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Fault Code Reader

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hey peoples! my car is getting crap fuel economy, not sure why it is, but i think its the TPS. does anyone have one of those readers you plug into the circle plug in the engine bay that tells you the error codes that i could use?

E30 b20 facelift

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hey peoples! my car is getting crap fuel economy, not sure why it is, but i think its the TPS. does anyone have one of those readers you plug into the circle plug in the engine bay that tells you the error codes that i could use?

E30 b20 facelift

Talk to Mike at Porirua City European, or Vijay at Page European in the city.

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As mentioned above, take it to Vijay at Page European. Think he charges $30ish to get it scanned.

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You don't need a scanner to check an E30 TPS switch... I've said it before ... the DME has minimal memory & live data functions compared to a late model cars. You need to find someone who has E30 experience and a brain... then you'll get it sorted. Bring it up here :D

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You don't need a scanner to check an E30 TPS switch... I've said it before ... the DME has minimal memory & live data functions compared to a late model cars. You need to find someone who has E30 experience and a brain... then you'll get it sorted. Bring it up here :D

I take offence to that. i have had three E30s in my time, rebuilt one from the ground up and know the car inside out. engines are the one area i havent bothered to touch as im M50/52'ing next year so been concentrating my learning on that. im on here asking because i dont know. thanks for your 'advice' though. Also, i created this thread before the other one as it was my first instinct is to use a tool which makes diagnosis a lot easier. I then spent the next day doing my own trouble shooting while i waited for someone to say they had/know of some one with a scanner.

Respect to you, but you shouldnt jump to conclusions that i have no experience with E30s just because im new here. im a veteran member of Bimmerfest and R3v, and, as ive mentioned, owned 3 of them and worked on many.

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There was no offence intended towards you. You wanted to find someone that could help you. I was saying... find someone with E30 experience & a brain... I should have inserted this (to help you) ... it was not directed at you... a scanner will not help you on an E30.. and if you are a member on these other forums.. doing a research will tell you that what I'm saying is correct.

Edited by *Glenn*

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If you are so offended by my response.. can you please explain why you aren't responding to my reply ??

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As far as i am aware, a scanner can tell you if it is the AFM, TPS, O2 Sensor and a few other bits and pieces. i know it does not offer more specific indication on components, but all i need to know is this anyways, as those three things are my prime suspects. I didnt reply because i was on bimmerfest helping other people while i waited for your reply, if you are really interested.

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Hey Andrew,Just in case you arent aware,apart from being a forum sponsor,Glenn operates one of Aks leading BMW service centres & is considered an expert on the marque.

Just a heads up for you mate.

PS brain refers to diagnostic equip.

Edited by 1rotty

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Hey Andrew,Just in case you arent aware,apart from being a forum sponsor,Glenn operates one of Aks leading BMW service centres & is considered an expert on the marque.

Just a heads up for you mate.

Thanks. not phased though. we all have to learn somehow! if i am wrong in my last post hes more than welcome to correct me! seems strange that BMW would incorporate such a system into thier cars if it is such a pointless system, when it is something that cannot be marketed and is only of use to BMW garages which are experts anyway.

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Well,no disrespect but he has disagreed with you in his post but you have chosen to ignore it.

scanner will not help you on an E30..

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Your car is close to 20 years of age... technoligy has now come a long way. E30 electronic technoligy is on par with a horse drawn plow. Thats why I said to find someone with E30 experience and a brain

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Well,no disrespect but he has disagreed with you in his post but you have chosen to ignore it.

scanner will not help you on an E30..

assumed exaggeration

Your car is close to 20 years of age... technoligy has now come a long way. E30 electronic technoligy is on par with a horse drawn plow. Thats why I said to find someone with E30 experience and a brain

i know compared to now yes it is primitive. im just interested in why it is present if it is indeed of no use. what information CAN you get from it then? (not smart ass remark.. im genuinely interested, as i have been (falsely apparently) told that you can get information on where the error is in the engine, ie O2 sensor, AFM, TPS etc, though if nothing comes up then it is an error not recorded/registered by the ECU

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Guest kis

* Shock horror *

Member gets lippy after not getting the answer they want.

Listen mate, you asked if someone local had a scanner. If someone had anything to help Im sure they wouldve said so by now. Youve been told by two members to try either Mike at Porirua Euro or Vijay at Page. Both are experts in e30s yet youve chosen to ignore the advice.

Glenn (both a forum sponsor and BMW mechanic of god knows how many years experience) comes on and tells you exactly what everyone else is thinking bot only do you chose to ignore the advice, you decide to pick a fight.

So you have two choices. Either take the advice your being offered or continue on by yourself, because your not going to make any friends continuing on like this.

Edited by kis

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* Shock horror *

Member gets lippy after not getting the answer they want.

Listen mate, you asked if someone local had a scanner. If someone had anything to help Im sure they wouldve said so by now. Youve been told by two members to try either Mike at Porirua Euro or Vijay at Page. Both are experts in e30s yet youve chosen to ignore the advice.

Glenn (both a forum sponsor and BMW mechanic of god knows how many years experience) comes on and tells you exactly what everyone else is thinking bot only do you chose to ignore the advice, you decide to pick a fight.

So you have two choices. Either take the advice your being offered or continue on by yourself, because your not going to make any friends continuing on like this.

I am not trying to pick a fight. im new here and it would not be in my best interest to do so. Ive been on forums long enough to have seen people try to pick fights with other people and admin and it gets them no where except off the forum, banned or otherwise.

Im a naturally inquisitive person. if someone tells me something wont work etc as Glen did, then i am asking WHY it wont work. i will decide whether or not to go to said people when i know what information i can gain from it! Im not ignoring anyone!

Edited by ethrty320

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Guest kis

And there was me thinking you'd been reading the posts in your own thread.... both

You don't need a scanner to check an E30 TPS switch... I've said it before ... the DME has minimal memory & live data functions compared to a late model cars. You need to find someone who has E30 experience and a brain... then you'll get it sorted. Bring it up here :D

and

Your car is close to 20 years of age... technoligy has now come a long way. E30 electronic technoligy is on par with a horse drawn plow. Thats why I said to find someone with E30 experience and a brain

answer your question do they not ?

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And there was me thinking you'd been reading the posts in your own thread.... both

and

answer your question do they not ?

Regarding the TPS.

Ill rephrase my question:

What information can I gain from using a scanner on nn E30 M20B20??? Its really not that hard a question guys! I know its not "nothing" because why does it exist?

And before anyone gets on my case about not replying instantly as you for some reason expect, i am off to a funeral and will be home tonight and i wont reply untill then

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With a scanner connected you will get NO fault code for TPS

In live data (dependant on TPS switch type) you will get:

Idling

Partial load

Full load

Thats all, no other data for TPS

About the only thing you get of any use with a scanner in live data is, temperature sender unit values, which you will need to confirm with a infa red laser temp reader & TPS on/off values as above.

Does that answer your TPS question ? or can I help in any other way ?

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Respect to you, but you shouldnt jump to conclusions that i have no experience with E30s just because im new here. im a veteran member of Bimmerfest and R3v, and, as ive mentioned, owned 3 of them and worked on many.

Watch out Glenn, he has owned 3 E30's and worked on many.... AND he is veteran member of Bimmerfest and R3v.... you can't possibly argue with someone with such vast experience in BMW's!!!!!!!! AND he has a master's degree in opening his mouth to change feet to boot..... :blink:

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With a scanner connected you will get NO fault code for TPS

In live data (dependant on TPS switch type) you will get:

Idling

Partial load

Full load

Thats all, no other data for TPS

About the only thing you get of any use with a scanner in live data is, temperature sender unit values, which you will need to confirm with a infa red laser temp reader & TPS on/off values as above.

Does that answer your TPS question ? or can I help in any other way ?

Can anything else be gained at all? like not regarding the TPS? or just this? Thanks for furthering my learning

Watch out Glenn, he has owned 3 E30's and worked on many.... AND he is veteran member of Bimmerfest and R3v.... you can't possibly argue with someone with such vast experience in BMW's!!!!!!!! AND he has a master's degree in opening his mouth to change feet to boot..... :blink:

Glens sidekick? i should point out i dont claim to be better or worse than him in anyway, im saying i have experience with E30s. i dont have experience with other BMWs because i dont own them, but i dont know where i said that in my post and you got that idea from anyway. Maybe you could contribute to my thread with your suggestions on the matter? it would be greatly appreciated :)

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Regarding the TPS.

Ill rephrase my question:

What information can I gain from using a scanner on nn E30 M20B20??? Its really not that hard a question guys! I know its not "nothing" because why does it exist?

And before anyone gets on my case about not replying instantly as you for some reason expect, i am off to a funeral and will be home tonight and i wont reply untill then

I fixed all my M20 BMW without scnaner.the wcaner onlywork for me is turn off the light on the dash.your fuel alot problem may be the engine never runs warm.If you really know the TPS sensor.try to find a secondhand to replace.

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I fixed all my M20 BMW without scnaner.the wcaner onlywork for me is turn off the light on the dash.your fuel alot problem may be the engine never runs warm.If you really know the TPS sensor.try to find a secondhand to replace.

Temperature gauge is on the middle once the car is up to temp. Rises a bit with spirited driving, but will then go back to normal again. Im not sure if its the TPS or not. My B20 one is a WOT TPS i am told, anyone know ifi can use the one from my 88 South African spec 325i M20?

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The m20 TPS is just a switch, which tells the ECU, idle, partial load, or wot. It is not varible like on newer engines such as m50's and newer. M20's with an automatic transmission and selectable sport modes had a slightly different TPS, which included the normal TPS for the engine ECU and the variable one for the transmission ECU.

You can easily test your TPS, by checking for contiunity with a multi meter, im not sure of the pin connections, you will have to find that yourself, or trial and error. But with the throttle closed, 2 pins should be connected, with it partially open, none should be connected, with it at wot 2 should be connected (different to the ones when it was closed).

Sometimes they can fill up with oil and not make proper electrical connections inside, or they become out of adjustment and so it either reads partial throttle or wot (it wont sense idle). In my experiance this will make the engine run extrememly rich

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