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popasmurf

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Posts posted by popasmurf

  2. Posted · Report reply

    hiya,

    first off....

    Car: E39 520i sedan
    Year:1998
    Vin number:wbadm22020br55544
    Imported from singapore in 1999
    Options Auto - steptronic??

    love this car! have had it for about 4 months and its been great! had to replace the alternator but as its done 223,000 kms i guess its to be expected.

    an issue has arisen with it that is semi difficult to explain but ill try my best...

    car starts fine and has no issues with idle etc. BUT when driving once it hits top gear and i am driving at a cruising speed (i.e 50km/h in a 50 k zone or 100 km/h in a 100 k zone) iv'e noticed the engine will on occasion begin to surge. for example when im in a 100 k zone and sitting at 100 k the revs will surge from around 2300-2400 rpm down to 2000-1900rpm and then back up to normal revs again and will continue to do so. when it does occur (which is not all the time! sometimes i can drive for 1/2 an hour and it wont happen but then it will start happening) i simply either put my foot down to get the car to drop down a gear or slide the gear lever over to "steptronic" mode to get it to drop down a gear and the problem stops. i will then lift my foot and let the car go back to its top gear and it will be fine for a while then start happening again....

    ive tried to use the search engine here on bimmersport but its been useless.... i cant even get it to bring up any hits for a simple "e39" search....

    ive also searched other bmw forums and googled like hell. but as you may now understand its hard to narrow this problem down to a simple google search term...

    im thinking maybe the vanos seals need replacing?? or possibly some sensor is going faulty? o2 sensor? exhaust sensor??.... possibilities are endless....

    any help, guidance etc fully appreciated

    i'd love to get a diagnostic done on it but i live in new plymouth and im unsure of where to take it because as far as i know there are no official bmw service mechanics based here....

    thanks in advance

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Hey thanks for the welcone guys. Just a quick update on the alternator situation...... I ended up woth a $1200 bill due to my own naievety! To cut a very long story short look for your own parts, dont trust what the repair shop tells you in regards to prices of parts etc and shop around! Also stay away from merv lucas auto electrical.... I found out after they had done a full replacement alternator at a part cost of $710 that the regulator (the part which had gone in the original alternator which I orginally just wanted rebuilt ) was only a $165 part but they told me the regulator on its own was worth more than a full replacement alternator! ....seems they just couldn't be bothered doing a rebuild... anyhow lesson learnt and all back up and running now :)

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