Interesting Little Problem

[sennis]

Hey Guys...

My 93 318IS was running beautifully until a week ago when it dropped to -39 F up here in lovely Canada! My car wouldn't start one morning... I tried boosting it several times, and it would come close to firing, but not QUITE... just wouldn't catch. I waited til it warmed up a bit, and tried again. No fire... Then I bought a little bottle of gas line antifreeze, and dumped it in the gas tank. She fired!!! But when I was letting it run for a while, I noticed the UP AND DOWN with RPM's when just sitting there in neutral. The exhaust Noise was equally as annoying... UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN.

Then my CHECK ENGINE light came on. When I took the car for a spin, this light turned off... BUT then came back when I was travelling at about the same speed, at about the same RPM. When I accelerated, or let off the gas, the light turned off again, only to come back again shortly. When I stop, and have the car in neutral, I still notice the UP AND DOWN RPMS. And occasionally when I step on the gas, it hesitates, and is kind of jumpy. Even travelling at a constant speed, sometimes, it just starts to decelerate, kinda jumpy...

JUST CUROIUS if anyone knows anything regarding this problem, or if anyone else has some insight as to what could be wrong here...Again I stress, it was FINE before the cold snap, now it's having thise problems listed above...

Maybe worth mentioning that I notice ALOT of exhaust fumes coming out. Stong smell... I don't know... Maybe it's just time to sell it! haha... Any help is greatly appreciated!

CHEERS!

[kestrel325is]

the Up and Down of your engine may be caused by a stuck Idle Air Valve.

Your CEL light, but then went out? Take it and have the codes read. There's a good chance that the code is still in memory. That should give you a better idea of what might be wrong. Or, wait until it warms up (ha!) and try it again. Sorry I couldn't be of more help...

[sennis]

Quick update here guys... I just performed the gas pedal test... OBD1.

THe code is 1222, which according to the chart I have in front of me, it says:

"OXYGEN SENSOR MIXTURE RATIO OUT OF BOUNDS (rich/lean)"

Do you think this could be the answer to all problems expressed above? If so, is the solution to simply replace this sensor?

Is this an easy thing to do yourself?

Cheers

Thanks guys....

[kestrel325is]

Originally posted by sennis@Jan 26 2005, 02:16 PM

"OXYGEN SENSOR MIXTURE RATIO OUT OF BOUNDS (rich/lean)"

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That would account for the smell, but I don't know if that would make the car "jumpy" during accel or decel.

The o2 sensor is a fairly easy install. it's on the downpipe before the cat. Unscrew it and track the wire up to the connector. Installation is the reverse.

[Rookie]

Actually that may account for the jumpyness of the car and the light. When you give it gas and the sensor was reading wrong it would allow more air into the engine without giving it more gas or vise a versa and it would correct momentarily(?sp). All sorts of things can happen when that sensor goes bad. I would say just replace it they can't be that expensive anyways.

[amancuso]

Originally posted by Rookie@Jan 27 2005, 11:44 PM
Actually that may account for the jumpyness of the car and the light. When you give it gas and the sensor was reading wrong it would allow more air into the engine without giving it more gas or vise a versa and it would correct momentarily(?sp). All sorts of things can happen when that sensor goes bad. I would say just replace it they can't be that expensive anyways.

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That doesnt mean that the sensor isn't working, the computer is just telling you that the sensor's readings are not what they are supposed to be. I would try the Idle Air Controller, removing and cleaning. Also the code could be set from the additive you put in the gasoline. Try those simple tests before you start replacing parts.

-Al.