Sometimes is good then bad!

[mytan85_325e]

My 1985 163000 mile 325e has an intermitent problem. Sometimes when I start the car is runs like hell, wont idle, wont rev. over 2000rpms. just runs like crap. Then all I have to do it shut the car off then restart it immediatly and it runs just fine, like it should. This happens warm or cold. I have new wires, plugs, cap, rotor, valves adjusted to specs, new oil/air filters etc. Still does this. Now it does not always do this, just sometimes. Weather is also not a facter as it does it in any kind of weather(WET, DRY, HOT, COLD).

Also, when it is running and I im standing still and I rev it to say about 2000rpms it automatically drops 200-300. It does this all the time, but the engine idles normally with no bumps. When on the freeway at say 75mph in 5th gear at about 2100rpms, there is no power, like 5th gear is almost a waste. When I shift into fourth its hesitates then will accelerate a little better. No pinging either, just bogs down. Just seems like it has no power unless im at 2500rpms or higher. Is this normal for the 85 325e 2.7 ETA? This car has always done this, but now its starting to get on my nerves. I drive almost 100 miles a day to and from work,(the tallest incline is the SF/Oak. Bay Bridge) and average 28mpg. I am at sea level and the car has lived its life in Berkeley Calif before I got it. I also always use 91 oct. premium gas. I was told to replace the computer.

Problem 2.

I always have to add oil to the car, never a leak under the car and it does not burn oil from what I can see. I did notice a leak of fresh oil near the back of the engine next to the #6 spark plug. The valve cover is dry and so is the plug. Could it be leaking from the head?
Anyone have any ideas?

thought I would shoot two birds with one stone..
Thanks....

 

[Inline_6]

Computers

My first suspician would be the DAC or it's litttle computer above the glove box. If it's the green computer box, that's suppose to be the good one. If your really carefull, most people don't recommend doing this, remove the DAC motor, hold it motor-side up and clean it out with carb cleaner. Sounds like the DAC motor is hanging up...

You might have two problems here. I complained about a rocking chair acceleration. If the engine was held at 2000rpm it would rise & fall 200rpm or so. The tech had me open the hood, he unplugged the O2 sensor and walked away. No explination. Driving fixed the rocking chair acceleration. I'm now told it's common to disconnect the O2 sensor on these cars. The exhaust always smelled like it was overly hot, signs of lean burning. The computer "nulls" out when the O2 sensor is disconnected, it's not extreamly rich or lean. What the computer does is constantly lean the injectors until the O2 sensor reads LEAN, then the computer goes back to normal, then starts leaning again. On & on, this is how the car manages such good mileage. Running the A/C or cold winter days, more fuel is needed, disconnecting the O2 sure makes more power, economy suffers a little but hey...

I can't argue that computers don't make a difference. I've had three different ones now and the car ran differently with every one. I'm going to purchace a chip as soon as I make a decission on who's to go with. The Dinan at first seems like the better way to go. Anyway, your highway driving loss of power could be the O2 sensor going bad. Try disconnecting it and see what happends. Then maybe remove the DAC motor and see how gummed up it is.

I've read where the transfer pump in the tank will affect high RPM power. Since my car had close to 200K on it, I decided to service the whole fuel system. I replaced both pumps, both relays, fuel filter, most of the fuel hose (everything I could reach). I removed the fuel hose to the 7th injector in the plenum, it started leaking. It still starts fine on the coldest Kansas days (well below 0) The oil situation could be caused by "fuel washing" or the oil your using has a high evaporation property. I use a 20W-40 industral oil (Mystic) no smoke, no loss of oil between changes. Fuel wash is pretty much what it says, rich condition washing oil off the cylinder walls. Bad for piston rings. Pull out the dipstick & smell for gas.

As the valves & seats wear, valve clearence is lost. If it's been a while since a valve adjustment. This is a last attemp for explaining the power loss on the highway. Valves could be staying open a few thousanths and your loosing power this way. It's not uncommon for this to happen. Valve stems grow a few thousanths as they warm up.

Let me know if I was any help. If nothing here helps, maybe I can convince you to just turbocharge the thing. Then you can tell me if it's the right way to go hehe.

 

[Lillywhites]

same thing happened to my friends 86 325e, took it to a bunch of people and they couldnt figure it out, until he got a new computer, and it worked!!! good luck

 

[mytan85_325e]

Well I tried the oxegen sensor fix and disconnecting it made the car run even worse. I pulled over on the Fwy and re-attached it and it was back to running better, but still bad.

Any ideas on getting a computer from a junkyard car? Do I need to stick with the same year or will one from an 85-87 work on my 85? 325 of course.......

 

[OreoGaborio]

uhg... inline... DON'T go DInan chip...listen to every other e30 enthusiast when they say "get a Jim Conforti chip from turnermotorsport"

as for your eta problem, i'm guessing it's the ECU... find your ecu (above the glovebox) and check out the ECU number (should be right there on the bottom of the ECU... and same goes for you... get a JC chip... it's only 200 bucks for the ETA and DEFINITLY WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!

don't go ebay chip, don't go dinan chip,bav auto chip is ok (that's what i have & i love it, but it's 50 bucks more)... JUST GO JC!!!

and inline.. wtf is this DAC motor thing you're talkin bout? sounds kinda like you're talkin bout the ICV or the CSV