[friedymeister]

Hi everyone,

I just replaced my valvetronic servomotor on my 2011 135i with an N55 engine with 35,000 miles and this sound developed when I turned it on. Any ideas? It changes with rpm

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uUy...usp=drive_link

No engine related codes, just airflow sensor, which I'm working on.

I felt the fuel rails and noticed that the most significant vibration is at cylinder 1, followed by 2. I tried disconnecting power to injector #1, but I couldn't tell if it eliminated the sound. I did the same for injector #2.

The brand new spark plugs already have a bunch of carbon on the end, is that normal after running the car for less than an hour?

I removed the brand new coil pack and spark plugs and inspected the cylinder with an endoscope and saw crud, but I don't see any destruction.

Video on all cylinders but #1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jB3...usp=drive_link

Video on all cylinders but #2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JFm...usp=drive_link

Photo of spark plug: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F8p...usp=drive_link

Photos of Cylinder 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18BN...usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19Qp...usp=drive_link

Photo of Cylinder 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mKc...usp=drive_link

Anyone have other suggestions? Could injector 1 be bad? I can't tell if the sound goes away/gets better when I unplugged injector 1.

Could it be a hydraulic lifter? Should I just rev it a bit to clean out the oil?

[fastboatster]

Your video links are broken

[friedymeister]

Links are fixed

[friedymeister]

Update - now misfires on startup that resolve and sound is worse while slighting revving the engine.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fy2...w?usp=drivesdk

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by friedymeister

Update - now misfires on startup that resolve and sound is worse while slighting revving the engine.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fy2...w?usp=drivesdk

couple of questions and thoughts. I wouldn't call this misfiring, sounds like fluctating idle due to some vacuum/air leaks, external or internal.
1. Did you do valvetronic relearn/adaptation?
2. Do you have any codes? There's some BMW TSB which recommends to relearn the actual throttle by disconnecting evap solenoid connector with engine running and letting it run for some time. I don't recall the TSB but worth trying to look it up, but probably won't help.
3. Can you briefly remind me what the valvetronic motor replacement involves? I don't think you have to remove the eccentric shaft or camshafts, it's pretty much mostly a valve cover r&r, right?
4. I think that some of the clacking/"thumping" sound you hear near the cyl 1 is internal valve cover flaps which switch off where the excess crankcase pressure will go depending on whether there's boost in the intake manifold. So these are bouncing for some reason, it looks like the vacuum in the intake manifold is unsteady. Might be that pcv valve not working quite right, maybe not torn but have some debris getting in a way. could be some valve cover cracks letting some external unmetered air in, or it could be some internal valve cover cracks. I am inclined to believe it might be some internal valve cover cracks, but smoke test might help. it also could be that vacuum reservoirs on the valve cover are cracked and letting the vacuum into the crankcase. How old is the valve cover and did you have to peel it from the engine or it just lifted right up?

[friedymeister]

1. I did the valvetronic relearn procedure
2. There are now several codes:
29D0 intake air temperature sensor, electrical: short circuit to B+
36FD DME main relay: Implausibly, open
2EFE Combustion misfires several cylinders detected
278D Air mass flow sensor operating range: air mass too low
2775 Air mass plausibility: air mass too low
2EFF combustion misfire cylinder 1 detected
2f00 Combustion misfire cylinder 2 detected
2EE2 misfire several cylinders damaging exhaust gas after starting up
2EE6 misfire cylinder 1 damaging exhaust gas after starting up
2EE9 misfire cylinder 2 damaging exhaust gas after starting up

3. Valvetronic motor replacement involves removal of Valve cover, spark plug holder, and injectors. I didn't touch the eccentric shaft or camshaft.

4. Valve cover is original (2010) and it seemed to come right off, but took several attempts to get it on and off.

[fastboatster]

I'd try to see why you have 29D0 and 36FD, wonder if the wiring to MAF sensor got abraded or torn, I remember it runs close to the bottom part of the air box and it's a possibility it got pinched. I think 278D and 2775 are all due to 29D0. 2EFF, 2EE6 and 2EE2 are related to injector 1, and 2f00, 2EE9 and 2EE2 seem to be related to injector 2. Could be wiring as you got some main relay plausibility code, could be injectors themselves. Did you have to use a lot of force to pull those out?
Another thing is to try to repost/link this thread in the general section with all the codes and symptoms you have. There're some knowledgeable members there with ISTA, and ISTA has test plans for many issues based on the codes and symptoms.
My current guess is this is a wiring issue, perhaps some DME connectors are not seated correctly (if you unplugged them).

[friedymeister]

Update: I removed injectors 1 and 2 again and found that they were quite loose (could turn them by hand and remove them easily by hand).

I had used the injector tool and torqued to 2nM, but they came out way to easily.

Injector #1 had a seal that was clearly not working.

Injector #2 just came out very easily.

I read about issues with N54/55 and injector housings getting ovaled and not sealing, but I can't see this being the issue since I installed them using the tool.

Anyone have any tips on re-installation.

Injector 1:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13VG...usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pGs...usp=drive_link
Injector 2:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uyg...usp=drive_link

[fastboatster]

just to clarify - did you resuse the old injector seals or did you use brand new ones?
P.S. look like you did. what did you do to install these? have you resolved electrical codes for MAF sensor and terminal 15?

[friedymeister]

I used new seals and reinstalled the injector with new decoupling elements using the bmw tool.

I haven’t resolved the MAF issue yet.

[friedymeister]

Update:

I replaced all 6 injectors with new ones, used the BMW tools, used ISTA to program them and reset adaptations. I also removed all 6 spark plugs and re-torqued them to make sure it wasn't a loose plug. The car started and sounded good initially, but then developed the same sound again (no longer coming from cylinder 1) - it's the sucking sound in the video below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rQx...usp=drive_link

Then, when I revved the engine, there was a metallic "popping noise" again, which is only present while I give it gas, and it goes away when my foot is off the throttle.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ajp...usp=drive_link

Anyone have any ideas? Are the two sounds related?

Could the sound from revving be the valvetronic eccentric shaft (I only replaced the motor)? Or a hydraulic valve actuator? Or something else?

[e90lorkp]

Have you done a compression test and or leakdown test? I'd try to put numbers to the condition of the cylinders.