2004 BMW 545i Rough idle, stalling, trouble starting
#52
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Alright thanks. I know that these cars hate low voltage from batteries so it could very well be the problem. I am going to just pull it and throw it on the charger tomorrow.
Being this car is just about as old as I am and I have already put quite a bit of money into it at this point, I am hesitant to just keep throwing in more. However, however much the parts are, it is still probably cheaper than buying a new car and this being my first car I am truly in love with her. That being said I bought a new purge valve and breather hoses and I will continue troubleshooting from there.
Thank you everyone who has replied so far, I would be sitting here clueless if it weren't for you guys.
Being this car is just about as old as I am and I have already put quite a bit of money into it at this point, I am hesitant to just keep throwing in more. However, however much the parts are, it is still probably cheaper than buying a new car and this being my first car I am truly in love with her. That being said I bought a new purge valve and breather hoses and I will continue troubleshooting from there.
Thank you everyone who has replied so far, I would be sitting here clueless if it weren't for you guys.
You can also blow in it and see if it’s closed or not.
There are YouTube vids around showing you the removal process of this purge valve.
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Ldrake_4 (01-21-2021)
#53
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Just to eliminate that purge valve as the culprit without spending $$, just remove it, it’s pretty simple to do and won’t take long and put some voltage to it (only two connecting points on it so you can’t go wrong there), either use a 9 volt battery or tap it from your boosting point under the hood and you’ll hear it clicking when energized and should be clicking same when voltage is removed. If not hearing two clicks from the valve it sticks!
You can also blow in it and see if it’s closed or not.
There are YouTube vids around showing you the removal process of this purge valve.
You can also blow in it and see if it’s closed or not.
There are YouTube vids around showing you the removal process of this purge valve.
So that eliminates the Purge valve. I took off those old breather hoses and replaced the one side but I am still waiting on the other side to be delivered Monday. I also threw the battery on the charger this morning.
I may take out the vanos solenoids if I have the time, but does anybody think that could be the problem? I feel like I would have gotten a vanos code if it were.
Is there anything else I should do while I am waiting on that hose?
#54
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Well, wait until the battery is well charged and then just try starting it up again and check all codes.
With the purge valve, you say you could blow air through - just to be clear that's only when it's open, right?
With the purge valve, you say you could blow air through - just to be clear that's only when it's open, right?
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Ldrake_4 (01-21-2021)
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Also I can't start the car because the other hose is broken and I need the new one. I took out the y looking one to replace it with the two individual ones. I had the new version for the left side but I am waiting on the right side.
While taking off the y one it snapped in a couple spots, it was so brittle I am sure that's why they updated them. So the left side is currently on and I am waiting on right side so I can't start the car.
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#56
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I have had some real head-scratchers that I only figured out after walking away and waiting.
I don't think you should have too many different things off the engine at once in this case, so I think you should just wait, reassemble, and take it from there. The more you do in the meantime the more chance you have of accidentally introducing new issues. You'll have a well charged battery and you'll have eliminated the purge valve (although, arguably not the wiring to it) as in issue. Then you can check codes again.
I don't think you should have too many different things off the engine at once in this case, so I think you should just wait, reassemble, and take it from there. The more you do in the meantime the more chance you have of accidentally introducing new issues. You'll have a well charged battery and you'll have eliminated the purge valve (although, arguably not the wiring to it) as in issue. Then you can check codes again.
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I have had some real head-scratchers that I only figured out after walking away and waiting.
I don't think you should have too many different things off the engine at once in this case, so I think you should just wait, reassemble, and take it from there. The more you do in the meantime the more chance you have of accidentally introducing new issues. You'll have a well charged battery and you'll have eliminated the purge valve (although, arguably not the wiring to it) as in issue. Then you can check codes again.
I don't think you should have too many different things off the engine at once in this case, so I think you should just wait, reassemble, and take it from there. The more you do in the meantime the more chance you have of accidentally introducing new issues. You'll have a well charged battery and you'll have eliminated the purge valve (although, arguably not the wiring to it) as in issue. Then you can check codes again.
Thanks again.
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I just replaced the broken breather hoses and put the battery back in after it was 100 percent charged.
I attempted to start the car and it sounded like it almost started once, like it was trying to sputter to life. After that it just kept cranking. Every time I started it would just crank but no start. I checked codes and got the no communication to dme code, same as before. I researched a bit and came across the IBS potentially bring the problem so I am going to disconnect and see if it starts.
It that is the issue great but if not I guess I will be checking every fuse for water damage. Does anybody have any other ideas as to what's causing this that I can try?
Fixing this will hopefully bring me one step closer to figuring out the real problem.
I attempted to start the car and it sounded like it almost started once, like it was trying to sputter to life. After that it just kept cranking. Every time I started it would just crank but no start. I checked codes and got the no communication to dme code, same as before. I researched a bit and came across the IBS potentially bring the problem so I am going to disconnect and see if it starts.
It that is the issue great but if not I guess I will be checking every fuse for water damage. Does anybody have any other ideas as to what's causing this that I can try?
Fixing this will hopefully bring me one step closer to figuring out the real problem.
#59
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I guess it doesn't hurt to check but I doubt it is the IBS.
Your issues scream out "wiring!" to me. Then there is the timing of the faults, first after some exhaust work and then after some engine fiddling. DME fault is most likely to be wiring, not the DME itself. So, I think that it would be a good idea to carefully inspect all the wiring anywhere near any work you have done. Is anything pinched? Squished? Broken? Left resting too close to exhaust pipe? I dunno, I am not accusing you of having screwed anything up but I would be suspecting that I had disturbed some wiring if I were in your position.
Your issues scream out "wiring!" to me. Then there is the timing of the faults, first after some exhaust work and then after some engine fiddling. DME fault is most likely to be wiring, not the DME itself. So, I think that it would be a good idea to carefully inspect all the wiring anywhere near any work you have done. Is anything pinched? Squished? Broken? Left resting too close to exhaust pipe? I dunno, I am not accusing you of having screwed anything up but I would be suspecting that I had disturbed some wiring if I were in your position.
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The thing with the exhaust work is that it was nowhere near any sensors, I didn't even open the hood while I was doing it. Obviously I had to unplug some wires and move some things around while checking for the timing issue but I made sure I plugged everything in. Either way I am going to check everything and I will let you know.
Edit: I had some time to look at some things and excluding fuses everything looks good. I don't see any pinched or cut wires, no signs of water damage or anything. I disconnected the IBS and still no start. I am 100 percent lost.
Edit: I had some time to look at some things and excluding fuses everything looks good. I don't see any pinched or cut wires, no signs of water damage or anything. I disconnected the IBS and still no start. I am 100 percent lost.
Last edited by Ldrake_4; 01-21-2021 at 09:16 AM.