In Need Of Help! Asap

[wishihad50k]

I need some help fast, I bought a 95 525i back in June w/ 160k miles on it as a family car (as my wife is pregnant. with our first) My mechanic told me that the car was in excellent shape and was taken care of, it just needs a tune up. I am some what handy with a socket set so I decided to do it myself. I bought some new plugs for the car (autolight something or another) and put them in. with in a few days the car started running like crap, it seems like I have lost most of my power under 3k rpms and the car hesitates when you hit the gas. Also started to here a loud tick tick tick tick coming from the engine. So I called my dealer and asked them what was up. I was told that the M50 engines are made to use a specific plug and in asking around here I found that this is correct. So I went out and bought the plugs from the dealership and put them in. While I was taking the old ones out I noticed 2 thing, one was that the plug end was a bit discolored (black) and two that there was a very small amount of oil around the threads of the plug (the car does not smoke at all and it has 160k on it so I figured that it was normal to see a small amount of oil that had gone past the rings) So I finished putting the new ones in and the car worked great for a few days... Now its right back to no power and hesitation under 3k rpms and the tick tick tick tick. I am so dumbfounded about what this could be because it doesn’t seem to happen as bad (if at all) when the car is not warmed up and it gets worse and worse though out the day until I park it and let it sit all night. I am freaking out because I have a new baby on the way and the bank account isn’t exactly overflowing. Another thing I have to note is that while I was in the engine bay I took the plug out of the MAFS while the car was running to clean it and put it right back in after I was done (the engine started to die but never did). Now I am getting the 1215 MAFS code every time I check it, should this have happened, does it need to be replaced, how do I reset the codes so I can see if it will come back on??? Please help me guys, any info would be awesome!!! thanks Ian

[632 Regal]

The oil on the plugs is most likely from a bad valve cover gasket, That can in turn cause the miss that you are experiencing. For shits and giggles try to wipe the oil out of there and replace the plugs and see if that helps. If they are fouling in the cylinders that could also be caused from oil getting around the outside of the plugs. I think I follow what you are trying to explain, more info is good.
Geed luck!

[wishihad50k]

If it was a bad valve cover gasket would I find the oil any where else?
Would that be the reason the car runs good for a few days when I pull the plugs and put them back in. Would that cause the plugs to have a very small amount of carbon build up on them? Could this be why I am only getting 21 mpg? Anyone know anything about the MAFS, or how to reset the codes or clear them? thanks for any help!!!
Oh and whats the stomp test?

[632 Regal]

stomp test and a TON of other info here:

http://www.bmwe34.net/

[winfred]

the boots on the end of the coils (the coil pac version of plug wires) are probably bad and the ticking you hear is the arcing to ground, the o-rings around the spark plug tubes leaking oil into the tubes is real common, the memory should clear the code it's self after about 50 starts without a repeat of the problem

[wishihad50k]

Thanks guys!!!! Any one else???
Cant find stomp set @ bmwe34.net????

[winfred]

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/Engine_codes.htm

[632 Regal]

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/Engine_codes.htm

[wishihad50k]

I listened to the engine and found that the tick tick tick is most likely not the boots arcing to ground, it sounds like it is coming from some where other than the plugs. It kind of sounds like a lifter or something??? Here is the deal though, it only tick tick tick ticks when the car has been driven for a while, around the same time the car starts running like crap! Help ME PLEASE!

[Dick Schneiders]

1991 525i's with the M50 engine a couple of months ago. It was the little gasket, a 75 cent part, between the oil pump and oil pump pickup tube that was letting air into the oil system. This caused the oil to foam up, after the car had warmed up, and caused the lifters to tick loudly because they were oil deprived. The car did not tick at all until really warmed up from driving, and then it sounded like a diesel truck and ran poorly.

The oil pan had to be dropped, because the little bugger is in the pan, and I also replaced the oil pump while in there so that I wouldn't have to go in again anytime in the near future. This solved my problem totally, thanks to Bill R's fantastic diagnosis.

Any others think this might be the problem here?

Dick Schneiders (2, 1991 525i's)


I listened to the engine and found that the tick tick tick is most likely not the boots arcing to ground, it sounds like it is coming from some where other than the plugs. It kind of sounds like a lifter or something??? Here is the deal though, it only tick tick tick ticks when the car has been driven for a while, around the same time the car starts running like crap! Help ME PLEASE!

[wishihad50k]

So I broke down and took the car in... $647.92 later... 4 out of the 6 distributer coils have been replaced and an oil change is done! Ended up being the coils, I could have bought them online for $50 and replaced them in 15min... :( its all good though just glad to have it fixed. And PRAISE GOD that it wasnt more $$$!

[632 Regal]

So I broke down and took the car in... $647.92 later... 4 out of the 6 distributer coils have been replaced and an oil change is done! Ended up being the coils, I could have bought them online for $50 and replaced them in 15min... :( its all good though just glad to have it fixed. And PRAISE GOD that it wasnt more $$$!

[Geoff Hoad]

My experience was exactly the same. Oil in two spark plug inlets but nowhere else. Like you I debated about having my first heart attack on the spot but shaking and swaeting came to the Board and was consoled. My heart rate returned to normal, my blood pressure dropped and my wallet had a sigh of relief.

A couple of things which may be helpful. Get a BMW gasket cover set. For the M50 its a 3 part gasket and when replacing use a silicone based gasket sealer. This was a tip from the dealer who said they routinely did that to ensure there was no problem at all. Many, many miles later, no unsightly oil stains and a gasket tighter than a fishes you know what. Easy job too.

Hope this helped.

[winfred]

get the little rubber doughnuts that are under the valve cover bolts, the old ones are all squashed and don't put as much pressure on the new gasket


A couple of things which may be helpful. Get a BMW gasket cover set. For the M50 its a 3 part gasket and when replacing use a silicone based gasket sealer. This was a tip from the dealer who said they routinely did that to ensure there was no problem at all. Many, many miles later, no unsightly oil stains and a gasket tighter than a fishes you know what. Easy job too.

Hope this helped.

[wishihad50k]

thanks guys! :D