NEED OPINIONS .. PLZZZ HELPPPPP

[p3rsian]

ok ... so as i have been writing about this problem for 2 weeks i still havent fixed my car.
so basically 2 engine cylinders are not firing .
cylinders 2 and 4
i read in bentley that the order for m42 engine is cylinder 1 then 3 then 2 /4.
so i was gonna first test to see if fuel is coming in by checking the fuel injectors. but maan i gotta take off the manifold and im a newb at this stuff.
so i dont think its the injectors because ... 1- i doubt that all of a sudden 2 of the injectors stop working and specially the ones that are fired last.
2- i dont think that they can be clogged so much that it wont let the engine fire.
when i went to the mechanic he said the error is low spark ..
but when the car is running and when i take off the wire for cylinder lets say 2 , when i put it back in a little bit but not all the way in i here tick tick tick .. meaning its getting spark ..
is there such thing as low spark ? if it sparks it sparks right ?
i changed my plugs and when the mechanic looked at them he said its the coil pack and ecu because i dunoo something like the spark plugs arent fully engaged or something.. does this sound right to you guys ?

[p3rsian]

ok here is the thing also ....
1st mechanic which i took it said the ignition coil must be changed with the wires. he changed them both , and same problem , then he said that its either the computer or the fuel injectors.
but when he checked to see if voltage is coming to the injectors or not it seemed fine..

the 2nd one who works on bmw's said that ignition coils have problems and the ecu has to be changed.

all these problems started when i came from overseas after 2 months of not using my car ,when i arrived that night i just started the car and it seemed fine , the next morning it all happened when i started it.
so im assuming something shorted out i dunoo... but when i dirve the car SOMETIMES for 1 sec i feel the power is back then it lets go and back to low power.

so do u think i should 1- buy coil pack for 70 bucks used. then get this guy here in san diego who fixes ecus for 200 bucks.
or 2- goto bmw mechanic and pay him 2 $90 an hour just to see whats wrong with it ?

i am very very very very very short on cash .. what do u think i should do ?

[97alpineM3]

Ok... first... make SURE that you are using the orginal brand... and factory spark plug. BMWs are picky as all hell when it comes to spark rates on their plugs.

Next... if you dont have the right plugs.. and your having the same problem... replace the coil pack.

I'm not exactly very familiar with the M42 engine... but I do know that on distributorless ignition systems... the spark fires in BOTH directions. So if your spark plugs are working... you might have had a valve cover leak... burnt some oil.. and now preventing or slowing down the spark with a weak backlast of spark due to a oil.

OR.... if your car has a billion miles on it... due to the burning of gasoline and its additives.... a certain layer of carbon build up can occure inside of the engine... and around your plugs... slowing down the spark rate between the two. So... gets some Lucas injector cleaner... which also trys to burn some of the carbon out of the engine... it helps a lot... trust me.. try some of what I said..... it might help... if not.. I'm sorry.. and good luck.

[p3rsian]

Originally posted by 97alpineM3@Jul 28 2004, 08:15 PM
Ok... first... make SURE that you are using the orginal brand... and factory spark plug. BMWs are picky as all hell when it comes to spark rates on their plugs.

Next... if you dont have the right plugs.. and your having the same problem... replace the coil pack.

I'm not exactly very familiar with the M42 engine... but I do know that on distributorless ignition systems... the spark fires in BOTH directions. So if your spark plugs are working... you might have had a valve cover leak... burnt some oil.. and now preventing or slowing down the spark with a weak backlast of spark due to a oil.

OR.... if your car has a billion miles on it... due to the burning of gasoline and its additives.... a certain layer of carbon build up can occure inside of the engine... and around your plugs... slowing down the spark rate between the two. So... gets some Lucas injector cleaner... which also trys to burn some of the carbon out of the engine... it helps a lot... trust me.. try some of what I said..... it might help... if not.. I'm sorry.. and good luck.

u mean change the coil and ecu cuz when the coil was changed still same thing.
its not the wrong spark thing cuz my car was working perfect before i left to my tip when i came back with the same plugs this happened

[97alpineM3]

It will work fine for a while... but the longevity of a different type plug in the system is degraded due to the resistance of the material... (I'm almost positive thats why.. could be wrong). Honestly... I dont know much more.. sorry and good luck.

[Speedy-325is]

how is the compression on the dead cylinders? have you checked the valves?
my car had a dead cylinder and to fix it i would have needed a valve job. but i dropped in a new engine cause it was easier and less $$$$

[p3rsian]

Originally posted by Speedy-325is@Jul 28 2004, 09:19 PM
how is the compression on the dead cylinders? have you checked the valves?
my car had a dead cylinder and to fix it i would have needed a valve job. but i dropped in a new engine cause it was easier and less $$$$

yes and yes

[p3rsian]

Originally posted by 97alpineM3@Jul 28 2004, 08:46 PM
It will work fine for a while... but the longevity of a different type plug in the system is degraded due to the resistance of the material... (I'm almost positive thats why.. could be wrong). Honestly... I dont know much more.. sorry and good luck.

i used the same exact plugs which was in it
platinum 4's

[kylejsutin]

Hey, I'm having almost the exact same problem as you are. Check out my post here and let hopefully we can figure this out together. http://www.bmw-forums.com/forum/index.php?...l=ignition+coil

[97alpineM3]

Yet again... I'd only use OEM spark plugs... unless your using a higher pressure fuel pump.. with a different fuel nozzel.