Author Topic: My 91 BMW 318is repair log (Read 10373 times)

keflaman · « **Reply #30 on:** March 13, 2012, 07:30:27 PM »

The sound of this engine winding up to, and past 7K, hooked me the first time I drove one.

tfrain · « **Reply #31 on:** March 13, 2012, 10:57:02 PM »

Quote from: keflaman;110853

yup. More than one person has bought a non/poor running car and found this to be the solution.

i did!

tfrain · « **Reply #32 on:** March 13, 2012, 11:04:01 PM »

Quote from: Wrench;111027

Yep... not much left to replace.

The new sensor was a better fit. The other one was NOT the right part! The wire exited the sensor directly towards the v-belt. It had been pulled back towards the sensor and wire tied there, very close to the v-belt. The sharp bend, lots of heat and seven years of wear (I have records of the repair by a local shop) and I'm guessing that it's intermittently shorting out at the bend in the wires. It measured 530 ohms. The new one also has the correct right angle plug at the junction box end.
She (Rosie) fired right up and ran, test drove great! Lots of pull left in this engine, even with diluted crappy gas it showed plenty of guts up above 4K. It should get better after a can of Seafoam and a couple tanks of high octane fuel have been run through it, at which point, I'll swap out the fuel filter.

Just to recap what's been replaced with a new part. What a journey...

Fuel Pump
Air flow meter
Main Relay
ECU
Breather hoses
Plastic water pipe and hoses
TPS
Cam Sensor
O2 sensor
Temp sensor
Fuel injectors (Bosch 4 hole)
Crank Sensor
Replace Coils (pending)
Lower left control arm (right one gets done soon)
Both control arm bushings

Oil looks good/fresh for now. I'll change it soon.

Saturday it gets four new tires and a state inspection. Then a trip to DMV for new plates then...
DRIVE IT!:D

I would pull the cam cover and check the timing chain and gears. I guess if you can't hear yours it has probably been replaced once if not twice with the miles on your car. I need to replace mine soon. I also need to drop the pan and check upper pan bolts and look for chain pieces. Already have the gasket, just waitin on an oil change.

Wrench · « **Reply #33 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.

tfrain · « **Reply #34 on:** March 14, 2012, 11:29:19 PM »

I've had two people in the parking lot at work and one guy on the street ask to buy my e30. It feels good to say, "no sorry."

Quote from: Wrench;111077

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.

longms · « **Reply #35 on:** March 15, 2012, 12:39:36 PM »

Quote from: Wrench;111020

Zoom zoom... fixed! The new crank position sensor did the trick.

Glad that we all were able to help you solve your issue.

Wrench · « **Reply #36 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!!!

Wrench · « **Reply #37 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

longms · « **Reply #38 on:** March 19, 2012, 11:54:52 AM »

Quote from: Wrench;111140

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

Glad to hear it is all coming together and you are able to enjoy the car now.

Wrench · « **Reply #39 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:

longms · « **Reply #40 on:** March 23, 2012, 06:45:04 AM »

Another good idea might be to get some techron and run it through the fuel system just to help clean out more of the gunk and crap that could have built up over the years. Would be interested in seeing what your hp numbers are.