNarwhal · 11-25-2019, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

Post up the ones with showing a proven failure mode. I'll wait.

I don't have them in note but I know to avoid N55 just in case now tbh. I've seen them on FB groups, Reddit and here. My count is past 10.

N52bigblock · 11-25-2019, 11:22 AM

https://m.facebook.com/pages/categor...6061495446418/

balkanbemve · 11-25-2019, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Waaaay more than 10.

Post up the ones with showing a proven failure mode. I'll wait.

N55 rod knock/spun bearing tracking https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513898

First post of this thread has a google doc.

11-24-2019, 06:14 PM	#1
LiqourSnurf New Member 4 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW 335I N55 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Kentucky iTrader: (0)	New owner, may have the dreaded rod issue So I recently purchased a 2011 335I XDrive with about 94,500 miles. The car drives wonderfully, I've put on about 1,000 miles. I love it, great acceleration, the exhaust sounds wonderful, the turbo sounds great too. But I began to notice a sound I thought was the exhaust, was coming from under the hood. Up to this point I heard nothing bad about these engines, just that they are better than the N54 about needing carbon buildup removed every 10,000 miles. So I bought a car that drives very well, and as far as I could hear, had no rattles and no lights. Then today I had my brother press the gas pedal for me and I hear, not a nice exhaust note, but a rattle (after the car has warmed up). I took this video after a very brief warm up, just enough to get the temperature gauge up, but I'll hear a rattle like this under hard acceleration and letting off the gas after acceleration. EDIT: I don't think I've heard it in higher RPM ranges, but around 2K, you'll hear in the video. Please tell me it's something cheap. OTHER VIDEO (not mine) the comment section mentions VANOS solenoids. How do I determine which one it is? Update: 10/10 rod bearing, sitting on this car until someone interested in a project comes along. Last edited by LiqourSnurf; 12-05-2019 at 12:00 PM..
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11-24-2019, 07:59 PM	#2
iqraceworks Brigadier General 2002 Rep 3,731 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Missouri iTrader: (0)	It sure doesn't sound good. Not sure I would be running the motor much with it sounding like that. It definitely sounds like something knocking in there.
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11-24-2019, 10:11 PM	#3
LiqourSnurf New Member 4 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW 335I N55 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Kentucky iTrader: (0)	Could it be VANOS related?
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11-25-2019, 05:17 AM	#5
dpaul Lieutenant Colonel 654 Rep 1,893 Posts Drives: 2009 E90 335xi, 2011 E93 M3 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Boston iTrader: (3)	neilj35 is correct, sorry to say. I've experienced an identical noise, occurring in the same rev range - rod bearing failure.
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11-25-2019, 08:05 AM	#6
type-dRew Major 641 Rep 1,245 Posts Drives: 2009 335i xDrive Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Newport MI iTrader: (0)	rod bearing 100% You bought an n55, it has 'less' issues with parts surround the engine. But has issues with the engine itself. So this is par for the course from what I can tell. __________________ 2009 335i xDrive AT / 177k+ miles PSP 750ic / Fuel-It! Stage 1 / BMS CP / Sutphin Tuning / RFP E50 11.61 @ 117.5 New setup; Covid 19Ts on RFP 93 + ARM inlets, dp, VTT cp and PSP outlets
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11-25-2019, 08:41 AM	#7
mecheng77 Colonel 1007 Rep 2,243 Posts Drives: 2007 328i / 2014 M235i Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Ontario Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List [0.00] [0.00]	Do the N55 engines in the F30 have this same issue?
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11-25-2019, 08:48 AM	#8
balkanbemve Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 225 Posts Drives: 2013 135i Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	I'm so sorry to say but yours sounds exactly like mine did when I found out I had the rod bearing issue. See the video I recorded below. Same rev range.
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11-25-2019, 08:50 AM	#9
iqraceworks Brigadier General 2002 Rep 3,731 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Missouri iTrader: (0)	Just curious.....but when it's knocking that bad, will a simple rod bearing change fix the issue....or is it more involved than that?
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11-25-2019, 10:18 AM	#14
TheMidnightNarwhal Major General 2665 Rep 6,301 Posts Drives: 11' 335is DCT Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Gatineau, Quebec iTrader: (0)	Damn another N55 rod bearing fail.
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11-25-2019, 10:30 AM	#15
clegg First Lieutenant 87 Rep 301 Posts Drives: 335i E92, 435i F32,X5 F15 Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: O'Fallon, MO iTrader: (0)	It's kind of strange for the knock to occur at a certain rpm range. Definitely is a rod knock though.
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11-25-2019, 11:18 AM	#19
iqraceworks Brigadier General 2002 Rep 3,731 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Missouri iTrader: (0)	Are rod bearing failures common in the N54's also.....or mainly the N55's?
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11-25-2019, 11:22 AM	#21
N52bigblock Second Lieutenant 99 Rep 237 Posts Drives: 2005 E90 330i Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: NZ iTrader: (0)	https://m.facebook.com/pages/categor...6061495446418/
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