91 318i, runs great for one second, start it back up and it runs horrible!

[codyb]

Just bought this 91 318I. Today I drove it 9 miles, ran perfect, no problem.

Shut it off... 15 minutes later, start it up, it sputters, runs awful, lacks serious power, sounds like a diesel and shakes badly. Strangly the idle is not bouncing around. Over 3k rpms seem to run a little better, or at least the shaking goes away but still lacking power.

Sort of feels like I lost a cylinder??? Any idea on where I should start? Check engine light is not on... but how can I check for stored codes?

[Nelson_40]

Hard to say what's going on. To check your codes http://e30world.com/fuel/BMW-E30-DME-Motronic-fault-codes. May be a fuel delivery issue, was the car parked for a while before you purchased it?

[codyb]

FOUND THE PROBLEM!!!

The spark plug gasket on the number four cylinder has failed, allowing oil to blow up into the spark plug wire connector fouling it up. I cleaned it up and it ran much much better, but still not perfect. Drove it around the plug, pulled the plug connector again, and noticed a fresh coating of oil in it.

I think I will replace all the plugs and wires, and put a new plug connector on the 4th cylinder.

I will also do a new valve cover and spark plug gaskets at the same time.

Pelican parts, here I come...