M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: SlowE30 on December 18, 2007, 07:17:13 PM

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: SlowE30 on December 18, 2007, 07:17:13 PM

My friend has a 91 318is for sale for a damn cheap price..  Only thing is, it doesnt run atm..  Him and his roomate figure it to be a fuel problem..  The only mod (if you call it that) it has done to it is a walbro 255 pump..  

I believe it may have too much fuel/fuel pressure..  They have taken apart the intake manifold and either replaced or cleaned the injectors (I forget which)..  

Just wondering what yalls thoughts are on this.. The car only has 103k miles on it and is in prestine condition sans one dent..

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: hoevesruperd on December 18, 2007, 08:33:34 PM

if the car is in really good shape as you say, a fuel problem shouldn't hold you back. especially if its at a «damn cheap price»!:)
i'm sure if you leave us more info someone here can help you diagnose the problem. it might be something simple like it could cost you 600$. any ways an 318is can't be a bad buy

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: haledj on December 18, 2007, 09:41:42 PM

I say go for it.  Sounds like it could be an easy problem to fix.

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: SlowE30 on December 19, 2007, 12:55:22 PM

I was planning on getting it just trying to see what yalls thoughts were on the problem..  Im hoping/thinking I can just throw in a stock fuel pump and get it running for cheap.. Anybody know what the stock fuel pressure is supposed to be?

They said it ran before but not very long..

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: haledj on December 19, 2007, 12:58:02 PM

I believe it is around 42psi

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: kenika65 on December 19, 2007, 11:45:23 PM

It is a 91 318is if you don't buy it I will... Please send me your friends # if you don't buy b/c I will throw my M20 in there as I rebuild the m42 if I have to!

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: hoevesruperd on December 20, 2007, 04:51:12 PM

fuel pumps are expensive, but get the real OEM one with the harness and all. i've used jobbers and they last a month or so.
then again.. make sure that's the problem before spending more money.

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: SlowE30 on December 21, 2007, 12:12:29 PM

Quote from: kenika65;39794

It is a 91 318is if you don't buy it I will... Please send me your friends # if you don't buy b/c I will throw my M20 in there as I rebuild the m42 if I have to!

Im buying it for sure just trying to get an idea of whats wrong before I do..

Title: So Im looking at an Is..
Post by: G-Man on December 24, 2007, 01:38:27 PM

I bought a one owner 91 318i 4 door for real cheap. PO said the car would just die going down the street.  He took it to numerous shops to get it fixed and spent a fortune on the problem. The shops all thought it was a fuel problem. The car got a new fuel pump, relays, filter, tune up, etc.. and the problem continued. The problem was intermittant and would never happen when it was at the shop. PO gave up on the car after spending a small fortune on it. The same problem happened to me, I started swapping parts from my parts car, problem turned out to be a bad ECU. After I swapped the ECU, it was night and day difference and the car only had 115K on it. Bottom line, check other things besides the fuel system.

G-Man