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

DISCUSSION => General Topics => Topic started by: dbgrubbs on March 03, 2009, 06:01:00 AM

Title: Cold weather driveability
Post by: dbgrubbs on March 03, 2009, 06:01:00 AM

Had a strange problem yesterday and I need a bit of help figuring it out. Here's the scenario:

27 degrees in the morning. Unusual snow for GA. The car had several inches of snow on it. Started it up and it would idle fine off and on. Tried to die several times. Never had this happen before. Decided to go to work anyway. The engine was very erratic. Reving fine at times and at other times seemed to be cutting out, jerking with the check engine light flashing from time to time but never staying on for more than just a brief moment. I had to cover the gas pedal when stopping to keep the car from stalling. My commute is 27 miles and nothing changed on the way. I let the car sit all day and when i went to leave to go home the temp was 42 degrees and it ran fine never once faultering.

Any clues?

Thanks
Don

Title: Cold weather driveability
Post by: strad on March 03, 2009, 04:39:44 PM

What code is stored in the DME?  It'll likely still be there even though the light is not on.

Oh, and are we talking about an E30 M42 or a newer one?

Title: Cold weather driveability
Post by: dbgrubbs on March 07, 2009, 03:13:17 PM

It's an e30 m42.

Finally got around to retrieving the codes. It's only putting out 1271 which is coil #1. So, I guess I'm looking at a new coil or going with the COP kit soon.