Need Help Engine Dies After Starting

[VIEN46]

i have 93 318i which recently gave me problems. when i start the engine, it makes a struggling/ choking kind of sound and then dies. to keep the engine running i would need to keep gas it, if not it dies out immediately.
does anyone have any idea what could be wrong? anyone with/had a similar problem and fixed it? i would like to know your story. thanks guys

[abemcclellan]

i don't have a story, but you might want to check the air mass flow sensor. that might be messed up. just a thought on the top of my head.

[VIEN46]

do you think it could be the the fuel pump. cause i read somewhere online that the early e36 models has a shitty fuel pump design, if driven on low gas( below 1/4 tank) it burns the pump. because the pump relies on the gas to keep it cool. and dumbass "me" been driving on low gas. ghead

[grtmoby]

I recommend checking these things in order each on its own;

1- Remove he air mass meter plug and start the engine.
2- Remove the idle actuator plug.
3- on the front of the intake manifold there are two plugs, remove the one on the left (throttle potentiomete sensor).

Inform of the situation...

[m33sh3ll8]

Originally posted by VIEN46@Dec 21 2004, 12:14 AM
i have 93 318i which recently gave me problems. when i start the engine, it makes a struggling/ choking kind of sound and then dies. to keep the engine running i would need to keep gas it, if not it dies out immediately.
does anyone have any idea what could be wrong? anyone with/had a similar problem and fixed it? i would like to know your story. thanks guys

[snapback]255367[/snapback]

I have the same problem right now..let me know if you find out what the problem is. I'm actually taking my car to a mechanic tomorrow morning.

[Ebb_N_Flow]

Originally posted by m33sh3ll8+Dec 21 2004, 05:01 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(m33sh3ll8 @ Dec 21 2004, 05:01 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-VIEN46@Dec 21 2004, 12:14 AM
i have* 93 318i which recently gave me problems. when i start the engine, it makes a struggling/ choking kind of sound and then dies. to keep the engine running i would need to keep gas it, if not it dies out immediately.
does anyone have any idea what could be wrong? anyone with/had a similar problem and fixed it? i would like to know your story. thanks guys

[snapback]255367[/snapback]

I have the same problem right now..let me know if you find out what the problem is. I'm actually taking my car to a mechanic tomorrow morning.

[snapback]255460[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]
it could be your idle control... is the check engine light coming up??? if so take it and have the code read

[Delmarco]

I remember the first time I came to this BMW forum I had this problem. And it is definately fuel system related. I ended up paying $480 at the dealership to get get a new Air Mass Flow meter replaced (which I found out later usually sells for $20 on ebay and the DIY is pretty easy from what i've heard)

In fact your best senario is that you are putting weak gas in your car (under 90 grade at the pump) I usually put 91 or 93.

Then it could be any problem from your fuel tank to your engine. Like someone said already the weakest part of that system are the primary pumps and the Air Mass Sensor that get replaced/repaired the most.

Good Luck

[VIEN46]

i took it to the shop yesterday and they checked it out saying that it has something to do with the air. he said that the car was taking in too much gas and not enough air,making it to rich to mix properly. so then he showed me this diagram of the piece that i need to replace, i think i was the airflow mass meter. anybody knows if it is hard to install this piece? or where i can get it cheap?

[bpowers]

Just want to clarify the problem. When you start your car, it runr rough/chokes, but if you keep the throttle above, say, 1500 rpm, it runs fine?

Curious because since the temps have dropped here in NY I'm having a tough time starting my car in the morning -- sounds like it's not running on all 4 cylinders, so I figured the plugs were going bad. Anyway, I began to play with the idle, and if I keep the idle just above 1,000, it runs fine. Guess I should look into the AMS.

[grtmoby]

Originally posted by VIEN46@Dec 23 2004, 05:16 AM
i took it to the shop yesterday and they checked it out saying that it has something to do with the air. he said that the car was taking in too much gas and not enough air,making it to rich to mix properly. so then he showed me this diagram of the piece that i need to replace, i think i was the airflow mass meter. anybody knows if it is hard to install this piece? or where i can get it cheap?

[snapback]256779[/snapback]

the installation of the air mass meter is a piece of cake, pretty easy to do it on your own. I think you may find it very cheap on ebay...

Have you tried to disconnect its plug and start the engine, does it run fine in this situation or not.

[VIEN46]

Originally posted by bpowers@Dec 23 2004, 10:17 AM
Just want to clarify the problem. When you start your car, it runr rough/chokes, but if you keep the throttle above, say, 1500 rpm, it runs fine?

Curious because since the temps have dropped here in NY I'm having a tough time starting my car in the morning -- sounds like it's not running on all 4 cylinders, so I figured the plugs were going bad. Anyway, I began to play with the idle, and if I keep the idle just above 1,000, it runs fine. Guess I should look into the AMS.

[snapback]257153[/snapback]

when i start my car the engine turns then dies immediately. has like a choking/ sputtering like sound before it goes out. even though i keep the rpm up, the engine still dies it just does holds it's idle.

[VIEN46]

Originally posted by grtmoby+Dec 23 2004, 02:22 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(grtmoby @ Dec 23 2004, 02:22 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-VIEN46@Dec 23 2004, 05:16 AM
i took it to the shop yesterday and they checked it out saying that it has something to do with the air. he said that the car was taking in too much gas and not enough air,making it to rich to mix properly. so then he showed me this diagram of the piece that i need to replace, i think i was the airflow mass meter. anybody knows if it is hard to install this piece? or where i can get it cheap?

[snapback]256779[/snapback]

the installation of the air mass meter is a piece of cake, pretty easy to do it on your own. I think you may find it very cheap on ebay...

Have you tried to disconnect its plug and start the engine, does it run fine in this situation or not.

[snapback]257283[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]

yea i tried disconnecting it and pluging it back in, still no difference. but i found a used air mass meter on ebay for like $30. so i'l plug that in see if thats really the problem. if not then the shop was lying to me. i'l let you guys know asap. thanks for all your responses and help!

[grtmoby]

Originally posted by VIEN46+Dec 24 2004, 03:05 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(VIEN46 @ Dec 24 2004, 03:05 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'>

the installation of the air mass meter is a piece of cake, pretty easy to do it on your own. I think you may find it very cheap on ebay...

Have you tried to disconnect its plug and start the engine, does it run fine in this situation or not.

[snapback]257283[/snapback]

yea i tried disconnecting it and pluging it back in, still no difference. but i found a used air mass meter on ebay for like $30. so i'l plug that in see if thats really the problem. if not then the shop was lying to me. i'l let you guys know asap. thanks for all your responses and help!

[snapback]257300[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]

I meant to turn the engine on while the plug is disconnected it might take one or two trials but it will run. See if this ends the problem....

[Ebb_N_Flow]

Before you go much further..... is your CHECK ENGINE light on ???
if so, get the code read before you do anything else, if not good luck on diagnosis

and by taking it to the shop what exactly do you mean by shop.... is it a reputable bmw specialist or just some joe grease monkey ....
if its the latter pls do yourself and your car a favor and take it to some1 who specializes in bmw's

[VIEN46]

Originally posted by Ebb_N_Flow@Dec 23 2004, 03:41 PM
Before you go much further..... is your CHECK ENGINE light on ???
if so, get the code read before you do anything else, if not good luck on diagnosis

and by taking it to the shop what exactly do you mean by shop.... is it a reputable bmw specialist or just some joe grease monkey ....
if its the latter pls do yourself and your car a favor and take it to some1 who specializes in bmw's

[snapback]257315[/snapback]

YES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON... AND WHEN I SAID "SHOP" I DID MEAN A CERTIFIED BMW SERVICE SHOP. IT'S CALLED "BAVARIAN MOTOR EXPERTS"...I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE DUMB ENOUGH TO TAKE IT TO A REGULAR SHOP.