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All sorts of issues.....HELP!

847 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  BLAZE8814 
#1 ·
I have had a '98 528i with 117k for about a year now. Aside from regular maintenance, no other work has been done to the car under my tenure as owner.

My check engine light came on a couple of days ago. I took it to a mechanic to run a diagnostic and he told me the codes that come up represent 2 o2 censors that aren't functioning and my catalytic converter also needs to be replaced.

I then decided to have another mechanic take a look and give me a second opinion. After running a diagnostic, he told me that a censor in the gas tank that has to with air pressure (i think) is not working, and the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. He did not mention anything about any o2 censors at all.

WTF?

I don't know what to do now. Two mechanics, two varying conclusions as to what's wrong.

Besides my previous issue, I now have to deal with the major repair of the cat converter. I don't know whether it is worth it to buy an original part or a universal one that also fits my car. I don't know what a decent price would be to fix it at a mechanic either.

Another problem is that my car has been having an issue where when I turn the ignition switch, it seems to struggle for like 1-2 seconds to startup. Then it has a period of 20-30 seconds of a rough idle and smooths out. If I shut the car off and startup again, it doesn't struggle and there is no rough idle period.

I want to fix all these things wrong with my car, but I don't know where to start and I don't want to get hosed by a mechanic. What really hurts me is that I am not literate at all in anything car-related.

Any help, advice, links, or even references to an honest mechanic (I live in the Queens, NY area) are definitely appreciated and welcome.

Thanks
 
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#4 ·
for starters you have 2 cats. not one. your ignition switch probly needs to be replaced, and as for rough idle, well good luck. that could be any thing from bad vanos, vaccum leak, maf, 02's precat, intake leak, simple tune up. have fun.:)
 
#7 ·
UPDATE:

I found a mechanic referred by a family friend. After doing the diagnostic these were the codes that came up:

234 - Cat Efficiency Bank 2

250 - Tank Venting System.


For the Cat converter he reset the light and told me to wait and see if it pops up again before doing the repair. It's been a week and my CEL hasn't come on again.

As for the 250 code, he just told me I could buy a new gas cap since my old one might have an air leak.


My O2's are fine for now, though I was told they should get replaced in the next year or so.
 
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