N54 Preventive Maintenance to Avoid Stranding

Zone 5 · 01-20-2021, 11:13 AM

I got the new index 12 injectors from FCP Euro and brought them to the shop. Several hours later, they called me and said that 2 of the 6 were bad -- they got a misfire after installation and had to move the injectors around to determine that the two were bad.

Told them to buy two new ones from the local dealer and I would pay the extra, then get a refund from FCP Euro for the bad ones.

Hard to believe that 2/6 brand new injectors could be bad straight out of the box. How hard is it to damage these things when installing them?

fgpalmer71 · 01-20-2021, 11:16 AM

Interesting.

mweisdorfer · 01-20-2021, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgpalmer71

Quote:

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

I think if you have Eldor Coils with NKG one step colder plugs gapped at .022, you can probably change the plugs 15-20k.

The coils - maybe 50,000 miles; normally coils are good for 100,000 miles.

You could proactively change the mosfets in the DME

With regard to the mosfets preemptively being changed.....

Isn't that issue relegated to the pre-2009 cars? Definitely pertains to the OP. When researching pre-purchase I specifically wanted a 2009+ N54 for the oil cooler and the updated DME. My car is a 2009, do I need to worry about the mosfets too?

Nope. You have the updated DME. I have not read of any msd81 DME's having issues what so ever

Zone 5 · 01-21-2021, 01:18 PM

Just got a call, apparently the problem was not the fuel injectors in the first place. They were fine all along.

The valve spring keeper on one of the cylinders fell out and the valve spring was not operating a valve properly. Now they have to take off the valve cover and use a special tool to install a new spring. They found this out after taking the two FCP Euro injectors they thought were bad and replacing them with dealer injectors and the engine still ran rough (although they said that the test drive was good initially --- how could that be unless the spring was failing intermittently I wonder??).

The mech says he has never seen this before in an N54 motor. I asked him if maybe it would be a good idea to replace all the valve springs and he said no.

The labor on this repair is astronomical. Not including the cost of the injectors which were $1,400, it's going to be another $1,200 for the cost of another spring and the labor to install it. Wow.

Not complaining, I have the $$, just surprised at how much something seemingly simple costs.

fgpalmer71 · 01-21-2021, 04:18 PM

Again.....if you trust them then good luck with it. That whole thing sounds extremely strange!

Zone 5 · 01-21-2021, 09:38 PM

Getting a little less trusting. But still don't feel that I have a choice.

01-20-2021, 11:13 AM	#23
Zone 5 New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2007 335i MT Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I got the new index 12 injectors from FCP Euro and brought them to the shop. Several hours later, they called me and said that 2 of the 6 were bad -- they got a misfire after installation and had to move the injectors around to determine that the two were bad. Told them to buy two new ones from the local dealer and I would pay the extra, then get a refund from FCP Euro for the bad ones. Hard to believe that 2/6 brand new injectors could be bad straight out of the box. How hard is it to damage these things when installing them?
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01-20-2021, 11:16 AM	#24
fgpalmer71 Captain 315 Rep 603 Posts Drives: 2016 Genesis sedan 3.8 AWD Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: indiana iTrader: (0)	Interesting.
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01-21-2021, 01:18 PM	#26
Zone 5 New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2007 335i MT Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Just got a call, apparently the problem was not the fuel injectors in the first place. They were fine all along. The valve spring keeper on one of the cylinders fell out and the valve spring was not operating a valve properly. Now they have to take off the valve cover and use a special tool to install a new spring. They found this out after taking the two FCP Euro injectors they thought were bad and replacing them with dealer injectors and the engine still ran rough (although they said that the test drive was good initially --- how could that be unless the spring was failing intermittently I wonder??). The mech says he has never seen this before in an N54 motor. I asked him if maybe it would be a good idea to replace all the valve springs and he said no. The labor on this repair is astronomical. Not including the cost of the injectors which were $1,400, it's going to be another $1,200 for the cost of another spring and the labor to install it. Wow. Not complaining, I have the $$, just surprised at how much something seemingly simple costs.
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01-21-2021, 04:18 PM	#27
fgpalmer71 Captain 315 Rep 603 Posts Drives: 2016 Genesis sedan 3.8 AWD Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: indiana iTrader: (0)	Again.....if you trust them then good luck with it. That whole thing sounds extremely strange!
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01-21-2021, 09:38 PM	#28
Zone 5 New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2007 335i MT Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Getting a little less trusting. But still don't feel that I have a choice.
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