What have you done to your Elgrand today?

[LEE_89]

Attempted to replace the rear wheel bearing today with little success…
Thankfully I’ve not rounded any bolts or done any damage but I am a little concerned this is going to become a problem if my next two ideas don’t work. I got the hub nut off without issue using my Milwaukee M12 impact wrench after failing to get anywhere using a breaker bar but then was only able to get movement on one of the four bolts holding the bearing on, the other 3 are just not accessible enough with my standard socket and the drive shaft in the way.

After that failed I attempted to remove the whole carrier thingy but couldn’t get the nut on the ball joint to budge so once I’d broken my ratcheting spanner on that and my flexible socket adapter on the bearing bolts I decided to give up and order a stubby 19mm socket and impact swivel adapter in the hope that I can then access the remaining 3 bolts on the bearing and if that fails have another go on the ball joint nut with a new spanner and a length of pipe to get more leverage. Not sure what to do if neither of those things work so fingers crossed!

 

[Tino]

Yeah that's the plan, the black is coming off the mesh so might just get away with cleaning that off

 

[Reverend RobP]

Yeah that's the plan, the black is coming off the mesh so might just get away with cleaning that off

I think they came with silver mesh as standard, so probably been painted at some point. A nice close bash with a power washer might remove a lot of the black

 

[Tino]

Attempted to replace the rear wheel bearing today with little success…
Thankfully I’ve not rounded any bolts or done any damage but I am a little concerned this is going to become a problem if my next two ideas don’t work. I got the hub nut off without issue using my Milwaukee M12 impact wrench after failing to get anywhere using a breaker bar but then was only able to get movement on one of the four bolts holding the bearing on, the other 3 are just not accessible enough with my standard socket and the drive shaft in the way.

After that failed I attempted to remove the whole carrier thingy but couldn’t get the nut on the ball joint to budge so once I’d broken my ratcheting spanner on that and my flexible socket adapter on the bearing bolts I decided to give up and order a stubby 19mm socket and impact swivel adapter in the hope that I can then access the remaining 3 bolts on the bearing and if that fails have another go on the ball joint nut with a new spanner and a length of pipe to get more leverage. Not sure what to do if neither of those things work so fingers crossed!

Heat and penetration are your friends here. Use a good penetrant like Plus Gas A or Bilt Hamber Ferrosol. Wd isn't great but will work if you can't get other stuff. Heat the fittings and spray with penetration fluid, then heat again to drive the fluid in. Once it's soaked for a little while try tightening the nuts first before loosening them. Once moving, spray with penetrant and tighten back up to introduce more lubrication to the threads as you go

 

[Tino]

I think they came with silver mesh as standard, so probably been painted at some point. A nice close bash with a power washer might remove a lot of the black

Yeah it was fully chrome to start with good shout with the pressure washer

 

[LEE_89]

Heat and penetration are your friends here. Use a good penetrant like Plus Gas A or Bilt Hamber Ferrosol. Wd isn't great but will work if you can't get other stuff. Heat the fittings and spray with penetration fluid, then heat again to drive the fluid in. Once it's soaked for a little while try tightening the nuts first before loosening them. Once moving, spray with penetrant and tighten back up to introduce more lubrication to the threads as you go

I’ll give that a bloody good go, I do have a can of pen fluid but can’t remember the brand. Bit nervous about heating the ball joint nut too much as the rubber isn’t that far away but I can definitely get some heat on it without issue, the bearing bolts are fine to heat so it’s just whether the stubby socket gives enough space to fit the breaker bar onto the end as my standard socket didn’t

 

[LeStempy]

I had trouble with mine. The nut on top is crushed during manufacture so is a one use only. I had to grind it off.

 

[LEE_89]

I had trouble with mine. The nut on top is crushed during manufacture so is a one use only. I had to grind it off.

View attachment 122253

I had enough trouble with the split pin on that nut and ended up grinding that off as I just couldn’t get a grip on it to pull it out and the angle meant I couldn’t get a punch in there to push it out.. All the other nuts and bolts seemed to fairly easy to budge thankfully

 

[KingDavey]

Help please? My wife rang me earlier to say she’s had loss of power in her e51 with smoke coming out the exhaust. I’ve sprinted home and haven’t seen any smoke out the exhaust, I’ve not taken it for a drive as worried. But I plugged the cheapo diagnostic reader I bought and it has come up with these two codes. I can’t get hold of my local garage at the moment. Hoping someone on here can tell me if this is bad? ChatGPT is saying something about valve timing but that mean nothing to me

 

[Highway Dave]

Both vvt solenoids wouldn’t normally be at fault at the same time u less you have an oil pressure problem ( hopefully nothing internal)
First thing to do is check condition and level of engine oil .
What colour was the smoke ?
Do you know if any sensors have been changed ( cam sensors etc)
Hopefully simon @Lpgc will have some insight as he knows these units inside out and will “ hopefully “ know of some common issues

 

[Lpgc]

It could be bad... Loss of power with smoke out of the exhaust and cam sensor and/or VVT solenoid related error codes can all occur at the same time if a cat has failed. They're not necessarily cat related but it's the first thing I'd be wanting to check and rule out.

Other things that could cause similar include stuck open petrol injector(s), failed MAF or crank sensor.

 

[KingDavey]

Thanks for the quick replies @Highway Dave and @Lpgc
So I’ve checked the oil level from the dipstick and they was no oil on it at all, so I’ve put 500ml and still nothing showing, put another 500ml still nothing, put another 500ml and a little is showing. No signs of oil leak or anything. Not sure if I should put more oil
In again? I have the original front cats in but have had the rear removed and a new exhaust installed several months ago. Could say what colour the smoke was as the wife drives it mainly and is bloody useless

 

[Adam1990]

Help please? My wife rang me earlier to say she’s had loss of power in her e51 with smoke coming out the exhaust. I’ve sprinted home and haven’t seen any smoke out the exhaust, I’ve not taken it for a drive as worried. But I plugged the cheapo diagnostic reader I bought and it has come up with these two codes. I can’t get hold of my local garage at the moment. Hoping someone on here can tell me if this is bad? ChatGPT is saying something about valve timing but that mean nothing to me
View attachment 122263View attachment 122264

Is the smoke from the exhaust something new ? Or do I remember you posting before about smoke from the exhaust before?

What is the situation with the catalytic converters?

I would check your normal things first like oil, coolant, gearbox fluid ect …

I had the P0021 before when I had issues with a p0350 misfire code but cleared it and it never came back.

The exhaust “smoke” could be condensation as it’s getting to that time of year again where it’s more noticeable.

If you have a 3.5 at least changing cam sensors will be easy.

 

[Lpgc]

I wouldn't run it before checking the front cats are not blocked and topping the oil up.

You put 1.5L of oil in it before anything even showed on the stick, so would expect there'd only be around a litre of oil in it before you topped it up. Such low oil level could and would cause oil starvation which in itself could cause the cam solenoid related error codes but could obviously also cause damage to many other parts of the engine.

I've advised not running it until you've check cats and topped the oil up. If you have already run the engine since putting the 1.5L of oil in it then the new 1.5 of oil will have mixed with the small amount of old oil that was still in it - So I would then change the oil and oil filter.. and examine the oil you drained to see if there are any black, white or shiny bits in it.

 

[Tino]

Jeez Louise! 1.5l to show on the dip Simon's advice is always bang on

 

[P4ddy]

I do hope this isn't the cats.

 

[Highway Dave]

Decided to start rubbing down and painting the rear skirt whilst I have a gazebo on the garden.
Also sent for a mini tig welder as I have a leaking exhaust flexi ( my fault for leaving the bolt on one in place) , never used one so thought I’d give it a go

 

[P4ddy]

So I guess some of the conversation was about this

 

[KingDavey]

So when I got home tonight I put another 500 ml of oil in and now it’s showing as half up the dipstick, I went to start the car and just got a click, switched it off and on again still just a click, tried four or five times then on the last try it started fine. Crankshaft sensor?? Could this be the cause of my problems? If the front cats are breaking down and probably are won’t they just flow out the back of the exhaust as I don’t have any rear cats?

 

[Adam1990]

So when I got home tonight I put another 500 ml of oil in and now it’s showing as half up the dipstick, I went to start the car and just got a click, switched it off and on again still just a click, tried four or five times then on the last try it started fine. Crankshaft sensor?? Could this be the cause of my problems? If the front cats are breaking down and probably are won’t they just flow out the back of the exhaust as I don’t have any rear cats?

It would depend if the cat implodes from the front or the rear of it. If I remember from all the reading I done since owned my Elgrand, I have seen accounts from people saying either the back half of it gave way and some saying it went from the front.

Unfortunately even with the rears removed it's still as risk of blocking it's self up albeit a lower risk.