[bimmerdean]

Ok long story short, my n26 engines blown... I own a 2014 BMW 328i xdrive vehicle with about 50k miles on it. The car was great for the two years that I've had it, regular maintenance checks and oil changes; car was working great. A few weeks ago the drivetrain malfunction and low oil pressure light came on so I took it to BMW first and they said I need a new engine which was quoted at $16,000. So I immediately took it to another guy who has a shop that works strictly on BMW performance vehicles and when he opened up the engine to begin diagnosing it he saw there was an insane amount of oil sludge built up enough where you can't even salvage the parts. This doesn't add up though because we got oil changes every 9k miles, and even the previous owner had as well... I know we should have done it earlier than 9k but I feel that it wouldn't cause catastrophic engine failure.

This is ridiculous I don't know what to do. Oh and since BMW's don't have dipsticks anymore I relied on the computer, and even the computer had an issue...it wouldn't let me check the oil level on it (it always stopped at 17%) and I had no alerts to get an oil change. It seems this issue literally popped out of nowhere with me

I know insurance doesn't cover issues that aren't due to collision or theft or any of that sort but I feel like something has to be done. The engine was in great shape with NO warning signs and now its toasted. I'm 21 years old who worked my ass off to afford this now and I don't have any cash left to repair it and even get a used engine. There must be something that I can do? either through insurance or BMWNA?

*Please help*

[Zanity]

Didn't you post this with pictures just a few days ago ? Or was that another guy who had his engine blown up due to the same sludge problem.

[TheShadow]

Originally Posted by deanmajidy

Ok long story short, my n26 engines blown... I own a 2013 BMW 328i xdrive vehicle with about 76k miles on it. The car was great for the two years that I've had it, regular maintenance checks and oil changes; car was working great. A few weeks ago the drivetrain malfunction and low oil pressure light came on so I took it to BMW first and they said I need a new engine which was quoted at $14,000. So I immediately took it to another guy who has a shop that works strictly on BMW performance vehicles and when he opened up the engine to begin diagnosing it he saw there was an insane amount of oil sludge built up enough where you can't even salvage the parts. This doesn't add up though because we got oil changes every 9k miles, and even the previous owner had as well... I know we should have done it earlier than 9k but I feel that it wouldn't cause catastrophic engine failure.

This is ridiculous I don't know what to do. Oh and since BMW's don't have dipsticks anymore I relied on the computer, and even the computer had an issue...it wouldn't let me check the oil level on it (it always stopped at 17%) and I had no alerts to get an oil change. It seems this issue literally popped out of nowhere with me

I know insurance doesn't cover issues that aren't due to collision or theft or any of that sort but I feel like something has to be done. The engine was in great shape with NO warning signs and now its toasted. I'm 21 years old who worked my ass off to afford this now and I don't have any cash left to repair it and even get a used engine. There must be something that I can do? either through insurance or BMWNA?

*Please help*

Your first sign that something was wrong is the computer not letting you check the oil level and stopping at 17%? Why would you brush that off? That is extremely important and may have something to do with the sludge and not being able to measure.

[chowser51]

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1617572

Pictures there. Looks bad!


*have
Not
Of

[Zanity]

[bimmerdean]

I got diagnosed with a different problem and now my engines fully blown so it's not a repost. A little help is all I'm asking please

[upsidedownfunnel]

First off, BMW isn't going to help you. BMWNA might give you a discount on the engine replacement, but that's probably it. So you can try pestering BMWNA and the dealership to see if they'll do anything. Do not get your hopes up. This is a hail mary and would essentially be like winning the lottery if it worked.

Depending on how you bought the car, your only options are to replace with a used engine at an indy shop, or sell the car for parts and scrounge up whatever money you can find to buy an old Corolla or Civic.

Remember, it is no one else's responsibility to fix your car but yours. Engine sludge is something any mechanic should have been able to find in a pre-purchase inspection. So always do one unless the car still has warranty left. If a used car dealer or private party won't let you do one, then run away. Also, when buying an out of warranty German car, you have to budget for maintenance. To be frank, you simply bought too much car. Being able to afford a payment doesn't mean you can afford the car.

With my understanding of how sludge forms, it's most likely that the first owner simply neglected maintenance. Or they had terrible driving habits and either did not know how to properly take care of an engine or simply did not care. IF oil changes were truly done at 9k mile intervals, then the first owner might have had a very short commute and drove the car for very short trips very frequently. Especially in the winter, this can be terrible for the engine. My bet, however, would be on neglect. I'm curious, what proof do you have that they did oil changes in the proper intervals? Obviously they could have done them for free at the dealership, but did you actually see records of the work?

Don't forget the pre-purchase inspection next time. Where did you buy this car? Directly from a private party?

[bimmerdean]

Originally Posted by upsidedownfunnel

First off, BMW isn't going to help you. BMWNA might give you a discount on the engine replacement, but that's probably it. So you can try pestering BMWNA and the dealership to see if they'll do anything. Do not get your hopes up. This is a hail mary and would essentially be like winning the lottery if it worked.

Depending on how you bought the car, your only options are to replace with a used engine at an indy shop, or sell the car for parts and scrounge up whatever money you can find to buy an old Corolla or Civic.

Remember, it is no one else's responsibility to fix your car but yours. Engine sludge is something any mechanic should have been able to find in a pre-purchase inspection. So always do one unless the car still has warranty left. If a used car dealer or private party won't let you do one, then run away. Also, when buying an out of warranty German car, you have to budget for maintenance. To be frank, you simply bought too much car. Being able to afford a payment doesn't mean you can afford the car.

With my understanding of how sludge forms, it's most likely that the first owner simply neglected maintenance. Or they had terrible driving habits and either did not know how to properly take care of an engine or simply did not care. IF oil changes were truly done at 9k mile intervals, then the first owner might have had a very short commute and drove the car for very short trips very frequently. Especially in the winter, this can be terrible for the engine. My bet, however, would be on neglect. I'm curious, what proof do you have that they did oil changes in the proper intervals? Obviously they could have done them for free at the dealership, but did you actually see records of the work?

Don't forget the pre-purchase inspection next time. Where did you buy this car? Directly from a private party?

The car was bought from a dealership, which isn't covered under a warranty anymore. And yes we have proof that oil changes were done at BMW from the previous owner on the car fax report in proper timing intervals. And the previous owner had a lot of highway miles so that couldn't of caused the sludge. Even the mechanics are really confused how this happened.... idk what to say or do at this point

[upsidedownfunnel]

Someone is lying about something. There's no way there's going to be such bad sludge with a highway driven car, serviced with proper oil/filter at the dealership, at proper intervals. Doesn't really matter though, you just need to replace the engine. No one will help you as you own this car. Your only hope is to try convincing the BMW dealership that they should help you since you have records of proper oil changes done at their dealership. Again, though, that is a hail mary.

[Fliplegend]

Originally Posted by upsidedownfunnel

Someone is lying about something. There's no way there's going to be such bad sludge with a highway driven car, serviced with proper oil/filter at the dealership, at proper intervals. Doesn't really matter though, you just need to replace the engine. No one will help you as you own this car. Your only hope is to try convincing the BMW dealership that they should help you since you have records of proper oil changes done at their dealership. Again, though, that is a hail mary.

+1. Someone indeed lied and that thing missed one or a few oil changes in order to accumulate that sludge. Also I'm very surprised you didnt notice a lack of performance with the engine all caked up like that.

[Mr Podman]

Now, if only someone would steal your car...




podman

[bimmer456]

How much is a rebuilt engine from a donor car at a junk yard cost? The car has built in reminders when to do the oil change. When you buy a used car with 76k miles you take on some risk.

[chowser51]

The car was great for the two years you’ve had it. Who did the oil changes during those two years? Did you do a lot of short frequent trips or lots of stop and go traffic?

This should have been caught during those oil changes if they actually did them.

[TheShadow]

Originally Posted by upsidedownfunnel

First off, BMW isn't going to help you. BMWNA might give you a discount on the engine replacement, but that's probably it. So you can try pestering BMWNA and the dealership to see if they'll do anything. Do not get your hopes up. This is a hail mary and would essentially be like winning the lottery if it worked.

Depending on how you bought the car, your only options are to replace with a used engine at an indy shop, or sell the car for parts and scrounge up whatever money you can find to buy an old Corolla or Civic.

Remember, it is no one else's responsibility to fix your car but yours. Engine sludge is something any mechanic should have been able to find in a pre-purchase inspection. So always do one unless the car still has warranty left. If a used car dealer or private party won't let you do one, then run away. Also, when buying an out of warranty German car, you have to budget for maintenance. To be frank, you simply bought too much car. Being able to afford a payment doesn't mean you can afford the car.

With my understanding of how sludge forms, it's most likely that the first owner simply neglected maintenance. Or they had terrible driving habits and either did not know how to properly take care of an engine or simply did not care. IF oil changes were truly done at 9k mile intervals, then the first owner might have had a very short commute and drove the car for very short trips very frequently. Especially in the winter, this can be terrible for the engine. My bet, however, would be on neglect. I'm curious, what proof do you have that they did oil changes in the proper intervals? Obviously they could have done them for free at the dealership, but did you actually see records of the work?

Don't forget the pre-purchase inspection next time. Where did you buy this car? Directly from a private party?

I highly doubt that this much oil sludge is due to driving shorty trips in the winter. Unless you are in anarctica. If engines are really designed at such piss poor condition to where if you don't drive highway miles 90% of the time and this is your result then I will never buy a bmw again.

[Billfitz]

I've only seen sludge like that once, back in 1972. At 80,000 miles the car owner had never changed the oil or filter. It was also before the invention of synthetic oil. I can't imagine how one could get that kind of sludge other than pouring a quart of tar into the engine.

[JimKden]

The sludge problem is not the first. There were Saabs, Toyota, VWs that the problem too. Some may remember VW buying a bunch of engines and extending the warantes to 80K miles to keep customers.

Now don't laugh but look into a product called AutoRX at AutoRX.com it has saved more than one engine that lost oil pressure from the sludge. It's only sold on-line and isn't a quick fix. I removed heavy sludge from a used E30 M20 that had been run with a stuck open thermostat. Saw bare aluminum in the cam area when all was done.

[otay]

https://store.buyusedengine.com/#/pr...d_engines.html

[F30ed]

Could that be Oil filter gasket leaking coolant into oil? Just a guess. Adding water into oil may form sludge.

[Billfitz]

Send a sample to Blackstone, be sure to tell them it's not a joke.

[bloodline129]

Seen the pictures in the other thread, man that's bad as hell. Something doesn't add up at all.

[kern417]

If insurance and BMW can't cover it, just make another thread.

[Moupe]

Originally Posted by kern417

If insurance and BMW can't cover it, just make another thread.

I am willing to bet that the sludge was present to a lesser degree when you bought the car. Probably skipped PPI or simply opening the oil fill cap and taking a peek inside yadidimean?!