FLICKERING LIGHTS

[jakeLongIsland]

HI, I JUST BOUGHT MY (FIRST BMW) 1995 318i A MONTH AGO. I PICKED IT UP FOR 1000$. IT WASN'T WORKING WHEN I BOUGHT IT, THE OWNER THOUGHT HE BLEW THE ENGINE BUT IT TURNS OUT IT JUST NEEDED A FUEL PUMP FROM THE JUNK YARD THAT COST ME 100$. I GUESS I GOT LUCKY BUT A NEW PROBLEM............

WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR, THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS KEEPS GOING IN AND OUT, THE RPM LOOSES POWER, THE FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR LOOSES POWER EVEN THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK. AND SUDDENLY AFTER A FEW MINUTES EVERYTHING COMES ON JUST FINE AND IT WOULD GO OUT AGAIN EVENTUALLY. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM........

ALSO, HOW HARD IS IT TO DO AN ENGINE SWAP (IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO PUT A M3 ENGINE IN A 318i) IF I HAVE A M3 ENGINE WITH ALL THE ELECTRICAL HARNESSES AND M3 ECU? THANK YOU.

[frank3]

Did you say you live near area 51? Did this happen when you saw that flying thing in the sky?

Actually, sounds like a short and/or loose conncection in a main power line in your wiring harness. I'd check out the battery connections first and then the alternator connections to make sure they're clean and tight.

[El Presidente]

My only guess is that with all the damage the ECU has gotten wet. Its not common, but it can happen. Ive had it happen to me a few times at a carwash and once in heavy rain. The car basically shuts down and goes nuts and the throttle quits responding and the guages go nuts. Too much water and its fried for good. If it does it without getting wet, Id say that there is already enough damage that the ECU needs to be replaced. If the engine still runs normally when it freaks out, then it might not be the ECU but some other problem; most likely a short.

And an M3 engine can be fit into a 318 for the cost of 5-10k installed. Generally, the tranny, drive shaft, and diif also need to be replaced becuase the gearing is not appropriate for increase in power.

[jakeLongIsland]

THANK YOU FOR THE INPUT GUYS. I WOULD LOOK INTO CHANGING MY ECU. THANK YOU AGAIN.

[TECH]

I'd be looking more along the lines of the instrument cluster rather than the ECU (DME). Does the engine run ok?

[TECH]

BTW, who/what made the previous owner suspect a blown engine?