F8X S55 owners BEWARE!!!!

[jpy1980]

Originally Posted by jpy1980

Ok very odd.

I just got a call from my service advisor that after doing three leakdown tests that my car was fine and there were no leaks. They said to come by and pick up the car and everything should be fine.

Being late, I’ll pick it up in the morning and I’ll check when I get there.

Maybe something was loose and now it’s tight after they put everything together?

So odd as I have photos showing a noticeable loss of intercooler coolant overnight.

Thoughts?

Ok so, I got the car back from the dealer on 1/23 and they said that they did the leak down test and my cooler was not leaking and it was good to go. Fast forward to last night as I was driving home, I got a drive train malfunction error. I pulled the code and also felt my cooler and it wasn't cold. Checked the coolant level and it was empty. Ugh. See my photos that document the issue.

I am scheduled to go into service for this issue again next Tuesday. Till then the SA said to fill it up with distilled water. Bah! So annoying!

[THEROK]

Originally Posted by jpy1980

Ok so, I got the car back from the dealer on 1/23 and they said that they did the leak down test and my cooler was not leaking and it was good to go. Fast forward to last night as I was driving home, I got a drive train malfunction error. I pulled the code and also felt my cooler and it wasn't cold. Checked the coolant level and it was empty. Ugh. See my photos that document the issue.

I am scheduled to go into service for this issue again next Tuesday. Till then the SA said to fill it up with distilled water. Bah! So annoying!

If you want to know which LA service center I used, just hit me up in case you're not having good luck with yours.

[jpy1980]

Originally Posted by THEROK

If you want to know which LA service center I used, just hit me up in case you're not having good luck with yours.

Thanks! Initially I went to Beverly Hills bmw since that’s near my house but this time I’m going to Claudia at McKenna because I heard she’s pretty good.

We also spoke on the phone and she was very attentive and assuring.

[THEROK]

Originally Posted by jpy1980

Thanks! Initially I went to Beverly Hills bmw since that’s near my house but this time I’m going to Claudia at McKenna because I heard she’s pretty good.

We also spoke on the phone and she was very attentive and assuring.

She's cool. I'd also consider going with Israel. Good luck.

[jpy1980]

Originally Posted by THEROK

She's cool. I'd also consider going with Israel. Good luck.

Thank you! It’ll Be my first time there so we will see!

[WeekendWarriorz]

Originally Posted by THEROK

She's cool. I'd also consider going with Israel. Good luck.

Are they still warrantying work for modded cars there? I heard Claudia was after Charlie left but she's not on the forums.

[jpy1980]

Originally Posted by WeekendWarriorz

Are they still warrantying work for modded cars there? I heard Claudia was after Charlie left but she's not on the forums.

That’s why I’m going to her although my engine is not modified at all. I do have suspension bits though. Just want a SA who understands the process should I mod.

[THEROK]

Originally Posted by WeekendWarriorz

Are they still warrantying work for modded cars there? I heard Claudia was after Charlie left but she's not on the forums.

Can't really speak to this as the only issue that reared its ugly head has been the charge cooler.

They did f up my oil pan drain which left a nice puddle of engine oil overnight after I picked it up. They replaced with a new oil pan right away instead of trying to repair it.

While I was super annoyed about the sloppiness, Claudia did schedule me in right away to get it all sorted.

Call it a low bar, but I guess I have low expectations when it comes to strangers touching my cars. 99% don't give a damn even if they're paid to perform.

YMMV

[.2pdk]

Car noob here but does this also plague the N55 in the M2?

[hsosa86]

Originally Posted by .2pdk

Car noob here but does this also plague the N55 in the M2?

This would plague the S55 in the M2 Comp, not the N55 since it has a different intercooler.

[tom @ eas]

^^ Correct, no top mounted heat exchanger on N55.

[.2pdk]

Originally Posted by hsosa86

This would plague the S55 in the M2 Comp, not the N55 since it has a different intercooler.

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

^^ Correct, no top mounted heat exchanger on N55.

Thanks, bought the wife a 2018 and I find myself driving it all the time (came from a 1M) and love it.

Looking at getting myself one or the M2C but find the comp to be too much car for daily driver around the city (no tracking).

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by .2pdk

Car noob here but does this also plague the N55 in the M2?

No the N55 has a typical front mount air to air intercooler, far less efficient at cooling than the top mount air to water of the S55.

[.2pdk]

Originally Posted by hellrotm

No the N55 has a typical front mount air to air intercooler, far less efficient at cooling than the top mount air to water of the S55.

Less efficient and safer apparently...

[G4BR13L]

Originally Posted by .2pdk

Less efficient and safer apparently...

Less efficient is relative as it depends on the outside temperature and you cannot just install the IC anywhere but it sure as hell is a lot more reliable and simple. The S55 needs a coolant tank and a pump, all components that can break and that also consume more energy.

I am expecting a fantastic G8x car next year with hopefully for BMW a lot of lessons learned from the F8x.

[boglehead]

Originally Posted by jmciver

Guys, while it is a good idea to more periodically monitor the charge cooler expansion tank level as a result of the info provided in this thread (I do now), there is no need to "panic" if your level fluctuates a few "ticks" in the band, as read on the yellow indicator in the expansion tank. Keep in mind that the water capacity in this system is relatively small at 3.9 liters (compared to the engine coolant system which is a whopping 13.9 liters).

What this means is that small temperature changes can cause the level in the expansion tank to rise or lower a few "ticks" within the normal operating band as read on the yellow indicator (which is not designed to be very accurate in the first place). For example, my charge cooler is not leaking (knock on wood) and I had my expansion tank filled to just below the high level mark. When it got really cold these past few weeks (even in my garage - my engine coolant and oil temp got down to the mid 40's deg F after my car sat for a few days), the level in my charge cooler expansion tank was noticeably a few ticks lower, but still within band.

In other words, if you check your tank level when your engine is hot vs warm vs cold, you will see slight level changes in your expansion tank - but if your tank is not leaking, they should all still be in the normal operating band. In fact, it is a good idea to keep your expansion tank level at the low end of the band when the car is cold so that there is plenty of room for the coolant to expand when the car is at normal operating temperature and not overflow (which it can do). So unless you see a significant level drop over a short period of time (i.e. the expansion tank is dry or close to dry) then you should be fine.

Wanted to bump this helpful quote by jmciver to the front for everyone.

[Txipi84]

Originally Posted by G4BR13L

Less efficient is relative as it depends on the outside temperature and you cannot just install the IC anywhere but it sure as hell is a lot more reliable and simple. The S55 needs a coolant tank and a pump, all components that can break and that also consume more energy.

I am expecting a fantastic G8x car next year with hopefully for BMW a lot of lessons learned from the F8x.

I'm reading a lot of issues detected in the S55 engine: this is an example o the famous crack hub... and springs to my mind: is this engine so bad?

I mean, BMW decided to put this engine in an other model like M2C with a high expectations on sales so it would be risky if this engine was bad...

[G4BR13L]

Originally Posted by Txipi84

I'm reading a lot of issues detected in the S55 engine: this is an example o the famous crack hub... and springs to my mind: is this engine so bad?

I mean, BMW decided to put this engine in an other model like M2C with a high expectations on sales so it would be risky if this engine was bad...

It is a very good engine nevertheless. People usually complain online about issues, but it is a marginal number of cars that have issues.

[.2pdk]

Originally Posted by G4BR13L

I am expecting a fantastic G8x car next year with hopefully for BMW a lot of lessons learned from the F8x.

Hopefully but I wouldn't hold your breadth.

It seems every new M engine develops a litany of issues over time...

[G4BR13L]

Originally Posted by .2pdk

Hopefully but I wouldn't hold your breadth.

It seems every new M engine develops a litany of issues over time...

First M car with a straight-six engine and turbocharged so we could say that problems were expected. The G8x will also comes with issues considering that the S58 engine is based on the completely new (modular) B58 block, new means = new problems but like I said the engineers learned from the past. It is also positive the first cars with the S58 are going to be the X3M and X4M and about a year before the new M3/M4. So if there are issues we know about it beforehand.

[.2pdk]

Originally Posted by G4BR13L

First M car with a straight-six engine and turbocharged so we could say that problems were expected. The G8x will also comes with issues considering that the S58 engine is based on the completely new (modular) B58 block, new means = new problems but like I said the engineers learned from the past. It is also positive the first cars with the S58 are going to be the X3M and X4M and about a year before the new M3/M4. So if there are issues we know about it beforehand.

Good point about the X3M, hopefully you're right.

[icebiker]

In reading this thread and the other one about a blown motor, I can't tell whether this condition, when it happens, is an automatic motor killer or not. Seems that most who have experienced it have been able to rectify the problem with a new charge cooler but not necessarily suffer a catastrophic failure of the engine (assuming it's caught in time).

So is the guidance to check the IC reservoir periodically and, if it is unexpectedly empty, limp your way to dealer? Or flatbed it to avoid complicating the matter further until the charge cooler can be replaced ?