Lost a cylinder and check engine... now it's fine.

Attym · 03-04-2017, 09:49 AM

I was just driving and I felt a slight hesitation. I accelerated and all of the sudden the check engine light came on and it was running like I lost a cylinder... I was still able to drive but it was rough and couldn't really excelerate... sounded like blub blub blub.
I drove for another mile or so until I could pull over. I shut it off and when I restarted the light was off and the car ran perfectly.

A few variables:
I changed all plugs and coils about 6mo ago.
It was about a mile after a cold (19degree) start.
2009 328xi

Attym · 03-04-2017, 11:34 AM

Ok, will do

Wilt · 03-04-2017, 02:17 PM

Your symptom is what i experienced in my 2011 328i when the coil in one cylinder acted up in Oct 2016...when accelerating a bit more vigorously (e.g. merging onto a highway) it would miss, run rough until I pulled over and shut down engine and restarted. It was like that for a few weeks (until my final scheduled extended service policy visit), getting worse and worse as time went on. OBD2 code indicated Cyl 4 misfire, and the dealer found its coil failed; they got BMW NA to authorize replacement all 6 coils for me.

Attym · 03-05-2017, 01:56 PM

An update:

After the initial issue yesterday, it went away after a restart and the SES light went away. It drove perfectly the rest of the day. Start, stop, wide open on the highway... ran perfectly.

Today, Same temperature outside. I drove in the AM and it went into limp mode again very quickly. If I restarted, it would run fine then bad again... after it warmed up a bit, a restart got it to run perfectly but the light SES light is staying on. It has run perfectly all day.

I did get it scanned and there were two codes. Both P0304 Code - Cylinder #4 Misfire.

does this sound like a failing coil? A bad injector? It starts right up every time without issue... never a long crank.

VTECaddict · 03-05-2017, 02:47 PM

Swap the coil with another cylinder and see if the misfire follows.

Attym · 03-05-2017, 04:38 PM

Someone suggested it could be a bad battery. Perhaps the battery is low and that's why it's only on the coldest two days (well below freezing) and it's fine after it runs/charges up a bit. The low current isn't running what it needs??? Maybe? No?

Greyfox · 03-05-2017, 04:54 PM

Either a coil failing or oil seals have failed and are allowing oil into the spark plug well.

Attym · 03-05-2017, 05:07 PM

I do smell oil burning here and there (even replaced the VCG)... but why would it run fine all day after the initial hiccups?

Attym · 03-06-2017, 06:44 AM

Day 3, starts up no problem, idles fine drives fine for the first 5 miles then starts limp mode. Then after a few miles and start stops... it's back to normal. New coil going in tomorrow.

CTinline-six · 03-06-2017, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

Swap the coil with another cylinder and see if the misfire follows.

^^^This

Attym · 03-07-2017, 03:44 PM

Not sure if its related, but the car didn't have any morning issues, but it was above freezing for the first time since this started. A 45 minute drive to the garage and no issues.
Since the part was ordered, I did go and replace the coil in Cyl 4.

I did notice (confirmed by an ongoing smell) oil leaking in that area. Could that short out a coil if it got in there?

absentmathis · 03-07-2017, 10:33 PM

There was oil on the coil boot? That's pretty much 100% valve cover gasket failure if so. Very common and an easy DIY.

Greyfox · 03-08-2017, 07:50 AM

^^^ This ^^^

I started having issues and thought I had a bad coil. Pulled the cover and pulled the coil to find it sitting in about a 1/4 inch of oil in the spark plug well.

mikeycons · 03-08-2017, 09:36 AM

corroded coils

03-04-2017, 09:49 AM	#1
Attym Enlisted Member 2 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Lost a cylinder and check engine... now it's fine. I was just driving and I felt a slight hesitation. I accelerated and all of the sudden the check engine light came on and it was running like I lost a cylinder... I was still able to drive but it was rough and couldn't really excelerate... sounded like blub blub blub. I drove for another mile or so until I could pull over. I shut it off and when I restarted the light was off and the car ran perfectly. A few variables: I changed all plugs and coils about 6mo ago. It was about a mile after a cold (19degree) start. 2009 328xi Last edited by Attym; 03-04-2017 at 10:00 AM..
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03-04-2017, 11:34 AM	#2
Attym Enlisted Member 2 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Ok, will do
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03-04-2017, 02:17 PM	#3
Wilt Major 228 Rep 1,045 Posts Drives: 2011 328i Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: SF Bay area iTrader: (0)	Your symptom is what i experienced in my 2011 328i when the coil in one cylinder acted up in Oct 2016...when accelerating a bit more vigorously (e.g. merging onto a highway) it would miss, run rough until I pulled over and shut down engine and restarted. It was like that for a few weeks (until my final scheduled extended service policy visit), getting worse and worse as time went on. OBD2 code indicated Cyl 4 misfire, and the dealer found its coil failed; they got BMW NA to authorize replacement all 6 coils for me.
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03-05-2017, 01:56 PM	#4
Attym Enlisted Member 2 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	An update: After the initial issue yesterday, it went away after a restart and the SES light went away. It drove perfectly the rest of the day. Start, stop, wide open on the highway... ran perfectly. Today, Same temperature outside. I drove in the AM and it went into limp mode again very quickly. If I restarted, it would run fine then bad again... after it warmed up a bit, a restart got it to run perfectly but the light SES light is staying on. It has run perfectly all day. I did get it scanned and there were two codes. Both P0304 Code - Cylinder #4 Misfire. does this sound like a failing coil? A bad injector? It starts right up every time without issue... never a long crank. Last edited by Attym; 03-05-2017 at 02:31 PM..
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03-05-2017, 02:47 PM	#5
VTECaddict Where'd my VTEC go? 481 Rep 6,067 Posts Drives: 06 330i 6MT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (4)	Swap the coil with another cylinder and see if the misfire follows. __________________ AW/Terra \| ZSP \| ZPP \| ZCW \| iDrive \| CA Mods: BC BR coilovers \| Blacklines \| M-tech rear \| dual exhaust \| M3 steering wheel \| BMW SSK \| ZHP shift knob \| High-kick CF spoiler \| NBT Retrofit M3 front control arms \| M3 rear guide rods \| Manzo rear toe and camber links \| Monroe rear shock mounts \| Varrstoen ES1 19x9.5+20 Front, 19x11+25 rear
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03-05-2017, 04:38 PM	#6
Attym Enlisted Member 2 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Someone suggested it could be a bad battery. Perhaps the battery is low and that's why it's only on the coldest two days (well below freezing) and it's fine after it runs/charges up a bit. The low current isn't running what it needs??? Maybe? No?
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03-05-2017, 04:54 PM	#7
Greyfox Colonel 1208 Rep 2,835 Posts Drives: 2007 328xi E91 - 330k+ (miles) Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: USA iTrader: (2)	Either a coil failing or oil seals have failed and are allowing oil into the spark plug well.
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03-05-2017, 05:07 PM	#8
Attym Enlisted Member 2 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	I do smell oil burning here and there (even replaced the VCG)... but why would it run fine all day after the initial hiccups?
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03-06-2017, 06:44 AM	#9
Attym Enlisted Member 2 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Day 3, starts up no problem, idles fine drives fine for the first 5 miles then starts limp mode. Then after a few miles and start stops... it's back to normal. New coil going in tomorrow. Last edited by Attym; 03-06-2017 at 07:05 AM..
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03-07-2017, 03:44 PM	#11
Attym Enlisted Member 2 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Not sure if its related, but the car didn't have any morning issues, but it was above freezing for the first time since this started. A 45 minute drive to the garage and no issues. Since the part was ordered, I did go and replace the coil in Cyl 4. I did notice (confirmed by an ongoing smell) oil leaking in that area. Could that short out a coil if it got in there?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-07-2017, 10:33 PM	#12
absentmathis Private 15 Rep 76 Posts Drives: 07 335 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Charlotte iTrader: (0)	There was oil on the coil boot? That's pretty much 100% valve cover gasket failure if so. Very common and an easy DIY.
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03-08-2017, 07:50 AM	#13
Greyfox Colonel 1208 Rep 2,835 Posts Drives: 2007 328xi E91 - 330k+ (miles) Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: USA iTrader: (2)	^^^ This ^^^ I started having issues and thought I had a bad coil. Pulled the cover and pulled the coil to find it sitting in about a 1/4 inch of oil in the spark plug well.
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03-08-2017, 09:36 AM	#14
mikeycons Second Lieutenant 30 Rep 242 Posts Drives: 16,M3 Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: new york iTrader: (1) Garage List 2016 [0.00]	corroded coils
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