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Thread: Engine growl after speed bump (Code 112 & 121)

  1. #1
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    Question Engine growl after speed bump (Code 112 & 121)

    So its on my daily 98 318i with M44B19 bock. I was on my way out of this shop and hit a bump at maybe 15km/h, it hit the car under hard enough. Immediately the car has been misfiring or just feeling sluggish.

    went to parked to check real quick, no damage underneath. Drove it back home and diagnosed it down to the Code P1140 (or INPA 121 Load Management/Height/Load Adjustment). Checked for vac leaks and all that. Nothing.

    After letting the car sit and cool down for a few hrs with the batter disconnected, I connected it again and this time it was the Code 112 (Cam position sensor) the 121 code had gone away. Took it for a drive and then the code 121 came back.

    I am thinking the cam sensor just died and causing the MAF to be out of whack? The car still drives and all but feels like its a lot sluggish, there is a deeper growl from the engine, checked underneath, no oil leaks or anything crazy.

    Any ideas??
    "So we've come to the conclusion that BMW just has parts laying around they decide to throw on cars for no reason."

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  2. #2
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    Was there a CEL before looking for codes?
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

  3. #3
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    No, there was no cel light on, I did check for codes a few weeks ago and there was no cam sensor code or maf code. I wonder if a bump was enough to do damage to the cam sensor. Its almost 200,000K on it and it may be the original sensor from the looks of it.

  4. #4
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    Puzzling. Perhaps just coincidental. But if not if you bottomed out hard enough maybe messed the cats? Exhaust manifold leak/crack?
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

  5. #5
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    Well, I did hit hard but dont think it was the exhaust, and doubt a crack in the exhaust manifold crack give a cam sensor error though right? I also had some exhaust work done the same day (fitted a remus muffler and a bung before the cat) dont think its leaking exhaust gases.. very strange. the morning the car did feel a bit slow but really not as much as it is now, I wonder if the bump was hard enough to kill the cam sensor that was likely on its way out. I have had cam sensors die spontaneously before though on my M52. Sucks..

    Any input appreciated.

  6. #6
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    With the symptoms you provided and the fact you just had exhaust work done I'd focus there first. According to Pelican Parts the e30 e36 have issues with cracked exhaust manifolds but any upstream leak can cause skewed lands readings.
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

  7. #7
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    I had similar symptoms with a cracked banana hose and vacuum leak. Not sure that is your particul problem but check for leaks? Maybe something cracked or got joggled loose when you "Bumped".

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    I had taken the upper m44 manifold out too see but seems the crank and cam sensors are connected right, I tried disconnecting and reconnecting. The guy in the shop who did the exhaust work (after the bump) didnt mention any leaks or anything and I didnt smell any thing there either, but I might just have a look since you guys says so.

  9. #9
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    So I'm finding different definitions for the P1140 code. Some read it is a camshaft position code. Others show P1140 -- MAF reading doesn't corrolate with the caluclated engine demands.
    Seems that many chase it. Often it has been the clogged IAB. Perhaps if it hasn't been cleaned the crud buildup could have shifted with the bump and blocking the valve.
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

  10. #10
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    I cleaned the IAB recently though, ordered a Cam sensor. You are absolutely right though that it seems to come off often as a MAF code as well, in my case I think its the cam sensor causing the maf code as the maf doesn't come till a bit after the cam sensor error comes on.

    the other thing I can see if maybe the fuel lines.

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    Not sure on what growl means. But ive seen electrical problems from grounds coming loose, and the engine loses power, resulting in lost spark or crank/cam sensor signals/02 signals and the dme cant generate a code from lack of power... Usually the strap or some short when bumps are hit.
    Nobody would recertify these machines after somebody screwed with them without any visibility into what they did.

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  12. #12
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    I replaced the cam sensor and the error about it went away, I did test the old cam sensor and the new one, the old one was out of spec.

    But I am still having some other issues. The knock sensor error came up and still getting 121.

    I went for a drive today, came and plugged it into inpa, the car sounds a bit like a truck or diesel and the cylinder smoothness idle shows

    Cylinder 1 67
    Cylinder 3 63
    Cylinder 4 195
    Cylinder 2 138

    So either the Cylinder 4 & 2 and compensating for 1 & 3. or those are the problematic ones. Never had this before the bump and its been sitting for just 2 weeks.

    Will the knock sensor 1 being bad cause this? Will test the knock sensor values tomorrow.
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    "So we've come to the conclusion that BMW just has parts laying around they decide to throw on cars for no reason."

    Interest on a Very Budget Supercharger Build??



  13. #13
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    OK so you have 2 cylinders with equally low compression that are first and second in the firing order. Hmmmm
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

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    That is not really compression from my understanding its the smoothness, as in they are not firing properly or the timing is being pulled. drives and all fine just feels a bit down on power and the obvious error code about the knock sensor 1. M44 has the knock sensor between the 1&2 Cylinder and the 3&4th Cylinder. I wonder if a bad knock sensor could be causing all this?

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    OK I looked a bit on the smoothness reading. From what I understand the closer to 0 the better. But then again if they are closer to even the better. So clearly something's not right.
    Are you getting ping?
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

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    Heya, Thanks, thats what I was aiming for in terms of smoothness, I also remember it was supposed to be low and near each other not off by so much.

    Yea i think I am getting some ping/knock specially since the sensor is way way off I think the ecu adjusts the engine timing based on bad codes it read from the sensor and then it starts knocking?

    I am waiting for the sensors to arrive, I am told they can be the cause after all unless its mechanical and I broke a guide or the chain jumped?
    Last edited by MisterM52; 07-13-2019 at 07:39 PM.
    "So we've come to the conclusion that BMW just has parts laying around they decide to throw on cars for no reason."

    Interest on a Very Budget Supercharger Build??



  17. #17
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    I'd go with and hope for the knock sensors if you have ping and since they are more susceptible to impact than a chain or guide. But i guess we will see.
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

  18. #18
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    I have replaced the knock sensors and it got the code off but there is rumbling on the engine, I will replace the cat sensor but I also found that when the maf is disconnected the height adaptation error code goes away.

    Now this points me towards a bad o2 sensor and or a maf.

    But also I wondered what if I had some timing issues, I opened the valve cover and found that the cams timing seemed to be fine although I could be wrong, did a compression check of the engine and it all comes around 170 on all the cylinders.

    I took the timing case off to see if the guides were bad, and they seem fine from what I can tell, the only thing I can see that could had been wrong is the tensioner perhaps.

    videos below, any feedback appreciated.







  19. #19
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    A number of YouTube videos would have me believe that is your noise. Could be just the tensioner or both.
    Working on the 325 reminds me how much I LOVED my old Jeep Wrangler. A bus ate it.

  20. #20
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    Ordered a tensioner, a maf and a o2 sensor, lets see how it goes.
    "So we've come to the conclusion that BMW just has parts laying around they decide to throw on cars for no reason."

    Interest on a Very Budget Supercharger Build??



  21. #21
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    got new tensioner which got rid of the noise.. also new cam sensor, o2 sensor, new maf in, car runs alright long as its not floored and I allow the revs to stay under 2.5K. If I floor it it refuses to go past 80km and 4200rpm and then just jitters and misfires. I wonder if its the abs sensor code. the 4 cylinder bmw is a interesting beast.

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