My Engine problem rears its ugly head

[Gus 5]

well now that i have a new throttle cable ive been able to focus on my other problems....my engine has a very very rough idle...and when cold has a knocking sound....its pretty much undriveable....when driving when you put your foot down it just splutters a lot and misfires like hell....ive replaced the dizzy cap and rotor...am gonna give spark plug leads a go (from the mums car) but after that ive run outta ideas.....i was watching it idle from the engine bay seeing if i could see anything....then it died and smoke was coming out of the air filter....i really really dont like the sound of this.....

anyone help?

gus

[Gus 5]

i was thinking also...clogged fuel filter, a batch of bad fuel? AFM flap.....ill take some video and post if up later today.....otherwise im gonna have to give up and take it to ernst!

[Grant 4]

Have you checked your spark plugs?

Also, how new is your air filter? Is it possible that this is really badly clogged.

Also, check all of your intake components, and made sure that there are no leaks (i.e. check that the hoses are all connected securely).

One more thing, is your oil dipstick in properly? (as stupid as it sounds).

Good luck big fella.

Cheers

[wedge 0]

Sounds like AFM to me. May be shorting the circuit in there giving smoke out the filter. Seems to me the AFM is f**king up and sending the wrong signals to the computer, so the AF ratio is going out the window. I've seen a car with a f**ked loom for the AFM, it wasn't wanting to start, when it did it was coughing and spluttering and sounding quite poseur rotary like. I reckon that should be your first port of call.

Tim.

[Gus 5]

that sounds pretty good....ill go do my damage on it. new spark plugs...and its a pod filter so clogging isnt really a prob...out comes the AFM!

[Gus 5]

well i think any chance of my problem being easy or cheap to fix has just gone out the window....i pulled all the spark plugs today....they are all covered with oil.....and in the number 1 cylinder (the others prob woulda done it too if i had run the engine longer beforehand) smoke was coming out.....im really really not liking the sound of this....any suggestions?

[Grant 4]

well i think any chance of my problem being easy or cheap to fix has just gone out the window....i pulled all the spark plugs today....they are all covered with oil.....and in the number 1 cylinder (the others prob woulda done it too if i had run the engine longer beforehand) smoke was coming out.....im really really not liking the sound of this....any suggestions?

That does not sound good!!!

Good luck, I think that it is at the stage where it needs a propoer diagnosis by the professionals. Take it to Ernst.

Could it be a leaking Valve Cover Gasket? Maybe piston rings or Valve Seals?

This is not good, I was hassling you about getting towed, and what happens, you get towed. Then last week I hassled you and said that your car will die well before mine, and now you have this.

I promise I will not make any negative suggestions about your poor 325i again.

Cheers

[Gus 5]

yeah i might get ernst to have a looksie and just get a diagnosis....i dont really want to have to do a rebuild (andrews recent bill from bavarian anyone....) might start looking at engine swaps...or might not....damn being a uni student!

[Guest Spargo]

Sounds terminal. What colour is the coolant?

[Gus 5]

its not got oil in it...normal colour it seems...im thinking farked piston rings

wil have to wait till tomorrow or monday

[threeta 0]

try compression test - is your oil over full?? has this happened suddenly or has it been burning oil for awhile??? is it really oil on the plugs or are they all wet (petrol) from running over rich?? bit of a bummer

[MattA 165]

Dude sounds real bad .. transplant or re-build.. maybe start buyin lotto

[Gus 5]

well threeta hit the nail on the head...

my 'oil' was just fuel....over rich from fuel not being burnt as a result of my dizzy being out of alignment and not firing....im pretty relieved....not looking at a rebuild!

[Grant 4]

Legend, well done and lucky you.

Now get those Alpinas!!!!

Cheers

[MattA 165]

Guess you won't be lookin at getting rid of the big stoppers damm.. Great that it's not terminal :bounce:

[threeta 0]

yeehaaa - it'd be an even bigger bummer if you pulled the engine to bits to not find anything seriously broken, and then spent heaps on new bits, as you had it apart, and put it all back together - to find the dizzy is out!! lol :banghead:

if you want to see my threeta you're still welcome gus

[Gus 5]

well....still have the problem! haah....it happens when its cold only..when warm the car is almost driveable.....the spark plugs were covered with fuel not oil......im thinking maybe leaking injectors? i may just give up and take it to shop....at least they may be able to fix it!

[gmccormack 0]

Check that the AFM flap is moving freely & not binding in the full open posistion

[Gus 5]

yeah no the afm seems fine...is moving freely...im more convinced its a fuel problem....possibly ignition but my cap and rotor are new, and coil tests out fine....the fact the spark plugs are covered in fuel could be lack of air supply..but i dont think so...stupid old cars

[Grant 4]

Gus

Just get it looked at by a professional, then you should get it fixed once and for all. When mine had leaking injectors, SD Euro couldn't tell when the car was warm, so I had to leave it with them so they could drive it when it was cold and diagnose the problem.

In the end they plugged it into a diagnostic computer which identified the problem (prior to that they had assumed it was AFM related).

Cheers

[Guest Andrew]

Gus

Just get it looked at by a professional, then you should get it fixed once and for all. When mine had leaking injectors, SD Euro couldn't tell when the car was warm, so I had to leave it with them so they could drive it when it was cold and diagnose the problem.

In the end they plugged it into a diagnostic computer which identified the problem (prior to that they had assumed it was AFM related).

Cheers

Injectors are a very rare problem for the E30 -

as orginally thought Gus has an ECU problem - well a problem with the information to the ECU. The rpm sensor has a short circuit and the CAS has too much resistance. So replace them and gus' car will be sweet.

[Grant 4]

Gus

Just get it looked at by a professional, then you should get it fixed once and for all. When mine had leaking injectors, SD Euro couldn't tell when the car was warm, so I had to leave it with them so they could drive it when it was cold and diagnose the problem.

In the end they plugged it into a diagnostic computer which identified the problem (prior to that they had assumed it was AFM related).

Cheers

Injectors are a very rare problem for the E30 -

as orginally thought Gus has an ECU problem - well a problem with the information to the ECU. The rpm sensor has a short circuit and the CAS has too much resistance. So replace them and gus' car will be sweet.

The point I was demonstrate was that even though the symptoms can appear to be one thing, it can as easily be something else causing the problem.

I was just using the case I had of the leaking injectors as an example.

Lets hope you have it sorted now Gus, and that you can have some trouble free motoring.

Cheers

[Gus 5]

well im hoping if i say this my problem wil resurface...it seems to be fine after i changed the coolant temperature sensor..was sending f**ked up signals to the ECU.....so maybe wont need new RPM and CAS sensors after all...hasnt done it since yesterday...record!

[Gus 5]

well it got to its worst when i was stuck halfway across the main road outside my house..blocking both lanes of traffic...smooth gus

the problem was the wiring involved with the crank angle sensor.....fixed that up and it runs....just hoping this is the actual end of it...but hopefully it is!

so glad its over