E39...Problem with a "valve" in engine...

[iielighii]

Hi everyone..I am new to this forum, and i have actually only owned my vehicle for about 8 months....anyways...there is a "valve" on the engine..when i lift my hood and look down at the engine it is on my left hand side..it isnt too big and is somewhat squared...it has some really skinny copper looking pipes which are connected to it and to the motor....I cant remember the name but i am told in controls the emissions in and out of engine...( i think)..and for the past few days i have noticed a wierd smell coming out of the area when i am idling at a stop sign or light...today i noticed smoke coming out....i am trying to get an estimate on replacing, but i dont know the name of this part..can anyone help me please???

[darkhorse737]

Originally Posted by iielighii

Hi everyone..I am new to this forum, and i have actually only owned my vehicle for about 8 months....anyways...there is a "valve" on the engine..when i lift my hood and look down at the engine it is on my left hand side..it isnt too big and is somewhat squared...it has some really skinny copper looking pipes which are connected to it and to the motor....I cant remember the name but i am told in controls the emissions in and out of engine...( i think)..and for the past few days i have noticed a wierd smell coming out of the area when i am idling at a stop sign or light...today i noticed smoke coming out....i am trying to get an estimate on replacing, but i dont know the name of this part..can anyone help me please???

what year and model is your E39?

the smoke.. is it exhaust smoke or does the smoke smell like "oil"? pic might help

[iielighii]

it is a 1999 bmw 528i....honestly im not the smartest when it comes to cars.. but it seems to not smell like either exhaust or oil....i just know it smells like something is burning..i actually had someone hook up the computer to my car a month or so back when the check engine light came on..and they told me that it was that valve...i didnt really experience any problems with it until recently...but i noticed the smoke was coming from that area where that valve is located.....
sorry no pic right now.. but here is a link i found on google..the valve is on the left hand side of where it says bmw on the engine..it is half gray half black with those skinny pipes coming out of it..

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3605/photob4mk1.jpg

[darkhorse737]

That is your ABS unit.(Anti-lock Brake System). the skinny pipes are your brake lines.

That has nothing to do with emissions.

To my mind, the only time it will smoke is :

1) when you have a short in the electrical circuit;
2) when the ABS motor burns ...OR,
3) a connection is leaking or a "skinny" pipe is cracked or broken - the fluid leaks and falls into the exhaust causing smoke.

Question: are u losing brake fluid????? If yes, there is your problem

[rashid]

Yes, he is right. It is the ABS unit which can not cause smoke.

The cause of the smoke is either exhaust or oil leakage. it will help if you identify the exact position of the smoke.