'09 R56S owner here. I got my car at 10k miles at 2010 and have some ups and downs since then. I fixed every single problem, small, big, doesn't matter. I am a happy and proud owner.

But, here is the but, since i got this car, infamous super knocking is there. It happens more often when intake temps are higher but cold isn't necessarily a cure either. After driving her, let's say, "economically" for a couple of miles, if i need to overtake someone at higher gear at somewhere around 2k rpm, pedal to the metal, 3.5k rpm, super knock happens. Couple of metal noises, big cough and then goes like nothing happened. If you try this one more time after this knock, it's not gonna come back, unless you go back to drive her "economically" for some miles.

I have done every possible solution that i read from the internet and this forum (except meth injection), I even read some academical papers. Some say carbon clean is the way to go (been there done that), some say hpfp (again, no fix), chain, tensioner and guard rails (no luck), coils and plugs (this fixes for a couple of hundred miles, but after that, nope), higher octane fuel (no), capped off the pcv (nope, though done this without catch can, so removed the caps quickly after seeing that it wasn't a fix) I even changed my injectors and removed my cat converter. None of these fixed the problem.

Now, she is at 130k miles with at least one super knock code cleaned per week but she is still going strong. But because of the fact that she is growing older, I feel that it's time to fix this problem once and for all.

I am planning to take her back to my ecu guy (remap was not the cause btw, super knocking has been there before the remap) and tell him to remap her with somewhat richer approach. From what i read, leaner map means knock (considering it also means more compression). So maybe, going richer than stock around that rpm range (I really don't have a clue how remapping procedure gets done) might be the fix? Or maybe CAI for somewhat colder intake temps? Just speculating here.

What do you guys think? Please let me know if you have some other way around or even thought about this matter.

Thank you for your time.

 

I would clean the vanos cam gear, replace the vans solenoid( very inexpensive) and recheck the cam timing. Everything you stated falls in line with many cars here, but its a constant balance. Many cars have required 3 x timing chains within your miles of 130,xxx. These cars are never one and done repairs- more like 2-3 of everything over the years is required.
Keep at it!

 

yes, changed chain and guard rails 2 times and tensioner 3 times already.

i will take a look at vanos, the problem might be there, and also re check the timing (i don't think that's the problem though). thank you for the help.

 

When the ECU is setting full trims and timing its electrical. When the Vanos and cam gear is potentially delayed with an oil supply and mechanical adjustment - the timing gets out of whack. The ask and the demand and the supply are not synched. This can cause overboost, the clicking you mention and of course the smoke out the exhaust when the system tries to settle itself. Ultimately, your fix may indeed by dyno and software supported. But it will also require that all the repairs that you have already done are still in perfect condition. Its interesting that with direct injection that the prince N14 engines are still at 10.5:1 compression. Historically there are many examples of turbo cars running 8.5:1 or 9. There are many engine build threads with RMW and others that reference using a closed deck block or cast iron cylinder sleeves machined into the existing N14 block - all in efforts to get more power and more stable platform.
Im very intrigued by that approach. When the factory replacement crate motors were $3995 a few years ago it didn't matter much if these engines failed early. Now that the same outdated inventory is over $12k from some dealers - it creates pause. Why spend all the money to put in a design that we already know will fail?
This is where the aftermarket is stepping up and offering more power, better options and choices with cams and pistons - and the dyno sheets and engineering to back it up. Id rather support the small race shop that is doing the RR to come up with amazing results. Clearly BMW/Mini is blowing it by over pricing their inventory and putting their margin ahead of their loyal customers and loosing repeated business. Even at 5k at the dealer - many people would opt for new engines in their R56 cars with 100-150k miles. sadly they are missing the boat.
The future is clearly with aftermarket rebuild/platforms using the latest technology with 250-300 HP engines that are reliable and fun. Many times, these will end up being less expensive than the repeated failure and repairs people are experiencing trying to keep their R56 in proper repair and on the road.

 

Does your water pump drive off the back side of the belt with a tensioner pulley? That pulley is supposed to have a rubber tread around it but it that comes off you get a stupendous metal knocking noise that comes and goes, especially when you let off the accelerator. Just throwing that out there, "knocking" can mean different things.

 

Can you elaborate? Here is the OEM friction wheel that nests up against pulley. Belt has contact on the outside.

 

Yes, this piece rides on the water pump pulley (and the back of the belt drives it) - does the water pump pulley have rubber on it or is it bare metal because the rubber flew off?

 

Looks like it it has a bonded surface

 

How are you reading the codes? I can't recall the last time I've seen a car in with just super knocking codes. I think I'd start off with finding a quality scan tool that will pull manufacturer codes and report back with what it pulls.

 

I am using carlyforbmwpro to scan codes. No other codes are registered except catalytic conversion.

 

update for those who have the same problems.

replaced vanos solenoid, cleaned vanos cam gear, replaced timing chain and tensioner, replaced valve cover, blocked off rear pcv, added catch can with a filter to the turbo side, switched to an oil with a highest possible flashing point (mobil1 5-30 esp). none of them is cure.

hpfp is too damn expensive (without any sign of going bad, i had no intention to change it even if i have the money. i mean no fault codes, very good idling etc) and i am very bored at this point. this is where i am stopping to throw away my money for this piece of crap of an engine.

 

Try a 15oz bottle Lucas Octane booster and see if that helps.


https://lucasoil.com/products/fuel-t...octane-booster

 

here is an another update, even though acceleration is still wavy at wot (i think hpfp is the problem here) super knocking seems to be fixed.

rear pcv delete, occ at turbo side and good oil with very high flash point (mobil1 5-30 esp in turkey) seems to be the fix here.

 

Have you asked dealer to go beyond the 120,000? They just did mine, but @60,000.

I had the same super knocking on acceleration after even highway cruising. Before and after Manic Stage 2. It would get better after walnut blast, but only after going to cooler plugs did it seem to go away- but it just went again recently, with really hot temps for Portland, OR, and I'm tuned for 92 and cooler temps I think. I'm going to keep an eye on it.

What about a can of octane booster for these hot months? Are they junk? I can't get higher octane nearby, but I'm using non ethanol premium 92. Is that even worth it?

I am considering water/meth, both for coking and to prevent knocking- my car is like new except all my mods and if meth will help the engine...I have a warranty for about 40,000 more miles.

I'll keep following!