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Need Help! Car Is Barely Drivable

6K views 79 replies 29 participants last post by  komodo 
#1 ·
I'm posting this here rather than E36 for exposure.

This started about a week and a half ago as a small tremble at idle. Now it's gotten worse. Whenever I'm at a redlight, in traffic, or a stop sign, or anything else requiring slowing down and stopping, my car starts violently shaking and smelling bad (kicking stuff out of exhaust i guess). It starts whenever the RPMs drop below about 1,200. If I'm at a redlight or something, I have to drop it into neutral and hold down the gas revving it up to around 1,500 or 2,000 until it changes where i drop it back into drive and quickly go.

If I'm too slow on my neutral revving technique, the car starts lerching violently and threatens to stall (as it has a few times before).

I've cleaned my idle control valve and that did absolutely nothing.

What else can it be? Help! I need a car. heh =/
 
#9 ·
Originally posted by komodo9+Mar 22 2005, 08:10 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(komodo9 @ Mar 22 2005, 08:10 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-guywithblack88e30@Mar 22 2005, 06:07 PM
not enough fuel 2 engine
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What could cause that?

And about the ECU... how could it just mess up like that? I have it sharked, but it wouldn't just change one day would it? Doesn't make sense.
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this man might be right. i would start by replacing the fuel filter if it hasnt been replaced recently... after i changed mine the car sputter for a few moments just as you described until it got enough fuel... clogged one might be doing the same thing
 
#11 ·
check injectors maybe. replace plugs. give it a fuel injection system fuel additive. sounds like regular everyday stuff but hell, could it hurt?
 
#14 ·
Sounds like it may even be the alternator b/c it has trouble keeping the battery charged up when idling, but is fine when the car is running hard. Maybe a clogged cat Who knows :dunno
 
#15 ·
Originally posted by EnvyM3@Mar 22 2005, 08:22 PM
Sounds like it may even be the alternator b/c it has trouble keeping the battery charged up when idling, but is fine when the car is running hard. Maybe a clogged cat Who knows :dunno
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Haha, I don't think it's the alternator, cause at one point i got pissed at it and BLASTED my subs on the way home... without a problem. lol

And I'm pretty sure it's not my cat.... considering I'm running a borla off-road xpipe (no cat). hehe :cheers

Any other ideas? :help
 
#16 ·
Originally posted by komodo9+Mar 22 2005, 09:27 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(komodo9 @ Mar 22 2005, 09:27 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-EnvyM3@Mar 22 2005, 08:22 PM
Sounds like it may even be the alternator b/c it has trouble keeping the battery charged up when idling, but is fine when the car is running hard. Maybe a clogged cat Who knows :dunno
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Haha, I don't think it's the alternator, cause at one point i got pissed at it and BLASTED my subs on the way home... without a problem. lol

And I'm pretty sure it's not my cat.... considering I'm running a borla off-road xpipe (no cat). hehe :cheers

Any other ideas? :help
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:nope :dunno



Funny how you can get your poiint across with a couple of smileys



:band
 
#17 ·
This started about a week and a half ago as a small tremble at idle. Now it's gotten worse. Whenever I'm at a redlight, in traffic, or a stop sign, or anything else requiring slowing down and stopping, my car starts violently shaking and smelling bad (kicking stuff out of exhaust i guess). It starts whenever the RPMs drop below about 1,200. If I'm at a redlight or something, I have to drop it into neutral and hold down the gas revving it up to around 1,500 or 2,000 until it changes where i drop it back into drive and quickly go.

I had the same problem about a year ago and the dealer found that the ECU was the main cause. Too much water getting inside of it and causing your RPM to go nuts. Im pretty sure your ECU is screwed.
 
#19 ·
Originally posted by bmw300@Mar 22 2005, 08:40 PM
This started about a week and a half ago as a small tremble at idle. Now it's gotten worse. Whenever I'm at a redlight, in traffic, or a stop sign, or anything else requiring slowing down and stopping, my car starts violently shaking and smelling bad (kicking stuff out of exhaust i guess). It starts whenever the RPMs drop below about 1,200. If I'm at a redlight or something, I have to drop it into neutral and hold down the gas revving it up to around 1,500 or 2,000 until it changes where i drop it back into drive and quickly go.

I had the same problem about a year ago and the dealer found that the ECU was the main cause. Too much water getting inside of it and causing your RPM to go nuts. Im pretty sure your ECU is screwed.
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I have my shark injector still.... would a rollback and reinstall fix it you think?
 
#20 ·
dude, that sounds like something serious. I don't think it is a simple fuel problem. probably something much more in deapth like the ecu as mentioned. Good luck with it
 
#21 ·
Originally posted by komodo9@Mar 22 2005, 09:50 PM
I have my shark injector still.... would a rollback and reinstall fix it you think?
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Probably not, if anything it may render your car unstartable since corrosion is a physical problem, not a software problem.

Something mechanical is failing. Software dosn't go bad progressively, when it goes bad, it FAILS.

I'd say injectors or something in the ignition system such as spark plugs (or maybe coilpacks)

If there was something restricting flow (IE: air filter, cat, or fuel filter) then your higher RPMS would feel extremely damped and muffled, not clear as a bell.

Run the car until the tank of gas is near empty (like, 20 miles before the light comes on) and put a full dose of injector cleaner and run the car for a while until you NEED to fill up again. The concentration of injector cleaner should help clean out the system really well. Then fill up the tank (all the way) and drive around for another 20 miles to clear the lines since the injector cleaner probably is not good for the rubber fuel lines. You probably should replace sparks after this if this dosn't fix the problem.
 
#25 ·
I have the same year and model as yours. I remember the problems started around 110,000 miles. My car would sputter when I go 50+ mph, bad gas miles, idle jumps to 4000 on a cold start and at stop lights, car shakes, traction control comes on and off, dim interior lights and later it just died. If you experience these problems..its the ECU.
 
#26 ·
Originally posted by bmw300@Mar 22 2005, 11:46 PM
I have the same year and model as yours. I remember the problems started around 110,000 miles. My car would sputter when I go 50+ mph, bad gas miles, idle jumps to 4000 on a cold start and at stop lights, car shakes, traction control comes on and off, dim interior lights and later it just died. If you experience these problems..its the ECU.
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thats never good news....sorry to hear komodo
 
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