[psmitty95]

It seems like the issues really never stop... Basically here's what happened. I updated my JB4 to firmware that Terry wanted me to try to get rid of my rattle and it worked. I took it on a test drive and was ridiculously happy, hadn't heard pure turbo spool in months.

Anyways I continue driving light throttle to listen for rattle and start to feel a rumble like a misfire. I decide to turn autoclear off and go WOT so I can see which cylinder is misfiring. I do it then get my SES light and put the car in neutral. The RPM's drop to around 2k and it seems like the car is about to die and it's making a revving sound if I remember correctly. So I shut it off for a few seconds like normal. When I turn it back on SES light is still there and it's rough but i'm in the middle of the road so I accelerate lightly. Look back in my rearview and see a huge cloud of what looked to me like pure white smoke covering the road. Almost took a picture but by the time I got my phone out I was too far away.

After traveling 100 yards the SES light was gone and it was back to running smooth so I could get home. Checked codes and it was cylinder 4 misfire. Yesterday was cylinder 5. I changed spark plugs about 8k ago, coil packs few weeks ago, and now have all bank 2 injectors waiting to be installed as soon as I can. My only problem is now with this white smoke i'm extremely worried. Any ideas...?

My car has around 59.5k miles on it. I also checked oil level on the nav and noticed it's getting kinda low (see pic below). Oil was changed at 53k. It really does seem like it never ends with this car

[135Pats]

Lol maybe 25% of the N54s on this forum are currently running with zero issues I’d wager. It’s a finicky gal. Try to figure out what leads to smoking- does it happen under vacuum? The PCV system could be blowing oil through to the rear inlet, then burning that off, certainly plausible. Could be a turbo seal on the way out, if it smokes under vacuum I would start to lean in that direction. But as you know, there are numerous other things that do a crap job of holding oil. VC gasket, OFH gasket, list goes on and on. These motors are such crap when it comes to controlling oil. I’m probably going to pony up for RBs in the next week or so, at least one of the turbo bank’s seals has got to be shot. And I think my VC gasket is leaking based on the oil I saw on plug threads but not on the electrodes….Fun times w/ N54s.

Edit: didn’t realize- you should nail down that it is indeed oil burning, and not coolant. The smell will give it away, burning oil truly smells like….well burning oil. Coolant has a syrupy and sweet smell.

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by 135Pats

Lol maybe 25% of the N54s on this forum are currently running with zero issues I’d wager. It’s a finicky gal. Try to figure out what leads to smoking- does it happen under vacuum? The PCV system could be blowing oil through to the rear inlet, then burning that off, certainly plausible. Could be a turbo seal on the way out, if it smokes under vacuum I would start to lean in that direction. But as you know, there are numerous other things that do a crap job of holding oil. VC gasket, OFH gasket, list goes on and on. These motors are such crap when it comes to controlling oil. I’m probably going to pony up for RBs in the next week or so, at least one of the turbo bank’s seals has got to be shot. And I think my VC gasket is leaking based on the oil I saw on plug threads but not on the electrodes….Fun times w/ N54s.

Edit: didn’t realize- you should nail down that it is indeed oil burning, and not coolant. The smell will give it away, burning oil truly smells like….well burning oil. Coolant has a syrupy and sweet smell.

Yea they really are a paint but nothing like them in my opinion... Gonna check coolant levels tomorrow when the car is cold. Also whenever I have enough time i'll pull the plugs to check for oil on the threads. For me it seems like once I fix one thing the next problem pops right back up

[K.david]

If this happens only. With the new map there is something wrong with the map. The problem is an injector is hanging open causing fuel to leak into the cylinder resulting in the white smoke. On these engines white smoke = fuel.

[K.david]

Oh yeah almost forgot. Start the car you get a long crank. Pull the plugs. The wet one with heavy carbon build up is the one leaking. Hope this helps.

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by K.david

If this happens only. With the new map there is something wrong with the map. The problem is an injector is hanging open causing fuel to leak into the cylinder resulting in the white smoke. On these engines white smoke = fuel.

Originally Posted by K.david

Oh yeah almost forgot. Start the car you get a long crank. Pull the plugs. The wet one with heavy carbon build up is the one leaking. Hope this helps.

I don't think it's the map but the injector is definitely a possibility. I keep getting different cylinder codes for bank 2. I'm trying to limit my driving until I can swap all 3 injectors in that bank then i'll go WOT with the car again. Started it today and did some light throttle driving to test another new firmware update and didn't see any smoke. Might have just been a one time thing. Regardless, i'm going to swap the PCV check valve due to a suggestion from a member and how cheap it is.

[K.david]

Good luck with that. I'm absolutely sure that if you have white smoke out the tail pipe it is definitely fuel not crank case gases. No sarcasm intended.

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by K.david

Good luck with that. I'm absolutely sure that if you have white smoke out the tail pipe it is definitely fuel not crank case gases. No sarcasm intended.

Yea i'm sure these injectors are all failing. Hopefully the swap fixes it

[K.david]

Remember they have to be calibrated to work properly. Otherwise you'll have the same problem.

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by K.david

Remember they have to be calibrated to work properly. Otherwise you'll have the same problem.

I know the shop that installs them will code them afterwards

[Rat_House]

white smoke usually means burning coolant

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by Rat_House

white smoke usually means burning coolant

I checked coolant and it looked fine to me

[135Pats]

It would be obvious if coolant. Between the smell and the fluid loss (you'd likely get a low coolant warning if it was burning off over a period of say weeks), would be clear.

Based on what you're experiencing, i'd lean more towards oil burn or possibly fuel burn. Or both! lol.

[914kid]

Damn man that sucks, hope you get it sorted quickly. My car also developed long cranks and wastegate rattle after I got back from bimmerstock. Also threw a half CEL. Adjusted WG and all is well (for) now.

I feel like the more you "mod" these cars the more issues you get. Been running stock for months no issues, throw in a tune and a week later all this junk pops up. But I guess you gotta pay to play right? Smh!

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by 135Pats

It would be obvious if coolant. Between the smell and the fluid loss (you'd likely get a low coolant warning if it was burning off over a period of say weeks), would be clear.

Based on what you're experiencing, i'd lean more towards oil burn or possibly fuel burn. Or both! lol.

Yea I think it might be both. Gonna drive the car again tomorrow and see how it does driving all day light throttle. Still not gonna go WOT until injectors and check valve are swapped.

Originally Posted by 914kid

Damn man that sucks, hope you get it sorted quickly. My car also developed long cranks and wastegate rattle after I got back from bimmerstock. Also threw a half CEL. Adjusted WG and all is well (for) now.

I feel like the more you "mod" these cars the more issues you get. Been running stock for months no issues, throw in a tune and a week later all this junk pops up. But I guess you gotta pay to play right? Smh!

Hahaha I think Bimmerstock killed both our cars . JK but yea definitely the more you mod the more these issues come out, especially when you're putting out a lot more power than the car came with stock. Agreed definitely have to pay to play

[milkdud]

Thought I'd throw in my two cents... I'm just about ready to roll 59k on my 335 and this last week I've had long cranks and rough idle when starting the car in the morning. Each morning it got worse and finally got to the point yesterday where it would start but sounded like a Harley and was blowing huge clouds of pure white smoke. I couldn't drive it so I had to have it towed. This morning as I was reading this thread, my SA called to let me know that I was getting new injectors, plugs and an oil change. Man, I'm glad I went CPO...

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by milkdud

Thought I'd throw in my two cents... I'm just about ready to roll 59k on my 335 and this last week I've had long cranks and rough idle when starting the car in the morning. Each morning it got worse and finally got to the point yesterday where it would start but sounded like a Harley and was blowing huge clouds of pure white smoke. I couldn't drive it so I had to have it towed. This morning as I was reading this thread, my SA called to let me know that I was getting new injectors, plugs and an oil change. Man, I'm glad I went CPO...

So far mine has been fine oddly enough... I've been beating on it pretty bad and no smoke. It also looks like my oil has gone up although you can't really trust the electric gauge. I do think my VC Gasket is leaking though because my spark plug threads were very black

[135Pats]

Originally Posted by psmitty95

So far mine has been fine oddly enough... I've been beating on it pretty bad and no smoke. It also looks like my oil has gone up although you can't really trust the electric gauge. I do think my VC Gasket is leaking though because my spark plug threads were very black

Oil on the threads but not on the electrodes + oil consumption + smoke = VC gasket. Extremely odd that your smoking just comes and goes though…mine is 24/7 lol. I would look into Rob’s various PCV upgrades, along with a new VCG. I’m swapping mine out in a few weeks, praying that it fixes the smoking. If not, it’s almost certainly turbo seals…that will make me sad.

[psmitty95]

Yea it is bizzare... I'm planning on doing vc gasket whenever i can. Already have a new pcv hose and might do the rb valve too while i'm at it

[135Pats]

Originally Posted by psmitty95

Yea it is bizzare... I'm planning on doing vc gasket whenever i can. Already have a new pcv hose and might do the rb valve too while i'm at it

I would strongly rec you just overhaul the entire PCV system with Rob’s valve and cover. A new check valve can help, but there are fundamental flaws that only RB’s solutions remedy. If you’re comfortable removing one fuel rail for space, it’s a pretty simple install. Actually only annoying part is getting the PCV cover to re-thread, for whatever reason it doesn’t want to go back on.

[psmitty95]

Originally Posted by 135Pats

I would strongly rec you just overhaul the entire PCV system with Robs valve and cover. A new check valve can help, but there are fundamental flaws that only RBs solutions remedy. If youre comfortable removing one fuel rail for space, its a pretty simple install. Actually only annoying part is getting the PCV cover to re-thread, for whatever reason it doesnt want to go back on.

I'll probably have my shop do all of it at once. VC gasket, new pcv hose, and rob's valve