idle, sputter, die, oh my... - BMW Forum

da_bull · 10-10-2007, 10:53 PM

My wife started ol' blue yesterday said it died on her a few times in the driveway, got it running, took it down the street and barely ran. Turned around and came back home. I got out there today and it did the same thing to me pretty much. I drove it up and down the road, it was constantly hunting for an idle. Died at the stop sign. Restarted and just ran rough. Had a smell I cant really describe, didnt really smell rich, and not like a catalytic smell. I ran it barely off idle and WOT it didnt really make any difference. Once it got warm, it seemed to straighten up a bit. Just got back from the store and its all back to normal. Any ideas from anyone? TIA

da_male_mooer_with_a_broken_bimmer...

dannyb · 10-11-2007, 01:43 PM

Could it be bad gas? Happen to me once.

d3ity · 10-11-2007, 02:44 PM

Did you go to a different gas station than usual? With gas prices this high... I've seen people watering it down.

da_bull · 10-11-2007, 09:33 PM

Actually its entirely possible. My wife and I took a 600 mile trip a week or so ago to northern Missouri. I filled up the last time at a station 300 miles north of town. I had about 1/2 tank left when we got home. I've been riding my bike to work all last week and this week. So the car has been sitting. Its also turned off cold a few nights lately. I am thinking with the combo of crappy gas and maybe some condensation, that's where the troubles lie. I'll stab some Heet in there and fill back up at my local place and see what happens. Our mechanic at work suggested the same thing this morning.

dannyb · 10-12-2007, 09:45 AM

Ever seen a fuel filter spit out black/dark brown gas, now that explains why a car runs really bad haha

d3ity · 10-12-2007, 10:02 AM

I just noticed you refered to your car as ol' blue.

+rep.

da_bull · 10-12-2007, 05:30 PM

^meh, its a '90, older than half the members on this forum

d3ity · 10-12-2007, 08:59 PM

Hey, I'm older than your car.

Now ol' red... she's older than I am.

Eric S. · 10-13-2007, 02:39 AM

Hey man, sorry to hear of your woes. The first thing I was thinking upon reading your post was that it is related to timing belt/chain being off somehow.

Anyway, good luck in figuring it out. And yes, '90 is older than a lot of people lately - we're becoming old farts.

BTW, I really like E34s.

da_bull · 10-13-2007, 08:34 AM

Yeah, I would think that it might be a timing issue if it was consistant. It clears up though. That does remind me though, it has been around 35K since I had the belt changed. This has been a wonderful car. The only thing I've done to it is change the oil, and drive the wheels off it. It doesnt owe me a thing. Well aside from the big tree caving in the hood and denting about every panel on the car. Thats all just cosmetic.

bimmerguy82 · 10-13-2007, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by da_bull

Actually its entirely possible. My wife and I took a 600 mile trip a week or so ago to northern Missouri. I filled up the last time at a station 300 miles north of town. I had about 1/2 tank left when we got home. I've been riding my bike to work all last week and this week. So the car has been sitting. Its also turned off cold a few nights lately. I am thinking with the combo of crappy gas and maybe some condensation, that's where the troubles lie. I'll stab some Heet in there and fill back up at my local place and see what happens. Our mechanic at work suggested the same thing this morning.

try throwing some seafoam additive in there and if it's a gas issue that should help alot.

da_bull · 10-13-2007, 09:38 PM

I tossed a bottle of Heet in there plus 30 Washingtons of petrol from my local place. We'll have to run through this tank and see what happens after that. As much as I have been riding my bike lately it may be 2 weeks before I have to fill up the bimmer again, lol...

da_bull · 11-26-2007, 11:58 PM

I wanna re-open this post again. Now that its colder it seems to really run horrible at idle. The mpg drops WAY down, and the headlights get REALLY dim when it is hiccuping. Once on the highway, it seems to be fine, but pull up to a stop sign and it idles between 500-900 and just about dies, sometimes does when the motor is cold. Is there an idle circuit that needs cleaned/replaced?

16valex · 11-27-2007, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by da_bull

I wanna re-open this post again. Now that its colder it seems to really run horrible at idle. The mpg drops WAY down, and the headlights get REALLY dim when it is hiccuping. Once on the highway, it seems to be fine, but pull up to a stop sign and it idles between 500-900 and just about dies, sometimes does when the motor is cold. Is there an idle circuit that needs cleaned/replaced?

Is it easy to get to the ICV in your car? I would clean the ICV is how it goes.

MEDSTUDENT87 · 11-27-2007, 10:57 PM

Hey Da_BULL! Your car is almost exactly like mine. A '90, glaicer blue but my rims are stock. I had the same problem last spring and when it was acting up I unplugged the MAF and it cleared up. My mechanic thought it was water too but when I kept having the problem he had me do that. It will drive like crap but then that lets you know that the MAF either needs to be cleaned or replaced. P.S. I would try spraying some MAF cleaner on it once you have est. that is the problem. Mine cleared up and has acted great since other than a cracked rubber intake hose that may be it too. Good luck.