[Ben Wiseman]

i own a 1976 BMW 530i and i drove it for about a year and all of a sudden the car will not go over 2500 rpms ....the engine starts and idles fine and runs fine up til the 2500 rpms then it cuts out and backfires....i was thinking it was either an air intake problem....or a fuel problem....any help in figuring out why my bimmer is broke will be appreciated...


thanks.
-ben

 

[cam540]

**bump

any mechanics??

 

[Fox]

Ok.. there are a couple things that i can think of. First, about not going over 2500 RPMs. This sounds like either bad ignition and/or bad fuel delivery, change your spark plugs and get your carbs cleaned (this could be many many other things but Im just puttign the simplist possiblilties). But then you mention that once it gets to 2500rpms it backfires and cuts out (does the engine stall at this point or just drop RPMs?) The backfireing i would think is a improper ignition timeing OR maybe your catalytic converter is full. If it is absolutely full it may create enough backpressure to stall and backfire the engine at 2500 rpms but below that engine speed not enough pressure is created. If your cat is full then it will smell like rotten eggs usually. However about the ignition timing, if it is a conventional distributer with points (not an electric distributer) this is a high possibility. The points will wear down and must be filed and re-spaced.

 

[Fox]

hump on the bump.

 

[Guest]

thanks for the ideas.....when the engine hits 2500 rpms it drops rpms....it doesnt stall...


ill try checking some of those possiblilities...

thanks again

-ben

 

[triggrhaapi]

there are alot of possible causes

burnt valves/stuck valves/broken valvespring (is there a ticking noise?)
ignition timing like fox said
bad carb or burnt fuel injector
failing fuel pump

in such an old engine, the possibilities are endless. I'd take it in to a shop and get a cylinder compression check and get the ignition, fuel and valve systems looked at.

 

[e36_m3_Turbo]

i heard shell has shitty gas and makes the fuel pump all slushy and makes fuel deliever bad