E90 diesel engine seized/timing chain

[KingJonesXV]

Hello everyone

Any advice?

I currently own a 320d automatic (e90).
• Major service done in March.
• New gearbox installed in June.
• Oil housing gasket replaced and oil changed in August.

Last weekend, I was driving on the highway and as I was overtaking a truck (±120km/h), I realised I couldn't accelerate anymore. The engine had stopped and I stopped next to the road. I tried to start but I could hear a humming noise, no crank at all. When the engine stopped - there was and still is no warning light, no sound/pop, no smoke. The engine just stopped.
Before the trip, as I knew it was a long trip, I checked the battery and coolant, and they were both fine. I didn't check the oil levels because it had been changed 2 weeks prior this trip. I also had sufficient fuel (3/4 tank).

I towed the car to the nearest city (Bloemfontein) and I went to my destination as I had to start work the following day.

Now, a mechanic in Bloemfontein reports that my engine seized or it's a timing chain failure and they will have to dismantle the engine.

Is this likely? The engine being seized?
I was thinking that it might be an electrical component or starter.

 

[KingJonesXV]

I also checked the battery which was good after the car stopped.
I tried to jump start the car, didn't work either.

 

[DarrylvanNiekerk]

Sorry to hear that, it's a truly sickening feeling.

You won't really know what it is until you finish up and head through to where the car is.
Get the mechanic to explain and show you why he says the engine is seized, that is a catastrophic failure.

Then you can make decisions on what you want / need to do.

 

[1 Eyed Monkey]

Whats the current mileage?

 

[tdi_stig]

Which mech in Bloemfontein?

 

[KingJonesXV]

Which mech in Bloemfontein?

BMW Bavarian Technologies

 

[KingJonesXV]

Whats the current mileage?

220 000km

Sorry to hear that, it's a truly sickening feeling.

You won't really know what it is until you finish up and head through to where the car is.
Get the mechanic to explain and show you why he says the engine is seized, that is a catastrophic failure.

Then you can make decisions on what you want / need to do.

Noted. Thank you.

 

[M3boi]

220 000km

Noted. Thank you.

Timing chain failure is highly possible then.

 

[calem_chetty]

Sorry to hear about what has happened to your car...

It is most likely the timing chain that has failed, which isn't all that common in South Africa, provided the car has been serviced regularly (but they do still happen). The reason why there were no warning lights is because when a timing chain snaps/engine seizes, it is so sudden that the ECU often has no time to trigger a check light before the engine stops.

The humming noise you hear when trying to start the car may be a "fast crank but no start". I highly doubt it's the starter as your engine seized while driving, not after you turned it off.

To confirm that it was indeed this when you're at the workshop:

• Try turning the crankshaft manually (via crank pulley): If it won’t budge, the engine is indeed seized.
• Remove starter motor to rule out starter jamming.

Good luck with the repair, hopefully she's back on the road soon.

 

[Nastaliq]

If no crank manually as mentioned above then something mechanical is stopping the engine from turning over. This could be a number of things which wont throw errors. Constantly trying to start it from inside the car, is only making things worse.

Unfortunately the only way to know for sure is to dismantle the head and see if you can get a boroscope into the top, this will tell you if the valves and pistons are okay. Removing the sump may not be possible without taking the engine out of the car, which will then allow you to check crank and conrods.

Either way based on the failure, even to repair, the engine will need to come out. The timing chain in these engines is prone to stretching and runs within plastic guides.

An engineer the other day told me modern cars have more plastic in them than Lego.
That was a stark reminder that the cars are not built like they use to be.

All the best and sorry to hear.
Let us know how you get on with diagnosing and resolving your issue as the info might help someone down the line.
Its why we are here.

 

[///M Individual]

So sorry bud. Don't wish this on anyone. Wish you all the best in getting it repaired.

 

[NB92325]

Ja, from what I've heard that mechanic is incredibly reputable so it's likely what he say's it is unfortunately...

 

[DarrylvanNiekerk]

Ja, from what I've heard that mechanic is incredibly reputable so it's likely what he say's it is unfortunately...

What is the current status on your vehicle, is the engine gone or can things be salvaged?

 

[KingJonesXV]

Hey guys

Apologies for the late response. I'm having the car assessed by different mechanics.

Currently, they found that the connecting rod broke through the engine block, so it will need a new engine block. Still assessing.

At this point, I'm thinking of selling the car as it is accumulating too much with regards to repairs.
New gearbox installed in July.
I have a potential buyer.

 

[tdi_stig]

BMW Bavarian Technologies

Probably the best independant BMW mech in Bloem. Andre is good and will not beat around the bush. He used to look after my 330d and always had excellent service from him.

 

[Pisancho]

Hey guys

Apologies for the late response. I'm having the car assessed by different mechanics.

Currently, they found that the connecting rod broke through the engine block, so it will need a new engine block. Still assessing.

At this point, I'm thinking of selling the car as it is accumulating too much with regards to repairs.
New gearbox installed in July.
I have a potential buyer.

How does that even happen. Was the car tuned? I have only heard of a rod breaking under big amounts of torque after tuning. Other than that it is very rare. Maybe someone can enlighten me on how that happens.

 

[Pisancho]

How does that even happen. Was the car tuned? I have only heard of a rod breaking under big amounts of torque after tuning. Other than that it is very rare. Maybe someone can enlighten me on how that happens.

Did some research and I see it can be causes by a lot of things, over revving, low oil, hydrolock etc.

 

[KingJonesXV]

Car was not tuned.

I was overtaking but car was at 120km/h, ±2-2.5rpm. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Oil level was good.