Cyruskint

Hi. I have towed extensively with a caravan on a E91 330d and on two F31 330d’s. You are limited to 75kg nose weight for the tow bar assembly, which is more difficult to accommodate with the larger, modern caravans. Don’t be tempted to add something heavy to the back to bring the nose weight down as this can cause “dumbelling” (swinging). 1200kg vans are the heaviest I have towed with the cars, and the E91/F31 pull them with ease.

Hi. if the tyres were checked and are okay, then check all wheels for balance. Not ALL tyre garages do this well - old machines; failing to addd weights on the inside of the rim, etc., so may be worth trying a different garage.

Good write-up 👍 it’s worth pointing-out that not all engines have the injector-in-exhaust for regeneration. Such engines rely on squirting diesel fuel into the cylinders on the exhaust cycle; usually this burns on its way through the pre-catalyst and dpf........the downside is that some of this neat diesel finds its way into the sump to join your lube oil (and fuel isn’t a good thing). The other thing is that the dpf isn’t a full-flow device like a catalyst (try looking through one) and the exhaust has to pass through the walls of the honeycombed structure. Soot builds-up there and the backpressure builds. At a set point this should trigger a regeneration. Sadly, due to driving style these cycles are interrupted and the cycle is not completed (you may not even notice your car is doing a regen unless you hear crackling from the exhaust pipe or chance to burn your fingers on the exhaust tip! if your dpf is easy(ish) to remove, I have heard of good results from putting them in an ultrasonic bath.

Hi Martin. I bought a OEM metal DOG guard for my 2012 touring (now in my 2017 replacement) as the standard, pull-up net is really only a load restraint and not man enough for a determined hound! I assume here that you are referring to the net? Mike.

I suspect it’s the design of the (Bosch?) high pressure fuel pump, rather than engine-specific. I forget the model number, but the pump is lubricated by the fuel passing through it. As the pistons follow a cam profile, they are each fitted with a roller follower. One issue is that the piston is round and so (with no gudgeon pin as in an engine piston) it is possible for the piston to rotate in its bore. If it does this, the roller is no longer ROLLING around the cam, but rubbing across the top of it! This results in friction and the resulting swarf is then already IN the fuel supply and return.

Hi. I bought my Approved Used 330d Touring in March 2020. 950 miles later it did exactly what yours did. Lifted to BMW Dealers. Quote: “£900 please for a complete new fuel system as you have been using dirty fuel” and they showed me the swarf pictures. I denied abusing my expensive BMW and supplied them with three receipts for Esso fuel (all I used in 950 miles!) and after deliberation BMW repaired the car at their expense. The high pressure fuel pump had literally eaten itself - a well known issue in the USA - where the cylindrical roller follower rotates (it’s on the bottom of each pump piston) with the piston on no longer rotates as it follows the pump cam. The net result is friction and the hardened coating breaks away (aforementioned swarf) and enters the fuel and return pipes. In the US it was put down to dirty fuel, but this should not be an issue in the UK. Research the Net and Forums. I hope you get your problem resolved!