Single Cylinder Misfire Issue

[Seagates]

I have a 01 530i that I've had trouble with last couple weeks I can't find what the issue is. It's got 268k on the clock and it started giving a code for cylinder 2 misfire with fuel cut off. Under normal driving its fine but if you try to get on the freeway its starts missing. I've done coil swap, injector swap, plug swap and it doesn't move from cyl 2. Compression test came out good, fuel pressure test came out good too. Fuel filter was replaced 3 months ago and i cleaned the MAF. Ccv is good, and fuel trims don't indicate vacuum leak. Also vanos was replaced 2yrs ago. I'm stumped at what is causing the problem, any one have ideas? Can knock sensors be bad?

[StephenVA]

what codes are present?
To answer your question, Yes at 270K everything could be toast, but before throwing parts at it let us do a little testing first.

[Seagates]

P1345

[edjack]

Compression test came out good What do you mean?

There may be some nuggets here: https://www.obd-codes.com/p1345

What is "TiSi?"

[Seagates]

The cylinder compression was about 180psi for each cylinder....give or take a few psi at each

[StephenVA]

What is "TiSi?"

Fixed it! Titanium Silver Metallic or in Build sheet codes: "TitanSilver" Metallic (354)

[StephenVA]

Possible causes: In order of probability.
Faulty Spark Plug
Faulty Ignition Coil
Intake vacuum leak
Faulty Camshaft Position Sensor (You are at this point)
Ignition Coil harness is open or shorted
Ignition Coil circuit poor electrical connection

With a BMW specific scanner you can see the the sensor at work, soft codes (Failures in thge past) activate parts, code parts, etc, etc. With a generic OBD II code reader you just get Federal mandated P codes. Spend a few bucks and get the lap top software or a more sophisticated scan tool. There are HUNDREDS of postings on options, use, and capabilities.

Example of problem where parts swap does not show movement to new cyl: Primary wire (The small ones) to coil shorted or broken in harness. You can move and replace coils all day and the coil in the cyl will not fire. Yes, they make a tester to show coil build up and fire.

[GG06]

Hi Bimmer DIYers,


I need help! I've been struggling with a single misfire: P1349 - misfire cylinder 4 with fuel cut-off.


It happened three days ago (24Jun18) while climbing a hill at 40m/h on gear 3.


So far I've done the following.
1) swapped ignition coils around. The symptom does not follow. My guess is this rules out ignition coils issues?
2) put a brand new spark plug in 4. No luck. The code is still P1349. All 6 plugs were new as of early spring this year (2018)
3) opened up the ECM box and saw no sign of corrosion.
4) cleared the code and waited a while and start the car. The code came back within a few minutes.
5) with a long screw driver and touched and listened to the sounds coming from each and every one of the 6 fuel injectors. Number 4 sounded different than the other 5: without the clear clicking sound.


Regarding number 5), I don't know if the lack of clicking sound from number 4 is because the ECM has cut off the fuel supply to 4, or it's due to a faulty injector.


If no fuel is being allowed to get to injector 4, I would guess it makes sense that the sound is different.


I have not done any work to see if there are any vacuum leaks. My thinking was that vacuum leak would result in random misfire and not a single one. Am I right?

Any suggestions/idea how I should proceed?
Thanks so much!

[geargrinder]

Yes, as your code explains, the injector is being cut-off by the DME which is why you hear that difference. If you're lucky you might be able to clear codes and fire it up and listen right away and hear if the injector sounds normal BEFORE it gets cut off. The pragmatic approach is usually to try a quick injector swap too though and see if that does anything.

Yes normally vac leaks are not cylinder specific although not absolutely always. Since it's a 6 cylinder, have you checked your DISA? If that's only 'slightly' broken it can apparently cause single cylinder misfires (like its just disrupting airflow enough for one cylinder to not fire properly, but not all of them...)

[GG06]

Hi geargrinder,

I just tried your suggestion. I first cleared the code, started the car, got out and stuck my head under the hood, long screw driver in hand, and listened. The sound that came from injector 4 sounded "almost" the same as the others. I say almost because I think in the back of my mind I still remembered what it sounded like when it was different...

Then, I think the sound did change and I could no longer hear the clear clicking noise, which was still present in the other 5. And I went back to the driver's seat and the dreadful SES indeed came up and the code was once again P1349. So it seems after just a few minutes, the ECU decided it was time to cut off the fuel supply to number 4.

I haven't checked DISA yet. Is it the difficult DIY job? I'll google the forum.

[GG06]

I took out the DISA valve tonight and it is still in one piece. The seal looks flattened but no cracks or anything. The flap looks OK. The pin is still there. I see no broken pieces. I'm pretty sure it's the original DISA as I am the one and only owner of this vehicle for 17 years.

[geargrinder]

Cool. At least that's 2 things ticked off, although if you're not sure about the injector you can always do a swap. More PITA than the coil swap obv.

[GG06]

I tried to do an injector swap today but didn't go too far - having trouble even removing the electric harness

Found this really old and long thread http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=435931, where bluebee did a lot of analysis and listed the events that lead to P1349, which happened to be what I've got currently. Luckily for bluebee a restart of the engine does not result in a P1349, but for me it's been a certainty since Monday (3 days ago).

Some of the events bluebee listed (I think on page 8)
...
- Cylinder #4 stops getting fuel permanently (until next ignition cycle)
- The engine stumbles horribly (as there is still compression)
- It is unknown whether the #4 coil is turned off but probably not


- The fuel cutoff to cylinder #4 continues forever until the ignition is cycled )or, by some reports, when the OBDII code is cleared).

The last point is interesting: one could clear the code using an OBDII reader without stopping the engine?

I tried that today a couple of times, as follows
1) start engine, a few minutes later, SES light comes on. OBDII reports P1349
2) driving is rough as only 5 cylinders are firing
3) stop at red light, put car in neutral, I can feel the engine shaking pretty badly
4) use OBDII reader to clear P1349
5) lights turn green, I put the car in D and step on the accelerator. car feels much smoother now. seems all cylinders are firing...
6) meanwhile the OBDII reader keeps reading every couple of minutes - no code.
7) pull into garage, and stop engine. SES still off.

Couple of questions to ponder (1) did the DME detect that the code was cleared and resume fuel supply to 4? if so, how did it do it?, if not, why is it that I could feel that the engine got more power and ran more smoothly? (2) by clearing the code "on the fly", did I cause irreversible damage to the CAT?

What do you think?

[geargrinder]

Pain Scale:

1. Being flayed alive whilst being kept conscious by IV stimulants
2. Having all your limbs sequentially sawn off, starting with your junk, using a dull rusty bow-saw
3a. Being forced to try to make sense of bluebee threads that are crammed with 1000 barely-to-un-related hyperlinks thrown in left and right
3b. Having your head slowly crushed in a vice until your skull fractures
5. Being dowsed with gasoline and set on fire

Yes you can clear codes while engine is running. Its done all the time in diagnosis situations.
Clearing adaptations while the engine is running is a different matter, in some cases of extreme adaptations, it might be a bad idea.

Since the O2 sensors are still working (presumably) the cat shouldn't have any problems without you seeing some mixture codes.

I'm continuing to think bad injector for now, especially after that report. Wonky injectors can do stuff like "only act up when hot" (or "only act up when cold"), or just in general be unpredictably intermittent for a while. I have very much BTDT and had to spend time in parking lots waiting for my injectors to cool down. Could be yours just acts up in certain situations (or again, randomly).

If you can try the swapperoo that'd really be helpful.

[GG06]

Hi geargrinder,
I'm going to attempt an injector swap tomorrow in the 100 degree F heat wave forecasted. Wish me luck
Will report the results, positive or negative, or even disaster.

[GG06]

Hi geargrinder,
It took me two hours to take the electrical connectors box off
Now I cannot see how to detach the fuel line in the back behind the intake manifold. I could only reach in there with my left hand and feel the rigid steel fuel pipe but i have no idea how to disconnect it.

[GG06]

Just came back from an indy in my area. Cylinder 4 has low compression: about 50% of expected value.

[StephenVA]

Did he determine if it was a ring/piston issue or in the head/valve/gasket area issue?

Was the test done with a compression gauge, starter amp draw, or a leak down test with compressed air?

Based on your post, I assume it was a spark plug hole compression test.

Any bore scope look see done to see if there was big time issues in the cyl?

Reason for asking would determine the steps: fix/repair or sell and run.....

[geargrinder]

Gerrrrrdammmnit this is why I hate threadjacking "DERP DERP DERP I HAVE SAMES TROUBLES TOOO!!!!" posts.

I thought "compression" right away but quick scanned, and saw all the "compression is OK" parts of the thread... DOH that was the actual OP....

Start. Yer. Own. Threads. Peeeplesses.

[GG06]

hi StephenVA,

I wasn't around when he did the testing. I assume he did a simple test. He said it's head valve and it's 2,000 job that his shop does not do and gave me the contact info of another shop an hour away. His advice: trade it in.

sorry, he did use the word "probably". i don't think he saw the valve.

Should I take her to a BMW dealership for a diagnosis? i understand they'll charge $160-200 whether i decide to do the repair or not.

[GG06]

hi geargrinder, i'll start my own thread next time. i'm pretty down right now. need someone to cheer me up. i bought this car new back in 2001. it's been with me for over 17 years. i really hate to see her go. the shop owner says it's worth like 500 bucks. he wants me to look for a new car.

[geargrinder]

1. Stay away from the dealer
2. Don't panic (yet). (See HGTTG).
3. Shop guy "Mr. $500" is a Dbag. Even if he's right (somewhat unlikely)...
4. It's an M54. So. Could be a stuck / clogged ring. No guarantees. But, guys have had luck w rislone/AutoRX/seafoam/whatever cylinder soakdowns. These motors don't tend to have "stuck valves" unless they have had valve piston contact. They DO tend to see pretty common ring problems.
5. Worth starting your own thread esp given this new level of development.

[GG06]

interesting you mention seafoam and others, geargrinding. i happen to be watching these today: some of them are:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqgrNxDZeIQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4olHcoRQII

i was thinking i might want to give it a try. in my case, i should just put the liquid (about 1 oz) into the problem cylinder 4 and leave the others alone, right?
i might use the independence holiday to do that so that the stuff can sit for a good 24 hours.

Thank you for encouraging me not to give up!
oh, i'll start a new thread as you advised.

[geargrinder]

I hate videos unless they are absolutely necessary so ... No idea what those are about. But.. spend time googling words like M54 stuck rings compression etc.

[GG06]

i can't seem to find the + Post New Thread button, geargrinder. do i need to acquire new rights first? thanks.