1
General Topics / A different kind of idle problem
« on: April 18, 2012, 07:53:56 AM »
While you're at it check out the throttle position switch.
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2
M42 Buyer's Guide / Questions regarding my 1991 BMW 318IS
« on: April 09, 2012, 08:09:43 PM »
Sight unseen buys are always tough, and there's that element of the unknown. If it runs like he says, and needs a muffler, I'd offer $1800.
3
General Topics / Homemade Heat Shield For Intake
« on: March 26, 2012, 05:38:35 AM »
Nice piece of fabricating work there. Looks good!
4
Engine + Driveline / Choking out on start up.
« on: March 21, 2012, 10:46:39 AM »
Junk gas was making my CEL come on while driving. If I released the throttle it would go out. I pulled codes and it had an O2 sensor control code. It hasn't done it since I filled up with high test gasoline.
Like Dave says, pull he codes and let us know what shows up.
Like Dave says, pull he codes and let us know what shows up.
5
Off-topic discussion / ? about angel eyes 07 ix
« on: March 20, 2012, 07:49:04 AM »
Just changed out two the other day. I went in through the wheel well. Remove a few 8mm screws and pull back the plastic fender liner.
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General Topics / Good high test gas helps.
« on: March 19, 2012, 04:56:46 PM »
Right after I installed a new fuel pump I jumped the relay and used the pump to drain as much of the old rotten gas from the tank as I could (it was very very bad) then added about 3 gallons of fresh 93 octane gas. It helped but it was still some pretty crappy gas and it idled rough. So, tonight on my first drive home from the shop I filled up with more 93 octane. This made a substantial difference in idle smoothness with less "hunting". I'm guessing the next tank fill up will yield a more "normal" engine performance.
I work next door to a "race shop" that has a dyno. I need to get on that thing this week and get a baseline on horse power output. :cool:
I work next door to a "race shop" that has a dyno. I need to get on that thing this week and get a baseline on horse power output. :cool:
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Engine management / Both CPS? at the same time?
« on: March 18, 2012, 07:58:02 PM »
I've seen the short rubber coupling hose fail on some pumps. It has a sort of dampener assembly but it could be leaking or it's been replaced by a poorly fit hose. It's worth pulling it out and having a look. Fairly easy procedure.
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General Topics / My 91 BMW 318is repair log
« on: March 16, 2012, 04:55:19 PM »
New tires installed. Runs like a watch and drives like a BMW! Brakes need attention, but otherwise it's running great! New tags on Monday. 
Have a great weekend everyone.
Dino
Have a great weekend everyone. Dino
9
Engine + Driveline / Overheating issue with steam, help!?!
« on: March 16, 2012, 04:48:31 PM »
This is where a coolant pressure tester comes in handy. Pump the system up to 20 psi and look for leaks. I've done this and looked in the cylinder with a flash light or bore scope and watched water entering the combustion chamber showing the bad head gasket as the culprit.
That one oil fouled plug is odd... could be a number of things.
I'll offer my advice as a tech. You really really should go invest in an inexpensive compression tester and do a compression test of all four cylinders. Not sure if you've done that so here's the procedure:
Important! Pull main relay. Middle of fire wall under black plastic cover, the one on the right (passenger side) of three. This will keep the car from starting.
Remove spark plug from the cylinder you'll be testing.
Screw in compression tester hose, reset gauge to zero ( it will hold a reading until you release the pressure).
Crank engine for six compression strokes with throttle wide open.
Read gauge and write down the readings. Reset gauge.
Test remaining cylinders.
What's it all mean?
If you have a difference of 20 psi or more between cylinders, something is wrong with the low cylinder. Something like a bad head gasket or a cracked head. Sometimes you'll get two cylinders next to each other that read low. This almost always a blown head gasket, right between those cylinders. I hope it's not the case, but I'm still leaning towards the possible cracked head. Here's why.
Sometimes the crack will only open when it's in a critical over heat situation like idling for a long period of time or being in stop/start traffic. The coolant comes into the cylinder and when you rev the engine, you blow the coolant through the engine and out the exhaust in the form of steam. You might get a bit of heat dissipation during that higher rev of driving or accelerating and the crack temporarily closes. The only other place coolant can come in is through a bad head gasket OR maybe the preheat plate between the throttle body and the intake, and I would think that's pretty damn unlikely. Any of you guys that might have seen a leak there please chime in.
If you DO know all about doing a compression test, then thank you for you patience.
Good luck.
Dino
That one oil fouled plug is odd... could be a number of things.
I'll offer my advice as a tech. You really really should go invest in an inexpensive compression tester and do a compression test of all four cylinders. Not sure if you've done that so here's the procedure:
Important! Pull main relay. Middle of fire wall under black plastic cover, the one on the right (passenger side) of three. This will keep the car from starting.
Remove spark plug from the cylinder you'll be testing.
Screw in compression tester hose, reset gauge to zero ( it will hold a reading until you release the pressure).
Crank engine for six compression strokes with throttle wide open.
Read gauge and write down the readings. Reset gauge.
Test remaining cylinders.
What's it all mean?
If you have a difference of 20 psi or more between cylinders, something is wrong with the low cylinder. Something like a bad head gasket or a cracked head. Sometimes you'll get two cylinders next to each other that read low. This almost always a blown head gasket, right between those cylinders. I hope it's not the case, but I'm still leaning towards the possible cracked head. Here's why.
Sometimes the crack will only open when it's in a critical over heat situation like idling for a long period of time or being in stop/start traffic. The coolant comes into the cylinder and when you rev the engine, you blow the coolant through the engine and out the exhaust in the form of steam. You might get a bit of heat dissipation during that higher rev of driving or accelerating and the crack temporarily closes. The only other place coolant can come in is through a bad head gasket OR maybe the preheat plate between the throttle body and the intake, and I would think that's pretty damn unlikely. Any of you guys that might have seen a leak there please chime in.
If you DO know all about doing a compression test, then thank you for you patience.
Good luck.
Dino
10
Engine + Driveline / Overheating issue with steam, help!?!
« on: March 16, 2012, 05:44:58 AM »
I agree on the head diagnosis and Dave is right on with the water pump issues.
The head needs to come off and be inspected for cracks. My theory, everything that happened up to this was putting the engine in an overheat condition and it eventually failed. Be sure to carefully observe the head gasket when it comes off. Don't clean it, just look it over for damage and a place where water could have gotten into a cylinder.
The head needs to come off and be inspected for cracks. My theory, everything that happened up to this was putting the engine in an overheat condition and it eventually failed. Be sure to carefully observe the head gasket when it comes off. Don't clean it, just look it over for damage and a place where water could have gotten into a cylinder.
11
General Topics / My 91 BMW 318is repair log
« on: March 15, 2012, 05:03:48 PM »
Me too... and that's exactly why I joined the community here, to get help and give help. There's some good content here that's a notch above the drivel that ensues on some forums.
Now there exists, a post with a fix for this common cut off problem.
I installed the new coils today. I noticed that the stack of flat steel plates that make up the pole for the coil is a bit thicker on the new ones. Another layer of steel was added. Maybe they'll dissipate the heat a bit better, and have better inductive properties... meaning, better spark. Time will tell.
I now have the following functional spares:
CPS
TPS
AFM
ECU
Temp sensor
Four ignition coils
Throttle body preheat plate
Four stock fuel injectors
... and a partridge in a pear tree.
Tires were on my door step when I got home. Four Falkens, 195/65 R14. They go on tomorrow.
Inching ever closer to daily driver status!!!
Now there exists, a post with a fix for this common cut off problem.
I installed the new coils today. I noticed that the stack of flat steel plates that make up the pole for the coil is a bit thicker on the new ones. Another layer of steel was added. Maybe they'll dissipate the heat a bit better, and have better inductive properties... meaning, better spark. Time will tell.
I now have the following functional spares:
CPS
TPS
AFM
ECU
Temp sensor
Four ignition coils
Throttle body preheat plate
Four stock fuel injectors
... and a partridge in a pear tree.
Tires were on my door step when I got home. Four Falkens, 195/65 R14. They go on tomorrow.
Inching ever closer to daily driver status!!!
12
Engine + Driveline / Rotella oil
« on: March 14, 2012, 09:59:39 PM »
We put this in some cars that are over 250K. Good stuff.
13
Engine + Driveline / Ignition acting up
« on: March 14, 2012, 09:54:22 PM »
I would suggest cam and crank sensors. How old are they? So far I've learned that this car is fairly strict about the signals coming from these sensors. Nearly all of the fixes I found in my research involved replacing one or both..
A scope would tell you a lot.
A scope would tell you a lot.
14
General Topics / My 91 BMW 318is repair log
« on: March 14, 2012, 04:27:55 PM »
Today a customer asked me if the E30 was for sale? I told him no, he said when it is, call him first! He loves it! E30 guy.
I gotta have some fun in it for a while first.
I told him no, he said when it is, call him first! He loves it! E30 guy. I gotta have some fun in it for a while first.
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General Topics / Free car...did not cost me anything
« on: March 14, 2012, 03:50:20 PM »
Wow... that IS epic. This car got thrashed!