How to Tell if Injectors Failed (X5M)

[Crazy1323]

I have an X5M and I think the injectors have failed, but it is not showing any kind of fault code.

Here are my symptoms:

1. Very fast, bumpy idle at startup and settles down after about 30 seconds
2. lots of soot on exhaust tips
3. seems to be running rich with noticable gaseous smell
4. seems dow be slightly down on power, surges when accelerating

The car is not throwing any kind of CEL or fault code, but doesn't seem to be running right. Does anyone else know of a for sure way to see if injectors have failed. Even if it involves removing the injector.

I have an aftermarket warranty, If I can show them that it is the injectors causing this issue they will repair it. However, they will not cover the repair unless I can show that the injectors are faulty. I.e. if BMW says we think this will fix the problem but don't know, they wont cover the repair.

If there is a way to tell that the injectors have failed by visually inspecting, I would be willing to tell the warranty company that if when they remove the injectors they appear operational, I will pay that cost. If when removed, they appear faulty, warranty company covers the cost.

This is on a 2012 X5M 11/11 build date still on originaly injectors with 48,000 miles.

Thanks guys (and girls)

[peter91118]

Sounds like you might want to wait for this..

http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1214699

Also the loss of power/surge during accelerating can be plugs/coils.

[PAX5]

Originally Posted by Crazy1323

...
If there is a way to tell that the injectors have failed by visually inspecting, I would be willing to tell the warranty company that if when they remove the injectors they appear operational, I will pay that cost. If when removed, they appear faulty, warranty company covers the cost.

This is on a 2012 X5M 11/11 build date still on originaly injectors with 48,000 miles.

Thanks guys (and girls)

Remove the plugs (not a trivial exercise!) and examine them for color. Document each, take a pic.

See - http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1080563

Compare the color of the plugs to well know charts, showing rich mixtures. Google it specific to BMW X5M. Lots of info out there.

[mitch808]

Unplug injector and start car, cel thrown. Plug back in injector and take to dealer for warranty repair

[SteveMD]

So the S63s weren't part of the big recall last year?

[novablackm3]

Originally Posted by mitch808

Unplug injector and start car, cel thrown. Plug back in injector and take to dealer for warranty repair

hmm.. interesting

[turbo_chris]

You will probably need to bring it to a BMW dealer to have them diagnose it. From what you're describing it's faulty injectors. If you pull the plugs after the car sits over night and they are covered in fuel then the injectors are faulty. That's the only way to really diagnose them without having ISTA and being able to run the misfire test plan.

[ChiTownM]

I my case I gave the dealer an overview of the symptoms without a CEL. they checked it out and said that there was indeed the need for a swap with new ones. Our trucks were not included in the recall.

[FernMD]

I have had this same problem twice now. First time was the passenger's side exhaust with the black soot all around my bumper and tips. This occurred at 50k miles. My dealer finally agreed to replace all 4 injectors on bank #2 with the plugs as well. Then 10k miles later, the other side went. They also replaced these after I complained.

The problem is that there are no codes being triggered. The tech has to take the plugs out and inspect them. The plugs go bad and leak into the cylinder head. Then on starting, you get unburnt gas blowing out through the exhaust.

I have a Velos Tune and was thinking that this was probably due to running the tune...but from the sound of it on this forum, I'm thinking that this is a more common thing now.