Solved my stalling problem

[G-Man]

I started pulling parts off of my new 91 318i M42 4 door parts car on Friday.  Yesterday I swapped the coil pack first, my 318i still wouldn't start, (run a couple of seconds then die).  Then I swapped the ECU, WOW!!! the difference was like night & day. It cranked right over after I swapped ECU's.  I put the old one back in just to see if I had a bad conncection. no, it still ran like crap.  Car runs great now. Is it common for ECU's to fail?   I guess ECU's are a pretty pricey part.   My $450 parts car that I drove away after buying it is already starting to pay for itself.  

I pulled the tan interior (to include the carpet) out of the parts car last Friday. I'm going to put it in my 91 black 318i.  My good 318i is black with black interior.  I think it will look awesome, black with a tan interior.  

G-Man

91 318i M42 4 door
91 318i M42 4 door parts car (trust me, it's totalled)
74 2002tii
73 Bavaria
70 2800
96 4Runner (parts hauler)

[jakeb]

I think what can happen is some of the solder joints can get loose after years of vibration.  You can re-flow the solder and usually fix them.  

But its great that you had one that you can swap in.

Black on tan looks great...that is what mine is.

[D. Clay]

I wish mine were tan. Especially living in Texas. It would have to be a bit cooler in the summer.
I also think it's more attractive.
One of my best friends has a salvage yard and they have a sign that says, "If you bought a part you didn't need, you now have a spare."
I wish a lot of times I had a spare car. My wife won't hear of a non running car in the yard since my long running restoration of a 1971 Datsun 240Z. It became known as "the alleged Z-Car"