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Check engine light 91 318i, scanner, "OBD" tester?

 
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hi91-318i



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:08 pm    Post subject: Check engine light 91 318i, scanner, "OBD" tester? Reply with quote

Did a few searches but struck out. Maybe not the right phrases...

1991 318i with M42 in mild weather (Hawaii). Ran like a top for years. Check engine light started flickering like a flash here and there. Eventually on for a couple of seconds and then on for longer but never on constantly.

Motor runs well, fuel mileage un-affected but noticed that it needs a few seconds of cranking in the morning before starting. It used to start with hardly any cranking and one cooler morning it started and bogged out a few times before I could get it to run.

Other than the check engine light and morning starting, it runs well. Is there an affordable scanner or tester to check why the light? It seems that the common scanners won't work for older imports. I believe my scanner connector is round and on the firewall in the engine compartment.
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hi91-318i



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No repair shop in town has the code scanner for my 91. The guy that did closed up and left town. I found a code scanner on Pelican for $140. Seems like it is supposed to do what I need. Reviews look good.

Any experience with the Peake R5 FCX3 scanner? My connector is the 20 pin round connector in the engine compartment.
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tncean



Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 1652
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not that familiar with the 318i, but things I'd check are the Idle
Control Valve, or ICV, and for vacuum leak.

ICV can be cleaned on my 90 325i, but they do sometimes go bad. The ICV has big effect on cold starting engine. I clean mine with carburetor cleaner.

Check that all your air hoses are well seated, no cracks, etc.

Perhaps someone with 318i experience will come in?

tncean
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hi91-318i



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you heard of the "stomp test" for fault codes? Wondering if that applies to my 91 e30 with M42 motor...
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hi91-318i



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stomp test works and I got fault code 1223. According to the code list that indicates coolant temperature sensor.

I wonder if that is the problem? The symptoms don't really match a faulty temp sensor.
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tncean



Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 1652
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, wasn't cold engine starts one of the complaints? If you do replace the temp sensor, be sure and use a dab of silicone or rtv on the threads, otherwise it will leak coolant.

tncean
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hi91-318i



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, cold starts a problem. I will order the sensor and let you know if that worked. Thanks for the tip!
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dt325ic



Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 307
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Makes sense that it could be the sensor. If the computer doesn't know if the engine is warm or cold, it may not send the correct fuel and air mixture.

Let us know how it turns out!

hi91-318i wrote:
Yes, cold starts a problem. I will order the sensor and let you know if that worked. Thanks for the tip!
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hi91-318i



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, forgot to post results.
The new coolant sensor fixed the error code and stopped the blinking CEL but it still takes a bit of cranking to start.

Found that if I crank for a 1/2 second and then crank again it starts quickly on second try. If I crank only once it takes several seconds to start.
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hi91-318i



Joined: 08 Apr 2005
Posts: 114
Location: Hawaii

PostPosted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This turned out to be low fuel pressure because of a bad fuel pump. Starts right up now with only a short crank duration...
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