E46 - current issues (window & cat content)
Discussion
Hi all,
My venerable e46 330 Touring 6sp is still carrying on like a trooper - 190k and frilly rear arches make it not worth spending huge amounts on sadly, but it’s a great all-rounder.
2 things I could use PH expertise on:
1. Passenger window very slow going up and the occasional nasty noise. Had the door card off today and can’t see anything obvious, but I figure a new regulator will probably sort it - what are the ebay pattern ones like? Would I be better off with a second hand genuine one (gut feeling is that they will either have had a hard life and be close to failing or barely moved and be almost seized)
2. Check engine light came on a couple of months ago - code came up as P0420 “catalytic converter bank 1 low efficiency”.
Checked out a 50sKid video on YT - he seems to think it’s quite a cut & dried code and you need a new cat. I previously had an evap purge valve issue causing lean running but I didn’t drive it much like this - don’t know if this could have goosed the cat. However, he had a good way of testing it: run the engine so it’s hot, then check the pre-cat and post-cat O2 sensor readings. Pre-cat should be varying between 0.2v and 0.9v, and post cat should be about 0.7v steady (indicating it’s working). If the post cat is varying like the pre-cat then the cat is knackered and not doing it’s job.
Tested it (my code reader graphs live data) and the readings were as they should be, so I’m at a loss really. Is it worth replacing the O2 sensors? Gut says not as they seem to be returning correct results. I also don’t know what triggered the light if all seems good…
What further tests can I do? If I put it into a garage I am sure they’ll say it needs a new cat which will effectively write off the car. I could buy an ebay one (seem to be £300+ for genuine used) but it’s an expensive punt if it makes no difference and I’ll have to pay a garage to fit it as it’s a pig to do apparently. Could easily end £600 in with no improvement.
I initially cleared the code hoping it was a temporary aberration but it came back a couple of weeks later. Seems to be running fine, good mpg. If it’s one of those codes that needs a few cold starts to reoccur I could potentially just run the car and reset it before each MOT but I’m not a big fan of that.
Thoughts?
My venerable e46 330 Touring 6sp is still carrying on like a trooper - 190k and frilly rear arches make it not worth spending huge amounts on sadly, but it’s a great all-rounder.
2 things I could use PH expertise on:
1. Passenger window very slow going up and the occasional nasty noise. Had the door card off today and can’t see anything obvious, but I figure a new regulator will probably sort it - what are the ebay pattern ones like? Would I be better off with a second hand genuine one (gut feeling is that they will either have had a hard life and be close to failing or barely moved and be almost seized)
2. Check engine light came on a couple of months ago - code came up as P0420 “catalytic converter bank 1 low efficiency”.
Checked out a 50sKid video on YT - he seems to think it’s quite a cut & dried code and you need a new cat. I previously had an evap purge valve issue causing lean running but I didn’t drive it much like this - don’t know if this could have goosed the cat. However, he had a good way of testing it: run the engine so it’s hot, then check the pre-cat and post-cat O2 sensor readings. Pre-cat should be varying between 0.2v and 0.9v, and post cat should be about 0.7v steady (indicating it’s working). If the post cat is varying like the pre-cat then the cat is knackered and not doing it’s job.
Tested it (my code reader graphs live data) and the readings were as they should be, so I’m at a loss really. Is it worth replacing the O2 sensors? Gut says not as they seem to be returning correct results. I also don’t know what triggered the light if all seems good…
What further tests can I do? If I put it into a garage I am sure they’ll say it needs a new cat which will effectively write off the car. I could buy an ebay one (seem to be £300+ for genuine used) but it’s an expensive punt if it makes no difference and I’ll have to pay a garage to fit it as it’s a pig to do apparently. Could easily end £600 in with no improvement.
I initially cleared the code hoping it was a temporary aberration but it came back a couple of weeks later. Seems to be running fine, good mpg. If it’s one of those codes that needs a few cold starts to reoccur I could potentially just run the car and reset it before each MOT but I’m not a big fan of that.
Thoughts?
Thanks chaps - just watched a couple of vids on cat cleaning - upshot is that it doesn’t do anything. I have seen suggestions that changing the downstream O2 sensor might solve it, or an exhaust blow can cause it. Either way a new cat is not on the cards, the car’s just not worth the outlay so resetting and forgetting seems to be a good plan. Will do the live data test again tomorrow though out on interest.
helix, that’s great I’d appreciate if you could have a look - I see loads of breakers have them but a known good one would be great. Maybe I’ll actually take the regulator out tomorrow and see if I can see the problem but I’d like a spare that I can chuck in if it’s knackered as if I can’t get it all back together the car has to sit out on the road with a window held up with gaffer tape
helix, that’s great I’d appreciate if you could have a look - I see loads of breakers have them but a known good one would be great. Maybe I’ll actually take the regulator out tomorrow and see if I can see the problem but I’d like a spare that I can chuck in if it’s knackered as if I can’t get it all back together the car has to sit out on the road with a window held up with gaffer tape
NiceCupOfTea said:
Thanks chaps - just watched a couple of vids on cat cleaning - upshot is that it doesn’t do anything. I have seen suggestions that changing the downstream O2 sensor might solve it, or an exhaust blow can cause it. Either way a new cat is not on the cards, the car’s just not worth the outlay so resetting and forgetting seems to be a good plan. Will do the live data test again tomorrow though out on interest.
helix, that’s great I’d appreciate if you could have a look - I see loads of breakers have them but a known good one would be great. Maybe I’ll actually take the regulator out tomorrow and see if I can see the problem but I’d like a spare that I can chuck in if it’s knackered as if I can’t get it all back together the car has to sit out on the road with a window held up with gaffer tape
I’ll have a rummage for a reg.helix, that’s great I’d appreciate if you could have a look - I see loads of breakers have them but a known good one would be great. Maybe I’ll actually take the regulator out tomorrow and see if I can see the problem but I’d like a spare that I can chuck in if it’s knackered as if I can’t get it all back together the car has to sit out on the road with a window held up with gaffer tape
helix402 said:
1. Pattern E46 window regulators are rubbish. Even a used old one is better. If you want me to check if I have one in my E46 spares collection send me a pm.
2. Cat code, clear it ignore it. M54s love an emissions code.
^^^2. Cat code, clear it ignore it. M54s love an emissions code.
This
The rear windows in my E39 weren't for coming down well, one not at all!
Door cards off; liberal amounts of silicone and see if that helps (it did me, there was nothing damaged). A few taps on the drum helped a lot too (probably full of crud)
If there's nothing damaged; it could just be a lot of crud in there; give the runners and the channels in the door trim where the glass slides up a good spray of silicone too, that can really help
Deffo stick with OEM if you can; aftermarket ones are crap, I do know that!
Thanks again. Was really tricky to get to the regulator in situ and I can't see what needs lubing, is it worth taking it out to do it properly? Closing it yesterday there was a bang and it dropped half an inch. Still seems to be working though. I'm fairly convinced it'll need replacing though.
Regarding the cat, just took it for a run to get it nice and hot - using the 50sKid test, sat at 3k RPM and monitored the before cat and after cat O2 voltages. Before cat cycles as expected, after cat, whilst it’s not bouncing up and down, it’s not a flat 0.7v (more like varying between 0.5 and 0.7. Dunno if that’s normal or if it’s f
ked, so I guess I’ll just keep resetting the light. Could replaced the O2 sensors I suppose but feel like it’s probably throwing money away…
ked, so I guess I’ll just keep resetting the light. Could replaced the O2 sensors I suppose but feel like it’s probably throwing money away…The noise will be strands of cable graunching about before it finally breaks. E46 regulators also love to break where the cable locates into the plastic/metal brackets that bolt onto the bottom of then window. I've not had a problem with aftermarket regulators myself but before fitting a used one, I'd fit a couple of reinforcing tiewraps to each bracket. You want to do this job once only.
See pic 15 here: https://www.impee.co.uk/windowregulator_repair.htm
Plenty of spray grease around the cable, rollers etc so it's well lubed. They're pretty poor tbh and need all the help they can get. Use a slim 1/4 inch drive socket for the regulator to window bolts and a bit of masking tape to hold the nuts in place when reassembling.
Clear the engine warning light and fault codes in the MOT station car park after you've given it a decent caning all the way there.
I do not miss working on E46's one bit.
See pic 15 here: https://www.impee.co.uk/windowregulator_repair.htm
Plenty of spray grease around the cable, rollers etc so it's well lubed. They're pretty poor tbh and need all the help they can get. Use a slim 1/4 inch drive socket for the regulator to window bolts and a bit of masking tape to hold the nuts in place when reassembling.
Clear the engine warning light and fault codes in the MOT station car park after you've given it a decent caning all the way there.
I do not miss working on E46's one bit.
Passenger window regulator. +1 on the cable about to snap, OEM second hand would be my way forward, as it's the N/S probably not had as much use and won't get so much in future either, so pattern would also be OK.
The cat issue. These can throw codes for all sorts of reasons, cat failure I would say was quite unlikely, they like a new set of O2 sensors, but less likely could also be an air leak on the inlet side.
The cat issue. These can throw codes for all sorts of reasons, cat failure I would say was quite unlikely, they like a new set of O2 sensors, but less likely could also be an air leak on the inlet side.
Many thanks all - just finished replacing the regulator with a good used one (thanks helix). As a couple of people had surmised, it was one of the metal/plastic brackets where it locates on the cable, it had just sheared, so the window was being dragged up just by the other one. Spray greased the rollers and pulleys and fitted (forgot the zip ties but TBH I’ve done much worse jobs on cars so if/when it breaks again I reckon I could have it done in an hour). Worst bit was dicking about with the airbag!
NiceCupOfTea said:
Many thanks all - just finished replacing the regulator with a good used one (thanks helix). As a couple of people had surmised, it was one of the metal/plastic brackets where it locates on the cable, it had just sheared, so the window was being dragged up just by the other one. Spray greased the rollers and pulleys and fitted (forgot the zip ties but TBH I’ve done much worse jobs on cars so if/when it breaks again I reckon I could have it done in an hour). Worst bit was dicking about with the airbag!
Good job. I chucked a few little spares in too (rear top mount washers and some nuts/clips)Hi all, thread back from the dead.
Driver's side regulator gone the same way - I can't track down a good used regulator, loads of patterns ones on ebay - just wondering if any are less awful than any others??
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171115930551?fits=Car+M...
Driver's side regulator gone the same way - I can't track down a good used regulator, loads of patterns ones on ebay - just wondering if any are less awful than any others??
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171115930551?fits=Car+M...
I used to fit loads of these, and the cheap ebay regulators are no less rubbish than OE ones.
If the cable hasn't frayed or broken and it's just the ferrule on the cable that's broken out of the plastic bracket, two hefty cable ties on each bracket fixes them. I used to add the cable ties to new ones anyway as a kind of reinforcement.
If the cable hasn't frayed or broken and it's just the ferrule on the cable that's broken out of the plastic bracket, two hefty cable ties on each bracket fixes them. I used to add the cable ties to new ones anyway as a kind of reinforcement.
I-am-the-reverend said:
I used to fit loads of these, and the cheap ebay regulators are no less rubbish than OE ones.
If the cable hasn't frayed or broken and it's just the ferrule on the cable that's broken out of the plastic bracket, two hefty cable ties on each bracket fixes them. I used to add the cable ties to new ones anyway as a kind of reinforcement.
Fitted a cheapo ebay one yesterday and it seems every bit as good as the BMW one I fitted before. Cut my hand open obviously but it was on the BMW car rather than the Chinese regulator If the cable hasn't frayed or broken and it's just the ferrule on the cable that's broken out of the plastic bracket, two hefty cable ties on each bracket fixes them. I used to add the cable ties to new ones anyway as a kind of reinforcement.
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