bmw issues

[PLBowhunter]

I believe I have the N51B motor. I don't know if that matters.

Without a code, how do I know which coil to change?

Change all 6 spark plugs and coils. That way you won't have to keep changing every week when they start failing. Plus it's better for the car. But what do I know. Not like i tune them and my whole family has a euro car repair shop.

[Lungbustr]

Don't listen to these guys. BMW's are good. I've had 8 a span of 11 years. Your first issue is you bought a 328. Should have nought the greatest engine of all in the 335i. Secondly it's your spark plugs or ignition coils. Try going WOT and see if it stutters. Lastly it could be your injectors which sucks. You could also need a walnut blasting.

8 in 11 years? You definitely seem like the authority on long term bmw ownership.

[PLBowhunter]

8 in 11 years? You definitely seem like the authority on long term bmw ownership.

Who said I didn't keep a few at all times? I had a winter and a summer driver. Do you only have one vehicle? Or one gun? Maybe one pair of shoes?

[Lungbustr]

Who said I didn't keep a few at all times? I had a winter and a summer driver. Do you only have one vehicle? Or one gun? Maybe one pair of shoes?

Ive got quite a few, all high mileage, all owned since new.

Done the maintenance on all of them. Have any questions of long term ownership?

[Walker]

Change all 6 spark plugs and coils. That way you won't have to keep changing every week when they start failing. Plus it's better for the car. But what do I know. Not like i tune them and my whole family has a euro car repair shop.

Yea, spend several hundred when you don't know what the problem is. Techron clears it up temporarily. It say it's not the coils.

[Kingfisher789]

How many miles are on it?
Pull a spark plug and look at the pistons and valves. They make some really good boroscopes for @$60. It might have valve stem seals that are leaking. What happens when you run Top Tier fuel in it? They can “ hunt for idle “ a lot of ways. Next time I’m at the Bimmer store I’ll see what is a good strategy to diagnose/ heal your complaint. Coil replacement is a waste. That cars smart enough to know when a coil fails.

[Big Lee]

Who said I didn't keep a few at all times? I had a winter and a summer driver. Do you only have one vehicle? Or one gun? Maybe one pair of shoes?

PL we appreciate your knowledge. You're still young here on the site. Pump the brakes a tad. It'll be alright.

[Kingfisher789]

Winter and Summer? The running joke is buy two Jaguars….

[BTLowry]

Don't listen to these guys. BMW's are good. I've had 8 a span of 11 years. Your first issue is you bought a 328. Should have nought the greatest engine of all in the 335i. Secondly it's your spark plugs or ignition coils. Try going WOT and see if it stutters. Lastly it could be your injectors which sucks. You could also need a walnut blasting.

Explain please?
What are you blasting with walnuts to fix mechanical problems?
Or did you get auto corrected and meant something else?

If adding fuel additive helps I would suspect fuel system issue

If you have not or getting close to time, new plugs and new fuel filter to see if either helps. Cheaper than digging into fuel system (injectors, pressure regulators, etc) plus needed maintenance anyway.

[PLBowhunter]

Winter and Summer? The running joke is buy two Jaguars….

Yessir. It's necessary because when I lived in Canada it was not possible to drive in a few feet of snow, plus I needed a truck to go ice fishing and hunting. I did take my RWD 335i ice fishing once but hit a rock under the snow and decided that it's better to just have a truck with 4x4 anyways.

[stinkbelly]

130,000 miles on the car

[PLBowhunter]

Explain please?
What are you blasting with walnuts to fix mechanical problems?
Or did you get auto corrected and meant something else?

If adding fuel additive helps I would suspect fuel system issue

If you have not or getting close to time, new plugs and new fuel filter to see if either helps. Cheaper than digging into fuel system (injectors, pressure regulators, etc) plus needed maintenance anyway.

I forgot the car mentioned is a non turbo. In the turbo, direct injection engines the intake valves need to be walnut blasted. You use a sand blasting kit, but use walnut shells to clean all the carbon buildup.

Honestly at this point I don't know. The techron could just be a bandaid and not really fixing the issue.

To the comment that said it's a few hundred dollars to replace the ignition coils and plugs, it's not. It's $231 on FCPauto. All you need is a special socket that you can buy at any auto shop and do it yourself. It takes an hour at most to replace them yourself.

[Walker]

Isn't $231 a few hundred dollars?? I was born at night but.....

[PLBowhunter]

Isn't $231 a few hundred dollars?? I was born at night but.....

Nah that's a couple. A few is $300 plus. It's simple arithmetics

Now you're just getting into semantics. A handful of groceries is now a few hundred at Costco.

[Goldeneagle]

Get the A/C checked. It could be the compressor kicking off and on. It will make a difference on the smaller engines.