[Mark335]

2009 335i 137000miles. Runs amazing other than an occasional misfire or skip while idle or in lower rpms. No engine lights or pending codes. Did a walnut blast about 2 months ago along with ofhg and new plugs. No mods other than charge pipe and bov as well as dual cone filters.
Changed the oil last weekend and noticed some metal flakes in the filter. Not good but maybe caught it early enough to fix it. Needed a valve cover gasket and figured this is a good time to do it. Removed valve cover and as expected everything is clean. Checked turbos,which do have wastegate rattle but no noticeable shaft play and it doesn't smoke. Timing chain, guides, and gears looked good but can only see so far. Pulled the vanos check valves/filters and there is more metal shavings than I have ever seen inside an engine. It doesn't knock or make any unusual noises. It's enough metal that it's probably enough for an entire bearing to have been disintegrated. The metal is all magnetic and all a shiny silver. Any ideas? Was really hoping for turbo bearing to give me reason to upgrade. Will have to order a bar to hold the engine before I can pull oil pan. Could the oil pump be eating itself? Any help would be greatly appreciated

[arkie6]

How would those metal flakes get from the oil pump, through the oil filter, and to the vanos filters? Was your oil filter intact? Did your oil filter have the plastic cage installed in the oil filter cap?

[Mark335]

Oil filter was intact. Cage is still good on the filter cap. The metal was in the oil filter and the vanos filters.

[Mark335]

No ideas?

[arkie6]

As to the source of the metal particles, I have no idea. But your suggestion that it is the oil pump didn't seem reasonable since the oil flow from the oil pump passes through the oil filter before it goes to the vanos filters. Those metal particles are too large to pass through an intact oil filter.

To have those metal particles on both the outside of the oil filter and the outside of the vanos filters is perplexing.

When you previously changed the oil and filter (not the last time, but the time before that), is it possibly that the metal particles made their way to the vanos filters then? As you removed the old oil filter, some of the metal particles accumulated on the outside of the filter somehow made their way to the clean side of the oil filter housing as the filter was being removed. Just a theory. Did you clean out all of the old oil that pools in the bottom of the oil filter housing when you replaced the oil filter previously?

[Mark335]

I bought the car a little less than 4 months ago. Changed the oil when I got it and then again last week. I didn't notice any metal on the first change though. I usually check my filters pretty good before tossing them. And I clean up the inside of the housing to remove all oil possible. I have had a few BMWs and never seen something like this before. I think I'm going to just play it safe and pull the engine and rebuild.
I'll do new bearings and rings and gaskets as well as upgrade the turbos and downpipes and Change to the 2" inlets. This gives me a chance to clean all the metal out. My oil pan gasket is wet around it and needs changed anyway. Turbos rattle. Probably easier to do it all with the engine out anyway.
Any suggestions or things to check for on these n54s when I have it out? Rather fix it now and not have to pull it again

[Red_Bean_Bun]

Check the rod bearings ... has similar color.

[EnzoKhan]

Originally Posted by Mark335

I bought the car a little less than 4 months ago. Changed the oil when I got it and then again last week. I didn't notice any metal on the first change though. I usually check my filters pretty good before tossing them. And I clean up the inside of the housing to remove all oil possible. I have had a few BMWs and never seen something like this before. I think I'm going to just play it safe and pull the engine and rebuild.
I'll do new bearings and rings and gaskets as well as upgrade the turbos and downpipes and Change to the 2" inlets. This gives me a chance to clean all the metal out. My oil pan gasket is wet around it and needs changed anyway. Turbos rattle. Probably easier to do it all with the engine out anyway.
Any suggestions or things to check for on these n54s when I have it out? Rather fix it now and not have to pull it again

Do you have any updates on this matter?