I have a 2004 x5 4.4i.
It runs smooth, powerful and idles smooth also.
No Error codes or check engine lamps.
Passed state emissions inspections last week (before ccv replacement)
First I noticed the driver side exhaust smoking when sitting idle for 5 to 10 minutes but this was intermittent. no smoking when driving normally. then I noticed if I have it in park and really gun the gas I get smoke from both tail pipes. Also noticed smoking intermittently when waiting in stop and go traffic or waiting in line at drive through.
My wife followed behind me when driving. She did not notice any smoke except at times when I take off from stop there is a puff of smoke (not a lot) when quickly clears up.
I checked the oil and it was at the 'min' marker on the dip stick. It just had an oil change 400 miles ago and the oil change receipt shows they replaced 8 quarts so I know the oil was recently at normal levels but now at the min marker....so oil was being burned. There are no oil leaks on the floor. I had a PPI done and they did not find any leaks either..
Therefore, I had both Oil Separator vent valves (CCV's) replaced. Also added fuel cleaner to clean out any sludge. The old CCV's had a good amount of oil in them.
Now I do not notice any smoke at all even when idling. However if i run the engine for a few minutes and gun the gas (while in park) I still get the smoke.
I took it to the dealer. They were able to replicate the problem. They tested it for 2 days.
They tell me that they pulled a spark plug and found oil on it. They feel confident that its the Valve Stem Seals that have to be replaced...they quoted me $8,000.
I spoke to the mechanic who did the ccv replacement. he says that he has never seen the Valve stem seals fail on these at this low mileage in his 40 years of BMW repair.
He thinks its still left over oil from the CCV problem. I have only driven it 90 miles since the CCV replacement. The dealer claims to have run the motor for a while (not sure what that means??) and that any old left over oil should have been burned off by now?
So my questions are:
1) How do I know if the CCV replacement solved the problem? I see that it has improved. The only way I get it to smoke now is by putting it in Park and really hitting the gas pedal hard.
2) How long should I expect to see the smoke (doing the gas pedal open throttle while in park test) after the CCV replacement (1000 miles, a few weeks, after oil change etc???)
3) If its a Valve stem seals problem, shouldn't I get smoke at start up?
Any thoughts on this?
***UPDATE***: I got the car back from dealer. They said they also found vacuum pump leaking.
This is in addition to the replacing all valve seals after cylinder head removal.
I did more testing when I got home. I idled for 10 minutes and got smoke from exhaust even without gunning the gas pedal just like before the CCV replacement. Still getting smoke when gunning the gas.
Thanks
It runs smooth, powerful and idles smooth also.
No Error codes or check engine lamps.
Passed state emissions inspections last week (before ccv replacement)
First I noticed the driver side exhaust smoking when sitting idle for 5 to 10 minutes but this was intermittent. no smoking when driving normally. then I noticed if I have it in park and really gun the gas I get smoke from both tail pipes. Also noticed smoking intermittently when waiting in stop and go traffic or waiting in line at drive through.
My wife followed behind me when driving. She did not notice any smoke except at times when I take off from stop there is a puff of smoke (not a lot) when quickly clears up.
I checked the oil and it was at the 'min' marker on the dip stick. It just had an oil change 400 miles ago and the oil change receipt shows they replaced 8 quarts so I know the oil was recently at normal levels but now at the min marker....so oil was being burned. There are no oil leaks on the floor. I had a PPI done and they did not find any leaks either..
Therefore, I had both Oil Separator vent valves (CCV's) replaced. Also added fuel cleaner to clean out any sludge. The old CCV's had a good amount of oil in them.
Now I do not notice any smoke at all even when idling. However if i run the engine for a few minutes and gun the gas (while in park) I still get the smoke.
I took it to the dealer. They were able to replicate the problem. They tested it for 2 days.
They tell me that they pulled a spark plug and found oil on it. They feel confident that its the Valve Stem Seals that have to be replaced...they quoted me $8,000.
I spoke to the mechanic who did the ccv replacement. he says that he has never seen the Valve stem seals fail on these at this low mileage in his 40 years of BMW repair.
He thinks its still left over oil from the CCV problem. I have only driven it 90 miles since the CCV replacement. The dealer claims to have run the motor for a while (not sure what that means??) and that any old left over oil should have been burned off by now?
So my questions are:
1) How do I know if the CCV replacement solved the problem? I see that it has improved. The only way I get it to smoke now is by putting it in Park and really hitting the gas pedal hard.
2) How long should I expect to see the smoke (doing the gas pedal open throttle while in park test) after the CCV replacement (1000 miles, a few weeks, after oil change etc???)
3) If its a Valve stem seals problem, shouldn't I get smoke at start up?
Any thoughts on this?
***UPDATE***: I got the car back from dealer. They said they also found vacuum pump leaking.
This is in addition to the replacing all valve seals after cylinder head removal.
I did more testing when I got home. I idled for 10 minutes and got smoke from exhaust even without gunning the gas pedal just like before the CCV replacement. Still getting smoke when gunning the gas.
Thanks