[tcdesignguy]

07 - 330i - N54 - 77k miles
Trying to help a coworker out and change out the valve cover gasket. Found a lot of sludge when i got in there. Cleaned it out the best i could - put it all back together and it seemed ok until it dropped to warm idle. Check engine icon in the display comes up and the idle gets really shaky.

I replaced the PCV hose in the back of the head that always cracks and I thought it was good. restarted a couple times and the symptoms return.

USING ISTA - I get the following 2 codes

003100 DME: Boost pressure control, deactivation
002A82 DME: Vanos Intake

I have spent many hours going back over the job and cannot see where i forgot to connect something, or something else is cracked. I have inspected as must of the VC joint with a mirror and cannot see that it has rolled... When I pull the vacuum lines off the top accumulator bottles they release air.. so it seems they are holding a vacuum just fine

When i start it i know right away if im going to have the issue because I hear an on/off/on/off whooshing sound- like the tubo doing something.

Any ideas!!??

 

[tcdesignguy]

could a plugged Vanos filter because of the sludge cause this??

could it be that i fixed the vacuum leak but because I didn't disconnect the battery and reset the fuel trims etc it was still in "rich" mode??

I disconnected the battery, changing the oil, and cleaning the Vanos intake filter now....

 

[tcdesignguy]

Solved

Turns out the owner had a CEL for Intake vanos a year prior to me getting the car. Disturbing the sludge while cleaning it caused the already fairly plugged Intake Vanos filter to completely plug. This caused the DME to put the car into limp mode - hence the code for Boost Deactivated.

Owners oil filter was also collapsed from sludge. Changed oil and filter, cleaned the vanos filter and car runs great. No CEL, smooth idle.

Will be doing a few oil changes with some seafoam just prior to those changes to try and get all this gunk out. YUCK. What a terrible job.

Also replaced the PCV Breather and check valve in case it was sticking shut and causing the sludge.

 

[BMW-North]

Turns out the owner had a CEL for Intake vanos a year prior to me getting the car. Disturbing the sludge while cleaning it caused the already fairly plugged Intake Vanos filter to completely plug. This caused the DME to put the car into limp mode - hence the code for Boost Deactivated.

Owners oil filter was also collapsed from sludge. Changed oil and filter, cleaned the vanos filter and car runs great. No CEL, smooth idle.

Will be doing a few oil changes with some seafoam just prior to those changes to try and get all this gunk out. YUCK. What a terrible job.

Also replaced the PCV Breather and check valve in case it was sticking shut and causing the sludge.

Thanks for posting the resolve. This furthers my theory that more frequent OCI reduces vanos issues across many bimmer engines.