Few Problems needed to be fixed - BMW Forum

TurboB3 · 09-21-2008, 05:57 PM

First Problem. I just changed my fuel filter today because the car was running real rough when stepping on the gas. Also, for about the first minute when first started, the idle is really rough and choppy. It does this EVERY time i start it, but only when I first start it. After I switched the fuel filter, the car runs fine again while driving, but it still has that rough idle for the first minute. After that minute though I can hear the tone change in the car and it sounds completely fine. Any Ideas or anyone else have this problem?

Second Problem. One day my instrument cluster stopped working entirely and just said code where the mileage normally is. It would randomly work some days for a while then stopped and always says code. Is this a bad instrument cluster? Can it be fixed? Does anyone have schematics of the wiring for it? Thanks for the help.

I have a 1993 318is but it has a 96 motor in it.

thekid · 09-21-2008, 08:34 PM

Did you do the engine swap yourself? The 96 engine has different electrics than the body does. Perhaps the conversion was not done correctly and something isn't wired correctly.

Try running some fuel injector cleaner through. I'd recommend 44k.

TurboB3 · 09-22-2008, 09:55 PM

The swap was done before I bought it and it worked fine for years up until now.

thekid · 09-22-2008, 11:51 PM

Ok, so we can rule out any problems related to the swap.

Read this whole post before doing any of the steps.

Give this a shot.

1. Get in the car and insert the key, DO NOT TURN IT.
2. Press and hold the odometer reset
3. Turn the key to the first position
4. Release the odometer reset button when you see Test something on the cluster.
5. The odometer is going to start showing several different numbers. If I recall they are the vin and some other information. Ignore all of that. The speedo etc are all going to go up and down and do some other creepy stuff. At the end, if the cluster is still good, it should show the mileage again.

**Disclaimer**: If the cluster is bad, other parts of it may stop working as a result of running this test. This includes but is not limited to functionality of your tach or speedo. This will not break a good cluster, but could break a bad cluster worse. I nor anybody else is responsible in the case of any of the above happening. Replacing the cluster with a good compatible cluster should resolve any and all problems that occur after doing the above test.
** End Disclaimer**

Let us know if fuel injector cleaner sorts out your other problem.

TurboB3 · 09-24-2008, 06:14 PM

Ok, So i did that and everything worked, but then it just went back to Code. I forgot to mention that nothing on the instrument cluster works right. Gas, temp, tach, or speedo. The only thing that works fine is the parking brake light. When i did that test everything moved all the way up then back down and the lights lit up.

thekid · 09-26-2008, 10:07 PM

hmmm....

This has become more interesting with this new information on the cluster. Supposedly something else should have happened during this test.

Did the cluster stop functioning all at once? When it randomly showed or didn't show code for the odometer did the rest of the cluster work/not work at the same time? Anything kick this off? A big bump? Going through a deep puddle? Anything at all like that? Any work done on the car?

Is the car still idling rough?

fuzbox · 09-27-2008, 12:48 PM

Have you checked out the posts "ATTENTION ALL E36- WIREING PROBLEM" and "316 E36 Not Quite Right"

Just a thought.

thekid · 09-27-2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzbox

Have you checked out the posts "ATTENTION ALL E36- WIREING PROBLEM" and "316 E36 Not Quite Right"

Just a thought.

?? I don't follow this.

fuzbox · 09-28-2008, 06:52 AM

On the 3 Series E36 forum are two threads, one called "316 E36 not quite right" which sounds like the engine problems you are having and one called "Attention: ALL E36 owners beware - WIRING PROBLEM" Which sounds like the electrical problem you are having. You may find the answere there.

thekid · 09-28-2008, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzbox

On the 3 Series E36 forum are two threads, one called "316 E36 not quite right" which sounds like the engine problems you are having and one called "Attention: ALL E36 owners beware - WIRING PROBLEM" Which sounds like the electrical problem you are having. You may find the answere there.

Yes I understand what you meant, however, the symptoms are quite different. I'm not sure how they would be connected. Perhaps I am missing something.