First start - odd behaviour

[EarthboundMisfit]

Hi all,

As shown in the video below, my car is exhibiting the following symptoms on the first start of the day:

• Long cranking before firing
• Erratic idle immediately after firing for approx 20 secs

The car starts normally on subsequent starts, for example:

This has the local techs stumped (BMW and independent), but appears to be an emerging issue as 7 examples are know of locally. This is happening on modified and stock cars.

There appear to be no mechanical issues with the car. After being in with my mechanic for two weeks, everything checks out OK - fuel system is ok, oil systems are ok, VANOS ok, electrical systems ok, induction systems ok. As a shot in the dark, the idle control device was replaced, but no change. An updated BPM map was applied also, with no change.

I can hear misfiring during the cold start cycle, and misfire codes have started this week, so next thought is to replace all coils and spark plugs (coils are original, plugs are 2 yrs old).

If anyone has seen and resolved this one, it would be great to hear from you.

Update - 14 October 2016

Coils and spark plugs were replaced in July. Improvement in cranking time, but rev hunt remained:

Switch to lower octane fuel.

This was the recommended suggestion by BMW (locally), after their known occurrences of this issue increased. I have now run the car through 2 tanks of 95RON fuel, then back to 98RON. I observed an improvement when starting on 95RON, then poorer starts again on 98RON. I have just topped the tank with 95RON again, and this is the start behaviour:

Video chronology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...GZz2081tmZUTOa

[asmazda]

Do you have ethanol in your fuel? In the US it's usually a 10% blend.

Also, do you drive your car daily or does it sit for week or longer? Is the battery fairly new?

I had similar problem and BMW dealership couldn't figure it out. I have gotten the issue under control by doing the following:

1. I keep the car connected to a trickle charger: http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-158-Au.../dp/B000FQBWCY

2. I ran a water remover through the gas tank: http://www.amazon.com/Star-Tron-Enzy.../dp/B00EXIVUMM

3. I cleaned the fuel system with Techron concentrate (the one that has more PEA in it): http://www.amazon.com/Chevron-65740-.../dp/B00092893E

[BPMSport]

I would change the fuel pressure sensor behind the Airbox. When the ICV was replaced, were the idle strips replaced also?

How many miles on the plugs? Any faults other than misfire faults? Which cylinders?

I know you emailed me that the behavior is exactly the same with the stock tune - nonetheless, I would run stock software until you resolve this issue.

[///M Power-Belgium]

I heard twice your cold start cycle , once in your first video and once in your last video...
And I heard and saw twice your your problem only during the cold start cycle .
Personal I think your problem is in your cold start cycle .
After the cold start cycle it sounds fine ..
Personal I would take the car to a BMW/Dealer ASAP , because this sounds not healty !

[thekurgan]

It almost sounds too lean during cold start, where it's normally on the rich side. As soon as your o2 come online, it seems fine.

[EarthboundMisfit]

Originally Posted by asmazda

Do you have ethanol in your fuel? In the US it's usually a 10% blend.

Also, do you drive your car daily or does it sit for week or longer? Is the battery fairly new?

I had similar problem and BMW dealership couldn't figure it out. I have gotten the issue under control by doing the following:

1. I keep the car connected to a trickle charger: http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-158-Au.../dp/B000FQBWCY

2. I ran a water remover through the gas tank: http://www.amazon.com/Star-Tron-Enzy.../dp/B00EXIVUMM

3. I cleaned the fuel system with Techron concentrate (the one that has more PEA in it): http://www.amazon.com/Chevron-65740-.../dp/B00092893E

No ethanol in the fuel. Fuel system was cleared: pressure tested ok (holds 40psi over 24 hours), injectors cleaned, no leaks observed.

Car was a weekender, but is now a daily. I have (and use) a CTEK trickle charger, and the battery is only 18 months old. My mechanic has cleared the electrical system.

[EarthboundMisfit]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

I would change the fuel pressure sensor behind the Airbox. When the ICV was replaced, were the idle strips replaced also?

How many miles on the plugs? Any faults other than misfire faults? Which cylinders?

I know you emailed me that the behavior is exactly the same with the stock tune - nonetheless, I would run stock software until you resolve this issue.

Idle strips weren't replaced, just the control device. What are you thinking in terms of the strips? Air leak?

Spark plugs were done 13,000km (8,000 miles) ago. So far, no other fault codes except misfire. Occurred on cyl 6 and cyl 7 initially, then all cylinders. Cleared the codes, and it's re-occurred.

[EarthboundMisfit]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

I heard twice your cold start cycle , once in your first video and once in your last video...
And I heard and saw twice your your problem only during the cold start cycle .
Personal I think your problem is in your cold start cycle .
After the cold start cycle it sounds fine ..
Personal I would take the car to a BMW/Dealer ASAP , because this sounds not healty !

I was running a BPM stage 2 tune with the cold start cycle deleted, and the long cranking started while on that tune. I got an updated tune from Mike B with cold start cycle added back on. The car is now on a stock tune (so, with cold start), and that's what's shown on the vids.

I know of other local cars without tunes that this is happening to. The BMW dealership has seen three, and can't work this out. Hence, my going to the forums as, surely, someone overseas has seen this before...

[BPMSport]

Sent you an email... Kind of seems like a fuel pressure/delivery issue to me.. I'd put a pressure gauge on it while cold and see if that checks out.

[Bhdien]

I'd like to know the outcome once you get this figured out. Mine started doing the same thing a couple weeks ago.

[msan]

I noticd in your videos your fuel is near full. Does the car have irrational idle at different fuel levels? Like half full etc?

[bkdore]

Originally Posted by EarthboundMisfit

The car is now on a stock tune (so, with cold start), and that's what's shown on the vids.
.

You have a 4000 RPM cold start redline on the stock tune?

[EarthboundMisfit]

Originally Posted by bkdore

You have a 4000 RPM cold start redline on the stock tune?

Whoops, no I don't! My mistake, I posted the vid showing the BPM tune. Cold start redline is now back to stock.

[Stronie]

Bump, any updates.

Same issue here, Cold starts only, after that all good. Seems like misfires.

[EarthboundMisfit]

Updates published to the first post.

[Smiddyberg]

Hi mate I'm inn brissy and have the same issue as you, also unable to be solved by BMW (had the car for 3weeks and changed lots of components). I expemented with fuels and found Puma 98RON to be the smoothest on first start (same as the 95 ron video).

Playing with different 98 fuels I found BP to be the worst with the car actually stalling on first start. Shell and caltex about the same like your earlier videos.

Must be an additive in the fuel in the other 98 fuels??

Hope this helps.

[magna_elite]

OP: did you ever find a solution to this?

Also keen to know more about PUMA 98 - if this has seemingly improved the symptom.

[EarthboundMisfit]

Have tried a whole bunch of different fuels since, and have found that United E10 seems to cure it.