Cleaning injectors at tick over?

[Duke Caboom]

My E46 330i had been in storage for 3 years, started periodically. It had just failed it's MOT, partly on the EML light being on (it wasn't on when it went on) Code reader shows missfires on 5 cylinders and "fuel trim bank permissable range exceeded" for bank 1 and 2.

Car drove fine on way back from MOT station.

AI suggests fuel pressure at maximum to overcome blocked injectors and therefore to add clean fuel and an injector cleaner.

Happy to do both but how can I get it to work - I can't drive an un mot'd car.

Would cleaner work if car is left ticking over? Feels like it might make things worse.

Or just fill up, clear the code and hope the light doesn't come back on during the year!

Any other suggestions?

[Simon_GH]

Book your re-test and hope it maintains the good running you saw on the way home from the initial MoT?

[E-bmw]

The fuel pressure is the fuel pressure with respect to vacuum pressure in the inlet manifold, so the same (relatively) regardless of revs.

Having said that, the actual fuel flow will obviously be different.

When you take it for a retest, go the long way & give it some beans with more revs in case it helps with more flow.

[lufbramatt]

Defo no vacuum leaks in the rubber boots after the Maf?

Checked the rubber caps on the back of the throttle body and the various vac hoses and connectors (does the e46 have the vac line to the fuel filter?)

Doubt it’s an injector issue tbh

When I had an annoying eml light on my e39 I tried loads of stuff, ended up being a dodgy crank sensor.

[GreenV8S]

If you've got widespread misfires I'd start by giving it a clean set of plugs and check the HT system carefully. You should also be able to take it through the same cycle the MOT test uses and see whether the EML light comes on again. Do also take up the other suggestion to get it thoroughly warmed up on the drive to the MOT station.

[steveo3002]

was there any stale fuel in it ?

[Duke Caboom]

steveo3002 said:

was there any stale fuel in it ?

Yes - fuel was 3 years old.

[E-bmw]

Duke Caboom said:

steveo3002 said:

was there any stale fuel in it ?

Yes - fuel was 3 years old.

You need to get that out & fresh fuel in then before starting anything that costs more money/time.

[Duke Caboom]

Well the injector cleaner and / or fresh fuel worked. So panic over.

[donkmeister]

Glad it's working.

Noting it had been sat for 3 years, do coils degrade in a reversible way? Just wondering if some accumulated moisture from hot/cold cycling could have been driven out by getting it hot.