XSeries-forum

I'm a new X5 owner having just picked up an X5 3.0D Sport, 54 plate with 14,000 miles from a main dealer and I've never owned a diesel before. It's supposed to have had an inspection 1 within the last 100 miles.

Anyway there a couple of things I've noticed which I'd like to run past you guys. On start up there is a lot of white smoke. It smells of unburnt fuel. Is this normal and just because the engine is so cold? (I hadn't started it for a couple of days.

On checking the oil with the dipstick it is pretty black. I asked the women in the service department if this was normal and apparently she checked and was told it is but added that it is for petrol and diesel cars as although the old oil is dropped out, some remains which discolours the new oil. I'm not sure I agree with this as with my recent cars at least the oil has been very clean after an oil and filter change for a good while and it's only done about 150 miles since it's supposed to have been changed.

There is also a bit of a rattly noise over and above the sound of the diesel engine. I started it from cold and heard it but couldn't really tell where it was coming from. I guess this is something to point out to the service guys as noises are very hard to describe.

It's going into a different dealer tomorrow as the one I bought it from is so far away as there is a fault with the PDC so I'd like to get a view on these things beforehand. If the air and oil filters were more accessible I'd be able to tell if they'd been done.

Is the mileage gen or a typo?

Genuine. One owner, 14,000 miles.

Reading the low fuel consumption thread there is reference to a ticking noise being the Webasto unit so I'm guessing the noise I'm hearing is probably that. Can anyone help with my other questions please?

Hi

Yes if you head the ticking noise its is probably the webasto as it will tick when cold. Mine does it as well and I get a puff of smoke when I start the car and you can visibly see it when it's cold and yes I also get the smell of diesel that's quit strong. It took me a while to get used it.

I can't answer the rattling one I'm afraid.

I had a dealer service recently with oil change and mines black too.

Penny


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Thanks. The rattling I referred to is probably the ticking. It's hard to describe sounds!

Something the dealer said led me to think they might not have carried out the service, hence my suspicions regarding the oil. My last three cars (Porsche 996, Honda S2000 and E36 M3) all had clear oil after changing. Maybe they changed the oil but not the filter but that seems daft to me.

[quote=""ITBarbie""]Hi

Yes if you head the ticking noise its is probably the webasto as it will tick when cold. Mine does it as well and I get a puff of smoke when I start the car and you can visibly see it when it's cold and yes I also get the smell of diesel that's quit strong. It took me a while to get used it.
[/quote]

Penny, i'm pretty sure that you shouldn't be getting a smell of diesel. This could be the reason for your high fuel consumption. I had a smell of diesel in the cabin of my car and consumption had gone down from high 30's to low 30's... I had a split in my fuel line which ran from the fuel filter to the rail. Check that there is no leakage of fuel to your engine or to the webasto.

Dan, your filter should have been changed and should be pretty clean. As for the remaining oil in the Sump discolouring the rest I doubt it but the oil would go black pretty quick (not sure how many miles though). If it has only done 14,000 miles - was that its first service?

Noises are always hard to describe / diagnose, if not webasto it could be a loose heat shield or could be a perished tensioner but I doubt that on the mileage.


Turks.

According to the book it was serviced at just under 2 years ago and just under 10,000 miles. This would make sense as either one or two green lights had gone out when I first looked at it and now all five are lit. It's done 150 miles since the last service. I'll ask the service guys about the noise, white smoke on start up and smell. It makes sense that it could be a loose heat shield if not the webasto. I also want them to provide me with past recall/warranty information but apparently it is policy not do divulge this.

You should be at least able to get the recall information on it just to make sure that it has had all the recalls done to date that are required.


Turks.

[quote=""Dan1502""]On start up there is a lot of white smoke. It smells of unburnt fuel. Is this normal and just because the engine is so cold? (I hadn't started it for a couple of days.[/quote]

I had a WTF moment soon after buying mine. I have run diesels for around 18 years but this does chug out the smoke on start up. Less so in warmer weather.

It's not diesel fuel I smell as Penny describes, it's the acrid smell of incomplete combustion. Something I am familiar with at work.

Engine gets hot, the burn becomes more efficient and the smell and smoke subsides.

If you take tge car to a BMW Dealer can they not tell what work has been done by any dealer from plugging he key into their reader? Not sure how much info is stored by BMW centrally.

For the oil to be black after 150 miles definitely sounds suspiciously like it was not changed. Mine has 1200 miles on it from new and it's not black yet.

Hi

I too was concerned that they had not completed the oil change because of the colour but it's difficult to prove if you're a novice like me

Ref the White smoke cloud it did worry me when it's really cold but I'm used to it now. It's so easy to be paranoid. Maybe I just think it's a diesel smell because I know nothing! Lol

I called BMW the other day and asked how to find out what warranty work had been carried out and customer services sounded very unsure if I could get this information and told me to call their £1.50 per minute line. I'd rather buy wine



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I also smell fumes/petrol on cold mornings from my 4.8, my regular indy had a look and found nothing wrong.

Re: recalls/warranty work - when I bought My X I managed to find all previous warranty history over the phone from usual customer service number not the £1.50 one. But they're now sending more and more people to £1.50 line. It all depends who you get to talk to, some are friendlier than others.

I checked it after warm up and the noise had gone so I suspect that was the webasto. As I had thought, it would seem that the white smoke/unburned fuel smell is normal when the engine is very cold. I'm still uncertain about the oil. Another dealer said it can blacken quickly with diesels and that they'd be surprised if the dealer stamped the book without completing the work as they'd be in a lot of trouble with BMW if this was discovered and not worth the risk. Would the fact that it's low mileage and probably only done short journeys then me driving it for about 100 miles on the motorway loosen up deposits and cause it to blacken quickly? I guess if I am concerned I might be best just getting the oil and filter and possibly air filter changed (if not clean) but am not sure about this.

It's been checked for recalls and all is ok. I've not managed to get any info on past warranty issues though. I'm also going to keep an eye on fuel consumption too as so far it's indicated as lower than I had expected.

[quote=""warsi""]I also smell fumes/petrol on cold mornings from my 4.8, my regular indy had a look and found nothing wrong. [/quote]


That is normal mate in a 4.8... I think they use petrol while you sleep!


Turks.