Driving over puddles causes exhaust leak sound and sluggish performance

lucius · 04-07-2016, 05:56 PM

I have an 06 330i e390

Whenever driving over puddles, my car sounds like all of a sudden I have an exhaust leak when it in fact it's something electrical.
I'm unable to pull codes. Maybe it's because of the cheap scanner I'm using; Innova 3030 scanner.

Please know that if I avoid puddles long enough or just sitting idle in traffic, everything is back to normal; no more exhuast leak sound and no more sluggish performance.

Any ideas on what it could be?

mxchris727 · 04-07-2016, 06:57 PM

My E46 330i did that, and then the exhaust fell off the flange. Check that the flange bolts are not rusted out.

NeurotoxicSpork · 04-07-2016, 09:36 PM

Why do you think its electrical? Things that involve sound changes are almost always mechanical.

GSTiDDY · 04-07-2016, 09:45 PM

Alil off topic...I drove over a huge puddle going 5mph, heard a spark sound then my radio volume shut off and wouldn't go back on (Radio was still working, only sound wasn't functional). After starting the car 2hrs later everything was fine. Ahhhh

tmo24 · 04-07-2016, 10:23 PM

Aliens

lucius · 04-08-2016, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeurotoxicSpork

Why do you think its electrical? Things that involve sound changes are almost always mechanical.

reason, i'm suspecting it's electrical is because the sudden performance hit and the change in exhaust tone "only" happens when it rains. it's not i'm driving over large bodies of water. please know this does not happen under any other weather condition but rain.

lucius · 04-11-2016, 11:56 AM

monday bump

John 070 · 04-11-2016, 12:23 PM

I rarely drive my car in snow, nor rain, but when I do, I avoid puddles. Sometimes this means stopping in traffic, and waiting until the weather gets better tand the puddles evaporate. Takes a long time to get to my destination, but it's better for the car...

x26 · 04-12-2016, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John 070

I rarely drive my car in snow, nor rain, but when I do, I avoid puddles. Sometimes this means stopping in traffic, and waiting until the weather gets better tand the puddles evaporate. Takes a long time to get to my destination, but it's better for the car...

maddmatth · 04-12-2016, 04:28 AM

Water is getting in somewhere it shouldn't. Maybe near the battery, have a look around and under the battery for leaks. Or it's getting behind the dash, if the car smells damp inside then that'll be a hint.

04-07-2016, 05:56 PM	#1
lucius Second Lieutenant 201 Rep 288 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Mass iTrader: (0)	Driving over puddles causes exhaust leak sound and sluggish performance I have an 06 330i e390 Whenever driving over puddles, my car sounds like all of a sudden I have an exhaust leak when it in fact it's something electrical. I'm unable to pull codes. Maybe it's because of the cheap scanner I'm using; Innova 3030 scanner. Please know that if I avoid puddles long enough or just sitting idle in traffic, everything is back to normal; no more exhuast leak sound and no more sluggish performance. Any ideas on what it could be?
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04-07-2016, 06:57 PM	#2
mxchris727 Captain 193 Rep 666 Posts Drives: '03 M5, '06 325i, '12 M3 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Westport, CT iTrader: (0)	My E46 330i did that, and then the exhaust fell off the flange. Check that the flange bolts are not rusted out. __________________ BMW GT1 (INPA, DIS, WinKFP, ect..), ISTA/P & /D is up and running! PM me if you want to stop by and code your car.
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04-07-2016, 09:36 PM	#3
NeurotoxicSpork New Member 5 Rep 19 Posts Drives: Black '09 E93 328i w/n51 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Somewhere between Indiana and NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW 328i E93 [0.00]	Why do you think its electrical? Things that involve sound changes are almost always mechanical.
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04-07-2016, 09:45 PM	#4
GSTiDDY Second Lieutenant 77 Rep 243 Posts Drives: 328XI Join Date: May 2015 Location: Strong Island, NY iTrader: (1)	Alil off topic...I drove over a huge puddle going 5mph, heard a spark sound then my radio volume shut off and wouldn't go back on (Radio was still working, only sound wasn't functional). After starting the car 2hrs later everything was fine. Ahhhh
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04-07-2016, 10:23 PM	#5
tmo24 Major 139 Rep 1,271 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW 335i e92 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (3)	Aliens __________________ 2007 335i Jet Black e92 6AT - VRSF Full street exhaust DP, Chargepipe 7.5 FMIC, MHD, XHP, Koni orange/Eibachs, some other stuff 2007 335i Jet Black e90 6MT - Eibachs, magnaflow exhaust, carbon hood, short shift kit, some other random stuff - being sold somewhere sometime soon probably 2010 335i AW e90 6 AT Msport - The GF took this one over... JB4, PE exhaust, Koni yellows/Eibachs, pink badges, fuzzy steering wheel cover ?
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04-11-2016, 11:56 AM	#7
lucius Second Lieutenant 201 Rep 288 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Mass iTrader: (0)	monday bump
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04-11-2016, 12:23 PM	#8
John 070 Lieutenant General 1705 Rep 14,829 Posts Drives: 335i cpe Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ZSP/ZPP/ZCW iTrader: (0)	I rarely drive my car in snow, nor rain, but when I do, I avoid puddles. Sometimes this means stopping in traffic, and waiting until the weather gets better tand the puddles evaporate. Takes a long time to get to my destination, but it's better for the car...
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04-12-2016, 04:28 AM	#10
maddmatth Major 555 Rep 922 Posts Drives: F82 M4, E92 335i Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: New Zealand iTrader: (0)	Water is getting in somewhere it shouldn't. Maybe near the battery, have a look around and under the battery for leaks. Or it's getting behind the dash, if the car smells damp inside then that'll be a hint.
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