Check your turbo inlet pipes

[kkowalsk]

Hello All;

I was getting an intake pressure code and an acceleration whistle.

Found both the turbo inlet pipes had failed with the tubes separating from the flanges at the turbos. See image. Root cause: Heat

Easy to check. Remove the engine beauty cover and lightly pull on intake tubes to see if the plastic welds have failed at the flange attached to the turbo.

Replacement is easy and the parts are inexpensive. I assume these will need replaced again due to the valley heat and these being basic plastic parts.

Mileage: ~45k

[Blue By You]

Originally Posted by kkowalsk

Hello All;

I was getting an intake pressure code and an acceleration whistle.

Found both the turbo inlet pipes had failed with the tubes separating from the flanges at the turbos. See image. Root cause: Heat

Easy to check. Remove the engine beauty cover and lightly pull on intake tubes to see if the plastic welds have failed at the flange attached to the turbo.

Replacement is easy and the parts are inexpensive. I assume these will need replaced again due to the valley heat and these being basic plastic parts.

Mileage: ~45k

Thanks for the heads up to the group. Just had a 70K service and my tech noticed and replaced mine too. I had no errors, but I imagine better to have them fully intact regardless!

[Slickrick2]

Originally Posted by kkowalsk

Hello All;

I was getting an intake pressure code and an acceleration whistle.

Found both the turbo inlet pipes had failed with the tubes separating from the flanges at the turbos. See image. Root cause: Heat

Easy to check. Remove the engine beauty cover and lightly pull on intake tubes to see if the plastic welds have failed at the flange attached to the turbo.

Replacement is easy and the parts are inexpensive. I assume these will need replaced again due to the valley heat and these being basic plastic parts.

Mileage: ~45k

Where you getting a low humming sound inside the cabin when parked and the car is idling?

[JMAN1111]

Originally Posted by Slickrick2

Where you getting a low humming sound inside the cabin when parked and the car is idling?

That could also be the idler pulley

[kkowalsk]

Originally Posted by Slickrick2

Where you getting a low humming sound inside the cabin when parked and the car is idling?

The noise I was getting was like a whistle during acceleration. Along with the code one of the tubes had dislodged from the flange creating a gap.

[Autobacs]

You guys have your rear engine cover off right? Had them off on my 650i, E70 X5M previously. I also always open the hood whenever I return back to my garage.

[11earl]

Can you be more specific which cover you removed, and why? Just thinking BMW would have considered protection and heat dissipation when designing and including a part that cost them a handful of dimes to manufacture for each vehicle?

I assume you also open the hood after every drive to more quickly dissipate heat?

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by 11earl

Just thinking BMW would have considered protection and heat dissipation when designing and including a part that cost them a handful of dimes to manufacture for each vehicle?

The cover he is talking about is the plastic beauty/pop-off. Its the one with MPower written on int.

[Banned_n_DC]

I know that the M5 s63tu platform has aftermarket solutions for this problem. Will any of these fit the X5M? I'm aware that even tho it's the same engine there are some minor differences.

[ArthurMorgan]

I just had to replace my passenger side intake tube since the elbow snapped off when I was trying to replace the CCV tubes (and I was being extremely careful with it. Still happened). Turns out the odor I was smelling may have been exhaust, not crankcase odor. So that's a whole new problem I'll need to figure out.

What was the trick to getting the bolt under the charge pipe back in? I barely got it out, then I dropped my Torx key down in the valley.. never to be seen again. I tried wobble extensions, swivels (which almost worked, but the swivel was too floppy), and a right angle bit driver (not enough room). I just got it back together last night sans that bolt. I'd like to put it back in, but I can't find anything that works.

Originally Posted by 11earl

Can you be more specific which cover you removed, and why? Just thinking BMW would have considered protection and heat dissipation when designing and including a part that cost them a handful of dimes to manufacture for each vehicle?

I assume you also open the hood after every drive to more quickly dissipate heat?

Everything under the hood of this vehicle, and apparently all BMW vehicles, is made of paper mache and is strategically designed to fail 5 minutes outside of the original manufacturer warranty. I have wrenched on cars since I was 16, and I pride myself in not being a hackjob. I don't act like an orangutan and pull or force connectors, pipes, etc. I have never seen underhood plastics as cheap or awful as BMW uses - and I've owned damn near a dozen GM vehicles if that tells you anything. It's actually impressive how poorly constructed some of the engine bay materials are. To answer your question, no, that was not a consideration when they designed it.

[kkowalsk]

Originally Posted by ArthurMorgan

I just had to replace my passenger side intake tube since the elbow snapped off when I was trying to replace the CCV tubes (and I was being extremely careful with it. Still happened). Turns out the odor I was smelling may have been exhaust, not crankcase odor. So that's a whole new problem I'll need to figure out.

What was the trick to getting the bolt under the charge pipe back in? I barely got it out, then I dropped my Torx key down in the valley.. never to be seen again. I tried wobble extensions, swivels (which almost worked, but the swivel was too floppy), and a right angle bit driver (not enough room). I just got it back together last night sans that bolt. I'd like to put it back in, but I can't find anything that works.

Everything under the hood of this vehicle, and apparently all BMW vehicles, is made of paper mache and is strategically designed to fail 5 minutes outside of the original manufacturer warranty. I have wrenched on cars since I was 16, and I pride myself in not being a hackjob. I don't act like an orangutan and pull or force connectors, pipes, etc. I have never seen underhood plastics as cheap or awful as BMW uses - and I've owned damn near a dozen GM vehicles if that tells you anything. It's actually impressive how poorly constructed some of the engine bay materials are. To answer your question, no, that was not a consideration when they designed it.

That lower M6 bolt is a tough one.

Manual recommends removing the charge air pipes to gain access. However I was able to get it without.

Used an extension with a universal joint and allen socket. Lightly taped the bolt head to the allen socket with electrical tape.

The key is to wrap the allen and lightly tape just the bolt head so you can pull the allen free after being tightened. I also taped my socket joints so they didn't disconnect when pulling free.

Guide it in, freely hand thread to make sure it's not crossed and then torque to 10 Nm.

Pull your socket free and make sure no tape was left behind.

[kkowalsk]

Originally Posted by ArthurMorgan

I just had to replace my passenger side intake tube since the elbow snapped off when I was trying to replace the CCV tubes (and I was being extremely careful with it. Still happened). Turns out the odor I was smelling may have been exhaust, not crankcase odor. So that's a whole new problem I'll need to figure out.

What was the trick to getting the bolt under the charge pipe back in? I barely got it out, then I dropped my Torx key down in the valley.. never to be seen again. I tried wobble extensions, swivels (which almost worked, but the swivel was too floppy), and a right angle bit driver (not enough room). I just got it back together last night sans that bolt. I'd like to put it back in, but I can't find anything that works.

Everything under the hood of this vehicle, and apparently all BMW vehicles, is made of paper mache and is strategically designed to fail 5 minutes outside of the original manufacturer warranty. I have wrenched on cars since I was 16, and I pride myself in not being a hackjob. I don't act like an orangutan and pull or force connectors, pipes, etc. I have never seen underhood plastics as cheap or awful as BMW uses - and I've owned damn near a dozen GM vehicles if that tells you anything. It's actually impressive how poorly constructed some of the engine bay materials are. To answer your question, no, that was not a consideration when they designed it.

The heat is tough on the plastics around the turbos. Turns them into eggshells.

[JRock80]

Does anyone have a link to order a replacement? Mines also cracked, sadly! Or direct buy from local dealership part department?

[kkowalsk]

Originally Posted by JRock80

Does anyone have a link to order a replacement? Mines also cracked, sadly! Our direct buy from local dealership part department?

realoem.com

I ordered mine from my dealer and they matched online pricing. However could get from Turner Motorsports, ECS Tuning, etc.

[JRock80]

Originally Posted by kkowalsk

realoem.com

I ordered mine from my dealer and they matched online pricing. However could get from Turner Motorsports, ECS Tuning, etc.

[QUOTE=kkowalsk;

Understood! Thanks.

[Autobacs]

Originally Posted by 11earl

Can you be more specific which cover you removed, and why? Just thinking BMW would have considered protection and heat dissipation when designing and including a part that cost them a handful of dimes to manufacture for each vehicle?

I assume you also open the hood after every drive to more quickly dissipate heat?

The cover traps the heat to the plastic and rubber wires and lines underneath. The only purpose it serves is aesthetic. Yes, I open the hood after every drive when I can.

[9vapors]

PTP turbo blanket and removing the plastic guide brings for the wiring helps as well. I can put my hand on the turbo blanket after driving.

[Bobby_Drake]

So got a CEL. Having recently installed my CCV hoses, this was the first thing I checked. To my disappointment, the plastic intake boot has cracks where it connects to the CCV hose. I tried to remove it then it just snapped. In the process of removing the air filter box, the attachment at the turbos also snapped (as seen in OP's pics). I'm at 56,XXX mi. I guess these intake boots fail around 45-60k mi. From doing some research, a whining sound may be heard when accelerating once they are cracked. You may also get a CEL.

Got a a quote from my local dealer and was told $2500+ tax. In an effort to save some $$$ decided to DIY. Not easy and time consuming. Took me about 8 hrs total. PITA to remove the clamps and the charge pipe hose as well as getting the bottom screw in. However, I did not need to remove the charge pipe.

To reinforce the weak points where it broke off, I used JB weld high heat epoxy. Hopefully this will prevent it from breaking in the future.

https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-High...90473934&psc=1

FCP Euro links to R and L intake boot:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...mw-13717848381

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...mw-13717848382

Those at 50-60K mi may want to check their intake boot. It is just a matter of time when they fail.