Need some answers...

[bigdaddy]

Ok guys, bear with me here....
I have an issue with another car thats not an MS3, mine is just fine...
I also have a 2001 BMW X5 with the 3.0 Inline-6. So the other day, I went to start it, engine cold, and it started up, and it made a strange thumping noise/feel. I went to give it a small rev up to around 1300 RPM's. The engine felt sluggish, and didn't really want to go. It also lets out a lot of white smokish- exhaust, which for this car is not normal. Also, it emits a foreign smell, not like normal exhaust. Once warm. it runs fine. I haven't driven it since this started, just started it up a few times. It has been sitting in my garage for like a week now. Tonight, I went to start it, and nothing, not even a turn. All the accessories came on, and even the A/C comes on, but all that comes from the engine bay is three or so clicks, then nothing, and the cycle starts over. The car currently has around 125,000 miles. Also, there is no CEL, which is strange.

Like I said, I know its not a mazda, and sorry, but I need help. I have a BMW specialist coming by within the week or so, but I was wondering what you guys thought.

 

[coololddude]

I think you should be happy that you have an MS3!

 

[oaklandopen]

it could be any number of things. if it's having trouble starting it could be the battery or the starter. if it smoked and stammered during the one startup that could be because it was choking while starting from inadequate fuel or air. maybe the internals are gumming up pretty badly from age

methinks it's best to just wait till the bimmer guy tells you whats up. but unless he's a close friend of yours be wary of the actual acronym BMW.....bring more wallet

 

[bigdaddy]

no, we know him fairly well, and he he does excellent work. These 3.0's last forever, and I dont think there is anything gumming it up. I think it may be the battery, and possibly not sending out good enough spark.

 

[MSMS3]

I agree with the electrical system being down/weak due to bad battery. Pull battery, get it checked at any auto parts store and recharge-replace as needed and then check.

White smoke on start up that goes away after the engine runs could be a sign of something more ominous, though - cracked cylinder head from overheating. Abnormal white smoke is water getting into the cylinder, being burned and emerging from the tail pipe as steam. When engine warms up, the cylinder head expands and closes the crack in the water jacket that was allowing water to enter the affected cylinder.

If engine has not overheated this is improbable.

Try battery issue first and let us know how it goes.

 

[MikeHTally]

Does sound like a basic battery issue. The white smoke could be normal, but should go away after the cats and the exhaust are warmed up.

 

[bigdaddy]

The car overheated once while my mom was driving, but it didn't reach the red zone. She stopped, and killed it before it heated up too much. It was due to a bad water pump, which is fairly common in these cars. Our BMW guy said it was fine, replaced the pump, but said that we were lucky becase the engine would have been ruined if it got just a little hotter due to it being aluminum. That was probably about @ aroud 100,000 miles, and no problems since. I doubt it's that. The car never ever gets too hot, runs like a champs, exept for this.

 

[Saskatchewan17]

Well... it could be the pump again or another component of the cooling system... The start up issue sounds purely battery related. And a quick puff of white smoke at start up could just be a little bit of condensation burning off. I would seafoam or autorx it to try and clear out the valves/injectors/crankcase and whatnot. 125,000 miles is quite a bit and there could be a little bit of hidden sludge. Is the car driven hard regularly? How has the maintanence schedule been? Have you kept up with maintanence?

 

[bigdaddy]

it hasn't been driven hard regularly. Sometimes I drive it a little hard, but my mom drives it regularly, and she doesn't drive cars very hard. I doubt its the pump, because after I drove it for a little, it went to normal, and I even pushed it past 4k, and the temp. was fine. Always been regularly maintenanced