E36 BMW Diesel Questions
 

I just bought myself a 2000 BMW 320d with about 115000 miles, 136 hp (non Common-Rail). Gets around 40 mpg right now and 30 pulling a smaller 1500 pound trailer. It got a new turbo at 100000 miles and I was wondering if anyone knows if there´s a turbo timer and gauges for boost, oil temp etc. out there? I want it to last a few more miles so I thought it would be a good idea to get at least a turbo timer so the turbo won´t die because of heat. Oh, it´s got the (in)famous VP44 (though a search in the 2nd Gen forum might just do the trick), any hints to stop it from self destruct itself in the future might be helpful as well. Is there a BMW Diesel Forum out there?

Best regards,
Kris

the vp44s in every other application outside of dodge does just fine. don't read the dodge stories and apply it to your engine. mercedies and bmw use the vp44 quite reliably in their diesel cars.

I know, but in the 3 series the VP44 likes to quit at around 125000 miles. Maybe that´s just a tiny percentage of people having problems with it but I want to make sure it doesn´t die in the next few months :)

Everything stock....for now [duhhh]

theres really no way to know when its going to quit though.

It seems to be quite odd that it "just" quits. No one knows why it quits? Maybe I just put some money back for a new one if the one I have quits (I hope it doesn´t). At least there seems to be a lot of replacement pumps as almost every manufacturer used this pump pre Common-Rail. I´ll have to do some high speed (100-120mph --> Autobahn) 400 mile runs in the next 6 months and maybe afterwards as well. So I hope it won´t let me down.

well the "reasons" are lack of lubricating fuel volume and the electronics get cooked. or lack of fuel transfer pressure and the rotor and head seizes.