My turns for random check engine light and lots of codes

[jbash87]

15v sounds high. Did you recently replace the battery? If so was it coded properly?
If you replaced it recently AND it was coded properly I'd look into the alternator and alternator regulator.
If you replaced it recently and did not code it then you should get it coded and see if the voltage while running drops to the 14v range.

[hartwa]

Thanks for the reply. Same battery for last few years. The voltage stays at 15.1 as it dies. There is not a drop in voltage that triggers the engine dying.

Last night i checked the relay at the dde. The dark blue one had some resistance between 30 and one of the 87 pins (there are two 87 pins) when it was supposed to be open. It was like 3MOhms. I ordered a new relay....not sure if that will fix it or not.

[jbash87]

BMWs are very sensitive to voltages which are outside of the normal range. The fact that yours is up to 15.1 could be causing the issues you're seeing. You can replace the relays and fuses but if you don't get the voltage down you will continue to damage the electrical system.

[hartwa]

I should mention that when I cycled the relay a couple times sometimes that resistance of 3 Mohms would be present and sometimes it would go away. In any case...maybe i get it Wednesday.

Also of note last night after it quit it gave me the low oil display...like way way low oil. The engine leaks oil a little bit so it's common for me to have to add it but i get plenty of warning before it is this low. I checked the dipstick last night and sure enough barely some on the tip. WTF? Looked underneath there was the normal size oil spot in the garage where I always park. Check the oil dipstick again after it's been setting for 8 hours and it was only about a quart and a 1/2 low now. I topped it off and decided to start the engine. Now the engine runs without quitting before it would run for about 40 seconds and then kill. I assume there's some oil level protection that was killing the engine. but what would cause the engine oil to accumulate away from the level sensor and think that it is really low when it was only a quart and a 1/2 low?

The oil leak had gotten worse over the last 3 months... Seems to be coming right underneath the intake manifold on the driver's side that area is just loaded with oil.

I had an extra oil filter so I decided to swap that old as well just wondering if a restricted oil filter would cause the level sensor to read low?

[jbash87]

You've got a lot going on here... I don't believe these engines have any sort of low oil shut off. Perhaps you playing with that relay was enough to get it to operate properly for a little bit letting the car run for longer than you've seen lately.

The oil leak is most likely the VCG. That should be addressed.

IF oil is accumulating away from the sensor you could have some oil passages being blocked or the loss of pressure from the VCG leak could be causing problems here too... maybe?

Bottom line is get that oil leak addressed and get that voltage back to within a normal range.

[hartwa]

Yeah...i put the oil lesk off long enough. As for the voltage i did some reading about charging voltage and ambient temps and s ok me are saying 15.1 is normal at cold temps. I am probably 35F when i tested it. I changed alot of alternators but never for them putting out too much.

[hartwa]

I got the new relay and installed it. So far so good...i wlll update again if it turns out to be something else.

[jbash87]

Glad it was an easy fix!

[hartwa]

Good for a few weeks...engine died multiple times leaving work today....got it home. Got....

Yellow brake light
Dsc malfuction
Engine light

Codes:

04121 dde main relay again

Alot of dsc errors. All saying "no message (x) reciever dsc transmitter dde"

Where i have x above insert...
>engine control 0xb4
>torque 0x0Aa
>torque 0x0A9
>torque 0x0A8

I think this is telling me the dde is losing its communication. Anyone have experience with this?

[hartwa]

So i pulled out the dde and have diesel in the plug for mod 4. Found others with the ssme issue. They are saying that the low pressure fuel line is leaking at the sensor and pushing diesel into the wiring harness??? Guess i will understand it better when i pull the line out and see it.

[hartwa]

I plugged 2 ends of the low press fuel line and put 2 psi on it. No leaks although the electrical connection was fuel of diesel inside. Pulled control valve elecrical connection also had diesel in it... found online where either of those can leak and cause diesel wicking on tge braided casing to the dde.

I spent a lot of today cleaning up that side of the engine removing all the oil. My plan is let my DDE dry up for a couple more days reinstall everything and run it 15 minutes...remove intake and see if i get a better ideal where diesel is coming from.

I'm also gonna pull back some of the braided material away from the DBE Box so that it can't wick into that compartment. Also probably weave some absorbent material through the wires to soak up anything that might get through as a precaution.