[Makoa6]

all,

I have been trying to pin point this issue and get my car running. it started while I was driving and downshifted my car and pressed on the gas, my car popped and loss power. it started sputtering like it was missing and loss power. I drove 20miles to destination thinking it was a bad coil and was going to change it when I get home. I parked car and 2hrs later started it up to get home, vehicle started and ran rough, put in first gear and car started to go and then died. since then, car never started, it will crank but not start. here is what I have done so far since then.

changed all 6 spark plugs to new bosh plugs
changed all 6 fuel injectors to index 12 fuel injectors and re programed injectors
changed crankshaft sensor
changed intake camshaft sensor
changed intake and exhaust vanos solenoids
changed out dme80 to dme81
check to see if I had spark, delayed but do see spark
checked fuel rail for pressure but disconnecting and fuel line has pressure
traced both camshaft intake and exhaust sensors to dme. continuity is ok
still having current code pop up after erasing and trying to start. code 2A9A and code 3100 present every try to start vehicle.

could it be timing? I have also checked to see if the camshaft was spinning and it was. I looked through the oil filler hole while cranking. help help help I have also posted several thread of what the codes were and what I did so far....
link to previous post
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1441819

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1437569

please help, don't know what next step should be.

[JuniorB]

A pop while moving is a good indication that timing may have jumped. That's a lot of work done that may have been unnecessary. Run the basics, do for fuel pressure, ck for spark. Since you changed out the ecu, you may have to pull the vc to make sure nothing jumped. Also, a pop could be not related to this, are all your inner cooler pipes still connected? Look over everything real well.

[Makoa6]

Originally Posted by JuniorB

A pop while moving is a good indication that timing may have jumped. That's a lot of work done that may have been unnecessary. Run the basics, do for fuel pressure, ck for spark. Since you changed out the ecu, you may have to pull the vc to make sure nothing jumped. Also, a pop could be not related to this, are all your inner cooler pipes still connected? Look over everything real well.

hi JuniorB

I currently have the valve cover off and checked my roller rockers to see if any of them are off, they all look good. I ordered a timing tool kit to check to see if my timing is off. I am currently waiting for timing tool to come in. in the mean time, I will check to see if any hoses got disconnected. thanks for replying to help. I hope I get this car started. its been a while since it ran. I also ordered vacuum lines to replace... will check timing and them compression next...

thank you.

[Makoa6]

for anyone who has similar problems... here is what I found out so far. after changing all these parts above and not solving my problem. I ordered a timing tool kit and took off valve cover to check rockers, and timing. It turns out that my car spun the timing chain sprocket on the crankshaft hub. I have a manual transmission MT6 speed. I read that sometimes when downshifting into low of a gear, this could happen. turns out the timing chain sprocket to the hub isn't keyed in or anything. I just removed the intake manifold to check if valves were bent or ok. it looks ok. So, since I am this far, I am going to order a walnut blasting tool kit and clean all cylinders before I put back together. I have never done this before nor all that I have done so far. thanks to everyone who helped me so far. I really appreciate it. I am learning as I go.

[Makoa6]

for anyone following this post and have similar problems. here is my latest update so far. Hope this helps anyone who needs help in the future. So after further finding out my timing was off, I realigned my crank and camshaft to top dead center with the timing tool kit I bought from amazon. Then Next step I did was a leak down test to find out if I had any internal damage to my engine. results of leak down test as follow. cylinder 3-6 all tested ok at 70psi in and 70psi out on both gauges. Cylinder 1 first reading was 7psi leak, I retested all the cylinders and 1 had a 40 psi leak. I could feel and hear the air coming out of the intake valve. to be sure, I dropped pressure to 20psi and spun the motor over till it came up to top dead. Once I saw and felt the pressure go up, I turned up the pressure and verified I had a leak. At this point, im looking into removing the cylinder head and check to see if I have piston/block damage or if I just have bent valves. will update what I find. I also found a place that will sell rebuilt n54 long block engines but cost to ship and price is a factor since im out in Hawaii. I hoping that its just bent valves so I can get head resurfaced and do a valve job with new valves... should I replace all of the valves or just the bent ones? to resurface and do valves will cost $375 provided I do all the work and provide parts. anyone has any opinions? buy used head? just buy long block? just redo head? open to hearing anyones comment. thanks

[N54zoegottii]

Originally Posted by Makoa6

for anyone following this post and have similar problems. here is my latest update so far. Hope this helps anyone who needs help in the future. So after further finding out my timing was off, I realigned my crank and camshaft to top dead center with the timing tool kit I bought from amazon. Then Next step I did was a leak down test to find out if I had any internal damage to my engine. results of leak down test as follow. cylinder 3-6 all tested ok at 70psi in and 70psi out on both gauges. Cylinder 1 first reading was 7psi leak, I retested all the cylinders and 1 had a 40 psi leak. I could feel and hear the air coming out of the intake valve. to be sure, I dropped pressure to 20psi and spun the motor over till it came up to top dead. Once I saw and felt the pressure go up, I turned up the pressure and verified I had a leak. At this point, im looking into removing the cylinder head and check to see if I have piston/block damage or if I just have bent valves. will update what I find. I also found a place that will sell rebuilt n54 long block engines but cost to ship and price is a factor since im out in Hawaii. I hoping that its just bent valves so I can get head resurfaced and do a valve job with new valves... should I replace all of the valves or just the bent ones? to resurface and do valves will cost $375 provided I do all the work and provide parts. anyone has any opinions? buy used head? just buy long block? just redo head? open to hearing anyones comment. thanks

What was your outcome

[Makoa6]

Originally Posted by N54zoegottii

What was your outcome

I ended up removing the head from the vehicle and had it resurface and replaced valves and seals. I reinstalled with new chain, chain guides, crankshaft sprocket etc... Put back together and it ran. since then I have also upgraded with aftermarket intercooler and catless downpipes. Also added a MHD tune stage 2 and boy does it make a huge difference.