BMW E90

[EPV 631]

Taking a new arrival on a long test drive and the dreaded low oil pressure warning light comes on.  Cut a long and boring story short;

I stopped the car immediately. The light didn’t come back on after restart. I took a chance and drove it again it didn’t come back on for 10 miles. I check the oil. It’s just below the max and had an oil change and filter AND oil pressure switch done 500 miles ago. Clearly the prev owner gave up when it didn’t fix the issue. I have it booked in Monday to a bmw specialists but according to the chap I spoke to on the phone it could be a block in the pick up. 

Anyone else got any stories or experience to share please?

[EPV 631]

1 minute ago, tradex said:

Which powertrain? Miles? Service history?

Sorry;

2010 BMW 320i Tourer, 51k, 7 services including an oil change 500 miles ago. 

[EPV 631]

2 minutes ago, tradex said:

Maybe change out the oil pressure switch before finding a noose.

.....or the oil pick up could be cracked?

 

good luck

Oil pressure switch was changed 500 miles ago. 

The chap I spoke to at the Indy said there could be an issue with the pick up. 

Cheers for the replies mate  

 

[EPV 631]

Just now, tradex said:

hmm interesting, does it get worse the hotter the engine gets? As in the light comes on when hot, OK when cold?

It seems to happen after a spell of 70mph coming down to sub 40mph. In fact that’s exactly what happened twice. I started the car this morning to check the oil level again and the light isn’t on. 

Not wanting to tempt fate but if there was genuinely low pressure the light would be on permanently? 

[Del Boy 76]

I know this doesnt help, but I always get issues with this engine (BMW 4 cylinder petrol) and it always seems to be oil related! Had a couple so far this year.

[EPV 631]

3 minutes ago, tradex said:

I wonder if it could a lying oil level sensor?

If it were mine I'd start at basics, never assume.

Suck out the oil with a sump sucker and replace with the correct amount and go from there.

Oil pressure switch? Could be bad and coming on early say 20lbs instead of 10lbs or what ever Beemers use, seen it many times before on spring switches, some are diaphragm now.

Nice one. I’m sure the garage will do all of that. 

1 minute ago, Del Boy said:

I know this doesnt help, but I always get issues with this engine (BMW 4 cylinder petrol) and it always seems to be oil related! Had a couple so far this year.

Horses for courses mate, sold a few without any issues. I’ll just be relieved it’s not anything catastrophic. I’ve a good few quid in it but not engine rebuild money! 

[Rory RSC 596]

On my list of cars not to buy. You get lucky on a few but these engines are awful. Bits of plastic break down on the timing chain guides and ruin the engine. 

It won't be an easy fix and something will happen while customer has it. 

[Del Boy 76]

20 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

On my list of cars not to buy. You get lucky on a few but these engines are awful. Bits of plastic break down on the timing chain guides and ruin the engine. 

It won't be an easy fix and something will happen while customer has it. 

+1.

I also avoid these nowadays. 

[metcars 395]

Be warned, many punters these days attempt fixes with parts bought as cheap as possible off Ebay. Don't be surprised if what appears to be new parts, are faulty?

More so with these German performance stuff where punters insist on a full history but then maintain the vehicle on a shoe string with parts out of poundland

Edited July 14, 2018 by met

[Stalker 180]

49 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

On my list of cars not to buy. You get lucky on a few but these engines are awful. Bits of plastic break down on the timing chain guides and ruin the engine. 

It won't be an easy fix and something will happen while customer has it. 

Dont waste any money on oil sensors, relief valves, oil pumps etc...

 

The strainer is full of mashed up timing chain guide.

 

it needs a chain kit and the sump off and cleaned out.

 

Edited July 14, 2018 by Stalker

[Dave2302 387]

Stalker gets my vote, done a few of these over recent months

And don't faff around, pull the engine outta it, it is much easier to do the job on an engine stand than trying to re seal that sump without it p'ing out oil afterwards.............. They p oil out at the best of times lol

Do it right do it once

Edited July 14, 2018 by Dave2302

[Nick M.K. 574]

Be optimistic. 

Hope for a NOx sensor fault, replace for around £350, job done. 

Another common fault that causes that light is a blocked Cat, the error code usually says exactly that. 

Camshaft solenoids on these get blocked, easy enough to remove and clean with compressed air so if you have fault codes for camshaft solenoids look there first. 

Could of course be what Stalker said. But be optimistic :-)

[James01 21]

I had exactly this problem on a BMW with the N43 engine. 

Red oil pressure light would come on after about 15 miles of motorway driving and go off again after turned off and on.

Garage said they believed it was a blocked sump pick up tube (which is a 5 hour job to check btw as you have to drop subframe etc). They checked the pipe and it was ok but carried out an oil and filter change and the fault went away after it was put back together after cleaning a few sensors also. 

I think I was lucky as they said the next step was the oil pump which is ££££.

[Dave2302 387]

5 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

Be optimistic. 

Hope for a NOx sensor fault, replace for around £350, job done. 

Another common fault that causes that light is a blocked Cat, the error code usually says exactly that. 

Camshaft solenoids on these get blocked, easy enough to remove and clean with compressed air so if you have fault codes for camshaft solenoids look there first. 

Could of course be what Stalker said. But be optimistic :-)

Nick, it's Oil Pressure light, not EML, unless I've been a knob and read it wrong

[Nick M.K. 574]

37 minutes ago, Dave2302 said:

Nick, it's Oil Pressure light, not EML, unless I've been a knob and read it wrong

No you read it right. I did too. I sell a few with this engine and I've seen the oil pressure light several times. I had to replace an engine once (on a 120i) but in all other cases the NOx sensor fault would cause it to come on, with or without EML. It somehow affects the variable oil pressure control system.

They give 3-4 codes, most to do with the NOx sensor plus the dreaded "Oil Pressure Control - Static". In some cases it's even because of a collapsed oil filter inside the housing or a fault in the pressure control valve.

[Dave2302 387]

Hi, thanks Nick, I've just learned something new

@tradex This sounds like various VW TDI's that flash Glow Plug Light instead of EML for certain Turbo etc codes, that gets confusing unless you know.

Perhaps in this case it would be worth looking at live data of O2's and codes first, remember may only see some codes on ISTA / INPA, many generics do not access all areas

Cheers Dave

[Dave2302 387]

Good point, sadly I am fairly new to my INPA / ISTA only had it 3 months, and have not had it on very many Cars, so I can't answer that as I've never tried it.

If I get a similar MY/ Engine in soon, I'll have a look  You could try popping that question on a decent BMW Forum  

Edited July 15, 2018 by Dave2302

[EPV 631]

1 hour ago, tradex said:

and get slated/flamed/slaughtered for mainly selling French cars, I'll leave that for the BMW marque ambassadors

Some of those specialist type forums are full of doom mongers, it’s like reading a piston heads forum sometimes. People laying awake at night worrying because their cam belt interval has gone past due by 3 days 

Anyway, I just want to thank everyone for their input, especially Nick who took the trouble to actually call me!

It reinforces what I’ve always said about this forum. If you ask simple questions like “what should I buy” and “where can I buy trade priced cars” you’re rightly going to get ignored. But if you contribute and ask sensible questions you WILL get helped. 

It’s a brilliant forum. 

I’ll update this in a couple of days when it’s been diagnosed and hopefully fixed!

[James01 21]

23 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

Be optimistic. 

Hope for a NOx sensor fault, replace for around £350, job done. 

Another common fault that causes that light is a blocked Cat, the error code usually says exactly that. 

Camshaft solenoids on these get blocked, easy enough to remove and clean with compressed air so if you have fault codes for camshaft solenoids look there first. 

Could of course be what Stalker said. But be optimistic :-)

Funny you say that Nick as it also threw up a NOX sensor code at the same time but they thought it was a separate issue.

Guess that could have been the issue all along and was ok after they cleaned it!

[Dave2302 387]

 

5 hours ago, EPV said:

and get slated/flamed/slaughtered for mainly selling French cars, I'll leave that for the BMW marque ambassadors

Lol, I never disclose I'm trade, other car marques etc, I just sign up and look see, find a similar post in a diagnostic thread etc and fire away 

I actually moderate a foreign forum, and although I help out a lot of guys, who wouldn't ever spend any money with me in UK, but you'd be surprised at how much can be learned from them, pro's like us sometimes over think things and we can miss something obvious  

BTW, if your into froggies, do you have Diagbox Lexia / PP2000 , or Renault CAN Clip ?? I just got Pug / Citroen, and Renault is on it's way   

Edited July 15, 2018 by Dave2302

[Stalker 180]

13 hours ago, tradex said:

A NOx sensor throwing a low oil pressure light and code. I'd say you have two issues

Definitely the case. 

I know that we often get the runaround on cars, had a mk3 focus in a couple of weeks ago with an alternator light on, turns out the feedback wire from the alternator is shared with the feedback wire to the radiator shutter grille. The radiator shutter grille had a proper mouldy green connector plug that needed bypassed. 

[BHM 994]

19 hours ago, tradex said:

and get slated/flamed/slaughtered for mainly selling French cars, I'll leave that for the BMW marque ambassadors

 I don’t particularly like the small car market but I’d take a Pug 207 over a BMW any day of the week. Less hassle upfront, a quick sale & no bloody comebacks!

[Dave2302 387]

Focii , yeah still doing the Shutter Code / Alt light, did one 2 weeks ago.

Re the Pug  / Cit's, so wtf do you all do when the BSI shits itself ????? ....................

Maybe this is a Scotland (wet weather) thing, but I get loads of 'em, most of which, (although I hate frogs), are quite tidy Cars, but at Stealer prices the owners are prepared to bin 'em.

BBA can only repair some, not all, and that takes a few days via postal etc.

In the past I used to buy the complete ECU set, but every bloody car seems to be different with options, and a generic will not Configure them or program the Keys, plus the sets now have a high s/h value................

Now, I buy a s/h BSI module, Virgin it. Then fit and Re Program it with PP2000 or Lexia (Pug / Cit) choice on same machine

I Find the machine very intuitive and easy, but don't all rush out and buy, cos a lot of Ali Baba Chinese clones, (all different Car makes), are sh!te, unless you are an IT Programmer, & / or EE and virtually non existent after sales svc. Most Chinese time out after 2-3 years and nuke themselves, full of viruses, and some functions remain locked without p/w's  ......................

You must get "Full Chip" Mux, and decent s/w.

I prefer to pay a little more from a UK Diag Machine Specialist, who has sorted out the Chinesium s/w and will answer phone / email, and Team Viewer and sort any Machine with probs.

So, what does a used Virgin BSI end up costing me ................... normally a ton on average, and around 1 hr max from Diagnosis to completion

So buy a Pug / Cit frog with shagged BSI for buttons, and retail for "Kerchiiiiiiiiiiiiiing", or if you don't want the Car quote the Billy £700 to fix it "Kerchiiiiiiiiiiiiing"  

Cheers Dave 

Edited July 16, 2018 by Dave2302

[Dave2302 387]

Citroen / Pugs have to by law give you the PIN code

Customer last week had had the Van (Berlingo) from new, but lost the "Credit Card" with pin, Dealer didn't wanna give it me, but after getting at the Svc Manager they did.

With the right "Eepromming" technique, you can also get the PIN from a knackered BSI too, my Virginiser man confirmed it for me, just in case lol  

So you must be the Renowh CAN Clip expert here then, I'll shout when I get aggro

[EPV 631]

Update: At the recommendation of my regular garage (one of the technician there has an E90) we changed the oil. The owner of the garage said if the previous service was done using cheap shitty oil it could be manifesting itself as low pressure oil at high speeds, something they have seen before on these cars. They put in the correct oil and a 70 mile drive later by myself at speeds between 50 and 80mph and not a sign of a warning light. The tech also checked the strainer and said it looked clean and no signs of mashed up timing chain guide.

I'm sceptical that this won't re-appear once sold but ultimately that's also me over thinking things.There were a few codes, one relating to the NOX/Catalytic Converter being sulpherised but after the aforementioned long drive this didn't come back.

I've got 2 punters lined up to buy it when it's ready (just having a new MOT) so I'm going to repeat the long test drive again early next week but if the codes don't reappear and the low pressure warning light doesn't come back on I feel I've done as much as I can and it won't keep me awake at night when sold.

Thanks again for all your helpful suggestions.