Need BMW expert opinion

[purdy]

CCV IMO and that's after owning a lot of bimmers.

[BajaReefs]

Don't wait too long, it might damage the cat

[onyong4u]

CCV IMO and that's after owning a lot of bimmers.

How much the total cost to replace one?

[onyong4u]

Don't wait too long, it might damage the cat

Itz just very stressful when a lot of mula involved

[purdy]

I would do it myself but the dealer labor rate is $130-$150, somewhere in there I'm sure. Most other BMW shops are $90-$125 from what I've seen. Considering it's under the manifold I would say it's probably a 3 hour job, the dealer may say 4 or 5 hours.

[onyong4u]

I would do it myself but the dealer labor rate is $130-$150, somewhere in there I'm sure. Most other BMW shops are $90-$125 from what I've seen. Considering it's under the manifold I would say it's probably a 3 hour job, the dealer may say 4 or 5 hours.

ya, I would DIY but no tools. I know the part is around 100-200 bucks.
Will try to check the pressure test tomorrow AM time..Neighbor did not like the cloudy smoke last night and gave me a time-out look..LOL

[pigpimpc]

I have normal tool set if u need to borrow sockets wrenches mainly gl

[onyong4u]

I have normal tool set if u need to borrow sockets wrenches mainly gl

Thanks Chris, keep you in mind!

[diegoluv]

Sounds like a head gasket. Check your coolant and see if its clean. If your head gasket blows, youll see water in the coolant and if its bad it will look like chocolate milk.

If you want to test your CCV, cut the hose in the middle and place a check valve in its place. If the smoke goes away, your CCV is bad.

[purdy]

BMW can build a motor pretty damn well. I have a 97 3 series with over 200k miles on it. I'll race it up and down Palomar all day and don't give second thought about the motor or head gasket. I doubt your X series was built any differently. I doubt the head gasket blew. Probably the usual issues of a stupid external component failing.

[onyong4u]

Sounds like a head gasket. Check your coolant and see if its clean. If your head gasket blows, youll see water in the coolant and if its bad it will look like chocolate milk.

If you want to test your CCV, cut the hose in the middle and place a check valve in its place. If the smoke goes away, your CCV is bad.

Coolant is clean!

[diegoluv]

Coolant is clean!

Probably your CCV then. If you car is all stock then just replace it with an OEM CCV. If you have performance parts, you'll want to upgrade the CCV to an aftermarket system that is more durable and mechanical rather than electronic.

My Father has a shop in Spring Valley. Hes been a mechanic for over 35 years and he knows the BMW series between 99-2004ish. If its in that range and you're looking for good work without dealer prices, PM me and I'll give you his number.

[jada1]

Take to a bmw dealer I think diag is 99 dollars rather than guessing then whatever is wrong you can do it yourself giving information online is not the best way to diagnose a car there so many variables to what can cause the issue There's common problems for every car but that doesn't mean that's what is wrong with it..like I said time and time again working on cars for 20 years and almost 10 on Bmw cars I have seen so much money spent on unnecessary repairs by owners or shops that are not even qualified to work on them ..just seen one last week guy spent almost 2000 on something that never even fixed the problem to begin with then plus another few grand because they want to go cheap..dealers are a lot more specially BMW because we are certified and trained we pay for our schooling and always up to date on everything that is new. Cars nowadays are being made so an average mechanic can't work on the vehicle because they are more complex than you think..the rationality of the vehicles now are more complicated. .100 of modules, different gateways to be able to handle different speeds of communication with different computers and lots of sensors and actuators, bus systems and fiber optics..with that said trying to work on something you're not familiar with who knows what else can be damaged..ya it might be cheaper somewhere else because there's a reason they're cheaper. Cheaper part , cheaper quality of work and it leads to sometimes more problems than it really is..I am an ASE Master, Bmw diag tech and smog tech so I think I kinda know what I am talking about ..lol goodluck

[diegoluv]

Take to a bmw dealer I think diag is 99 dollars rather than guessing then whatever is wrong you can do it yourself giving information online is not the best way to diagnose a car there so many variables to what can cause the issue There's common problems for every car but that doesn't mean that's what is wrong with it..like I said time and time again working on cars for 20 years and almost 10 on Bmw cars I have seen so much money spent on unnecessary repairs by owners or shops that are not even qualified to work on them ..just seen one last week guy spent almost 2000 on something that never even fixed the problem to begin with then plus another few grand because they want to go cheap..dealers are a lot more specially BMW because we are certified and trained we pay for our schooling and always up to date on everything that is new. Cars nowadays are being made so an average mechanic can't work on the vehicle because they are more complex than you think..the rationality of the vehicles now are more complicated. .100 of modules, different gateways to be able to handle different speeds of communication with different computers and lots of sensors and actuators, bus systems and fiber optics..with that said trying to work on something you're not familiar with who knows what else can be damaged..ya it might be cheaper somewhere else because there's a reason they're cheaper. Cheaper part , cheaper quality of work and it leads to sometimes more problems than it really is..I am an ASE Master, Bmw diag tech and smog tech so I think I kinda know what I am talking about ..lol goodluck

You are 100% correct on new cars which is why i have specific year models as opposed to saying ALL BMWs. However, with the symptoms of white smoke out of the exhaust, it only takes moderate mechanical knowledge to know that it's a mechanical problem and not an electronic or electrical problem.
I spent 6 years in the military running security on computer networks and i have Cisco certified engineers that call me weekly asking for help. A certificate doesn't show competence. The certificate is a good reference and shows discipline and a willingness to learn. In my opinion, someone with almost 40 years of hands on experience is more than qualified to work on a BMW. Especially when they give you exact year models that they are comfortable with.
As a matter of fact, a local BMW dealer was just featured in an Internet investigation charging a customer $2000 for a new sun roof. The investigators hired a mechanic to place a rock in the track that was in plain sight. When the team questioned the service writer, he ran away... Lol. Just because they're a dealer doesn't mean they are honest.

[purdy]

There is no reason why you can't work on a 2006 your self. The reason BMW specialist other then dealers are cheaper is because if they had the same price as a dealer how would they get business? Also, a good reputable BMW specialist will have the same tools as the dealer, both for diagnostics and repairs. We can argue all day on who you should take it to, however we all know it's a waste of time. Also I think any good mechanic, certified or not will tell you to always start with the cheapest repair that applies. In this case, occasional white smoke, no discolored coolant or oil tells me the cheapest repair would be a CCV. High and to the right, and most expensive would be head gasket.