Messages

1

Engine + Driveline / 318is will not start

« on: November 24, 2012, 05:20:07 PM »

Anyhow, the idle is still high, so you should help me with that instead.

Basically the car idles fine when it first starts up, but as the motor warms up, the idle starts to go up and starts idling around 1500 RPMs....any ideas?

Don't fail me again.

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Engine + Driveline / 318is will not start

« on: November 24, 2012, 01:57:01 PM »

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8b3qtw9len5nhnm/VID_20121124_111231.m4v

This is what it sounds like when trying to start

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Engine + Driveline / 318is will not start

« on: November 24, 2012, 01:48:34 PM »

1991 318is M42


I went out to drive to work about two weeks ago it won't start.

When I get into the car, and turn that key, the starter makes a clicking noise, not a bunch, just a few.

Normally, I would think "oh the starter is finished" BUT it is only two years old.

I thought "well, I will try and jump the damn thing" so I attached it to my roommates vehicle (2001 Honda Accord) and, even with the jumpers attached to the battery in the boot, same thing, clicking from the starter.

Here is the interesting part, when I tried jumping the car from the jumppack under the hood in the front, the starter motor will turn the motor over, it doesn't start, but it will at least turn over, which leads me to believe the starter is still working.

My other post, a little further down, was still never resolved as to the high idle. Which the car was doing before it just stopped starting.

Anyone have any good ideas? I have charged the battery all the way up, I have checked my fuses, and connections to the starter, they all seem to be good.

This is my only current car so I am riding a bicycle everywhere, which sucks since I live in the Pacific Northwest.

Please help!

And happy thanksgiving!

Cheers!


Update: as of today, tried to find a short with a multi-meter going from the fusebox, was unable to find one, the jump pack at the front of the car is receiving 12 volts from the battery. I'm stumped.


Your destiny is to help me, search your feelings.
 
Signed,
Darth Vader

4

Engine + Driveline / High idle, she won't come down.

« on: September 28, 2012, 09:37:02 PM »

Thanks for everyone's replies, sorry it took me awhile to update, I have been really busy and biking to work since this car is my DD.

I have gotten new vacuum lines and tried the brake kleen thing, AlienBlood suggested, I couldn't find any leaks.

I tried the stomp test to see if the computer recognized any problems, it doesn't.

I took the intake off and checked to make sure I had hooked up everything correctly, I have, and I also replaced the fuel injector temp sensor

I have just put it back together and the same result, no difference

if I take the ICV and unplug it the idle starts to fluctuate irratically, so I believe it is working. The idle stays pretty constant, it just climbs higher and higher.

I don't have a means to rest the resistance of my O2 sensor at the time, you think that could be it?

5

Engine + Driveline / High idle, she won't come down.

« on: September 09, 2012, 06:56:13 PM »

Thanks! Yeah, I think there are two sensors under there. The CEL light is not on, but I will try the stomp test.

Oh, the car is a 1991 318is

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Engine + Driveline / High idle, she won't come down.

« on: September 09, 2012, 01:33:28 PM »

Hey folks,

I decided to write a new thread because I was unable to find what I was looking for on the other threads in this forum.

As the title suggests, my car is idling high and she won't come down, here are some facts to help weed things out.

I have just recently completed "the mess under the intake" after one of my heater coolant lines burst, I have replaced almost every coolant hose, everything has been put back together, as of right now, there isn't any air left in the coolant lines as I have bled it all out.

The Problem:

When the engine starts cold (starts fine, no problems) it idles a little low but then levels off and starts idling at the correct RPM's, a little below 1K, after a few minutes when the engine starts to heat up, the RPM's steadly rise and then stay around 1200RPM's and 1500RPM's I have no idea why it's idling so high.

I have checked all vacuum hoses for a possible leak, everything is secure, I have rechecked my ICV, looks good, the idle isn't fluctuating, it is just steady at a high RPM, NOTE: I did change the position of the ICV slightly.

I don't really have any ideas other than a vacuum leak which I have checked and re-checked for, everything seems to be hooked up correctly and she starts right up then starts idling high.

Any advice on this would be very much appreciated as this is my DD, and would like to get her back on the road this weekend.

Thanks so much for your help in advance!

Cheers!

Sophia from Seattle

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Engine + Driveline / Mess Under The Intake

« on: February 04, 2012, 07:03:15 PM »

I've been looking for the mess under the intake thread.
Could anyone post a link up so I could find it?

Thanks.

8

Engine + Driveline / Overheating/Starting issuse, please help

« on: January 29, 2012, 07:58:31 PM »

Anyone know what motors are compatible with this transmission besides the M42? I just moved here (Washington State), I found one salvage yard I'm planning on visiting next weekend.

9

Engine + Driveline / Overheating/Starting issuse, please help

« on: January 28, 2012, 08:25:10 AM »

Geoff, thanks for being straight up. Does it matter that the head has been shaved before? The starter thing makes sense though. Unfortunately I don't have any time, or place or tools to put a rebuilt engine in her right now. How long would I have before she is done? I ususally just make sure she stays cool and she does fine, but if I get stuck in traffic is when it's bad news. I just drove her across the United States actually. South Carolina to Washington State. And she did fine, but it was all highway driving as you can imagine.

Colin, I smelled the smoke, it didn't smell like coolant to me.

Thanks for your replies. =)

10

Engine + Driveline / Overheating/Starting issuse, please help

« on: January 25, 2012, 05:08:15 PM »

Hello there,

Overheating problems again.  I have been looking through many threads on
e30tech.com as well as M42club.com to see if I can find the answer. I’m still having a hard time finding out what the issues on my car are besides that it is old with a lot of miles. =P

Car: 1991 318is M42 motor 285,000miles

Symptoms:
1.   Overheating – when the car is at an idle or stopped in traffic , the temp gauge will slowly climb and never come back down again until the car is going at a good pace with good revs.
Sidenote 1: I do not have a clutch fan or fan shroud installed, I installed an electric fan and it is attached to the radiator that helps a bit at idle.
Sidenote 2: There does seem to be a little white smoke coming out of the tailpipe, but I do not have a catalytic converter installed, just a straight exhaust with a muffler.
Sidenote 3: About a year ago I did a compression test because this problem was present and my compression numbers were good.
Sidenote 4: I have bled the coolant system several times, but I don’t think I am doing it quite correctly, what is the correct way to bleed?
Sidenote 5: There does not appear to be any water in the oil, there does appear to be a small sludge around the oil cap that may be due to water in the oil, but I do know that my vacuum lines also get clogged because the motor is old and there is a good bit of moisture on the top end of the motor.
Sidenote 6: I do know that this particular motor has been planed in the past, other than that I don't know much of the history of the car, I got it out of a ditch after the previous owner had hit it with a deer and left it there and sold it to my friend and I.

2.   Trouble with starting – When I get in my car to start it, many times the starter will turn about  a half turn and then  just stop, starter, battery, and alternator are a little over a year old. I was reading a thread where a guy was having starting problems and it ended up being a headgasket problem. After a few tries the motor usually starts up and runs fine, although it sometimes idles kind of high.

Diagnosis? I’m thinking that there still may be a faulty head gasket, I don’t want to believe this because I am using this car as my daily driver and I don’t have the time or money to do the job right now.

Dilemma: I just moved to Washington State and need to pass an emissions test to be able to register my car. My car won’t pass an emissions test just based on my crappy exhaust, parts for the exhaust total around $500.00 for the catalytic converter and muffler. I don’t really want to put this money into my car and then have to fix the headgasket, but I love my e30 and hate to part with it.

Should I just save my money to invest in another car? Or should I go ahead and put the money into this one? I have a pretty limited income and this car is my only way to get about right now.
Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks for bearing through this long thread post and I really appreciate any thoughts, responses, and advice.

=)

P.S. Issues* I am at work and in a hurry to post this.

11

Engine + Driveline / Car won't start....please help.

« on: November 28, 2010, 08:16:01 AM »

Good news! She cranks and starts.

But I have no idea why she decided to do it.
I think my fuel pressure regulator may be bad as Dave was saying because my fuel delivery just isn't good...I dunno. I am going to have to look further into it.

Thanks for all the help...esp Desktop Dave...

Lotis...good luck.

12

Engine + Driveline / Car won't start....please help.

« on: November 27, 2010, 08:45:17 AM »

Oh and previously I  have always heard my fuel pump prime before I turn the car to III position.

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Engine + Driveline / Car won't start....please help.

« on: November 27, 2010, 08:44:12 AM »

Desktop Dave....thanks...I did not know that this existed.

I just gave it a shot...and the code is indeed...1-4-4-4

Could it be the fuel pump ground? I don't even know where that would be located.

14

Engine + Driveline / Car won't start....please help.

« on: November 27, 2010, 08:15:41 AM »

I still don't understand why my fuel pump will run when the car cranks...but doesn't prime?

15

Engine + Driveline / Car won't start....please help.

« on: November 27, 2010, 08:04:10 AM »

Oh I also went down to O'Reilly's and argued with them to give me a new fuel pump....so they did and I installed it last night, however it made no changes to the situation. =/