MichaelGroth

Hello.

I am a frequent reader of this forum and I know there are some talented people here.
Registered today to ask a question that I haven't been able to find the answer to. I have been searching around the net for two days and also this forum.
Hope someone can help me.


I have a 2004 model BMW 525i E60 with M54 engine.
I have always had an electrical sound coming from the engine compartment, this comes after I turn the engine off and usually disappears after approx. 30 sec with a small "psh" sound.
Have always wondered what this is. I have heard the sound on several BMW's. I have also read that there are pumps and fans etc shutting down, so I guess it's normal.


My problem however, is that whatever is making this sound won't shut down, it is buzzing constantly, until the battery is flat.
The problem occurred about 3 days ago, and I have tried to charge the car every night, but to no avail. The charger is still on red, and the battery holds about enough charge to start the car 2 times.
I hope someone on this forum knows what it is and what I need to replace / fix.

See video:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY5yEsJ6GGg[/media]


It vibrates the plastic housing by the DISA valve. (I think that's the name of it) If not, then it's the one I put my hand on the video.

Hope this is something you guys can help me with.

Edit: I removed fuse Nr. 8 in the glove compartment (ECU) and the sound stopped. I still need help debugging this tho.

-Michael

KyleB

that buzzing is your emissions purge valve opening and closing. it should definitely shut off after a minute or so. im not sure if the engine ECU or the MPM controls the valve opening and closing of that valve after the car has been turned off; someone else might be able to chime in. it might be the purge valve itself that is faulty; they can go bad.

MichaelGroth

KyleB.

Thanks for the quick reply!
Can i pull the connector on the purge valve to see if it stops running?
Somthing must be telling it to stay on..
If the valve is faulty could this cause it to stay on like this?

Found this video on youtube:

Is this the one you are talking about? seems like a quick fix.

-Michael

KyleB

i suppose you could unplug the valve while you hear the buzzing; that way you'd at least be confirming the source of your noise - i'm confident that's what youre hearing, because my car does the same thing.

unfortunately i can't tell you whether it is the valve, or the computer that controls the valve that is the source of your problem. hopefully someone with an E60 bentley manual can post up with that information.

and yes, that is the valve. from what i remember, they're pretty cheap and easy to access. i don't know if you have any 'pick and pull' salvage yards available, but it might be worth a gamble to grab a used one for 5 or 10 bucks, put it in, and see if that cures the problem. i never really like to replace parts unless i KNOW that they've failed, but sometimes cheap gambles work out.

good luck, when you get the car fixed be sure to update this thread to let us know what the resolution is/was.

MichaelGroth

Thank you so much, so far.

I unplugged the connector on the purge valve and the buzzing is still there.
So i reached under the DISA valve as far as I could get without taking things apart, and there is a connecter under there.. I think it's the connector for the idle control valve..
When touching this connector I can feel the vibration getting stronger. And the plug itself is giving off a buzzing vibration feel.
Could it be a faulty idle control valve? Or am I jumping away from the purge valve too soon here..

-Michael

MichaelGroth

Been debugging a bit more. The sound is coming from the DISA or idle speed control valve.
The sound is actually at it's loudest around the idle speed control valve.

Def. sounds like it is coming from the idle speed control valve.
Still need to figure out what is causing it to run constantly... And does it actually make this kind of sound?
If not.. could it actually be the DISA that is jammed up somehow?

KyleB

I doubt it's the DISA valve. do you have an automatic transmission in the car? after the car has been sitting for an hour or so, is there still an orange LED illumination the 'P' portion of the gearshift selector?

anyone else care to chime in?

phlfly

See the problem can be K-bus or I-bus, so those buses send signal to DME that something is still working or like may engine running. You need to find wire diagram and chase the wire from these units back to buses and DME and test all connector there.

thomassteen

Did you try disconnecting the DISA and ICV? Do you have OBD cable and a working DIS installation?

MichaelGroth

SOLVED

It was a faulty IBS cable (the negative cable to the battery)

Part nr. 1 in this picture:


Turns out that the DEALER wich changed the battery on my car four years ago didn't reset the battery charge.
So the alternator was continuously charging the battery as if it was an old almost "flat" battery.
This caused the IBS cable to fail and the battery to discharge and die out.

The ECU didn't get the message to turn the idle control valve off. (Wich starts up and runs for 16 minutes after you unlock the car. Or continues to run for 16 minutes after you turn the car off after a drive).
In other words.. The engine would not go to sleep, as it did not get the message to do so.

Replaced the IBS cable and the battery. Everything is working fine now. The engine goes to sleep and the idle control valve shuts off after 16 minutes (Like it should).

Thanks to all of you for the input and help.