Sebastian Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I wish i had alot of time.. Im going to try check the spring next week. Ivé got it confirmed that there is a problem with the spring. As long as you think your car is sounding like a diesel around 600-800rpm and dissapperas over 1000rpm. Try to take some time off, to investigate the spring. Heard of many owners trying to uppdate with BMWs need firmvare, without succeses ? Might be a new firmware ? be back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil S Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I could have the same thing does sound a bit like a diesel on idle, but is sound once you blip the throttle over 1000rpm Will have a look under the cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 The spring was OK... Runs smother wih the airmass off ? One hose was broken! Still rattling noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 This thread WILL die if we don´t keep it alive... Do any of you guys hear any noise from the timingchain ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelb82 Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Really interesting thread. Just wandered if there was an update from any of the original posters??? My 52 plate 318ci appears to have many of the issues experienced in this post - slightly hesitant at lower speeds, noisy tickover etc etc. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregg Posted February 8, 2010 Report Share Posted February 8, 2010 Another person with the slight issues very hesitant but flies past 1500/2000rpm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelb82 Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Same here mate - like you say after about 2k it's fine and when you give it the full can of beans. Getting sick of going round corners in 2nd gear and feeling like i'm in 4th!! I'm running half a tank of TOTAL excelium fuel at the minute with a bottle of Forte Injector cleaner (mixed reviews about it on here) Will see if that does anything. After the Injector cleaner I've got a bottle of the Forte Gas treatment that I'll also try with half a tank of a higher octane fuel. I'd love to know more about the location of these breather pipes if someone could give me a pointer - apparantly they can get blocked / become brittle and this can have a massive impact on the breathing of the engine which apparantly the N42 engine suffers with - read a big topic on off an Australian guy. I might also give the butterfly valve a good clear out with some carb cleaner to see if this does the trick... Any help advice / proven remedies would be really appreciated on what is a beautifully built car other than this annoying issue!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrimja Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 I too have the slight hesitation at low revs but always put this down to a smaller engine. I also have the squeak at start-up that was previously mentioned. Started a thread about it a while ago but had no luck with finding out what it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelb82 Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 I just really want to fix the problem as I really love the car to pieces... Theres no way this car came off the production line with these issues - No one would of ever bought one as it would of been doing it throughout the test drive - God knows what these actually cost brand spanking new... Help / advice from anyone that has fixed these issues would be really appreciated!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SH0X Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 Hi i have this engine in my compact, not sure if it helps but have you checked the lower airbox for damage? Mine was rubbing against a pulley on the engine and caused a hole in the filter plastic. If you take engine cover off you can look down and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michalko82 Posted February 22, 2010 Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 I have the same problem....318Ci 16V. 51 plate,90K About twice a week I get a sudden power loss in first gear, foot down =nothing happens just an erratic idle. Then cuts off or picks up in 3-4 seconds. It is always at the end of the blue line...but why? This is a serious issue and can be very very dangerous as sometimes you need to get going quickly(junctions, right traffic light turns....)when pulling away in first gear,...basically if you won't move you're f****d. I wish it would come to a recall....This is more serious than Nikasil issue !!! And so many cars are affected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bex Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Evening chaps, first time poster here. had my car just over two weeks now and noticed some of these symptoms in my own car. Spoke with a local indy bmw mechanic who said that the valvetronic system is very sensitive and that the timing chain tensioner is weak. I will be replacing mine very soon along with the ignition coils, which the main dealer highlighted as requiring replacement at the cars last service. I will also ask the garage to investigate the fact that my engine is noisy when hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bex Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 Evening chaps, first time poster here. had my car just over two weeks now and noticed some of these symptoms in my own car. Spoke with a local indy bmw mechanic who said that the valvetronic system is very sensitive and that the timing chain tensioner is weak. I will be replacing mine very soon along with the ignition coils, which the main dealer highlighted as requiring replacement at the cars last service. I will also ask the garage to investigate the fact that my engine is noisy when hot. Just thought i would add that I had my fault codes read today, no faults present. My VW/Audi mate reckons that this sort of problem could also be symptomatic of a faulty timing chain tensioner, any thoughts from anyone on that one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Mark Posted March 19, 2010 Report Share Posted March 19, 2010 Out of interest have you checked your piston return springs ? Might be worth a look ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bex Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 Out of interest have you checked your piston return springs ? Might be worth a look ? Piston return rings???? excuse my ignorance, but where are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bex Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 Out of interest have you checked your piston return springs ? Might be worth a look ? I am determined to get to the bottom of this comon problem. I just cant accept that the 318 engine ends up sounding like a diesel when hot (i suspect a loose timing chain) and is hesitant / misfires? in fourth at lowish speeds. My car will be going in to My local indy specialist at easterfor a further investigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helvetica Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 325Ci with similar problem here. 2003 facelift M sport. I got a rough idle a few times, and a weak take off, would have to rev hard just to pull out of the driveway!. Battery failed 3 weeks ago and I have been away so new battery today after car left for 3 weeks dead. StArted up fine, but horribly lumpy idle. Wanted to cut out when reversing and in first gear. Felt like running on 2 cylinders. Also engine warning light comes on saying there's an emission fault. I thought maybe the computer had reset after 3 weeks do I drove on. After maybe 3 miles the engine picked up and the light went off. Seems sweet now but only drove a few miles today. So from what I read it could be any of the following: • new plugs - (hopefully this is all) • new coils • remap needed • faulty timing chain tensioner • dirty fuel filter does this sound about right? • Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatto Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 I have been having the same problem with my 2.0 l 318 compact. After having a read around and asking question i bought a new MAF and just replaced it earlier today, nipping to the shops quickly it seems to have made a difference. But im going to go for a wee spirited drive later tonight before the football to test it out, will post my results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatto Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 Went out this evening and all was well, still something a bit wierd. Then when i was braking at a junction the car decided to stall/die on me but when i turned the ignition it started no problem. No obc lights or anything so im a bit worried. Anyone got any ideas ? hopefully just a sensor or something, heard camshaft sensors can cause alot of grief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelster3000 Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 Hi I am a newish 318ci 52 (2lt) owner and I was (well sort of am) having similar problems, I took of the MAF and filter housing and gave everything a good clean, sprayed the MAF with electrical contact cleaner, and gave the butterfly intake a right good spraying with injector cleaner, and I noticed a small breather pipe at the bottom of my filter housing had come off, reattached everything and the hesitancy has gone and drives much better, and smoother but it still sounds like a diesel when bliping the throttle. Strange I have had a E39 525, and a old E36 318is saloon which I thrashed the life out off for 70kmiles in two years and that old 1.9 sounds better at 167kmiles than my 318ci at 55k, So no idea, I am putting it down to the charateristic of the engine, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ci-SportCoupe-Scott Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 First ...... welcome to the Forum..... As you will know..your car is fitted with drive by-wire..which will cause flat spot's etc..even after a re-map..it hadn't solved the problem..untill i fitted a sprint booster.. Haven't had any problems with it, and money well spent..the car is alot smoother..and more responsive....worth the money in my opinion.. Link http://www.sprint-booster.co.uk/default.as...echeck=yes& same here got my first E46 a few months ago and i hated the throttle response! got a SprintBooster with 2 settings on it and it made the car drive how i expectede it should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ci-SportCoupe-Scott Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 you could just try resetting the throttle as well. put key in ignition. turn to first click, hold for 10 secs. turn back to 0 hold for 10 secs then start the car. TBH i think its just the 318 engine but the fact it stalled on you is a bit odd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crespo Posted September 22, 2010 Report Share Posted September 22, 2010 I have read many post regarding poor running and ' just off cold stalling problems etc . The Ford Zetec engine is well know in the industry for suffering similar problems and this is caused by the wrong grade engine oil being used. The engine has a load sensor on the crankshaft and the extra drag from a thick grade of oil fools it into thinking the engine is under more load than it actually is which then causes 'over fueling of the engine . The cure is simply to fill with the correct ACEA A1 / B1 5w30 grade of oil rather than the commonly used 10w40 . Problem is worse in cold weather . The N42 unit is also designed to run on a very low viscocity engine oil and in fact this engine had its own oil specification i.e Long Life 01FE . In theory this engine could suffer in the same way as the Ford unit if the correct low viscocity oil is not used . Oil should be 0w30 or 5w30 fully synthetic . As far as I am aware the LL01 FE grade was only ever made by Castrol and is not now available . The closest grade readily available would be one meeting Volkswagon 506.00 506.01 of which there are many . I owned an Escort 1.6 zetec many moons ago and it would stall religiously at the first junction i approached after a cold start. Ford replaced just about every sensor known to man to try and solve it and in the end nearly washed there hands off the car. It was by pure chance after browsing the net that i stumbled across the solution, And although my car had full service history the wrong grade of oil had been used at the last service causing the valves to stick. A simple oil change with the correct oil and all was well. Unless you did the oil change on the car yourself and are positive 5w 30 fully synthetic has been used i would recomend an oil change. It will do no harm and you never know you may just get a nice supprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav318 Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 i too have this problem, and ive spent many hours searching across the internet, found a massively long thread on a Malaysian forum, but the closest i ever came to a conclusion was somone had the valvetronic parts replaced in the head of the engine as these wear over time, this isnt a cheap job either would cost the best part of a grand, bmw seem to neglect any knowledge of this in theyre dealerships i definitely think something should be done by them as far as a recall is concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmehoray Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 hi im also having similar problems with my n42 engine difference is its usually only after the car has been sitting a while especially overnight, when i start the car it seems to be in limp mode for a couple of hundred metres and sounds as if its drawing air (its not though had it checked) then all of a sudden we have lift off and the car drives brill all be it a little noisier than i would like also when i first start it in the morning and go to reverse the engine trys to stall for a couple of secs but only when tryin to move the car, it will idle perfect if left sitting, also if i let the engine run for a couple of mins before i drive of it will drive perfect any ideas what could be causing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
