2002 BMW 530D Smoking

dwsl280

I have a 2002 BMW 530d Msport, when I parked the car and got out this morning there was a whirring noise coming from the left front side of car. (I have heard this before and have been told by garage not to worry about it) but this time there was a smell of diesel and I saw I small amount of smoke/Steam?? come from under the car.

What is this, could it be a faulty fuel pump?

Thanks

Leonard Hofstadter

A faulty fuel pump in an E39 usually means the car won't start if the tank goes below 1/4 full but starts perfectly when the tank is above that.

Could it be the turbo having packed in? Turbo failure is not exactly unheard of in these cars. That said, if the car was only running for a short period of time, it would be very strange for the turbo to pack in like that and it is more likely for it to be a leaky fuel pump, especially if there was a smell of diesel.

mistermister

intercooler

Could have a leak from little diesel leak off pipes on the cylinders, that would explain the smell and the steam (if the leak was bad enough) but not the noise, if the garage are taken to be correct about the noise then we can discount it

deandean

It's the Webasto auxillary heater. Read the car's instruction manual.

the merchant

This is most likely the auxilary or Webasto heater. It's designed to get the engine up to temp more quickly. Very occasionally they seem to purge themselves and bellow out loads of smoke from under the passenger side. It even has it's own little exhaust pipe under there.

It only happened me once in three years but when it did I thought the car was going on fire ... nearly shat myself.


(Edit - beaten to it)

Tea 1000

mistermister wrote: »

intercooler

An intercooler is silent.

dwsl280

Thanks for replies, Car needs a service so will get mechanic to check it out, Hoping it is just the auxilary or Webasto heater. Having near heart failure at the thought and price of replacing the turbo!!!!!!