[skalberti]

I have a 2008 335i with 40,000 miles on it. The only mods on the car is a CAI and Dinan stage 2 tune. I've already been through 2 fuel pumps and sets of injectors due to thrown codes in the car. I started noticing a metallic rattling noise when the cars RPM was held around 3000. Car runs great, just an odd noise. BMW dismantled the lower motor to find metal shavings in my oil and a worn main bearing on piston #6. First question is has anyone else had thus problem? Second and the most obvious, is thus something BMW will warranty? The car is never raced or punished and the Dinan just got added about 15,000 miles ago. Thanks for your replies!

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by skalberti

I have a 2008 335i with 40,000 miles on it. The only mods on the car is a CAI and Dinan stage 2 tune. I've already been through 2 fuel pumps and sets of injectors due to thrown codes in the car. I started noticing a metallic rattling noise when the cars RPM was held around 3000. Car runs great, just an odd noise. BMW dismantled the lower motor to find metal shavings in my oil and a worn main bearing on piston #6. First question is has anyone else had thus problem? Second and the most obvious, is thus something BMW will warranty? The car is never raced or punished and the Dinan just got added about 15,000 miles ago. Thanks for your replies!

Sounds like Dinan will need to warranty this? Isnt that what Dinan does?

Oiling problem?

[Mr. 5]

Never heard of this so your the first.
Yes, BMW should cover it.

[skalberti]

BMW is sending an engineer to look at the car this thursday to decide whats going to be done. As far as oil I change every 7,500. I can't bring myself to wait 15,000 for a turbo motor. As far as who covers it, I'll let everyone know the outcome.....

[dzenno]

First timer...

[Clap135]

I find it hard to believe bmw found oil in the man and measure the bearings. To me it sounds like classic wastegate rattle.

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by Clap135

I find it hard to believe bmw found oil in the man and measure the bearings. To me it sounds like classic wastegate rattle.

Well I find it odd that they would drop the oil pan and know to look at the main bearings just by telling them of the noise. The noise only occurs around 3000 RPM and when you put it in sport mode and then accelerate to 3000 RPM without letting it shift to the next gear is when you hear the noise. I don't hear it any other times. Does that sound like the wastegate?

[DaFish]

Originally Posted by skalberti

I have a 2008 335i with 40,000 miles on it. The only mods on the car is a CAI and Dinan stage 2 tune. I've already been through 2 fuel pumps and sets of injectors due to thrown codes in the car. I started noticing a metallic rattling noise when the cars RPM was held around 3000. Car runs great, just an odd noise. BMW dismantled the lower motor to find metal shavings in my oil and a worn main bearing on piston #6. First question is has anyone else had thus problem? Second and the most obvious, is thus something BMW will warranty? The car is never raced or punished and the Dinan just got added about 15,000 miles ago. Thanks for your replies!

You have to wait for sure... but if BMW decides to fix this (owning responsibility) then push FLIPPIN hard for them to replace this motor... how long have those metal filings been circulating. Pull out all the stops man.

[Clap135]

Put your car in neutral and simply stab the gas to like 4.5k, as the engine idles down do you hear any noises?

[GMWNashville]

ive seen a few rod bearing issues but not a main bearing problem as of yet...

[99three]

I call WG's.

[Potty_Pants]

subscribed

lets see if dinan steps up to the plate...

[RoundelM3]

Not necessarily determined yet whether or not the Dinan has anything to do with the bearing failure. I suspect this would have happened without the mild Dinan tune - but let's see who owns up to it.

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by volkswackin

ive seen a few rod bearing issues but not a main bearing problem as of yet...

So I finally talked to the shop foreman at BMW. Originally the SA told me it was the main bearing, but actually its the #6 piston rod bearing. The foreman told me that it looked like the bearing was "starving for oil" or "over reved" There's metal shavings in the oil pan and even throughout the oil filter. I'm not sure how you can over rev the motor since it has a rev limiter and the software tune can't rob a bearing of oil. Besides, if you over rev a car more than one bearing is gonna go. The foreman told me that any mod to the car voids the warranty. So he's just waiting on the BMW engineer to come thursday and look at the motor. Here's a pic from left to right its bearing 6,5,4. The copper colored one is #6

[acdHQK713K]

Originally Posted by skalberti

So I finally talked to the shop foreman at BMW. Originally the SA told me it was the main bearing, but actually its the #6 piston rod bearing. The foreman told me that it looked like the bearing was "starving for oil" or "over reved" There's metal shavings in the oil pan and even throughout the oil filter. I'm not sure how you can over rev the motor since it has a rev limiter and the software tune can't rob a bearing of oil. Besides, if you over rev a car more than one bearing is gonna go. The foreman told me that any mod to the car voids the warranty. So he's just waiting on the BMW engineer to come thursday and look at the motor. Here's a pic from left to right its bearing 6,5,4. The copper colored one is #6

I wonder how much of a fight Dinan will put up with this claim.

[vasillalov]

Originally Posted by TrackRat

Detonation can hammer a bearing out.

BINGO! And #6 cylinder is the hottest one, correct?

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by vasillalov

BINGO! And #6 cylinder is the hottest one, correct?

Is this true?? I need all the info I can get on the problems with the N54. The engineer from BMW is coming tomorrow to determine if BMW will warranty this motor. I want to be able to show them why this isn't the tunes fault. Thanks for any info anyone has

[RoundelM3]

Skalberti - the Magnusson-Moss warranty law states that the manufacturer has to prove that the modification caused the problem - it isn't incumbent on you to prove that it did not. That said, there are lots of N54 engines out there with Dinan (and other) tunes that didn't experience this, so if it were me, I'd insist that it was a manufacturing defect - either incorrectly installed or faulty bearing insert material or some other problem. That it was just one bearing instead of all 6 also says something - no. 6 cylinder was "weak" for some reason.

[DriveHard]

Although true that the car has a rev limiter, that is for normal up shifts.. There is NOTHING that can stop a mechanical over-rev, as in a 5 to 2 downshift..

Engineer will read DME and get "highest RPM" .... if its significantly over Redline, you may have an issue.....

p.s....not saying that you missed a shift... just giving you info.

Starved for oil is not really in your control, how do they know it wasent starved for oil at idle ????? and like i said "over rev" is another issue as described above.

They will also check that all services were done in a timely fashion..(i.e not wait 2500 miles after service light came on ) If you did in-between oil services on your own, supply those reciepts to show you took "extra care" of the car.

p.s.s. what was aid above is true... they have to prove that Dinan tune cause failure and How it did it. If by chance they do, Dinans warranty will kick in..... but i suspect it will be a while..

stand by and be patient.. be prepared, dont go off half cocked. Maybe even call Dinan and make them aware...

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by roundel335

Skalberti - the Magnusson-Moss warranty law states that the manufacturer has to prove that the modification caused the problem - it isn't incumbent on you to prove that it did not. That said, there are lots of N54 engines out there with Dinan (and other) tunes that didn't experience this, so if it were me, I'd insist that it was a manufacturing defect - either incorrectly installed or faulty bearing insert material or some other problem. That it was just one bearing instead of all 6 also says something - no. 6 cylinder was "weak" for some reason.

Thanks for the info roundel335, Its much appreciated!

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by DriveHard

Although true that the car has a rev limiter, that is for normal up shifts.. There is NOTHING that can stop a mechanical over-rev, as in a 5 to 2 downshift..

Engineer will read DME and get "highest RPM" .... if its significantly over Redline, you may have an issue.....

p.s....not saying that you missed a shift... just giving you info.

Starved for oil is not really in your control, how do they know it wasent starved for oil at idle ????? and like i said "over rev" is another issue as described above.

They will also check that all services were done in a timely fashion..(i.e not wait 2500 miles after service light came on ) If you did in-between oil services on your own, supply those reciepts to show you took "extra care" of the car.

p.s.s. what was aid above is true... they have to prove that Dinan tune cause failure and How it did it. If by chance they do, Dinans warranty will kick in..... but i suspect it will be a while..

stand by and be patient.. be prepared, dont go off half cocked. Maybe even call Dinan and make them aware...

Thanks drivehard, I actually did in between oil changes at 7,500 and BMW did those oil changes so they have record of that....hopefully. I have an auto trans with the paddle shifters so I can't miss a shift and I can't jump from 5th to 2nd gear. Those are good points though. I have talked to Dan at Dinan and he's been very helpful. He said if the BMW engineer denies warranty to let him know and he will step in. He said either way the car will be taken care of. Thanks again for all the info. Now I just have to sit here patiently waiting to talk to this engineer today....

[skalberti]

Update... Dinan ordered a brand new complete motor to replace under warranty.