hard start problem!!!!!???? - United Bimmer Community

**MESTRE** · 10-12-2009, 11:48 PM

I've been having a problem with my x5 4.4i, it has a hard time starting for the first time everyday, I have already replaced all the spark plugs, fuel filter, and battery...

If I remove the plug on the throttle body, it will start, but it starts in "ENGINE FAIL SAFE PROGRAM", then for the rest of the day it will start fine, until the next day it all happens again, I have removed the throttle body to clean, and noticed oil in the INTAKE MANIFOLD, after reading a lot of threads here I thought of checking the oil separator valve, and upon removing it, I noticed that the lower hose, that goes to the return pipe was already broken off completely...

I would like to know if anyone has any information on this problem or ever had a similar problem and how it was solved???

I appreciate all replies and comments.

**MESTRE** · 10-26-2009, 10:44 AM

Problem finally solved, turned out the spark plugs I had put on only a couple of months ago were no good, some people on other threads said I could have gotten counterfeit plugs, I don't know really, but from now on I will stay away from bosch plugs, I had the bosch platinum +4, they only lasted almost 4k miles, I went to Autozone and got the cheap ngk's for 2.49 each and gaped them to .032, starts beautiful now, I might get about 15k miles on these and then I go to the ngk's iridium-ix which are about 7 bucks each.

I hope this experience may help someone some day.

**3050rpm** · 10-26-2009, 01:21 PM

There's nothing wrong with Bosch plugs, or NGK for that matter, provided they are what the specifications call for. Don't try to get fancy, or fall for the marketing hype, just stay with what the book calls for and you'll be fine, not only is there no need for platinum, uranium, plutonium, cubic zirconia, or whatever kind of plugs, and their expense, they can actually run worse, and cause damage, as you've found out.

Big Evil · 10-27-2009, 03:47 PM

3050 is right on the money. Use OEM recommended plugs ONLY. BMW's are now starting to use something called Ionic Knock Control. Basically it a fancy way of using the plugs themselves to detect potential knocking in a cylinder, what this means to the rest of us is the spark plugs are now doubling as sensors and they MUST be right. Right stuff all the time every time, or else drive a chevy (I'd rather shoot myself in the head personally)