Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Discuss problems you have had or are having with your Z4
Post Reply
RickyG512
Member
Member
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2016 10:32 pm
Location: Heathrow/Kingston/Croydon

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by RickyG512 » Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:27 pm

Hi all,
2003 (53) 3.0i Z4

I desperately need some emergency help. I'm gonna keep it short, I did a trackday, blew my original engine as the engine ran out of oil, and got it swapped for an identical refurbished engine.

The new engine runs absolutely fine and runs sweet and pulls hard, BUT, it has 2 intermittent problems:

1. Misfire problem resulting in limp mode
The last 12 days I drove it, it has missed fired on 4 occasions, these misfires can be during cruising at 70 or under acceleration, which causes it to go into limp mode, and the only way to remove the misfire is to restart the engine, engine starts back up fine, sweet and strong and carrys on as normal until the next misfire in a couple of days. With my code reader, I can see it will misfire with a totally random cylinder each time, and usually 1 or 2 cylinders at a time. I can literally rag the car for 2 days none stop redlining every gear change and then on the 3rd day it'll randomly misfire, and then not for another 2 days, When I first got the car back with the new engine it actually misfired every 5 minutes, I couldn't even go out to buy milk, but after new plugs, coils, and cleaning the injectors, the now misfires every couple of days, but its still there!!

2. Brake warning light (amber) and traction control light resulting in limp mode
In the same time frame, 12 days, on 2 occasions while cruising on the motorway, the handbrake/brake warning light came on in amber as well as the triangular traction control light coming on together, both were on solid, and caused the car to go into limp mode, there was no powersliding or drifting taking place, just a straight line on the motorway doing 70, again the only way to remove this was to switch off the engine and back on again.

Can someone please help me with these 2 intermittent problems please? I would desperately appreciate it, thanks in advance!
Black 2003 E85 Z4 3.0i (newbie)

Scooba_Steve
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5277
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: NW London

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Scooba_Steve » Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:30 pm

Step 1 - get a code reader.

Step 2 - start looking after your car... "I can literally rag the car for 2 days"...
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.

User avatar
Roundozo
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1526
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:17 pm
Location: Hampshire

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Roundozo » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:17 am

It's probably related to your back box. :poke:
Past - Z4 Coupe, gone but not forgotten
Present - 530d M sport touring

RickyG512
Member
Member
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2016 10:32 pm
Location: Heathrow/Kingston/Croydon

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by RickyG512 » Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:55 am

I have the code reader scooby, that's how I worked out which cylinders where mis-firing, plus I had to drive it fast because I wanted to make sure I was clear of the misfiring fault which it hasn't :(

But it was doing all this before the back box was even fitted =(=(
Black 2003 E85 Z4 3.0i (newbie)

User avatar
Crazy Harry
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1689
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:32 pm
Location: Breckland Norfolk

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Crazy Harry » Thu Mar 23, 2017 8:53 am

Have I missed something here?

"when I first got the car back with the new engine" - I would be limping it back to the third party who fitted the engine saying "engine not running correctly - fix or monies back!"

bz4kev
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1650
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 4:59 pm
Location: wirral

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by bz4kev » Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:01 am

They are probably waiting for there engine back for swap :rofl: :fuelfire:
2004 z4 30i auto Toledo blue stubby Areo front back sideskirts and rear spoiler M/// MFSW DLV exhaust mod mma tips vanos overhaul 108s refurbed ram air scoop E46 M3 heated seats clear rear lights M/// sport black grills

User avatar
Ducklakeview
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6362
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
Location: Merseyside

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Ducklakeview » Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:49 am

bz4kev wrote:They are probably waiting for there engine back for swap :rofl: :fuelfire:
:?

Joking aside Ricky, have you posted it back as you said you would be doing on Monday?

Mike
Last edited by Ducklakeview on Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

Scooba_Steve
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5277
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: NW London

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Scooba_Steve » Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:48 am

Sorry bud, missed that skim reading. Is it just misfire codes?

Certainly worth pursuing whoever did the engine swap to diagnose and fix.
Do you have any codes for the DSC?

Can you get a detailed report like that from INPA?
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.

Mike6
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1073
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2015 1:17 pm

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Mike6 » Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:52 pm

Change of petrol and perhaps some injector cleaner???

User avatar
Mr Tidy
Legend
Legend
Posts: 23608
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:18 pm
Location: North West Surrey

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Mr Tidy » Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:30 am

Don't know if it will help, but I had an intermittent misfire on my 325ti about a year ago. (Same M54 engine as your Z4, just 2.5 instead of 3.0).

My indy traced it to a hydraulic valve lifter issue - caused by starting it and going less than a mile, so not getting it warmed up at all. It would misfire like crazy, but turning it off and restarting it would usually be OK.

Had a full service and haven't done any more start/move/stop trips - all good so far (touches wood)!

Hope you get it sorted. :thumbsup:
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black

User avatar
Ducklakeview
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6362
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
Location: Merseyside

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Ducklakeview » Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:00 pm

RickyG512, Any news on sending that box back like you promised on Monday?

Mike

User avatar
Roundozo
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1526
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:17 pm
Location: Hampshire

MISFIRE MISFIRE MISFIRE

Post by Roundozo » Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:17 am

Ducklakeview wrote:RickyG512, Any news on sending that box back like you promised on Monday?

Mike
Think you'll be waiting a long time for that unfortunately Mike. I know this has been covered in other threads so i won't open the can again​.

To Ricky, you've buggered it mate. Firstly how the F do you run out of oil, secondly don't rag your car, do you even let it it warm up?

Also don't overdubb other car engine revs onto your video's. It's pretty obvious watching the gear changes.
Past - Z4 Coupe, gone but not forgotten
Present - 530d M sport touring

Post Reply