In the meantime, I suggest finding a new mechanic. This one is throwing you so much BS its not even cool. I personally dealt with people like this when I was the IT guy at my old job, people would pretend like they knew how to fix a computer problem... If they knew how to fix it why are they giving it to me to fix in the first place? Anyways try having that other guy that overheard you work on your car would be a better idea if anything, from what I have read he actually knows his stuff and its just a matter of what he's allowed to do to diagnose the problem.
First off, thanks for your response. You seem to be a new member, too. We're both learning.
Yeah, well, the sad part is he's an official BMW dealer mechanic, which really disillusions me. I thought dealers were very selective with their hiring process and stuff, and that they were the "be all, end all" when it came to BMW maintenance and issues. They certainly don't seem like it now!
At this point I'm purely guessing on how to fix the problems since I have no idea how this sensor is wired or even where the hell it is in the first place.
I have no clue about the ambient temps the car is stored/parked in when it just happens to work flawlessly, and when its pure shiz. Does the car run like crap just when it sits in the cold for a while and better when its sat in a warm garage or something? (Or vice-versa.) If this is the case then something is shrinking or enlarging just enough to create a problem.
As for the wiring maybe (now remember I have no idea what this thing is or where its located, even less about how its wired) if the sensor connects to another wire try replacing the wire farther up just to see if there is a short somewhere. Inspect all contacts for corrosion or any other thing that kills performance. Securing the wire in a way where it rubs other components the least is also a good idea.
Getting back to my original thought about shrinking and enlarging, do you have a pic where you are spraying the Seafoam? There could be something mechanically there that is causing the problem. (Whether it be a teeny tiny hole or a crack.)
Remember I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about besides the general electrical/mechanical tips I've given, the other guys here will definately know more than I do since I'm still a 318is newbie.
Here is the RealOEM diagram of the sensor:
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AJ93&mospid=47318&btnr=11_2683&hg=11&fg=10&hl=19However, the diagram isn't exactly right, for some reason: it would appear from that diagram that the sensor end just terminates right there, but that is physically impossible. There is nowhere for it to terminate in that area. Instead, it goes all the way down to the ignition wiring harness, which I believe in turn connects to the ECU.
That other mechanic suggested to me that we skip the wiring harness to eliminate a variable and wire the sensor DIRECTLY to the ECU. If these symptoms happen again, I am inclined to go forward with that plan.
It is part # 6, "Trigger Contact." The BMW dealer mechanic checked out that wire from the sensor itself to the harness, but NOT from the harness to the ECU. So the harness-to-ECU wire could be shorting out/chafing sometimes or something. I'm really not sure.
I poured Seafoam only in the gas tank, and once before that in the crankcase (oil filler cap). It seemed to really unclog the injectors, but it did NOT solve the stalling problem.
However, as I mentioned before, I have driven the car about 20 minutes per day average for the past three or four days, and it hasn't acted up ONCE!
Maybe it
does have to do with the warmer temperatures, although I'm more inclined to think it's related to humidity and moisture. At least in the past, it's acted up more in the early mornings (dawn) when it was a bit wet from dew and other moisture. That's when most of the stalling and stuff has occurred.
Thanks again! I will do some research on RealOEM and see if I can't find out where the ECU connects to the ignition wiring harness!
Look forward to more suggestions.
