ZHP engine issues...

FC · 10-19-2005, 08:04 PM

For the first time in months I decided to go and lurk at the 'fest and see if any news on the ZHP had shown up over the past few months.

I cought a thread where people brought up the stalling and power drop @4K rpm. HACK had a great post in it. http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=115061

Regardless, I must be one lucky SOB, because I had a March '03 build car and I have never stalled at idle and have never had any kind of perceptible power dip @4K rpm.

I did (do - but less now) experience revs dipping at idle ocassionally and seems like it wants to stall but never does.

I did ask them to upgrade the software to a version I had read cured this (this is now several months back). Unlike others who claim their car now has less power and a lower redline, I don't see much improvement, but no negative effects either. Except for one: On a cold start I feel when applying gas in the first 20 seconds or so, just off idle, it seems like the engine is not getting fuel. Brought the car in for service and brought it up. They caught it but told me it's the software and they do not yet have a solution. Whatever, it doesn't bother me. It would bother me though if in trying to fix that, they F-up my car's performance with this apparent latest "fix."

Fuck, I should have just left it alone. I surely am going to now, before they mess with it even more.

---------

OT: On cold starts, my 330i produces a loud chirp for the first few feet as it's moving. Then it goes a way for good.

I am not worried about it. Should I be? It sounds like a belt or a bearing, but what the hell do I know? I'm willing to live with it unless you guys think otherwise.

bren · 10-19-2005, 08:41 PM

Doesn't the ZHP have hotter cams? That would explain the lopey idle....the M3 does the same thing when it's first started.

The chirp on startup is most likely the belt tensioners. I believe there is a SIB on them.

SCA · 10-19-2005, 09:32 PM

My E46 330Ci (June 2000 build) had a stall issue. If it was finally resolved and afterwards the car appeared to have lost some power and the throttle (DBW) was not as responsive as before.

operknockity · 10-20-2005, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean

My E46 330Ci (June 2000 build) had a stall issue. If it was finally resolved and afterwards the car appeared to have lost some power and the throttle (DBW) was not as responsive as before.

When they did the software update to fix the stalling problem in my 2002 325i, I didn't notice any power loss. Nor did the DBW seem to be less repsonsive. But it did get finnickier in the lower gears, especially getting in to first from a standstill.

FC · 10-20-2005, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bren

The chirp on startup is most likely the belt tensioners. I believe there is a SIB on them.

Seems to make sense. I'll bring it up next week when I drop off the car to get an inspection sticker and new wiper blades.

Thanks!

This morning I did a bunch of ~3000 - ~5000 rpm runs and I cannot notice any "dip." I also brought it to the 6800rpm redline and it pulled smoothly all the way there. Yup, I am leaving it alone re: the software.

ff · 10-20-2005, 08:55 AM

It's hard to believe it'd be this flippin' difficult to make an engine that doesn't exhibit stalling, or any strange acceleration. Especially when the issue has now been known for 2.5 years.

I still kick myself (over and over) for ever selling the first 330i that I bought, for the "ZHP". 2nd dumbest thing I've ever done.

John V · 10-20-2005, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ff

It's hard to believe it'd be this flippin' difficult to make an engine that doesn't exhibit stalling, or any strange acceleration. Especially when the issue has now been known for 2.5 years.

I still kick myself (over and over) for ever selling the first 330i that I bought, for the "ZHP". 2nd dumbest thing I've ever done.

Ken just bought a low-mile '03 S2000, which has an occasional rough idle that also surges at times. Surfing s2ki, this is a pretty common problem with those cars as well.

Rob · 10-20-2005, 12:54 PM

Mmm, hotter cams. Sometimes the V feels like it's shaking itself apart at idle. Other times its pretty smooth. It's a feature you learn to love.

I thought they solved the stalling issue. Maybe that was the MINI S.

ff · 10-20-2005, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

Ken just bought a low-mile '03 S2000, which has an occasional rough idle that also surges at times. Surfing s2ki, this is a pretty common problem with those cars as well.

That's the first I've heard of it.

ZBB · 10-20-2005, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwg

I thought they solved the stalling issue. Maybe that was the MINI S.

I'm not aware of a MINI S stall issue. There was a cold start issue on the '02s (which is what we have) -- It would start and immediately stall, then the 2nd start would take 5-10 seconds of turning the starter before the engine would catch for good. The most annoying thing about it was that the issue had been ID'd and the software fix was ready, but the dealers didn't have a way to get the software into the car. We had to wait about 6 weeks from the first time we took it in until it could be installed. Once the new software was in, we also noticed that the engine responded better below ~2500 rpm (its still sluggish below that, but better than it was before that upgrade).

We are experiencing a rough idle right now on the MINI... need to take it in...

10-19-2005, 08:04 PM	#1
FC Solving problems Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4 Location: Metro Boston Posts: 25,264	ZHP engine issues... For the first time in months I decided to go and lurk at the 'fest and see if any news on the ZHP had shown up over the past few months. I cought a thread where people brought up the stalling and power drop @4K rpm. HACK had a great post in it. http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=115061 Regardless, I must be one lucky SOB, because I had a March '03 build car and I have never stalled at idle and have never had any kind of perceptible power dip @4K rpm. I did (do - but less now) experience revs dipping at idle ocassionally and seems like it wants to stall but never does. I did ask them to upgrade the software to a version I had read cured this (this is now several months back). Unlike others who claim their car now has less power and a lower redline, I don't see much improvement, but no negative effects either. Except for one: On a cold start I feel when applying gas in the first 20 seconds or so, just off idle, it seems like the engine is not getting fuel. Brought the car in for service and brought it up. They caught it but told me it's the software and they do not yet have a solution. Whatever, it doesn't bother me. It would bother me though if in trying to fix that, they F-up my car's performance with this apparent latest "fix." Fuck, I should have just left it alone. I surely am going to now, before they mess with it even more. --------- OT: On cold starts, my 330i produces a loud chirp for the first few feet as it's moving. Then it goes a way for good. I am not worried about it. Should I be? It sounds like a belt or a bearing, but what the hell do I know? I'm willing to live with it unless you guys think otherwise.

10-19-2005, 08:41 PM	#2
bren lawn boy Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: e46m3, f25x3,C5 Z06, C4 Vette, 06 CTD Ram, and a trailer Location: Maryland Posts: 14,029	Doesn't the ZHP have hotter cams? That would explain the lopey idle....the M3 does the same thing when it's first started. The chirp on startup is most likely the belt tensioners. I believe there is a SIB on them.

10-19-2005, 09:32 PM	#3
SCA Jaded Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 9,048	My E46 330Ci (June 2000 build) had a stall issue. If it was finally resolved and afterwards the car appeared to have lost some power and the throttle (DBW) was not as responsive as before.

10-20-2005, 08:55 AM	#6
ff . Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 13,514	It's hard to believe it'd be this flippin' difficult to make an engine that doesn't exhibit stalling, or any strange acceleration. Especially when the issue has now been known for 2.5 years. I still kick myself (over and over) for ever selling the first 330i that I bought, for the "ZHP". 2nd dumbest thing I've ever done.

10-20-2005, 12:54 PM	#8
Rob The user formerly known as rwg Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: Z4 Location: Vegas baby! Posts: 8,261	Mmm, hotter cams. Sometimes the V feels like it's shaking itself apart at idle. Other times its pretty smooth. It's a feature you learn to love. I thought they solved the stalling issue. Maybe that was the MINI S.