Subject: Major engine headache.....long sorry Author: cfin : member since November, 2008 : 8 posts Posted on: 2008-11-27 05:07:11

Hi, I have been "lerking" in the background on this board to awhile, there is alot of good information... but have now struck a problem with our 97 540 with around 60k miles.
The engine is running very bad and is not driveable. At first I thought it was a fuel pump failing, as it had similar syndromes as a 93 540 I owned with a sick pump..... but a flow and pressure test shows thats not the problem.
The engine labours even at idle and basically misses/coughs at any revs above that and can only attain 20mph or so.
I thought it may have been starving for air and removing the cover of the filter box revealed the filter was sort-of sucked inside out. A check of the intake ducting showed no obstructions (thought a bird might be the problem) and taking it for a run with no filter made zero difference.
Afew other obvious checks were done, like plugs/vacuum leaks etc etc with no result, so off to the dealer it goes to check the codes.
Initially the "tech" said it came up with a long list of faults....which he wiped(!!) to start afresh. After 1/2 a day, he has found that it is missing on all cylinders on the LH bank... with #7 being the worst. He swapped some coils from left to right and the problem remains on the LH side. He says he cannot read anything from the trans. O2 sensors for that bank are undamaged and appear ok. No sensor faults come up (now).
To make matters worse, he cheerfully tells me the last "unusual" problem he had with a 540 took him 80 HOURS to find (which was a pcv valve). That really scares me.... at their charge-out rate a similar bill would be more than the cars worth and is not what I need right now...

Has anyone had any similar problems/experiences?? I have no other options dealer wise within 400 miles, no code reader but am mechanically "experienced".... just need some idea of where to go from here and possible causes??

BTW, it "feels" like the engine is trying to "kill" power production. I thought it maybe trying to activate the traction control and tried unplugging the control flat actuator in the intake tract... with no joy... but that possibly doesn't rule out it retarding timing??

Any help/comments appreciated.... thanks

• Major engine headache.....long sorry - cfin 2008-11-27 05:07:11 (405 views)
  • Its running.... - cfin 2008-12-01 22:57:41 (160 views)
  • 95% sure it's clogged cats - kiwijochen 2008-11-27 11:58:49 (321 views)
    • Re: 95% sure it's clogged cats - cfin 2008-11-30 05:24:50 (157 views)
      • Re: 95% sure it's clogged cats - bolkow105 2008-11-30 23:04:08 (135 views)
        • Re: 95% sure it's clogged cats - cfin 2008-12-01 02:03:35 (147 views)
          • Re: 95% sure it's clogged cats - kiwijochen 2008-12-01 13:38:05 (155 views)
          • Guess it won't help.... - bolkow105 2008-12-01 11:14:13 (132 views)
            • Re: Guess it won't help.... - stephen2008 2009-09-04 23:22:46 (7 views)
            • Re: Guess it won't help.... - cfin 2008-12-01 20:24:36 (162 views)
              • Follow-up to the 'problem' (nt) - cfin 2008-12-10 04:02:54 (125 views)
                • Re: Follow-up to the 'problem' - cfin 2008-12-10 04:40:05 (153 views)