Last few issues

Ok so thanks to alota work and alota help from all you guys. My 318 can drive around the block with no squeaks from the suspension, no rubbing on the tires, and on grinding into gear. I think it is safe to say that everything major is done


so now my problem is its running a bit rough, and seems to hesitate when accelerating, in a sense somthing just doesnt seem quite right.

I put in new
Plugs Bosh or NGK duel electrode copper plugs ( can remember which )
New spark plug wires
New timing chain tensioner
New oil


I think it is most likely a sensor or a leaky hose. lots of hoses have cracks, the plastic intake piece has cracks... its a mess. so what i wanna know is what is the best way to replace that stuff. do i buy universal hose and cut it to size? or can i buy direct fit ones somewhere. im sure pelican parts has some i just cant seem to find them.

Go to realoem.com to find what the part numbers you need and order through pelican. A cracked intake boot will give you a bumpy idle. It's just a good idea to make sure all the hoses are crack-free.

NGK plugs all the way. OEM is perfect. OEM wires, I've heard aftermarket wires have a tendency to be shltty.

Other ideas. Seafoam the car(gas,oil,and get some though the brake booster(youtube will show)), clean off the throttle plate, clean the ICV. These will cost about $20 and will most likely cure a majority of the idle and acceleration issues. Just as a note an vacuum leaks, they are usually the main cause of any blips in the idle or rough engine speed at low rpm's.

thanks that helps alot!

i put in a motor flush before changed the oil but may be worth doing it again if doing the brake booster helps alot.

For hoses other than the specialty ones (ICV) , just go to Autozone with the measurements and have them cut some line, replace with new clamps. As for the intake parts, go to a junkyard and find replacements before you purge our wallet on new parts. What exactly is broken and/or cracked? Car sounds like it's a little beat up, after you do all your maintenance I would definitely install a new o2 if it's never been changed before, car only has 1 so it's cake.

so i replaced all the hoses in the engine bay and cleaned the maf and throttle body. this all seemed to help.

I also get a fuel / sulfurish smell from the exhaust

can i clean the oxygen sensor? i know sometimes they can be cleaned with carb cleaner.

I recall drivin faster saying on more than one occasion that sulfer (rotten egg) smell is attributed to failed/failing cats. They aren't cheap.

yeah i was thinking it may be worth replacing, when i had my exhaust off there was something rattling around in there. i can weld a new on on ( my exhaust is pretty chopped up already... so it shouldent me more then $100

If I'm not mistaken, it isn't necessarily indicative of failing cats. But rather, it's symptomatic of cats that are being worked very hard and possibly a lean air/fuel ratio? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

ok so took it to deq today ( first time on real streets ) and it failed. it passed everything but hydrocarbons and it was pretty close on that too

goal
900 RPM 220
2.5k RPM 220

result
900 RPM 260
2.5k RPM 238

The car also got pretty warm on the drive. it was just barley under the half way mark. is that normal for an m44?


so im assuming if the cat were bad it would be far worse. that being said im still getting a burnt smell

Originally Posted by jonesin

I recall drivin faster saying on more than one occasion that sulfer (rotten egg) smell is attributed to failed/failing cats. They aren't cheap.

not quite, ed. it's commonly stated that this is an indicator of a failing cat, but it's not.

Originally Posted by ZeGerman

If I'm not mistaken, it isn't necessarily indicative of failing cats. But rather, it's symptomatic of cats that are being worked very hard and possibly a lean air/fuel ratio? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

this. a lean misfire can increase the hc output as well, which will overwork the cat.



to the op, i'd check the operation of the o2, an oscilloscope works well, or a power graphing meter, if you have one handy. (they're a bit pricey but can more than pay for themselves with a few uses)

if not, then you may wish to consider replacing it if the labor to check the operation is as much as replacing it.

you can check for the signal with a dvom, but it will not be an *accurate* indication of how operational that it is as these are very sensitive and can switch (and are supposed to switch), but it will be useful to indicate the sensor is actually switching. this means that you can verify the signal (*a* signal) is getting to the pcm (dme).

i'd also check the temp at the t-stat as well, as the guage should be reading @ the middle when warmed.





df

ok so ill replace the fuel filter and run some injector cleaner through it. if that does not help ill order a new o2 sensor. the one in there looks newer (from the outside so who actually knows) the cat is also not original.

pulled out the o2 sensor and it looks great so im ruling that out.

The actual sensor for an oxygen sensor is inside the opening "gills" of the sensor. I have read that it really doesn't make sense to try and clean them and in fact there is usually a big disclaimer about getting any of that dielectric grease on the oxygen sensor body. So i would never spray them with anything! Heated sensors are only supposed to last 60,000 miles and unheated ones for 30,000 miles so you might be better off just replacing them . BTW the generic Bosch ones work just as well as the BMW specific ones although you may have to splice in your own connector off your old one.

I would just replace it if it is suspect.

like stated it is not suspect anymore. I am more then aware that a sensor and a piece of metal are not the same thing. nor did i say anything about cleaning it. i pulled it out wiped it with a dry paper towel. ive done enough to know what a bad one looks like.

:d

Originally Posted by Dakota_leWarne

I am more then aware that a sensor and a piece of metal are not the same thing. nor did i say anything about cleaning it. i pulled it out wiped it with a dry paper towel.

You don't have to get testy just trying to be helpful. You did ask about cleaning the Oxygen sensor in an earlier post.

Originally Posted by Dakota_leWarne

can i clean the oxygen sensor? i know sometimes they can be cleaned with carb cleaner.

yeah your right, my b. i get overly annoyed when i get told again and again to replace things because they might be bad.

Whatever.. give yourself credit. You've done a good job.

Keep kicking butt.

thanks! I got the last of the last of the ordered parts on yesterday and its time for an alignment.

new parts installed

- Melye HD Control arms
- Melye HD control arm bushings
- Krylen inner and outer tie rods
- Raceland coilovers
- Brake pads
- Wheel spacers
- Sway bar brackets
- Front strut mounts
- Rear shock mounts
- Lemforder rear trailing arm bushings
- Spark plugs
- Plug wires
- Oil change
- Fuel filter
- Febi Slave cylinder
- Transmission
- Throw out bearing
- Pivot pin
- Synchromesh trans oil
- RainX windshield wipers

- Plus cosmetic parts

You've put some hard work into that car. Can't wait for you to have it finished and cruising around.

hehehehe... Thats dynamite.
You've done all that?

Better watch out... you'll turn into a greasemonkey before you know it.

Where did you find the time to do all this? I can barely spare enough time to drive my cars these days

Originally Posted by petriej

Where did you find the time to do all this? I can barely spare enough time to drive my cars these days

Thats Fcked up.

Originally Posted by petriej

Where did you find the time to do all this? I can barely spare enough time to drive my cars these days

lots of cocaine, lots of free time once you stop sleeping.

Originally Posted by Dakota_leWarne

thanks! I got the last of the last of the ordered parts on yesterday and its time for an alignment.

new parts installed

- Melye HD Control arms
- Melye HD control arm bushings
- Krylen inner and outer tie rods
- Raceland coilovers
- Brake pads
- Wheel spacers
- Sway bar brackets
- Front strut mounts
- Rear shock mounts
- Lemforder rear trailing arm bushings
- Spark plugs
- Plug wires
- Oil change
- Fuel filter
- Febi Slave cylinder
- Transmission
- Throw out bearing
- Pivot pin
- Synchromesh trans oil

- Plus cosmetic parts

that is quite an extensive list. i just redid my front end, shocks and struts but you have me beat esecially with that transmission in there