Hey mike thanks so much for spending time to write the above its been such a help. I am stuck i had BMWs all my life (mind you this is my first Petrol).
My Car is a 320i, N43, 2010.
I got this error 30C1 before, my mechanic said but it NEVER brought up the red symbol of "oil pressure low". Like you i have rang various garages and they ALL want to jump to the most expensive part and drop subframe/look in sump/change chain guides. I read on here IF i am lucky it could be a dodgy sensor like you it only came up when i braked sharp on motorway and it pinged up and ran rough. As your advice i dont have money to change everything at once nor do i think the car be worth the labour/parts to change every possible thing.
My plan is to let the garage diagnose the issue
1. The oil pressure low -If they cannot be sure what the EXACT part issue is, i will replace oil pressure sensor and Engine Oil Pressure Control Solenoid (i think this is what they call it??), maybe ask them to check oil filter see if thats ok.
Then check by taking on 10miles drive and see how it goes.
2. If above has not resolved issue then guides/shafts.
3. I will try putting in injector cleaner as a last minute cure see if it works or not. (probably will not)
4. Get some refurbished injectors and then trade it in to a new car.
I just cannot find any info how to test the sensors the error codes do not go into that detail for me.
we have the same engine , same year production!
let me tell you something.when red light oil pressure is on YOU MUSTN'T move the car. now i did risked to move the car bcs i was 100 miles away from home and bcs i had the knowledge that if the red light goes away and its not permanent on, then you can move the car.but even then you risk everything.its probably the most dangerous light this and the engine red light.meaning its something serious.and we are lucky bcs. in diesels the engine would have already been damaged.
now if you replace the sensors then do a highway trip for more than 60 miles and try to run full rpm so that the engine reaches 100 and more temp.why am i telling you this? my red light was on when i travelled for 100 miles and then stopped at a red light.this is the only time when the light popped. and not in all the red lights ,3-8 times.when i drove around suburbs ,not in too much traffic, it NEVER popped.its a very difficult problem to diagnose, its like the devil itself.
there isn't a safe, a sure method to measure these 2 buddies, sensor and oil valve.they might be good they might be bad.but its the first thing and cost less so thats why they replace it first.but if you have a more serious problem down there then moving the car after the replacement of the 2 buddies then you take a risk.
i am not so sure that my real problem last year was these 2 buddies.maybe the problem started last year and the 2 buddies were ok.you never know what mechanics are thinking.if you have no noise from engine inside ,chain noise, then its probably not the chain.but you can never be sure.i didn't know all these last year.but even if i knew i would do the same.because this is the right procedure and i said what the hell, if the car wants to break, then i will accept it.fix it and sell it.having a car like this ,even if it is a bmw its a pain in the ass.assistant help carried me 4 times in 1 year for all these problems.i had a fiat for 200.000 km and it carried me once bcs of fuel pump.
or do what a friend of mine did. he put it on adds and when someone wanted to buy it ,he told him ,its having a problems with the metals, shafts, i will make you a bargain for 1000 euros to replace them.the guy accepted it,he never replaced metals ,engine broke.he never told my friend a word.
i decided to keep the car and spend my money, i love the way it goes, i cant find the same joy in new cars.i have tested new cars from same category and cant find anything that good.but thats me. unless my engine cost more for taxes that will come up from new environmental rules, its discussed in European salons, and then i will go for electric.i would have gone bcs i love the way they move but autonomy here in Greece sucks big time.not sufficient number of electric stations supply all over country and electricity costs a lot nowadays too.
.its like a fixing racing between me and my friend
