Possible turbo issue? Engine much louder under acceleration & less go at speed

[ianst0028]

Yep your right the intercooler is downstream of the impeller
Makes me wonder why turbo suppliers want the intercooler cleaned out
I'll ask next time I call one and let you know
But I'd still take the time to clear out yours upex..... Might as well go the whole hog

Are you replacing the oil feed/drain pipes too??

[Upex]

Cheers both, thought that was the case.

Yes, have oil feed pipe and oil return pipe on order from bmw, changing every gasket and rubber seal on turbo and all cooler pipework, plus new exhaust manifold to (has the smallest of cracks starting, so wasn't too long from opening up, especially when get some decent boost back (fingers crossed)).

I want to clean the cooler, just appears to be a right pain to drop, if can figure it out, as not much on Web about doing it, is a flush with petrol, then several flushes with hot soapy water ok, then leave it dry of course?

Flushed my slk with petrol only (several times until came out clear) and it made world of difference, felt like it restored 30bhp lol. So know I should be doing it now.

[ianst0028]

I wouldn't use water tbh
petrol would work or acetone .... preference on the acetone because it evaporates easier than petrol
after dropping the inter-cooler you'd need to find a way to plug it while you swill the cleaner around inside then drain and let stand while the solvent evaporated

if you've seen wheeler dealers when they do the noble thats the best way I've seen of cleaning an inter-cooler

[X5Sport]

[quote="ianst0028"]
Yep your right the intercooler is downstream of the impeller
Makes me wonder why turbo suppliers want the intercooler cleaned out
[/quote]

If the oil seal fails on the turbo then the airflow pulls oil mist into the intercooler and makes a nasty mess  :'(

There used to be a copy of the E53 repair manual on line but it's very recently disappeared.  Methinks BMWs legal eagles are prowling the web and getting them all removed 

[henrym3]

You can cover the ends with rubber gloves held on with tape while you swill, if you have an air line it would be good to blow through in opposite direction it may dislodge that last bit of plastic that's hanging around in there. This is like Game of Thrones, can't wait for the next episode.

[Upex]

Lol, like got but with less blood and sex! Here's hoping for a happy ending though.

Cheers everyone, will flush with petrol as that's handy and don't have time to order acetone. It'll have plenty of time to dry mind, so that's OK. Unfortunately don't have an airline, but will give it a good shake and look with the boroscope thing if it ever arrives. Just need to figure out how it comes off now!

Turbo and manifold arrived today though, so nearing the reassembly stage.

I know it's a topic to not start on, but, I had a quote for oil from bmw, £140 per fill, ouch! So given I'm going to refill and drop it 100 miles later (is that really needed?) I'm keen to not buy from bmw. I have an ecp next to work, but struggling to see specs of oil to see if meets bmw ll4 which is what I think I need.

So, do I need to run turbo for few days and drop oil, and if so, how important is the spec for that 100miles of use? And afterwards come to that, £140 is far too much in my view.

If anyone uses oil from ecp, I'd appreciate a link to the stuff you use...

Cheers all

[henrym3]

look up Opie oil, really good site, put  in your car details, they guarantee you won't get oil cheaper, I think if its over £50 it's free postage and quick. Buy all my oil from them.

[X5Sport]

Any oil will do as long as it is:

100% Synthetic
Meets ACEA C3 and BMW LL04
Meets either SAE 0w30 or 5w30

Most BMW Dealers use Castrol Edge FST Professional, but the non-pro is what I use in our E46 with the same engine.  It's easier to get hold of and usually cheaper.  I need to do the E46 and the oil was on discount from Eurocarparts but still cost £80 for 2x 4L containers.  Filter is around £10-15, again from ECP.  I use the Mann one as I think it might be what BMW use. 

It takes about an hour to do a change by the time you have jacked it up, drained, got the filter off and then put it all back together again - and I'm not paying BMW their labour rates to do it.

User code SERVICE30 which is on at present to get 30% discount on service parts. 

[Upex]

Cheers both, o pie have some good rates, will be using them in future although it brings up some ool labelled bmw and others not, assume they going off spec? Don't have time to order for this first batch though, want to be building Saturday.

X5sport, do you get oil from ecp over counter? As I'm struggling to see the specs of oil on website, thus struggling to order some, as don't know if it right or not.

Also, what's peoples views om dropping the oil after 100 miles? Given that my turbo hasn't self destructed, is this really needed, as perhaps just to clean up after a big failure? Or, is it needed to get rid of crap created off new turbo bearing bedding in? Don't want to do if a total waste, but if there reasoning behind it (ie bearing break in) then I obviously will do so.

Thanks 

edit: just checked opie and there about 13 quid cheaper than ecp (including their 30% discount), so will be ordering from them. Even better, did a search for oil for my car to, and it suggests the same stuff, castrol edge titanium fst 0w30, so likely buy 2 sets and get free postage 2. It's £1 more for the bmw (8l) service pack from opie, vs there 7l pack for the lexus, so will order 2 bmw sets and have a spare litre. Be great to have 1 oil in both cars, far less half empty pots lying about.

[ianst0028]

Lmao.... Be grateful it's an x5 and not a Peugeot 1.6hdi
You have to change so much that it almost costs more for the sundries than for the turbo

But yes I'd change your oil...... You've done everything else!

[Upex]

Holey moley, that's a lot of effort and cost, I'm not doing all that!  )

All this does make me wonder exactly what the garage was going to do mind, as they said turbo was just over 600 quid and they needed 400 for labour and oil change.

Given I'll have spent circa 700 with 2 oil drops, they can't have been looking replace oil feed and return pipes and do the 2 oil changes, otherwise they not charging labour! As my turbo was 400 less than theirs.

Me thinks they would have stuck a new turbo on, changed oil and filter and called it done! Especially considering to change just the turbo to cooler hose seal was £175 which was a £15 part and hours job tops!

[X5Sport]

Yes I get my oil over the counter.  Order on line and then collect.  There are various 'recipes' for the oil and certainly Castrol make a specific variant for BMW, hence checking for the LL04 spec.

My Škoda uses the same basic oil but has a VW507.00 spec instead, so I need to be very careful which can I pick up when topping up!

[henrym3]

Considering we sometimes refer to BMW as the stealers it would seem they are lagging well behind the PSA Group.

[ianst0028]

Psa have nothing on Ford..... That 1.6 hdi engine is a turbo killer
It's also fitted to the focus and I think the Fiesta too..... If you have the unfortunate situation of 2 turbos popping then Ford recommend replacing the complete engine

We've got one 308 that has had 4 turbos in the last 12 months all bought by different owners

[X5Sport]

Slightly off topic but we used to change cambelts on Ford Escort Police vehicles at 3,000 mile intervals after a number of 16V engines destroyed themselves way back in the 1980's!  The early CVH engines were a nightmare for it.  I prefer anything with a chain as a result!