Engine outline warning lamp?

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Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Warrior »

I had this happen a few years ago after the car was parked up for a while and it righted itself.

It happened again some months later and I replaced one of the hoses - can't remember which - and it's been as good as gold ever since.

This time around, car parked up and not been used much, had a half decent 10 mile run, checked all the hoses and the warning lamp remains.

Anything to look at before I get the codes read?
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Gazza »

I’d give it a good run, EML could be 100’s of things
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

Z3 S54 M roadster Image, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
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Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Warrior »

Gazza wrote: Fri 24 Jul, 2020 15:27 I’d give it a good run, EML could be 100’s of things
That's my Sunday sorted then....thanks 8-)
Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Mike Fishwick »

Yes - it could be caused by lots of things, but the most common causes are air leaks due to torn inlet bellows, and problems with the crankcase breather system hoses around the cyclone oil/air seperator. Try the simple things first.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
wonderloaf
Joined: Mon 02 Aug, 2010 20:55
Posts: 518

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by wonderloaf »

I've just had the same happen to me, I initially used a code reader and it threw up a couple of codes suggesting it may be one of the lambda sensors.
However by following the advice on this site and as it didn't cost anything I had a very careful look (and I mean careful, I missed the split initially) at the hoses and found there was a small split in the intake hose that mates to the block. So after fashioning a temporary repair (using a bike inner tube of all things!) I cancelled the code, started the engine and no more orange engine light! So far driven a couple of hundred miles and no problems so am assuming the split was the problem. The temp repair was good enough to get through the MOT and a new hose is on it's way!
2001 Titan Silver 2.2 Sport
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by colb »

Glad you sussed the problem out @wonderloaf just shows us that it very easy to rely on code readers and end up throwing money on parts you don't need. Splits or holes in the vaccum pipes and bellows will not by themselves set fault codes, unmetered air entering that is to say the amount of air passing the Mass Airflow Sensors being reported to the engine management system however the extra air entering from a leak is picked up in the exhaust by the lambda sensors. As a result the engine management system sees this as a lean mixture and tries to compensate by adding more fuel at the injectors to richen the mixture. This will go on until the management system reaches the maximum it can add, around 20% more fuel, once it reaches its maximum it gives up and sets a code and lights up the engine management light. A sure way to help diagnose this condition is to view the fuel trims using diagnostics live data, air leaks will show up as extreamly high fuel trims and frequent visits to the petrol station as your mpg will go through the floor.
If your lucky you will find any duff hoses or bellows but some leaks can be hard to spot visually, I smoke test my Z3 and Z4 and fellow forum members cars at our Zedshed Cymru get togethers, one example was a 2.2 Z3 leak on badly fitted lower intake bellows and a duff sucking jet valve alongside the throttle body, fixed that but still had high fuel trims, further smoke test after the inlet side was buttoned up revealed smoke comming from around No 4 Sparking plug well, new cam cover gasket set fitted, old gaskets were hard and brittle. Buttoned up again but still had smoke from same are when we retested it. Pulled the cam cover and gave it a real close inspection only to discover cracks in the plastic around No4 plug well, used replacement was sought, fitted and resolved the leaks, fuel trims back to normal.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
wonderloaf
Joined: Mon 02 Aug, 2010 20:55
Posts: 518

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by wonderloaf »

I've now realised there were a probably a couple of other signs that I missed, the first was every now and then I would get a slight wiff of petrol (especially under acceleration), perhaps this was the extra fuel being injected to compensate for the leaner mixture? I did try to track the smell down but didn't have any luck. The other only happened in the last week or so and was a sucking/whistling sound from under the bonnet ... I should have known then really but at least I know what to look out for next time!
2001 Titan Silver 2.2 Sport
Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Warrior »

UPDATE....

Gave her a bit of a run and no change so had the codes read this morning.

Five minutes after setting off to the mechanics more lights came on........

as well as the Engine outline....

EML
Automatic Stability Control
Brake Hydraulics (Fluid level was good)

The code reader suggested a problem with the brake pedal switch, but lights all working as normal.

No obvious air leaks.

Reset warning lights and drove for an hour. Thus far no warning lights showing. Running like a dream........
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Gazza »

Result !
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

Z3 S54 M roadster Image, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
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Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Warrior »

It's been suggested that any problem may show up again after 3 or 4 runs.

Fingers crossed.
Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Warrior »

As suggested............on around the 4th time of starting the engine management light has come back on again. :head:

Back to the mechanic next week to see if the same fault shows up.
Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Warrior »

For one reason and another it took a while to sort this issue out.

The brake pedal sensor cleared the initial problem but a second scan brought up an error code showing an air leak on a hose.

Car back in action, running well and so far no warning lights. 8-)
Bertie
Joined: Sun 06 Oct, 2019 03:46
Posts: 47

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Montreal Canada

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Bertie »

I had the same problem , which in my case was caused by a loose gas cap leaking air into the fuel tank and venting system . Cured by a smear of silicone grease on a the gas cap gasket and fully tightened gas cap .
Berie
Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by Warrior »

For info, this is the hose that had the split in it - on the stubby bit on the side.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-GENUINE- ... SwUYNaBEwC
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Engine outline warning lamp?

Post by colb »

Thats the most common hose to go bad and the first one to check when you get an EML, high fuel trims will also be a pointer to an air leak somewhere in the system.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
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