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View Full Version : got my bimmer back from mechanic!!!

spoddy
10-10-2007, 11:59 AM
well i picked up my bimmer today and mechanic done a service which
has done the engine the world of good.

basically the brake pad light sensor wire had rubbed against the wheel and
broke, which caused the light on the dash, so got it fixed, brakes were ok.

put the air con belt on, got oil/oil filter changed and lights reset.
new wiper blades, the bmw ones, very good quality, no noises and clean
windscreen really well. mechanic even changed the washer fluid!

adjusted the handbrake, also got the brake pipes cleaned greased for MOT.

it was weird as i had planned to do a service but had only said to check the autobox
fluid and the brakes and put the air con belt on. pity the dealership hadn't a fan belt but
will get it done next time.

however mechanic said sluggish gearbox wasn't due to the fluid being 'done' so to speak, he said it looked ok, and could be a
air flow meter fault, as he said it can cause the car to be sluggish.

he did take it for a drive and said the kick down wasn't working in the autobox, and the air flow meter if faulty can cause this.

he can not say till he gets the computer/software and connector to read the faults if there are any and its the best starting place.

he said the car does bump into drive and reverse which he thought it shouldn't do, but can't really say if its a mechanical/electrical problem.

but the air flow meter was an interesting thought!

has anyone heard of faulty air flow meters causing problems like this?

was nice to drive my bimmer home, just hope i can sort this problem as the car
was nippier once it gets past 20mph, i flew up to 60 in about 6 or 7 seconds which
was quicker than before. it is such a nice car to drive and as i told him there is no
gearbox light on in the dash so thought it was just needing fresher trans fluid and car changes gears with no slopping etc.

will wait and see, got the mazda mx3 through MOT no problem, and only adjusted the handbrake!

thanks for reading
Pirate_copy
10-10-2007, 12:10 PM
The AFM can indeed cause this, along with the other sensors

Did he say any codes had been thrown?

If not, blaming the AFM is a tad presumptuous if you ask me

The 'bumo' could be a worn universal joint or flex disk
spoddy
10-10-2007, 12:30 PM
hi pirate

no he doesn't have the computer and software etc to test for the codes its with his brother and he has offered to bring my car to him, hook it up and check for the codes.
this man has worked on bimmers and mercs all his life and so knows alot if you follow me.
he is a very good mechanic and the whole country goes to him.

he said a torque converter is a like big plate in the box and is expensive etc .

thing is the e36 is a 1994 and you have to draw the line with parts etc as they wind up being more than what the car cost, but he said you could try and source a AFM at a big local breakers we have and if it doesn't sort it then just bring it back for a refund.

he said he can't really tell till he runs the code checker.

is the universal joint or flex disk visible?

he told me that the autos are generally good and he has never had to replace a gearbox.

is it easy to change the air flow meter?
Pirate_copy
10-10-2007, 12:35 PM
I just re-read my post and does seem like i was doubting him. Sorry mate, i didn't mean it like that

Changing an AFM will take 10 minutes tops, is very very very easy :)

The universal joint looks a bit like this
http://www.nrg.com.au/%7Ehemp/images/UniversalJoint.jpg

You can read about the flex disk (guibo) here :) - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222257 (thanks Jason)
spoddy
10-10-2007, 01:08 PM
pirate don't apologise mate, you help us all out on here,
and you weren't doubting the man, as you both know what
you are talking about and the computer in the e36 is designed
to 'talk' to us humans and tells where it hurts lol.

what car is that? i never thought to ask him, although it must be ok or
he would have spotted it!

he is straight down the middle and won't fix it if it isn't broken and told
me that if i really wanted the trans fluid changed he would do it, but told me
it would be a waste of money! as it isn't the problem, however if the fluid is ok
then must have been changed in the past?

which is all the better.

he also said to start with the air meter and take it from there, well really to start from the code fault as no point throwing money into think its this and think its that sort of thing.

how much do the dealers charge now to plug into the code readers they have before they even do any work to your car?
Pirate_copy
10-10-2007, 01:42 PM
The local stealer here charges around £50+vat for a diagnostic but the local bmw expert charges £35

The best guy in Torquay does it for free though...oh wait, thats me :D
spoddy
10-10-2007, 02:21 PM
Torquay.
I always think of Faulty Towers when I hear Torquay, but I'm sure
you never hear that lol.

I keep thinking about the guibo being worn, I'll have a look tomorrow
and see, its at the back end of the car I take it?

Thanks for your help pirate.
Pirate_copy
10-10-2007, 02:33 PM
I live 2 minutes from Faulty Towers :rofl:

The guibo is behind the transmission/gearbox mate
greenbeem
10-10-2007, 06:13 PM
I live 2 minutes from Faulty Towers :rofl:

The guibo is behind the transmission/gearbox mate

I'm probably walking into this but do you really, I love that show, I used to watch it with my grandparents every Saturday night. :thumbup:
Drummerboi
10-10-2007, 09:53 PM
I just re-read my post and does seem like i was doubting him. Sorry mate, i didn't mean it like that

Changing an AFM will take 10 minutes tops, is very very very easy :)

The universal joint looks a bit like this
http://www.nrg.com.au/%7Ehemp/images/UniversalJoint.jpg

You can read about the flex disk (guibo) here :) - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222257 (thanks Jason)

is that where the guibo is?
Pirate_copy
10-11-2007, 01:34 AM
No mate, the Universal Joint. The Guibo is in the link
spoddy
10-11-2007, 01:22 PM
so this guibo, if worn, causes a bump noise and feeling when going from park to drive or reverse in automatics, or with manuals too?

i was looking at the MAF's on ebay, and there are a few on for under a tenner, others near 70 quid. i would need to get the code first to get one thats compatible, but are there any instructions on how to remove old one and put a new one in?

can you clean or repair MAF's?

just wondering would this throw off acceleration in an automatic?
the kickdown, how does this work, off of the MAF?

need advice.
Pirate_copy
10-11-2007, 03:28 PM
More likely to be the Universal Joint mate
spoddy
10-11-2007, 05:09 PM
i think the mechanic would have spotted this as he did say
it could be the MAF, or indeed the oxygen sensor as he also
said.

he just said the kick down wasn't working and i think he said the
MAF being faulty could affect this.

have you heard of this before?
do you know how the kickdown works?

really need to get the codes if any, starting to think seriously just
go to a dealer and pay the money to find out, fed up waiting about,
guessing etc.