WIBIMMERS

Yep top light. Is it easy to check that sender? Would it have come up as a fault and show on the BMW OBD reader/tool/apparatus/thingy? The guy did a scan I'm pretty sure. We're picking up the car in a few hrs so I'll hear it all straight from the horses mouth. Talk soon.

My apologies, somehow the beginning of my last post is missing. To clear up any confusion I started with this:

"I started the car and it was a bit rough and 1/4 mi away from home the coolant light came on so I turned around and came right back home. I parked it in the garage where it is level."

FullThrottle e46 said:

The coolant light and after it first came on I checked the level in the expansion tank (engine was cold-car had been in garage 24hrs prior). The bobber's top ball was not quite level with the top of the opening of the expansion tank (indicating that it was not quite at the minimum level that it should be). So I added 50/50 up to the max indicator (where the lower ball on the bobber is level with the top of the opening of the expansion tank opening). Then I started it and it was a rough cold start and everything was fine for a few days. I went to start it after it had been in the garage for 24hrs and was even more rough and no sooner than I was 40ft away from the garage the coolant light came on and it was barely idling and stalled. So I got it back to the driveway, which was difficult and it was barely idling. Since the engine was cold I checked the coolant level in the expansion tank and it was at the max. The coolant was still on. There was no visible leak on the garage floor or anywhere under the hood all around the expansion tank and hoses..etc.

The coolant light and after it first came on I checked the level in the expansion tank (engine was cold-car had been in garage 24hrs prior). The bobber's top ball was not quite level with the top of the opening of the expansion tank (indicating that it was not quite at the minimum level that it should be). So I added 50/50 up to the max indicator (where the lower ball on the bobber is level with the top of the opening of the expansion tank opening). Then I started it and it was a rough cold start and everything was fine for a few days. I went to start it after it had been in the garage for 24hrs and was even more rough and no sooner than I was 40ft away from the garage the coolant light came on and it was barely idling and stalled. So I got it back to the driveway, which was difficult and it was barely idling. Since the engine was cold I checked the coolant level in the expansion tank and it was at the max. The coolant was still on. There was no visible leak on the garage floor or anywhere under the hood all around the expansion tank and hoses..etc.

I still am confused about why the coolant light was on (no overheat). There wasn't any coolant on the ground or a leak. The level in the expansion tank was at the lower ball which is the minimum. Besides running very rough out of nowhere it would barely idle and was stalling. The mechanic said it started for him (naturally!) and it ran so he drove it around for about 8mi. So what does the coolant light have to do with the fuel injector problem, or doesn't it?

Update: Head gasket is fine. The cooling system is fine too.

Diagnosis is: fuel injectors and repair estimate is

$1400 from this mechanic and that's with a labor rate of only $75/hr. He said that's what has been causing the shuddering, which is mainly felt when the engine is cold.

How 'bout a dozen.

No they haven't. I take it that it's recommended? How much $$?

jc43089 said:

Have the intake valves ever been blasted?

Well...we don't have the diagnosis yet : (

It was towed to the shop yesterday and the mechanic said he'd let my Mom know by then end of the day today. I take it a water pump job will be less costly than a head gasket? Are replacement water pumps usually refurbished and not new due to cost? Please educate. Thanks everyone!

I can't imagine it's the head gasket. I obviously just have very rudimentary knowledge about this but her car is impeccably taken care of and currently has 92K on it.

One more thing, I don't know if this is related but for the past 2 months there has been some "hiccuping" on acceleration after it has sat overnight. It's as if the car hasn't warmed up yet and you feel like you should step on the gas more, for lack of a better explanation.

So it would need to be put up on a hoist to access/open the the drain plug in the bottom of the expansion tank to drain some coolant out? A head gasket replacement is a pricey repair, right? We (I) do have a reputable mechanic I was referred to by a former BMW tech of 15 yrs and he said he'd be fine with installing our own parts.

(My Mom's car) This all began last week when the crazy cold set in. Coolant light came on and started running rough. It didn't overheat. I was only 1/4 mi away from her condo so it wasn't driven far. Checked level and was just below min. Added small amount of 50/50. It started fine then but had a somewhat brief minimal rough idle. 4-5 days later I went to leave and it immediately was really rough and sputtering and the coolant light came on right away. No overheat. I was only 300ft away from the driveway and it wasn't easy to get it back there because it stalled a few times. Coolant level was fine and no visible leak or residue evidence from what I could view around the expansion tank. I tried to start it yesterday and it started but was still running very rough and there was some smoky exhaust briefly. It isn't driveable.

All knowledge and comments are most welcome!

**We need some additional trusted repair shop referrals in the Madison/immediate surrounding area. The few shops we know of/use are booked til after Thanksgiving. : /

Neither, John. They have been attempting to get into the car (get the hood open and the trunk) to remove 2 gps tracking devices that they had illegally wired into 2 separate wiring harnesses. My pointing out the additional supporting evidence of finger prints, dust disturbance, wiring harness discombobulation, etc. was just intended to show correlation.

I'm determined to protect my evidence and get it out before they get more brazen and get to it before me. I'll be damned if I'm gonna give up or turn my cheek now after 3+ yrs. Specifically, since I took delivery of the car in June 2011.

Sorry about some lack of clarity on my part.

In going back and re-reading there are a few detail that I did not finish explaining. I've gone back and updated one.

Ok my problem is there are 2 gps tracking devices that were illegally put on my vehicle and are hardwired in. No one is breaking into my car to steal it. They are trying to break into it to remove these units because they know I'm fully aware of them being there and the signal has been verified professionally. They're fully aware that I'm working with the police and that this is a felony. There's a lot at stake for them (their livelihood and probably serving time, etc..). See we originally thought that the device had to be on the outside of the car and I spent a good amount of time and money pursuing that possibility. I then had someone that was somewhat more experienced and more money and time was spent checking all of the obvious possible areas to check out inside the car. The search was not deep though. Obviously when these devices are installed the placement choice isn't going to be easy or obvious. What I assumed to be an easy task of locating and removing it turned out to not to be. Then, when money allowed again we went deeper by checking the main wiring on the driver's side of the car by removing the footwell panel. That was quite enlightening to say the least. I needed for resources...money and someone with much greater experience. We did not figure out that they had been attempting to break into the car as discreetly as possible until 2 mos ago, and shortly thereafter I confirmed that they were actually doing this to likely a good extent in my supposedly secure underground parking garage at my apartment. I'll also add here that we've been documenting obvious handprints and fingerprints on the outside of the chassis that would cycle and move from one wheel well to another and also both bumpers.

FullThrottle e46 said:

Hey again Snap, do you have a picture of the entire driver's side of the wiring? The thick group of wires that I'm referring to in particular is behind and up from the driver's side foot well panel that goes from right under the steering column down to just above the pedals. All zip ties up under there are black except for this white one that is securing the huge bundle of wires and is located all the way left, and is close/in front of the EWS. Oh, and the EWS is missing one of its nuts and the area up under there is all scratched and scuffed up. As far as the trunk goes, all of the black plastic pins that secure the carpet panel along the inside of the quarter panel (covering battery compartment obviously).

*****I overlooked finishing the last sentence, which is that all of those plugs are missing*****

Is the purple/white wire also for the ignition? Excuse my ignorance.

Thanks for these pics Snap! Can you post one or two of the wiring higher up behind the steering column as it looks from the factory? Hope so. You're the best.

I'm in my car right now and actually have tried to post a pic but am unsuccessful. I've had my glovebox removed for some time now, and yes, this pic is the correct layout.

No electrical problems at all and the only shop that had access to this vehicle was the dealership. It's a complicated situation I have and the following and harassing definitely began a week after I took delivery of the car. Three weeks went by from when I first saw the car and immediately expressed my interest to when I actually picked it up. The second individual involved does have strong connections at the dealership and she also found out I was buying this exact vehicle through her cousin who I had lunch with 5days after I started working on buying it. AND he is the only person I told about the car. It's quite possible that someone came in and tedt drove it for an entire afternoon, as that would be the minimum amount of time required for the non Joe-Blow hardwired installation. I asked my salesman if anyone test drove the vehicle and he said he couldn't find that information out, to which I asked him why he can't since they always take your driver's license and a form is filled out too and He had no explanation.

I have been warned and threatened that I better wait to take final evidence to the police until right before I'm moving out of town because if someone ends up serving time, I will suffer severe consequences.