[gdawg20001]

Background... Been dealing with cyl 3 & 4 misfires for awhile. More recently I've triggered 5 & 6 also but not regularly.

I've already had intake valve cleaning, replaced plugs, switched coilpacks around and cleaned vanos solenoids.

Today I come out to start the car and see this...

http://youtu.be/fd7yhvJGa64

I'd like some opinions please?!?!

[135Pats]

Holy crap your car is smoking pretty seriously, it could be coolant, a seal leak of some type, or worst case a blown head gasket. Maybe just condensation. Tough to say but i'd get that checked out asap. Mileage? How much boost have you been running? Head gaskets don't let go on our cars all that often, just reading around I only see it happen to people running extremely aggressive boost for the most part.

[gdawg20001]

Mileage is about to hit 100k. However these are mostly highway miles.

Running a process rev 3 tune with about 16psi boost. Don't track the car at all so aggressive driving is really minimal and usually on ramps, back roads and not back to back to back.

In regards to coolant, I recently changed my coolant myself but cant remember anything I could have messed up in the process. I will check coolant levels when I get home.

With my recent misfires I have pretty much decided my injectors are bad. Not ruling out a bad O2 since I occasionally get 4,5 & 6.

Is it possible my bad injectors could be causing this?

[135Pats]

A bad lambda o2 would cause misfires and a poor idle, but the pouring white smoke is independent imo. Does the smoke have any odor to it? 16psi with a decent taper is no problem so i strongly doubt it tune related.

[Fun w/N54]

Are you cat less and ever overheated the car?

[N54King]

just a theory here but couldn't bad turbo seals be causing the smoke ? All that smoke is probably messing with the o2 sensors triggering misfires then ?

[TurboBimmer]

I would put my bet on bad turbo seals.

[gdawg20001]

Ive been missing firing for a couple months unfortunately, so I don't think that triggered the misfires.

The smoke is something completely new as of today! The smoke did have a hint of a gas smell also.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

I'm leaning towards more of a bad turbo. Seal. Or coolant getting into exhaust.

I honestly dont know from experience but it appears white smoke is pouring excessively out one side of the exhaust which makes me think its turbo related.

White smoke meaning water.

The excessive water could trip up the o2 sensors and mixture. Have you any logs? Hows the performance of the car?

[BMWN54tech]

You have 1 or more fuel injectors that are stuck open. 100% positive. I see this in the shop daily. If you have been driving like this for a while you have also destroyed your catalytic converters (both) on that bank. The raw fuel is dumping into the cat and melts them. They clog the secondary cat. This can also get back into the motor and cause serious damage to your vacuum pump, which would be that squealing noise. Driving your car in this condition causes major major damage.

The N63 uses the same fuel injectors and when they do this it occasionally hydro locks the motor and bends the connecting rods.

[joec500]

Originally Posted by BMWN54tech

You have 1 or more fuel injectors that are stuck open. 100% positive. I see this in the shop daily. If you have been driving like this for a while you have also destroyed your catalytic converters (both) on that bank. The raw fuel is dumping into the cat and melts them. They clog the secondary cat. This can also get back into the motor and cause serious damage to your vacuum pump, which would be that squealing noise. Driving your car in this condition causes major major damage.

The N63 uses the same fuel injectors and when they do this it occasionally hydro locks the motor and bends the connecting rods.

This happened to me.

Once I replaced all 3 injectors in my Bank 2, all the misfires went away. When FFTEC replaced my clutch, and removed my DP's the noticed all the catalysts destroyed. Luckily stock DP's can be had for pretty cheap.

[gdawg20001]

Luckily i did not dive the car around once I saw this. I was tempted but took the bike instead.

Ok so when i got home I checked coolant and coolant level was good. I ended up switching out cyl 3,4,5,& 6 injectors today with some recalled injectors I got from a buddy. Programmed them up according o the DIY on this site.

First startup, I threw misfires on 4,5 & 6. Shut the car off, cleared codes. Started again, this time there was a little hesitation but it steadied itself out.

Drove the car around for a bit (a couple hard freeway pulls) and the smoke from the exhaust seemed to go away. Got home and popped the hood but now there was some slight smoke coming from the engine bay, right near where the turbos are but couldn't place it exactly.

Let the car sit. Tried to startup again but this time the car wouldn't start. Try two, three and four all wouldn't start. Fifth time, gased it a little and it it to start. Drove around again. This time and since I haven't seen any smoke from the exhaust or engine bay. The squealing noise has also gone away.

Turbo seals bad? Still a possible coolant leak? How would I know if the cats are bad? What about the vacuum pump? Other ideas?

[joec500]

Originally Posted by gdawg20001

Luckily i did not dive the car around once I saw this. I was tempted but took the bike instead.

Ok so when i got home I checked coolant and coolant level was good. I ended up switching out cyl 3,4,5,& 6 injectors today with some recalled injectors I got from a buddy. Programmed them up according o the DIY on this site.

First startup, I threw misfires on 4,5 & 6. Shut the car off, cleared codes. Started again, this time there was a little hesitation but it steadied itself out.

Drove the car around for a bit (a couple hard freeway pulls) and the smoke from the exhaust seemed to go away. Got home and popped the hood but now there was some slight smoke coming from the engine bay, right near where the turbos are but couldn't place it exactly.

Let the car sit. Tried to startup again but this time the car wouldn't start. Try two, three and four all wouldn't start. Fifth time, gased it a little and it it to start. Drove around again. This time and since I haven't seen any smoke from the exhaust or engine bay. The squealing noise has also gone away.

Turbo seals bad? Still a possible coolant leak? How would I know if the cats are bad? What about the vacuum pump? Other ideas?

Smoke from the Engine Bay is a never a good thing, could you trace which side of the engine bay? If it's coming from the Passenger Side, most likely it's a seal around your turbos. But it's best to get that puppy checked out. If there is an exhaust leak on your Bank 2 turbo (cylinders 4-5-6), that can also cause mis-fires.

Good Luck and let us know when you find the issue.

[boostaholic786]

Dude your turbos are toast. That whinning noise sounds like the spindles in the turbos are screwed and the smoke is def turbo seals. Time to upgrade to some RB's

[BMWN54tech]

everything but it not starting is normal after opening the fuel system and doing this repair. The misfires after startup are due to air in the fuel system. The no start however is not.

The smoke from the passenger side of the engine is likely due to the gasoline running oil and debris down onto the exhaust manifolds, when you started it they heated up and burned it off. With all that fuel in the exhaust it usually takes a good drive to get it to go away.

So as i read it now, the noise is gone and the smoking is gone? Sounds like its fixed.

Turbo seals leak oil into the exhaust, and would come out your tailpipe, not the engine bay. Only exception to that rule is if its a feed/return line leaking and then you would need that, but your turbo seals are not this issue here.

[gdawg20001]

All seemed fine until today.

Started her up around 3pm and immediately threw misfires on 4 & 6. Reset the codes, restarted the car and no issues. However, noticed some moisture under right exhaust pipe (one with all the smoke from before) with what looked like oil also. Gave the car a little gas and went back to look and the moisture puddle had turned into a spray covering the driveway... Still looked like oil mixed throughout as well but no smoke at all!

Looking for ideas again? Turbo seals?

[BMWN54tech]

turbo seals do not cause misfires. Plugs could be fouled from all the raw fuel the injectors were dropping. Keep in mind your using used parts that were recalled for leaking and causing misfires on start up.

If it were turbo seals you would know it. Your turbos are fine.

[Sick335]

This same thing happened to me last night after some back to back highway pulls. I drove it under 1500 rpm home with hazards on. After driving for about 3-4 miles it went away and the car is back to running great. That was so weird...

[BMWN54tech]

Only 2 things regularly cause misfires on these motors. Plugs and injectors. Plugs are cheaper, start there.

[gdawg20001]

Replaced my plugs about 3k miles ago. So leaning toward just getting new injectors. Or do you think it's more likely the plugs are fouled?

As a note... My misfires are only during cold start and at idle. WOT doesn't trigger misfires at all.

[BMWN54tech]

Spark plugs could definitely be fouled. We usually put 6 plugs in with new injectors under warranty.

If your positive the vehicle took the correct injector calibrations I'd start there first. You could still have a clogged cat, but usually the misfires will only be on the one bank with the previously failed fuel injectors. Make sure you don't have any rattling coming from your secondary cat. You can also measure the heat of the primary cats while the vehicle is running, they should be much hotter than the rest of the exhaust. If they aren't its likely the catalyst has broken apart.

[TurboBimmer]

Any updates yet?