Electrical gremlins

[Matisse13]

Hello,

First post on xdrivers, looking for any advice or pointers from people more knowledgeable than me.

I have a 2012 40d with 75k miles, I've owned the car for 5 years and it has been faultless throughout. The best car I've ever owned.

It has developed a few electrical gremlins over the last few weeks, some being my fault!.
As it was due for some maintenance, I had a go at fixing issues at the weekend.

Firstly, I removed the inlet manifold to clean out the carbon sludge, in doing so I broke a few of those fragile BMW electrical connectors, one being the one for the coolant temp sensor at the front on the cylinder head. On starting the car for the first time after cleaning, the electric fan now comes on full blast as soon as I start it, every time. I presume its because I broke the temp sensor connector, I noticed I snapped one of the thin wires so I removed them from the plastic sealed connector, joined them together to make a circuit and then tried them apart but the fan still continued to run full blast. I thought the sensor was a simple on off switch, so now Im wondering if its more complicated and sends measured readings to the cars ECU? I cant think of anything else I did that would cause the fan to run when cold, coincidence says it must be the wires being broken?

Secondly, my CIC screen has completely frozen on the menu, the idrive controller does nothing, its dead too. I'm not sure if its the unit or the controller. The steering wheel controls and the voice control still work, although it doesn't move anything on the screen. The screen still displays warnings on start up at the top such as blown bulb etc.
The radio still works and I can change channels with the steering wheel, I just cant see what I'm changing to.
I've tried rebooting by holding the volume button for 20 secs to no avail. I'm thinking to disconnect my battery for 10 mins to see if that will reset the modules in the car.
Any advice on this?

Thirdly, I had the EGR deleted off the software a few years back and only just got around to physically removing the system with a blanking off kit. However I have a second pre heater/ cooler heat exchanger part number 8507334-03 on the inlet manifold beside the throttle body that is not very common, it has 2 additional pipes coming off to what I think goes to the transmission but I need to remove underbody panels to be sure. Most have the standard Y pipe fitted instead of this pre heater/ cooler, please see photos. The EGR delete kit manufacturer has never seen this additional cooler before and has no blanking plates for it. Obviously I need to find out exactly what this cooler and what I need to do with the 2 additional pipes before removing.
Anyone have one fitted or know what it is?

Lastly, on spending a lot of time under the bonnet, I've noticed a faint whirring sound like an electrical pump still running coming from down beside the turbos, it lasts for 10-15 minutes after turning off the ignition. I cannot pin point what it is. As I had low battery warning for the first time ever, I'm wondering if this is a new fault and causing my battery to lose charge?

I have never managed to find any good wiring and plumbing schematics for the euro 40d model with the N57s engine, does anyone have any good sources or know of any specific workshop manuals I can buy?

Does anyone know where I can find BMW electrical connectors? They might be standardised but Im unfamiliar with connector types etc.

Thanks

Alan

[X5Sport]

Fan speeds are all done via a Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) control system. The sensor could be providing input that then determines the PWM signal and it might now only be seeing a max temp so is driving the fan controller to demand max speed. Joining them together effectively shorts out the sensor and it won’t like that at all. It will be measuring resistance and isn’t a switch.

Disconnecting the battery for about 30 mins is a first step approach taken by many Dealers, if you didn’t disconnect the battery when working on the car electrics you could have upset the CIC computer. I can’t see why playing with a sensor on the manifold would upset the CIC, but you never know with these complex car system, and you have put a dead short where there probably should not be one.

Any accidental static discharge along a sensor line could cause havoc, although unlikely unless you were wearing a lot of man made fibre clothes due to the front wings being plastic (as that allows a static charge to build up). I wear an anti-static strap bonded to the car ground somewhere to make sure nothing can build up. It’s just a trick learned from being an electronics engineer - and increasingly important with modern microcircuitry. Cars should be somewhat more ‘robust’!

EGR hardware delete could land you with an MOT fail if spotted - beware. If it isn’t obvious it won’t get seen - especially if being a cover of some description

As far as Service Manuals are concerned, there are none to buy out there but all is not lost as there is a copy of the BMW Service Manual as used by Dealers and that includes wiring diagrams to be found at newtis.info

The current BMW parts database is on RealOEM. Just put the last 7 of your VIN into the serial number box to get the right model/year and go from there. You need the 9 or 11-digit part number to identify your cooler too. The number you have put up isn’t a BMW part number. The one you need is probably just out of shot around the curve of the large body in the piccie. I can’t see a match on RealOEM so the part number is key. It might be they ran out of one type and fitted a different one maybe?

Oh and

[Matisse13]

Hello,

Thanks for that detailed response, think you answered my question about the sensor, I've messed up the connector now so will need to track one down, hopefully without having to buy a new front engine harness.

30 minutes for the battery it is

My local garage are fine with these type of modifications, fortunately, says by law if its hidden in the depths of the engine they cant dig or remove parts to look for it. My car passes the smoke test every time, 1/10 of whats allowed with not a hint of black smoke and its had more than just an EGR delete. They know the emissions gadgets are bad for the longevity of the engine. They also have a few rally cars and know the allure of a sweet running engine.

Ill look for the service manuals, thanks for that....searched many times for info, could never find anything worth reading.

Ive checked realoem with my 7 digit VIN, it shows my car engine as having the standard Y pipe, not the pre heater/ cooler I have. I looked through the factory spec sheet I got with the car and noticed I had the tow pack fitted, Im wondering if this is a pre heater to warm the transmission up quicker for pulling heavy loads? I would have thought a cooler would have been more apt..anyway, I did google it, I found the Dodge Ram pick ups in the USA use the same ZF 8HP trans and they have a pre heater, so as it hasnt worked for a few years, I suppose its safe to remove and just join the 2 trans pipes together....but will investigate this further.

Once again, thanks for your help!

Alan

Edit, Sorry, yes youre right, the part number for the cooler is 8507334-03.

[Matisse13]

In response to X5Sport

My reply to you is still awaiting moderation 16 hours after responding to you.... so here it is again...



Hello,

Thanks for that detailed response, think you answered my question about the sensor, I've messed up the connector now so will need to track one down, hopefully without having to buy a new front engine harness.

30 minutes for the battery it is

My local garage are fine with these type of modifications, fortunately, says by law if its hidden in the depths of the engine they cant dig or remove parts to look for it. My car passes the smoke test every time, 1/10 of whats allowed with not a hint of black smoke and its had more than just an EGR delete. They know the emissions gadgets are bad for the longevity of the engine. They also have a few rally cars and know the allure of a sweet running engine.

Ill look for the service manuals, thanks for that....searched many times for info, could never find anything worth reading.

Ive checked realoem with my 7 digit VIN, it shows my car engine as having the standard Y pipe, not the pre heater/ cooler I have. I looked through the factory spec sheet I got with the car and noticed I had the tow pack fitted, Im wondering if this is a pre heater to warm the transmission up quicker for pulling heavy loads? I would have thought a cooler would have been more apt..anyway, I did google it, I found the Dodge Ram pick ups in the USA use the same ZF 8HP trans and they have a pre heater, so as it hasnt worked for a few years, I suppose its safe to remove and just join the 2 trans pipes together....but will investigate this further.

Once again, thanks for your help!

Alan

Edit, Sorry, yes youre right, the part number for the cooler is 8507334-03.

[X5Sport]

That part number pops up all over the place for E70s including the 40d. That part number just doesn’t appear anywhere on the database either but it’s definitely an EGR cooler and can be bought on line. Wierd! The database usually allows for tow packs (I have one on my 40d) and shows up alternative parts - just not for this

[Matisse13]

Ive looked under the bonnet of two X5s, one an f15, and neither had it. Does yours have it?
If the 2 pipes coming off it go to the transmission, that makes it a pre heater, if they are coolant pipes, then its an extra EGR cooler.
What this option is I do not know, its not common.
I actually phoned my local BMW dealer, they were no help, told me it was an EGR cooler
Ill have to get under car to remove panels and trace the pipes.

[X5Sport]

I’ll have a look in daylight. Newtis shows something similar and calls it an EGR Cooler. There must be two types. Do you also have the extra towing weight package - increases from 2.7T to 3.5T? A second radiator in the near side front wing is the giveaway - behind the fog light instead of a fake trim there’s a radiator grille.

[Matisse13]

Storm Ellen knocked off power here last night!

Yes I have the small rad behind fog lamp, I assumed that was the extra rad with the towing kit, I didnt realise it was to upgrade the towing weight.

The front liquid cooled EGR cooler with the electric valve sems standard on all, its this rear pre heater/ cooler that not every N57 has, most common is the simple Y shaped pipe.
Im convinced its not a cooler as theres no coolant going to it, only exhaust gases, so a pre heater for the trans is all I can think, maybe a cold climate option or part of the extra weight tow option, no one seems to know

[X5Sport]

Is the EGR cooling done by air mixing from the cool intake charge air and gas from the exhaust stream. No coolant involved? That being said, newtis says you need to drain the coolant. I haven’t traced the pipes back to see where everything goes though. There looks to be an in/out line for coolant/air?

Just checked mine, and I have the same as you. I do have the towing pack but not the towing capacity increase.

I’m guessing that the parts database is wrong as it looks to be a standard item.

[Matisse13]

The 2 pipes going in and out of the cooler are for air I think.

Not standard, the standard is the Y pipe with no cooler as in the photo above.

Taking panels off bottom of car after supper.

[X5Sport]

I wonder if it was part of a change to meet higher emissions regs from MY2011 onwards? More cooling required, but that’s pure speculation. Given the number of cars fitted with this version, there has to be a good reason for it. Late 2010 saw the shift from EU4 to EU5 across the model range. Maybe what we have is to meet EU5.

[Matisse13]

So a little update, after a bit more research and talking to people, I managed to trace the 2 pipes from the EGR cooler/ pre heater.
The flow from the trans goes go to the pre heater, then to a linked in series water cooled Trans cooler PN 17217800408, then returns out and back to the trans.
The trans cooler also heats the oil, so I can only guess the EGR pre heater is there to make sure it stays up to temp should the engine temp cool down, to keep the trans running at optimum temp and oil viscosity to get best MPG.
I can just simply bypass the pre heater now.
Thanks for help

[Wayfarer]

Don’t know if you have found the electrical connection replacement yet, but if not https://www.auto-click.co.uk/ are worth looking at, especially if you can see a part number or similar on the broken connection, used them to source a loom connector for a BMW motorcycle last year, found them very helpful and responsive to emails

[Matisse13]

Don’t know if you have found the electrical connection replacement yet, but if not https://www.auto-click.co.uk/ are worth looking at, especially if you can see a part number or similar on the broken connection, used them to source a loom connector for a BMW motorcycle last year, found them very helpful and responsive to emails

No I haven't been able to find a replacement connector, Thanks, great link, just what I was looking for.