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cjhsa
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 Location: West Michigan
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 8:44 am Post subject: Running Rough - Then OK |
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Yesterday I was leaving the lakeshore and I got about 200 yards and the car started running really rough and wanted to quit. I kept giving it gas and it was just chugging, like it was running on fumes or less than all six cylinders. Finally with a bit of a backfire it cleared and started running normally. We did have some rain and dew conditions but it's not like this thing hasn't sat out in the rain before. I should mention there was also an awful lot of bugs near the big lake. I thought it hesitated a bit again this AM on the way to work but I'm not 100% sure, the tach stayed steady.
Oh yeah I put in some IsoHeet last night after I got home.
Bad gas/water? Fuel filter clogged? Other? Thoughts? _________________ 1984 325e 5-speed coupe
Lapis blau
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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You could always do a hot soak and that might clear things up, but it's certainly odd... _________________ Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001 Posts: 2807 Location: In the great midwest
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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cheapest and quickest fix first.
try cleaning the ICV.
check your spark plugs and clean or replace as necessary.
check your battery connections
get some fuel additive and see if it clears up.
clean the throttle housing
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. _________________ Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
(OO=00=OO) |
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cjhsa
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 Location: West Michigan
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 6:52 am Post subject: |
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Car is still running fine. I did check the battery and plug wires and they are good, which I wondered about because of the washboard on the dirt road. I checked all the vacuum hoses and didn't find any cracks. The intake boot is less than five years old. Maybe the IsoHeet did the trick?
Are there in instructions here for cleaning the ICV? _________________ 1984 325e 5-speed coupe
Lapis blau
Last edited by cjhsa on Wed May 30, 2012 7:49 am; edited 1 time in total |
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beejay
Joined: 18 Nov 2002 Posts: 1158 Location: Eastern, Pa
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 8:15 am Post subject: |
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Make sure you use cleaner specifically for MAF sensors. Otherwise you could risk damaging it.
Like this:
http://www.amazon.com/CRC-05110-Mass-Sensor-Cleaner/dp/B000J19XSA _________________ Bob
92 325ic gone
14 BRZ ltd
05 Tundra SR5 TRD
01 VFR800fi - 03 DR650S - 83 CB1100F - 82 CB900F - 69 CB750 |
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cjhsa
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 Location: West Michigan
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:04 am Post subject: |
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Where is the ICV?
There is a valve with a screwdriver adjustment for idle that sits on top of and behind the engine. Is that it? _________________ 1984 325e 5-speed coupe
Lapis blau
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001 Posts: 2807 Location: In the great midwest
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cjhsa
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 Location: West Michigan
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:48 am Post subject: |
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OK, that's what I thought it was. Mine is a little different in apearance. It has a small cylinder on top with a standard screw in it that can be used to adjust the idle. I've fiddled with it many times. _________________ 1984 325e 5-speed coupe
Lapis blau
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001 Posts: 2807 Location: In the great midwest
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:50 am Post subject: |
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cjhsa wrote: | OK, that's what I thought it was. Mine is a little different in apearance. It has a small cylinder on top with a standard screw in it that can be used to adjust the idle. I've fiddled with it many times. |
I think I may have had the wrong diagram on there before, so you may want to look at the diagram I have on the link now.
I don't believe there is an adjustment screw.
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. _________________ Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
(OO=00=OO) |
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cjhsa
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 Location: West Michigan
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001 Posts: 2807 Location: In the great midwest
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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It doesn't look like the same part, but it's hard for me to tell from the pictures.
But the adjustment screw would have nothing to do with the internal cleanliness of the part.
Mine does not have an adjustment screw, but there is an internal valve that can get a little sticky when oil and dirt get in there.
perhaps the screw acts as the valve? Not sure. Someone with an older E30 could tell for sure. But on my model, the ICV can appear for all intents and purposes, completely normal and functioning, but a very ultra-thin layer of grime can really play havoc with drivability.
.
. _________________ Lachssilber Metallic 203 1988 325i sedan with 200,xxx miles
Top Speed 220 km/h
(OO=00=OO) |
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cjhsa
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 325 Location: West Michigan
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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I always called that thing the EGR valve, but that screw DOES adjust the idle speed. _________________ 1984 325e 5-speed coupe
Lapis blau
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85-325e
Joined: 30 Jun 2002 Posts: 4712 Location: Southampton, NY
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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A few months ago, I cleaned my ICV for the first time in my 85-325e... I was heavily grimy after 27 years, and afterwards, the idle ran much better. I used brake parts cleaner and just sprayed it in there, let it soak a few seconds, and then dumped it out. I was amazed at how dirty the thing really was.
Still not sure if that woudl cause the engine to massively fail like that for a few seconds, and then restore itself though. _________________ Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...
Last edited by 85-325e on Wed May 30, 2012 1:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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m78
Joined: 14 Nov 2001 Posts: 2807 Location: In the great midwest
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idanity
Joined: 21 May 2005 Posts: 3097 Location: N.W.U.S.A.
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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stomp test ? _________________ .......... |
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