BMW 3.0 Diesel engine failures

[fixedfixer]

The 320d was the the worst and last BMW I’ve owned. It blew the Turbo, two months later ECU packed up. Then to rub salt in wounds it ingested one of those stupid plastic flappy things from the manifold. End on my relationship with the Ultimate Driving Machine.

 

[frank horton]

northwest,
I did my advanced motorcyle test around there.....ex Mottram, Stay/bridge.....
we used to walk the moors.......cought trout at Tintwhistle.....
long time ago now...mmmmm

 

[AVI_8]

Out of interest - what did the remap do to your fuel economy?


I fancy a bit more poke out of my 535d but as I do a few hundred miles a week I don't want to knack the mpg.

You’ll use more fuel only when you use the extra performance, under normal driving it’s not affected, my X3 is averaging 36mpg, not a lot of that is motorway driving.

The 320d was the the worst and last BMW I’ve owned. It blew the Turbo, two months later ECU packed up. Then to rub salt in wounds it ingested one of those stupid plastic flappy things from the manifold. End on my relationship with the Ultimate Driving Machine.

That’s unfortunate, sounds as though it wasn’t properly maintained by its previous owner.
Yes the 2.0D engine is not as reliable as the 3.0D, I have one in my driveway just now which has just started to display the symptoms of a weak timing chain tensioner, that’s a pain in the ass engine out job to fix it.

 

[minimutly]

Guy in work has a high mileage bimer with the 6 inline turbo d. Not sure if its chipped, but it makes so much torque its boogard the autobox - or rather I think the torque convertor. Quite common apparently?
And if you want to see poor reliability from V6 diesels the worst has to be the Jaguar - ebay littered with failed XFs. Same engine in one of the Landies?

 

[8ob]

And if you want to see poor reliability from V6 diesels the worst has to be the Jaguar - ebay littered with failed XFs. Same engine in one of the Landies?

Its the PSA engine, they turned up the wick a tad too much in the Jag, should have been left the same as the disco`s.

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Bob

 

[Craig-SM]

The 320d was the the worst and last BMW I’ve owned. It blew the Turbo, two months later ECU packed up. Then to rub salt in wounds it ingested one of those stupid plastic flappy things from the manifold. End on my relationship with the Ultimate Driving Machine.

We're on our second BMW with a 2.0d engine. First an E82 and current F30, both have been 100% reliable.
E82 only needing a front caliper rebuild other than servicing.
F30 rear shocks and springs then just normal servicing. It had sprayed some oil out the rear diff through the prop seal after a high speed drive to Germany and back. Refilled and cleaned up and years later still dry as a bone.
No engine problems at all.

We did have a dabble with a Skoda Octavia VRS between models and ended with the worst car I’d owned with a dealership that didn’t want to know. Electrical problems galore and poor build quality meant it creaked and squeaked. We soon got rid of it back to dealership in the same group buying the current BMW. We had a letter from them a few months later saying we had sold it to them without declaring known faults. It was very satisfying to reply with copies of their investigation into my faults I wanted fixing saying none could be found. Never heard from them again.

 

[northwest]

It was very satisfying to reply with copies of their investigation into my faults I wanted fixing saying none could be found. Never heard from them again.

You reap what you sow as the old saying goes. I would have like to have been a fly on the wall that day

 

[minimutly]

We're on our second BMW with a 2.0d engine. First an E82 and current F30, both have been 100% reliable.
E82 only needing a front caliper rebuild other than servicing.
F30 rear shocks and springs then just normal servicing. It had sprayed some oil out the rear diff through the prop seal after a high speed drive to Germany and back. Refilled and cleaned up and years later still dry as a bone.
No engine problems at all.

We did have a dabble with a Skoda Octavia VRS between models and ended with the worst car I’d owned with a dealership that didn’t want to know. Electrical problems galore and poor build quality meant it creaked and squeaked. We soon got rid of it back to dealership in the same group buying the current BMW. We had a letter from them a few months later saying we had sold it to them without declaring known faults. It was very satisfying to reply with copies of their investigation into my faults I wanted fixing saying none could be found. Never heard from them again.

Karma...

 

[Gavlar]

Police BMWs will be loaded to the gunnels with heavy equipment. They will be driven harder and faster than any car not on a track, every day. 100k police miles is not the same as 100k civilian miles.
I am a retired police traffic officer and as I have said on a previous, similar thread, the 3L BMW was incredibly reliable, soaking up vast amounts of abuse without complaining, albeit with service intervals somewhat closer together than BMW recommend for normal use.
If they are failing around 100k miles, I would suggest it's less a weak point of the engine, more just the weakest point, which is not quite the same thing.
IIRC we use to replace ours around 180K and I don't recall any issues with blown engines, but I've been retired 5 years and I don't know if or what BMW have changed since then.

 

[Munkul]

And if you want to see poor reliability from V6 diesels the worst has to be the Jaguar - ebay littered with failed XFs. Same engine in one of the Landies?

Nope, the 3.0 v6 xfs are fine motors, no real weak points. The earlier 2.7s were poor though.
Bear in mind that the major downside of the XF V6 is that the engine bay is a nightmare to work in. Its a major job just to get to simple things like an alternator, and I'd truly hate to have to swap an engine.

 

[armalites]

We did have a dabble with a Skoda Octavia VRS between models and ended with the worst car I’d owned with a dealership that didn’t want to know. Electrical problems galore and poor build quality meant it creaked and squeaked. We soon got rid of it back to dealership in the same group buying the current BMW. We had a letter from them a few months later saying we had sold it to them without declaring known faults. It was very satisfying to reply with copies of their investigation into my faults I wanted fixing saying none could be found. Never heard from them again.

A friend of mine had a Discovery 4, had it in for a service before the warranty ran out and asked them to sort anything that needed doing. Apparently didn't need anything..... suddenly things change when he decided to trade it in and they gave it check over and found bits that needed doing. There were some red faces when he asked why 2 weeks earlier on the service they couldn't find any issues.

 

[tom2207]

A friend of mine had a Discovery 4, had it in for a service before the warranty ran out and asked them to sort anything that needed doing. Apparently didn't need anything..... suddenly things change when he decided to trade it in and they gave it check over and found bits that needed doing. There were some red faces when he asked why 2 weeks earlier on the service they couldn't find any issues.

as the saying goes

2 weeks is a long time in Land Rover ownership.

 

[roofman]

Out of interest - what did the remap do to your fuel economy?


I fancy a bit more poke out of my 535d but as I do a few hundred miles a week I don't want to knack the mpg.

My 535d was stage 3, hybrid monster turbos,full decat and 3" from tubs to rear of car, intercooler,uprated fuel pump,cold air feed, re-map on motor and latest software on gearbox, coilovers on each corner, M5 front brake conversion rotors/calipers,full LCI conversion (gear lever/lights/interface etc) reduced power on 1st and second gear on M power map, full power on all gears on regular map. 490BHP and 970nm yes you read that right 970...and it still gave 45mpg at 55-60 mph. wish i still had her

 

[Mr Fro]

My 535d was stage 3, hybrid monster turbos,full decat and 3" from tubs to rear of car, intercooler,uprated fuel pump,cold air feed, re-map on motor and latest software on gearbox, coilovers on each corner, M5 front brake conversion rotors/calipers,full LCI conversion (gear lever/lights/interface etc) reduced power on 1st and second gear on M power map, full power on all gears on regular map. 490BHP and 970nm yes you read that right 970...and it still gave 45mpg at 55-60 mph. wish i still had her

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Sounds tasty.

I think it would be a hoot in standard tune if it wasn't so flippin' heavy!

I nearly got embarrassed by a tricked up fiat 500 a few months back. The driver didn't lose much ground until around 115mph.

 

[roofman]

Sounds tasty.

I think it would be a hoot in standard tune if it wasn't so flippin' heavy!

I nearly got embarrassed by a tricked up fiat 500 a few months back. The driver didn't lose much ground until around 115mph.

those Abarth,s can wipe the smile off your face with a decent driver...always make sure the driver in one looks a bit goofy before throwing the gauntlet down

 

[minimutly]

Nope, the 3.0 v6 xfs are fine motors, no real weak points. The earlier 2.7s were poor though.
Bear in mind that the major downside of the XF V6 is that the engine bay is a nightmare to work in. Its a major job just to get to simple things like an alternator, and I'd truly hate to have to swap an engine.

So are the 2.7 and 3l (diesels) different pedigree?
The xf is a little confined.

 

[marlinspike]

I love my 3 series e90 petrol, but the first few years it cost me a fortune in repairs (bought at 6 years old, 40k). Fortunately found an excellent indy mechanic after a bit, otherwise it would have been off to WeBuyAnyCar. Had more repairs in 3 years than the previous Mitsubishi and Nissan had in 14 years combined. Love it to drive, but can't recommend the brand.

 

[Wozzaaah]

those Abarth,s can wipe the smile off your face with a decent driver...always make sure the driver in one looks a bit goofy before throwing the gauntlet down

I love the Arbarths but Mrs W tells me I’m too old but not old enough to have one.

 

[roofman]

I love the Arbarths but Mrs W tells me I’m too old but not old enough to have one.

Yes mine too W...cant have anything sporty now as she says i look daft

 

[Munkul]

So are the 2.7 and 3l (diesels) different pedigree?
The xf is a little confined.

Yeah, i don't know much about the 2.7 other than its an old design and not great on fuel, power or reliability. The 3.0 is an all jaguar design and its a pretty decent lump.
I did my own timing belt on mine (xfs) and i wish i hadn't... 1 and a half full days. Degass aircon, radiator out, 1 million cooling hoses etc, just to get access to the engine front end.
Jag indy "specialist" told me over the phone it was an engine out job... Chancer