[Dtwok335]

Hi guys,

my Dad is driving a BMW X3 G01 M40i xDrive from 2017/07. It is the US variant.

Someday morning he was starting the car and it smoked like hell at cold idle start. He shut the car off and started it again. Again it smoked really much. So he drove a bit and it got better.

The next day the car was not smoking anymore, but had rough idle. The idle got rougher and now the car shuts itself off after a few seconds after start up. Also it smells like rotten eggs, I think you guys know that smell of unburned gas.

So I've made diagnose with common programms and got these Error Codes

030E05 - Undervoltage
101F01 - Airmasssystem plausibility
120408 - Boost pressure shut done
130715 - VANOS-Selenoid valve is stuck
140001 - Ignition failure, several cylinders - Injection shut off
140002 - Iginition failure, several cylinders - bad Emmissions after start
140010 - Iginitoned failer several cylinders - noticed
140101 - Ignition failure cylinder 1

and more...

So we checked the spark plugs, all 6 were black. We decided to replace them.

But the Symptoms and the Error codes stay.

So we decided to change the ignition coils from Cylinder 1-3.

Also that didn't help and the Error stays.

The we unplugged the Airmasssensor no idle running change at all. Also when disconnecting the Lambda sensor the idle doesn't change and runs as bad as before.

Also I bought a new 105 Ampere battery because the car had in the past issues with undervoltage and found out it was coded a 105 Ampere AGM but installed was a 95 Ampere...

I'm really confused right now what can cause these errors? I hope maybe someone had the same issues and can help?

The next things I want to check are the vaccum system and the valve cover. As I've read in some thread that could also be a reason for the smoke and rough idling. Like a broken pcv valve or something like that.

[Chitown_vroom]

I don’t have the solution to the errors you see but I feel like continuing to run the engine may cause even more significant damage. I don’t know your situation but, if you can, this would be the type of thing I would have the car towed to a shop for.

[Dtwok335]

Normally you are right. But I cannot believe that a car with an engine like this and only 30k miles have serious issues.

I think it's only something small that causes this crazy errors...

But yeah if nobody here has any clue and I cannot figure it out by myself this will be the only way.

By the way the car will not be driven anymore. Only idle for testing.

[jwong77]

I believe this is a case where having access to ISTA+ would help to troubleshoot these issues.

[AshtonPJT]

Is the vanos code still active?

[Gr8ZongB58]

Exhaust smoke and rough idle sounds like a bad pcv diaphragm. You can try cracking open the oil cap during idle to see if it makes a difference in smoke and/or rough idle.

[X3rd Time Is a Charm]

I had a turbo go in my 2013 Ford Escape and it had no power and was smoking like crazy . The code it through was Under Boost so I had to replace the turbo . The Rotten Egg smell could be a catalytic converter ,They can have a rotten egg smell when they go bad. If they go bad it can choke off the exhaust . Just some food for thought. Hopefully it’s something small like you said .

[Dtwok335]

Hi, thanks for your answers. I have access to ista. I can add Screenshots of the Errors. But for now I'll try to update the Ecu and check some stuff about vaccum and pcv. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll update in a few hours. ����

[Dtwok335]

Hi again.

So ecu update of DME and EGS didn't help. I don't even got the car started any more (not related to the update, that went fine and it started afterwards a few times) . I think after a few starts it is so full of gas that it just can't ignite anymore. Whatever I'm at the end of my ideas and possibilities and will bring it to a workshop of a friend of mine.

But it's really strange to figure out what could cause problems like this. And also every test bmw would do with software needs an at least in idle running engine.

I also thought on deactivating the error codes and try to do the tests then but something tells me that could end worse... xD

Attached you can find the error codes. Maybe someone recognize something.

[Dtwok335]

Originally Posted by AshtonPJT

Is the vanos code still active?

Yes it is.

[AshtonPJT]

Originally Posted by Dtwok335

Yes it is.

That’s more than likely causing the issues

[Dtwok335]

Originally Posted by AshtonPJT

That’s more than likely causing the issues

Yes that would also be my suggestion. But strange is that it doesn't even start. Every test from bmw to that case need a running in idle engine... We will see.

[g11hoonigan]

Originally Posted by Dtwok335

Yes that would also be my suggestion. But strange is that it doesn't even start. Every test from bmw to that case need a running in idle engine... We will see.

Can you at least swap the actuators and see if it'll throw a different code? But those aren't that expensive so might as well replace both while you're at it.

[AshtonPJT]

Originally Posted by Dtwok335

Yes that would also be my suggestion. But strange is that it doesn't even start. Every test from bmw to that case need a running in idle engine... We will see.

Send a picture of the codes you are still getting

[Dtwok335]

Hi I now swapped the selenoid valve actuators on the back of the engine. So outlet to inlet and reverse. But nothing changed. The car starts and immediately shuts off after the first ignition. It's so strange. Car smells for gas so that's not the problem. Air is also available and ignition must work to. Otherwise it would ignite first and shuts then off.
I need to tell you hat I unplugged the O2 sensors for testing if it would affect the engine start or running so the Errors can be ignored.
I do not really get good error codes because it doesn't even runs so far to give me errors... I had it running one time but really really rough like only 1 or 2 cylinders working and got the codes in the picture. I think I'll bring it to BMW next week. I would now start to change everything on the engine in hope to find the cracked part. xD

[mattsheng]

Black spark plugs can also indicate running rich, so I would check whether you have leaky injectors. It seems like you have tried to start the engine multiple times and only run it for a short period of time for diagnostic purposes. This can flood the engine if you do have leaky injectors, and that explains why you can't get it started now.

Simply monitor fuel rail pressure when the car is running (I know it's hard to get it running now), and see if the rail pressure drops when you turn the ignition off. If the rail pressure drops, you definitely have leaky injectors. With good injectors, the rail pressure should increase a bit when you turn it ignition off.

[klg22]

a stuck egr valve will give you all those codes and black spark plugs.