Metal shaving in cylinder 2

[CSP]

Year : 2016 Country : Canada Model : i3REX Warranty : YES Mileage : 52K

Description :
Long distance run outside temperature -2 deg C, when REX switched on the engine sound was unusually loud. After refueling stop, started displaying "DriveTrain error use electric". Had it towed to dealership.

Service :
a) Replaced temperature sensor
b) Replaced FLAP (no idea what that is)
c) Called Service to check if car is ready, they indicated that metal shavings were found in cylinder 2 and engine needs to be replaced. They are working with BMW Canada.

Questions : Anybody experienced this issue ?

Thanx

CSP
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[PBNB]

With 22,000 kms on our 2015 i3 Rex and about 1,300 kms of Rex use (and a good portion of that coming in the last 6 months after coding), the motor is still near new and breaking in! How much use does your Rex have on it?

I wonder why they would be looking in the cylinder?

Perhaps they were looking for something that they were expecting to find.

Did they pull the plugs and look inside with a scope. I have heard of techs cross threading spark plugs and then trying the drill and tap out the hole to put a heli-coil in. That can be a source for shavings.

Did they find metal shavings in the oil?

Where these steel or aluminum shavings? Knowing that could help determine where the shavings came from as this could be something that others might experience.

 

[CSP]

Service said the spark plugs were changed; guessing based on the appearance of the plug a scope may have been used to check the cylinder.

 

[PBNB]

CSP, do you use the Rex very much?

I wonder if the plugs were seized and when they pulled them out, the surrounding aluminum broke off and fell into the spark plug hole. I guess you didn't have an opportunity to look at the Rex in its current condition. You had also mentioned spark plugs. Did any of the spark plug material break off and fall into the plug hole?

I am asking a-lot of questions because I think this type of failure is very rare and want to know if it was something that the service centre caused or if the engine material is just falling apart.

 

[Atv]

How was your oil level, and what oil were you using?

 

[CSP]

More info

1. REX usage - It gets used once a month on a round trip for 1800 km.
2. The dealership sales guys said that this has happened to 6 REXs in Canada and also in US for which he did not know the numbers.
3. The only thing noticed prior to this failure was the following :
a) On last REX trip, it took longer for the charge to come up to 4% when REX was on
b) On the trip of the failure; when REX kicked in it sounded loud (dealership confirmed the same)
4. Call from dealership - engine ordered; should be delivered in a week.

 

[CSP]

Oh yes - forgot, vehicle was due for oil change next month.

 

[PBNB]

CSP, thanks for the update.

Seems like a serious problem with the Rex if it has occurred repeatedly.

I guess they didn't tell you what they think is going on with the engine?

What sort of loud noise did you hear at the end?

 

[CSP]

The engine sounded louder but with the regular beat

 

[Anonymous]

Seems like a serious problem with the Rex if it has occurred repeatedly.

2. The dealership sales guys said that this has happened to 6 REXs in Canada and also in US for which he did not know the numbers.

Sounds like a manufacturing Q/C failure somewhere in the process, likely on a set/small batch of engines. Shavings left in the engine after drilling/tapping for spark-plugs when a clean-out process/step failed or was missed, maybe?

 

[panamamike]

With 22,000 kms on our 2015 i3 Rex and about 1,300 kms of Rex use (and a good portion of that coming in the last 6 months after coding), the motor is still near new and breaking in! How much use does your Rex have on it?

I wonder why they would be looking in the cylinder?

Perhaps they were looking for something that they were expecting to find.

Did they pull the plugs and look inside with a scope. I have heard of techs cross threading spark plugs and then trying the drill and tap out the hole to put a heli-coil in. That can be a source for shavings.

Did they find metal shavings in the oil?

Where these steel or aluminum shavings? Knowing that could help determine where the shavings came from as this could be something that others might experience.

You'd think they would inspect the oil that has come out of the engine for metal particulates or is that wishful thinking?

 

[panamamike]

When you said it was loud, how much louder would you say? Was it noticeably louder at even idle?

 

[PBNB]

There is a company that does inspect the oil, I can't remember the name but it is a company that the diesel drivers use. I expect that BMW has already discarded any oil/evidence of the failure.

It is strange that this "mystery metal" issue has just come up again in another post.

I think the noise difference in the engine sounds like a top end issue or maybe some shrapnel is clogging up the catalyst as it gets pushed out of the cylinders. That probably would show up as a O2 sensor error and a check engine light.

Also, if the service tech scoped the cylinder they would not see much other than the top of the piston and cylinder wall. Most of the scopes don't have a head that can look backwards at ~180 degrees to see the valves. Maybe a fancy spy scope would do that

Or it could be a bit of aluminum stuck between a valve and the valve seat?

 

[panamamike]

There is a company that does inspect the oil, I can't remember the name but it is a company that the diesel drivers use. I expect that BMW has already discarded any oil/evidence of the failure.

It is strange that this "mystery metal" issue has just come up again in another post.

I think the noise difference in the engine sounds like a top end issue or maybe some shrapnel is clogging up the catalyst as it gets pushed out of the cylinders. That probably would show up as a O2 sensor error and a check engine light.

Also, if the service tech scoped the cylinder they would not see much other than the top of the piston and cylinder wall. Most of the scopes don't have a head that can look backwards at ~180 degrees to see the valves. Maybe a fancy spy scope would do that

Or it could be a bit of aluminum stuck between a valve and the valve seat?

If it was actual metal, an easy test is to use a magnet and see if it picks up any particulates. If it's not clear the particles are metal, might need a fancier test.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Amsoil sells a kit for engine oil analysis. Don't remember the name of the lab that it goes to, but it's independent of Amsoil. When I was checking regularly, on one car, it found a slow coolant leak into the oil that was caught before there were other, obvious issues. It also verified that the synthetic oil could handle the extended oil changes.

 

[vreihen]

I run samples every time that I change the oil in one of my ICE vehicles through Blackstone Labs:

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/

Their tests are thorough, and come with a personalized blurb explaining anything that looks abnormal.....

 

[jfran2]

Thanks, vreihen, for sharing that!

 

[eNate]

Will they test samples from the refrigerant lines, too?

 

[vreihen]

Will they test samples from the refrigerant lines, too?

That is actually a good question, and I guess there's one way to find out:

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/contact/



.

 

[panamamike]

Will they test samples from the refrigerant lines, too?

Think if there's metal you're too late.