Dremers

Well i posted a thread a while back about my car smoking excessively after idling for 5 minutes or more. I was told that most likely the car needed valve seals because of the known issue with the V8's.

I started to dig deeper into this.

I started out by asking as many questions as possible by calling numerous indy shops, Speaking to the previour owner.

I will list symptoms and if it worked or not........

First off. info on my car....

2004
545i
154,200 miles
Purchased with 138,600 miles


Issues.....

1) Increased emissions light on when purchased
2) a few hundred miles after purchase i notice that the car would smoke after idle, the longer the idle the bigger the puff of smoke
3) irratic idle
4) cutting in and out while driving down the road
5) the car felt very lathargic. Did not want to really move unless i stepped on the gas


Things i have done over time

1) BGR Valve clean...cost-$75
This helped very little with hiccups of the idle, car had a little bit more pep in its step but for the most part. The smoking issue remained.

2) Lucas oil treament....$14 per bottle
This did NOTHING for my issue, the car still smoked and it still had all of the issues that i documented above.

3) Crank Case Vent.... $32 Ebay
I instantly noticed something different. The car idled smoother, i am still getting the eratic idle but nothing like it was before. I let the car idle for 20+ minutes and no smoke. I jumped on the highway to see if would still get "cutting in and out"......Well the 1st 15+ miles, the car stumbled twice. ....the next day i jumped on the expressway for 32 miles and nothing. Zero fluctuations, no hiccups, no puff of smokes and the car did not feel like it was lazy.


I am not saying that this will work for everyone but if your car has a boat load of miles, try this out. I know for a fact that Crank Case Vents were never changed because they were caked with oil and the surrounding area had oil build up.


We will see how the next few hundred miles go and i will report back.

Gangplank

Interesting. I asked my Indy about changing the crankcase vent valves as preventative maint. My 545 has 86k on it. Was told just wait & you'll know when the need changing b/c it makes a sound. Screaming sound.

No sound from what you are describing? Just smoke.

Dremers

mine did not make a single sound. just puffs of smoke after short time of idle,and an erratic idle as well.

chaudhrysn

my car has been acting strange lately. sometimes if i push it a little hard, it'll start to smoke just slightly. But even if I don't push it hard and drive normally, it'll still have a little smoke coming out and I can smell something that is burning.

Idk if its the same issue as yours, but its been going on for about 6-8 months and it randomly has that smoking/ burning smell.

strobeyprobey

I replaced the red rubber crankcase vents on an 05 645i in February as the car stalled about four times while idling/very slowly driving around a parking ramp. That was the only symptom the car had! Threw no codes, the engine stopped quickly like it was powered off, it didn't stumble or run rough. Never stalled again after replacing.

I replaced the two valves myself, was pretty darn easy. Just be very careful the caps as I had to reuse my caps because of the change in the new-style "gaskets" without the venting. Took maybe an hour and half working very slowly.

w84me

My Indy told me that is a common problem as well. The valve stem seals are cheap, but the repair time is extensive and while you're in there you may as well do other things. Expect a big bill but from what I understand if you rebuild the top end of the V8 the motor will go a very long time.

Dremers

I need to take a look at the caps that i replaced and check for the "Vents."

NoName545i

I noticed a puff of smoke after long idles durring traffic hours and during hot temperatures around the 175k and especially after oil change maybe the viscosity. I have not notice any noticeable smoke in months at 189k

Keep a few quarts of oil in your trunk and check the oil level weekly at cold start up i regularly add oil and coolant once a week.

Either way im looking at a $5k job for the secondary air injection, engine needs to be dropped and my mechanic will replace valve seals, coolant transfer feed and gaskets.

st_kuen

I also changed to the new-style "gaskets" without the venting. Anyone know that without the venting, is there any impact to the normal function of crankcase vents?
Thanks in advance.

CrazeOKC

If it only smokes after long idle its not going to be the valve guides. The valve guides will give lots of smoke on start up after sitting over night. The idle smoke is cause by a vacuum leak somewhere which prevents the internal pressure (negative pressure for bmw and vw but most cars have positive pressure) from staying negative. The normally negative pressure keeps those stupid little flaps closed preventing oil from splashing in them. The reason why its so random is sometimes they just stay closed anyways and other times they will open allowing oil in which is why it only does it at idle. When at driving speeds your creating enough negative pressure to overpower your vacuum leak. I found my leak in my oil pan. Tiny little pin hole from a rock hitting the drain plug and cracking the weld ever so slightly and since I replace that no more idle smoke. YMMV but I wouldn't go to full freak out mode and rebuild the engine. Just find your vacuum leak and fix.