x5 3.0D Intermittant Power loss low REVS

[PierreNel1982]

Hi everyone. Im new here and excuse my ignorance and mistakes. I am just completely frustrated with my current predicament.

I have a 2009 X5 3.0D X-drive with 80k miles. Serviced up to date and in good condition, until now.

Quick history, The engine check light came on Oct 2017 and I took it in for diagnosis and it came back glow plugs or controller failure. I also experienced moments of power loss at standstill but improved after warmup. Glow Plugs makes sense here. The controller was replaced and it seemed better, for only a while.

The engine check light came on again, Now it was the MAF diangosed and replaced. But powerloss was still apparent.

At random times when I accelerate and the car simply doesnt respond, crawls even at full throttle. This is from standstill or coasting at 20-40mph. Making the gearbox change down a gear or into 1st to get the revs to rise or lifting off completely and applying again gets it going again. Once the revs go up pasty 2 000 it wakes up, next throttle application its responding perfectly? Motorway cruise control use is difficult the car stuggles to maintain speed and using my own foot sometimes experience a strong misfire type of effect (powerful jerk) but only for a split second. Fuel economy on motorway oddly good, but in town its taken a beating.

I was getting EGR error codes P0401, I have had the EGR cleaned and put back but the car still has random intermittant powerloss. No codes in the last few days, im waiting actually for 1 so can try to diagnose again.

My guess is that the EGR is sticking open when applying the throttle. This wont produce a code I think, but when its slow to open I will get P0401?

I have read maybe one of the injectors is bad, glow plugs themselves, turbo vacuum. EGR vacuum hose?
Any tips for me to look at? Have taken it to 3 different places and they all say change this and that with out investigating

Thanks

[graemeX5]

Hi

If you put the fault for a BMW X5 in on you tube it says it's the egr loss of flow and there are a few how to clean it video clips on there.

So assuming you now have a new or a clean egr valve then you need to work through the process.

From below link the chap had checked that your turbo and injectors were okay and also the MAF is working, then it could be an egr pressure regulator value which was faulty which is on the egr (on an E70 and could be same on an E53 )

A couple of the other clips also showed that the hoses and seals were faulty with this error code.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=949qIMCSRY0

Graeme

[PierreNel1982]

Thankyou so much, im thinking along some other line
I think, the vacuum lines between the turbo and EGR have been swapped.
Since I had the glow plug controller replaced this has started, I have told my guy to look at the vacuum lines but he just relies on codes!!!

Do you know where this is located? Probably just follow the vacuum line backwards.
So I can do a quick swap and test run.Read online and apparently swapped lines wont produce an error!

[PierreNel1982]

Update:
Had to P3263 error codes crop up.
No EGR error codes.
I dread the P3263 as its meaningless without going to BMW apparently.

Anyone advise based on the above?

Im going to run injector cleaner through it and then have the exhaust manifold temps taken to see if any injector is duff: Then will disconnect the EGR vacuum pipe to see if the power loss disappears, to see if its EGR related.

[Glen]

Hi I had the exact same problems a few years ago with a Saab cleaned the EGR was getting no error codes
and it was still running crap.
Sometimes it just wouldn't rev and there was a lot of smoke.
Sticking EGR did it again got out the car gave the Egr a tap with a hammer and it cured itself then I unplugged it and it never did it again got the EML though but lived with it.

[PierreNel1982]

Thanks Glen. Just about had enough.

Im so tempted to go the EGR delete in a remap, but then need DPF removed as it will block.
Thing is then it might fail MOT with the DPF removed....argh!

Its going in for an MOT Friday. will check exhaust manifold heat to see if 1 cylinder is running cooler. Will show any possible fuel pump/injector failure. Then test vacuum reading on EGR vacuum pipe (Still convinced this is the culprit, Split pipe or pressure Converter) Anyone know the readings I should expect to see on the EGR vacuum pipe in idle and throttle tests?

Thanks

[snrbrtsn]

I’d suggest, from previous problems and resolution
The cause is gummed inlet manifold, moreso the  line that comes from Egr to inlet manifold being fouled leading to detrious being deposited in the inlet manifold.
The resolution is removing the inlet manifold, cleaning / replacing

It’s a suggestion made on remote diagnosis, though credible from your description

[PierreNel1982]

Thanks again.
Got another error code P3263 and P0401 today again.
Its going in for MOT tomorrow. Will ask them to remove manifold to check EGR pressure converter and pipe and clean manifold while its off.

Holding fingers.

[PierreNel1982]

Update:
My mechanic is a moron. Told him to test the vacuum pressure on the EGR pipe and he said hew would check for errors!! Thats all he wants to do.

In the end I took the pipe off the EGR valve clamped it shut and presto the cars weird lagging and dips in power are gone ( My backyard test is done). Back to new goes like hell at any throttle (such a relief), it threw P0401 code the other day which I cleared, but no limp mode.

3 days driving now and no more errors despite the pipe still being off. Do run the risk of blocking the DPF?
Wouldnt the cleaner running combustion produce less soot and therefore less to block the DPF. I am going to remove the manifold and replace the solenoid/pressure converter myself soon though. Im not comfortable driving around too long like this.

I would like to remap the EGR out, but I have heard this affects the DPF. How so?