[bdogbmw2011]

Hey all!

My 2011 Bmw 328i has not been able to start for the past week. I was driving home and heard this rattling noise, video 1 shows the noise. I made it home and figured I'd check into it the next day.

The next day I tried to start the car and got a no start. All I keep getting is this weird noise, in Video 2 shows the sound the car is making.

Video 1 shows the loud rattling noise while driving and idle:

Video 2 shows the no start noise the next day:

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

A few things I've done to the car recently.

Valve cover and gasket replacement along with vanos solenoids with a oil change - March 2020 ( 6months ago)
Water pump and thermostat - July 2020 (1 month ago)
Spark plug and ignition coils - 2018-2019

Again help insight would be really amazing.

Thank you!

[E92William]

That first video makes it seem like your engine was fucking disintegrating! Idk what to say I would be quick to blame the starter but it seems to be working as per the second video. You can see the rpms moving. Did you get anything like a low oil pressure light or something? Any codes? I'd pull the oil filter cap and have a look either way.

Is your 328i a sulev N51 engine?

[HydroxFrost]

Sounds to me like you snapped a chain or broke a guide, starter sounds like it works just fine but no compression. You might be in for a big job unfortunately.

[bdogbmw2011]

I don't think I got any oil pressure warning.

The codes I got from a Bluetooth scanner I have are:

P0012 - intake camshaft position timing - over-retarded (bank1)
P0016 - crankshaft position - camshaft position correlation - Bank 1 sensor A
P052B - cold start "a" camshaft position timing over-retarded bank 1
A0B4 - fault Enginestart starter
A10A - ews4_timing_chall_resp_error
E18F - central registry does not match with debt configuration (error_registry_new)

[E92William]

Often times if a crankshaft position sensor goes out the engine will not start at all. So you can give replacing that a whirl. But given those noises it was making I wouldn't be surprised if your timing chain took a shit or a guide did and the engine went out of timing.

Open the oil filter cap and check for any guide material or metal shavings etc aswell as in the oil fill cap so we can rule a mechanical failure (mostly) out. If nothing there I'd go ahead and replace the crank sensor and see what happens

[F31B48]

It sounds like the engine has no compression in the video. I would say there has been some sort of catastrophic failure. You should get it towed to a good BMW indy and get them to check it out. Sounds nasty in those videos.

[HydroxFrost]

Those codes would indicate that its completely out of timing, thus giving me pretty much certainty that you broke a chain or jumped timing. Sorry about that man, hopefully you can either find a cheap engine to put in it or get it fixed.

Originally Posted by bdogbmw2011

I don't think I got any oil pressure warning.

The codes I got from a Bluetooth scanner I have are:

P0012 - intake camshaft position timing - over-retarded (bank1)
P0016 - crankshaft position - camshaft position correlation - Bank 1 sensor A
P052B - cold start "a" camshaft position timing over-retarded bank 1
A0B4 - fault Enginestart starter
A10A - ews4_timing_chall_resp_error
E18F - central registry does not match with debt configuration (error_registry_new)

[lowrydr310]

You could try having someone start the car while you have the oil filler cap open and look inside to see the cam moving.

I did a piston soak and the next day when I tried to stay my car it cranked just like that sounding like it had no compression, but after 30 continuous seconds of trying to start it sputtered and finally started and cleared up in about a minute after all the residual cleaner burned off. My point is that the sound where it doesn't have compression doesn't always mean catastrophic failure (had a similar issue with a Tacoma where the starter was spinning but the gear didn't come out and contact the flywheel).

Based on those sounds in the first video, I'm guessing timing component damage. Good news is that replacement N52 engines are readily available and aren't very expensive.

[bdogbmw2011]

Originally Posted by HydroxFrost

Those codes would indicate that its completely out of timing, thus giving me pretty much certainty that you broke a chain or jumped timing. Sorry about that man, hopefully you can either find a cheap engine to put in it or get it fixed.

All sounds terrible : I've seen where vanos bolts can break also? Something that was a recall I believe I read somewhere. Anyone have the same?

[bdogbmw2011]

Btw the car has 96,000 miles

[HydroxFrost]

With all that being said though, it doesn't mean the engine is completely junk but if you want to fix it you're looking at a near full teardown of the engine. There's gonna be chain guide material in your oil pan most likely, you're gonna need a timing set, new gaskets, etc. And while you're in there, you may as well throw a new set of rod bearings in just in case. Its easier to swap the engine in my opinion but it highly depends on how mechanically savvy you are and how much time you have on your hands. Both ways at a shop are gonna be a small fortune.

Originally Posted by bdogbmw2011

Btw the car has 96,000 miles

[bdogbmw2011]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

You could try having someone start the car while you have the oil filler cap open and look inside to see the cam moving.

I did a pistol soak and the next day when I tried to stay my car it cranked just like that sounding like it had no compression, but after 30 continuous seconds of trying to start it sputtered and finally started and cleared up in about a minute after all the residual cleaner burned off. My point is that the sound where it doesn't have compression doesn't always mean catastrophic failure (had a similar issue with a Tacoma where the starter was spinning but the gear didn't come out and contact the flywheel).

Based on those sounds in the first video, I'm guessing timing component damage. Good news is that replacement N52 engines are readily available and aren't very expensive.

I've looked everywhere and I haven't been able to find a bmw that sounds like mine does in the second video I posted.

[E92William]

What lowryder310 suggested is a very good idea. I did that myself when I was looking to buy this cheap civic with a crank no start a while ago and good thing I looked under the oil cap before doing so! The engine cranked but cams didn't move. The guy was acting like he had no idea but I'm sure he thought I wouldn't know and buy that junk.

[bdogbmw2011]

Dang I hope it's not timing. I did think maybe it's the battery? I checked the volts and they're reading 11.8. Could this cause that sound when trying to start?

[E92William]

A battery can say that voltage and if it's weak enough it'll drop below 10s and it might crank but not be able to power the coils or fuel injection system so something to keep in mind. Hook a booster to it and see what it does. If nothing then you've got another uglier problem

[bdogbmw2011]

Just a quick update:

I ended up towing it to the dealer and they discovered the vanos gear bolts had broken off. Luckily this was covered by a recall out on the bolts found here:

Recall Campaign 14V-176: N51, N52K and N52T Engine – Replace VANOS Gear Bolts

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/201...4V176-2716.pdf

All is good now! Thanks all!

[E92William]

That's great news glad it's fixed

[mecheng77]

Interesting, first I've heard of this recall how common is it?

[NYCiROLL]

From the linked pdf

AFFECTED VEHICLES
This Recall involves certain E70, E71, E82, E88, E89, E90, E92, E93, F10 and F25 vehicles with the N51, N52K and N52T engines produced from September 2009 to November 2011.