M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: hootis on January 26, 2012, 12:58:39 PM
-
ok so my car most of the time wont have a consistently steady idle. most of the time i varies between 500 and 1000rpm. when it is idling fine it throws a CEL. ive done the mess under the intake and just installed a brand new bosch ICV and nothings changed. Any suggestions?
-
Those symptoms would usually indicate a vacuum leak. If you addressed all vacuum leaks already and are pretty sure its good, maybe the throttle body needs a cleaning. I dont think it would thro a code tho. the oxygen sensor being bad would thro a code, and would probably affect the idle too.
Geoff
-
yea cause i work for a vw dealer and i was gonna bring her in and smoke test it just to double check for leaks but idk
-
was this ever solved?
My car is doing the same thing, but sporadically.
It doesn't always have the bouncy idle, but when it does it bounces between 500 and 1000 rpm.
Normally at a healthy idle around 8-900 rpm.
Any input?
-
not yet. after i ran a smoke test found my intake tube leaking horribly. replaced and its still doing it. replacing temp sensor this weekend. im gonna smoke test it again and post my findings.
-
idle air control,i have that problem.
-
u see i have three icvs and they are all ok. ones brand new bosch. didnt do anything for my idle. ive fixed wat i can see to be all of my vacuum leaks. so im moving on to either the throttle body of the afm.
-
Remove the afm clean it interior with carb cleaner making sure that the air flow sensor bulb is very clean and then lube the door with WD 40.
-
also have to both temp sensors and a new radiator on the way since i have cracked the spot where my bleeder screw goes. they should be in in the next few weeks. maybe thatll help at this point its anyones guess
-
Did you do the stomp test yet? You might have a problem with the AFM or the TPS. You've fixed the vac leaks, that's the most common trouble. There's a few other things that set up the idle correctly...could even just be a misaligned or sticky throttle plate.
-
I'm going to try cleaning the AFM and throttle plates on mine. the car never stalls, but it never goes to its regular 750rpm idle either, it drops below that kinda shakes for a second then bounces back to 750. literally every vacuum hose has been replaced and the car has had a full tune up. still does it..runs fine tho.
Geoff
-
Try the stomp test. It might just be as easy as a loose wire or TPS out of adjustment.
-
well i did a capacitive discharge the other day to see if clearing my faults would help anyting. it didnt but the car is running alot better. it only fluctuates for me when its cold now. but i did get a code back today 1221 which i think is for my 02 sensor so im gonna test it tommorrow and see if i need to replace it,
-
Yep, 1221 is the O2 sensor. Usually means a vac leak...but might also be the O2 heater circuit.
-
I have this same issue on my 1992 318ic. Started after I replaced the head. New hoses under the intake, new ICV, swapped the MAF with a used one, also swapped coils and wires, replaced plugs, new o-rings on the injectors, recent fuel filter, fuel pump is only about a year old, swapped cam sensor, replaced the coolant temp sensor. I am out of ideas and need the advise of those more smarter than me.
-
same car similar issues where is the icv and maf?can we clean these on our cars
-
The maf is attached to the air filter housing on one end and the big rubber boot going to the throttle body on the other end. If you have a 1992 318ic the icv is at the back of the intake manifold between the motor and the firewall. Yes you can clean them and it's propbably a good idea to do it periodically just to keep things running smoothly.