Thanks for your help. I will try to visit indy shop close to me and see what their thoughts going to be !
Love you guys , you gave me a hope to keep the car longer

 

[QUOTE=seanjordan20;1589284]Well that doesn't seem like it's $9000 bad or even $2500 bad.

Wall due respect, find a picture of a 550 /450 with the valve cover off and I'll bet that the first thing you hear is"OMG"

 

Change all O2 sensors. I had the same problem on my 530 N52 , changed valve cover, coils, plugs, and still no joy. Then i got all the errors with INPA and i've seen some strange misfiring around (no explicit errors for oxygen sensors). So i decided to change them all, car runs like new.

I had the same symptoms, erratic idle, lots of white smoke when flooring it and loss of power , although no engine light or error.

 

I don't know if the O2 will cause all these issues ! but it might be who knows because those cars don't talk to let you know what is the problem
My next concern was the o2 to change them. BTW is it an easy task to do in my garage ? or I need an indy shop to do it ? "the O2 sensors "

 

It's an easy task if you have the right tools. About a 5 minute job for each plug. But just changing them for the heck of it is very costly. Did BMW give you a print out of the codes they pulled. That can pinpoint what you need to do to fix your issues or give you insight. If not I would get INPA.

 

I need things that will make me do the job the right way,
space, the tools to lift the car, tools needed for the job
will think about it lol

Here are some of the codes if I am correct from the report they gave me :
(FOUND FAULTS STORED FOR MIXTURE CONTROL, 29E7, 29E8, 29EF AND 29F0)

 

This is a crop of the report :

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a jack, jack stands, wrench and O2 sensor socket and a garage if you don't want to be outside. No need for a lift. I have had my car for over 10 years and not once used a lift and I've even done transmission work. I'm not seeing the reason for the seal but maybe you doing. The pressure Being a little out of tolerance i don't know if that warrants a seal. I will look at the codes and see what I can tell

 

How often do you change your oil. I have done some research and the steam seal is a fix but not as common as to replacing O2 sensors, CCV, checking the injector seals or vacuum leak. Being that you are limited with tools I would take it in for a second opinion to an Indy. This could be something simple to the average DIYer doing the tests in there garage but you being mechanically challenged (not having the tools) this could be difficult and the easiest thing is going Indy. I asked about the oil change interval because it seems that owners with longer intervals are having the steam seal issue due to contaminates.

 

The first indy shop told me right away it's a valve cover issue for sure ! His price was $4000 .
I think this conclude that, THE CAR MUST GO !!
I will ask another indy shop but I think it will be the same thing !!