Engine dropping cylinders, runs on one now

[Jay 735i 0]

Hi All,

I was hoping to introduce myself properly, I have recently bought an e32 735i, which is to be a bit of a project car but it seems it's forced my hand on my first post.

Driving home tonight, it dropped to 5 cylinders, cleared and ran on 6, then back to 5, then climbing a hill it went to 3, failed to make it up the hill and now barely idles on what sounds like 1 cylinder. It's done 240ks, so am expecting a head gasket at some point, but no signs of contamination in the oil, none in the coolant (which hasn't dropped) and there were no signs of overheating.

Any possible electrical gremlins I should investigate? It's been fully serviced, so all consumables have been replaced when needed. No access to a diagnostic tool at the moment, but will try and borrow one off a BMW nutter mate, so not checked fault codes.

Thanks in advance for any help, sorry it's not a better 1st post...

Edited June 9, 2010 by Jay 735i

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

please update your profile info with location. makes advice giving easier, as parts stores and/or service technicians can be recommended by people in your area

No experience from me on M30s though sorry. will let someone else chime in.

[Jay 735i 0]

Ah yes sorry, I should know better with location details. Now added...

[BM WORLD 1283]

water or oil in the spark plug holes , cracked dizzy cap or moisture in there.

faulty crank sensor or front hub coming loose

[Jay 735i 0]

water or oil in the spark plug holes , cracked dizzy cap or moisture in there.

faulty crank sensor or front hub coming loose

Cool will check all of the suggestions tomorrow when it's light and the engine has cooled down. Thanks, much appreciated!

[Jay 735i 0]

Having thought about this at work (best place for thinking about things other than work), I have a feeling I may be suffering a mild case of muppetitis...

The car was running low on fuel and I was just leaving it until the fuel light came on. It took a long, long time for the fuel light to come on and in fact it didn't, even though the gauge had read empty for quite a while. I may have run out of petrol, or at least got the level down low enough to suck some crap out of the bottom of the tank and block the fuel filter.

However the last time I ran out of petrol was when I was 17, which was a few thousand years ago now, and that was a carb-fed Mk2 Cortina with a dodgy fuel gauge. Would these symptoms fit running out in an injected car, rather than the cough, splutter, die method of emptying the tank on a carbed car?

[Jay 735i 0]

Ok, I'm a dork, it's official. I ran out of petrol.

Was waiting for the fuel light to come on, it didn't, so I just kept going (or rather forgetting to fill up) and eventually it ran out. So I blame the fuel light...

[mark247 39]

It's certainly not the first time that's happened!

[Forrest 35]

Make sure you run some injector cleaner through it too, the hesitation might be crap caught up in them, won't help you ran the tank so low also.

Glad to hear it is nothing major

[Jay 735i 0]

Yeah I'm sure it's happened before, but I still feel stupid...

But yes, all good and nothing serious. Good idea on the injector cleaner, took it for a run afterwards and it wasn't quite as smooth as usual, so I think injector cleaner and a new fuel filter would be a good idea.

[Guest Simon*]

Relief!

And welcome mate. Got pics of the 7?

[Jay 735i 0]

Relief!

And welcome mate. Got pics of the 7?

Yeah somewhat relieved... I'm reasonably competent with most mechanical work (at a hobby level, definitely not a mechanic) and so I have a tendency to look for the complicated answers to problems instead of noticing the obvious....

photos in my other thread

http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....showtopic=30303

[Carl 3]

Ever since having a car without a fuel light I never let the fuel needle get low enough to trigger the light, well, only once when got a major surprise to see the orange come on going up a hill - after 5 years I didn't realise the e30 had a fuel warning light at all, 5 years later it's never come on since.

My partner though, loves to run the E36 on orange 

Edited June 12, 2010 by pando

[cliffdunedin 8]

My partner though, loves to run the E36 on orange 

Sorry a little OT but while on the subject of e36 petrol light, my partner runs her right down to nearly the 'E' before filling it up...does the 318is have a reserve that goes below the 'E' like other cars or does 'E' mean it's spent?

I managed to get 5kms on almost empty to a service station on my way to Rugby training on thur night...and was listening for the cough every single second of that trip