Sooty tail pipe

[D7old]

Hi I have a 2006 m47 msport x3 the car runs very well and gives good mpg  the only thing is the tail pipe always looks sooty in side the car has just done a 400 mile round trip mostly motorway miles , is this  sooty tail pipe a sign of dpf failure ?
Thanks in anticipation

[Alan Gunn]

If you have a DPF then you shouldn't have any soot.
DPF not working i would say then.

[Horizon]

More likely it has had the innards taken out of it, or it has been removed, I guess it's a facelift at 2006, if not a facelift maybe the pre facelift wasn't fitted with DPF
Dos the exhaust tailpipe face downwards or is it straight.?

[marti]

My 2004 (e53) didn't have a DPF and a friend of mine who has a 2006 (e53) doesn't have a DPF.

[Horizon]

[quote="marti"]
My 2004 (e53) didn't have a DPF and a friend of mine who has a 2006 (e53) doesn't have a DPF.
[/quote]
E53 's were never fitted with DPF's or swirl flaps, unfortunately the E83 X3's were, but I don't know from what date

[D7old]

Hi it's a facelift November 2006 the swirl flaps have been removed and blanked off the exhaust is straight how can you tell if the dpf is working and is regenerating ?

[X5Sport]

The M47N2 engine (which is EU3 on Realoem) does not have a DPF fitted as standard.  That build date is right on the cusp of EU4 builds with the N47 engine which does have a DPF.  If your V5C refers to an M47 engine then soot is expected, but if you have an N47 engine then it needs further checks.

There is a retrofit kit should you want one.  Exhaust diagrams from Parts Database below....

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partgrp ... _20d&mg=18

[D7old]

Hi it's definitely  a m47 engine timing chain at the front the  v5c says it's a euro4 01 manufacturer  in November 2006 first registered in December 2006
Thanks

[X5Sport]

Our E46 with the M57 engine (30d) is also EU4 and doesn’t have a DPF either.  Realoem only shows M47 engines without a DPF so it must be based on actual emissions. 

EU5 onwards (2008) mandated a DPF being fitted but EU4 seems to list as voluntary unless it is an automatic and over 2.5L (though I suspect it isn’t that simplistic).  BMW seem to have fitted DPF units as standard to the N-series engines to be compliant ahead of the rules changes.

If your handbook makes no mention of it and the exhaust looks different then a call to a BMW Dealer should be able to confirm.

Also check Realoem using the last 7 of your VIN.

Sounds (to me) like you are OK 

[D7old]

That's great thank you ,is there any visible way you can look under the car and actually see if it has one fitted or been retrofitted do x3 have a warning light for dpf faults , it is definitely  a m47 n2 fault are these engines prone to Egr valve faults ?
Just a point I have just looked at the last 2 mot certificates emission  readings and both quote " emissions to clean to monoitor "
Is this unusal ?
Thanks

[X5Sport]

Apart from using Realoem to look at the exhaust drawings and see what matches, pass.

Your handbook will tell you if there is a warning light - or if you get a warning message.

Anyone near you with a full copy of Carly (plug in diagnostic tool using Android or IOS) could also check it, as can a local BMW Dealer.

All BMWs (and pretty much any car with one) can suffer EGR issues, particularly if only doing short journeys.  It’s the nature of the beast with these emissions systems unfortunately.  You can clean them though.

Being an M47 engine also means that you should not suffer any of the timing chain issues found with the N47 series either. 

[D7old]

Hi just checked under the car there appears to be a rear silencer and another midway along the car at the moment there dies not appear to be anything else though  I can't check next to the turbo