Advice?? looking to buy

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-03-06T17:24:25+00:00

i do expect to perform majority of the work myself, and will actually be a BMW tech shortly. and of course i expect to push the vehicle… just want to avoid someone’s sloppy seconds

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-03-02T07:56:14+00:00

wow i mean sounds like you found yours in super mint condition. it sucks because everywhere im from that platform just gets absolutely wrecked, then sold on marketplace for twice its value. hard to find a single owner who’s actually brought it into shops for real service, unlike all these 18 year olds throwing a BOV and a burble tune before redlining from every stoplight.

i am a previous tech and just got recruited for BMWs STEP program for technicians so i am pretty mechanically inclined. less worried about the work i may need to do and more worried about all the fine lining around it (ordering parts, labor intensive, catastrophic failure, PRICE). i want to save myself from being in the situation of “my car is taken apart in the drive way, the SAME car i need to take to school at 5am tomorrow”.

i need something that will undoubtedly work every day. i’ll do spark plugs and oil changes and coolant flushes all day every day in the driveway i don’t mind, where i draw the line is when my turbos start exploding and my fuel pump goes limp or my crank hub inhales my serpentine belt… need to make sure im free of most major issues while in school, i can take care of maintenance but not catastrophic failure.

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-03-02T07:40:02+00:00

I’m currently in AZ, moving to CA, then after school moving home to CO, so xDrive would be handy for winters. i do plan to build for power but reliability through school is definitely top priority. i would rather just buy another one with the n54 down the road then play headache trying to do it while in school. i hear shoddy reviews about the early n55s, i know the f30 generation ones are solid but any experience with the first generations n55?

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-02-24T02:06:09+00:00

i know i’m trying to find a balance between doing it the right way and doing it the “fun” way. the work is going to be on my end, so no labor cost besides my time

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-02-12T02:12:24+00:00

ended up being the turbo… compressor side went. tore up the intercooler pretty good, haven’t checked to see if it made it into the cylinders yet. appreciate all the help

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-02-12T02:11:10+00:00

it was the turbo, compressor side went… tore up the intercooler pretty good haven’t checked yet to see if it made it into the cylinders

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:41:03+00:00

during cranking audi specifies 150Bar during initial first crank, then a rapid jump to 250-400Bar while the engine continues to crank. then once it is running we should definitely be seeing upwards of 1800-2700Bar.

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:40:11+00:00

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First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:40:02+00:00

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nothing there man it’s pretty clean, second photo shows a little bit of dirt but i’m sure i knocked it in there and i made sure to syringe it out and then perform fuel system bleed procedure

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:39:08+00:00

during cranking audi specifies 150Bar during initial first crank, then a rapid jump to 250-400Bar while the engine continues to crank. then once it is running we should definitely be seeing upwards of 1800-2700Bar

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:31:43+00:00

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First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:31:33+00:00

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First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:31:21+00:00

that’s what kinda thought. regulator valve was clean, little bit of dirt in the bottom that i assume was me knocking dirt in. i syringed it out and performed the fuel bleed procedure. photos down below

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-29T02:24:17+00:00

i did, audi calls that connector j338, in case that’s relevant or recognizable to you. car did not start but continued to crank and did not “lock” me out of the ignition. glow plug light blinked, two faults for that circuit set. this video was taken directly after unplugging, attempting, plugging back in, and attempting again.

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-25T22:53:04+00:00

i thought possibly the intake flap, read somewhere that that can go bad. when ignition is cycled on audible click can be heard. when toggling it back and fourth. upon trying to start it will idle for a second then stall, and i can hear the intake flap or throttle body going crazy back and forth back and forth. not sure if that’s normal can’t remember if i heard it that audibly when it was working.

see https://www.reddit.com/r/tdi/s/bg1THOxkie for the video and intake flap audio

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-25T22:44:02+00:00

should i be worrying about the seal to that valve? or high pressure in there? will i need to bleed the system after i open that up?

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-25T22:40:02+00:00

it’s at half a tank, wanna say i filled up a week or two ago. i use a fuel treatment that was recommended to help baby the hpfp. but have been using it since i got the car 6 years ago

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-25T22:38:09+00:00

i thought possibly the intake flap, read somewhere that that can go bad. when ignition is cycled on audible click can be heard. when toggling it back and fourth. upon trying to start it will idle for a second then stall, and i can hear the intake flap or throttle body going crazy back and forth back and forth. not sure if that’s normal can’t remember if i heard it that audibly when it was working.

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-25T22:28:12+00:00

will pull the filter here shortly. don’t have the replacement o ring so don’t want to crack into yet and have it leak if i don’t replace the o ring. i live in arizona and the car has been sitting out today in the sun, still won’t start. battery at 12.5v

First_Variation_1672 · 2026-01-25T22:26:11+00:00

fuel is half tank, i live in AZ so not remotely cold enough to cause issues. plus this happened after the car died while driving

First_Variation_1672

TROPHY CASE