New guy from the Bahamas

[flachmansingh]

undefinedundefinedHello everyone,I'm from the Bahamas and the new guy on the block.I have a 1992-318i BMW,1800cc-4 cylinder, that i am having performance problems with.If you floor the accelerator the car starts to hold back, suffocate and shudder,now if you back off the accelerator a little the power comes back in,but then the car goes no faster than 120kph.i changed all filters and spark plugs,checked out the catalytic converter,did a fuel volume check,did a full computer diagnostic test,did a compression check.I also checked out the transmission. Everthing came up ok,I also put lots of fuel injector cleaner in the system but to no avail.The car just has 70,000 miles on it. The mechanics in this country can't seem to find the fault.Can anybody help me with this problem?

Thanks, Frank

 

[Tom]

Hello Frank and welcome aboard. I assumed you replaced the fuel filter and O2 sensor as well?

 

[///M SPEED]

Hello Frank and welcome aboard. I assumed you replaced the fuel filter and O2 sensor as well?

I agree, make sure you check the 02 Sensor. Welcome to the board. Hope you get it fixed....

 

[Big Daddy]

Welcome to the board. triple ditto on the suggestions.

 

[echothreezero]

That would be my first bet, then the ECU itself. but it would more likely just die if it was the ECu, but worth a look - just swap it out with one from a working 318, if problem goes away, buy a new ecu.

 

[flachmansingh]

O2 sensor

When I initially got the car from Japanese an,we did a computer diagnostic and a faulty O2 sensor was detected and It also had a clogged fuel filter.I've changed those a year ago and the performance got marginally better.I remember the first time I opened up this car on the highway,it spat out a cloud of black soot from the exhaust but that was a year ago and it hasn't done so since. I must thank you guys for replying, since I was thinking this situation was hopeless.Do you think I should do a test on the fuel injectors or try to have them professionally cleaned? Women are flying past me on the highway,and are laughing,its embarassing,guys,lol

 

[Average Jae]

Hi Frank, welcome aboard.

not much input from me, (i'm not all that technical) but isnt' it funny when you type in (j a p a n) you get japan?

 

[challe]

Hi and WELCOME To Bmw Board !

Challe /

 

[echothreezero]

What does the car sound like when you floor it at 120, but nothing is happening? Does it just do nothing, or does the engine load increase without any extra speed - does it sound like it is running normal, or struggling?

There are several things which make a car go - fuel, air, and spark are the first to check, and it sounds like you have done those. So, the next is is the exhuast escaping properly - check for blockages in the exhaust sytem.

Then it could be a tuning issue, or maybe your tappets/lifters are sticking or mal-adjusted. They are adjustable on the 2.0l and 2.5, but not on yours, so maybe they are sticking a little. You could try an additive to unstick and throw in an injector flush while you're at it.

I just thought of something else, if there is a leak in your air intake between the 02 sensor and the engine, there's your problem. Air enters through the cracked hose, or poorly fitting hose, and it is not detected by the 02 sensor, therefore the computer does not adjust for the increased engine load, which would result in the problem you are experiencing, although I would also expect rough idle if this were the case.

 

[flachmansingh]

When I floor the accelerator at 60kph(in sport mode) the car suffocates and the the engine sounds as if its choking and the revs fall then the power returns when I back off the acelerator a little,then when the car approaches 100kph it starts to struggle then if you do the same thing that is ,back off the accelelerator a little, the power comes back and then at 120 the car then starts to struggle as if waiting for a gear change.The other day though i tried it and it got past that flat spot at 120 and went up to 140 and I was amazed at the power showed between 120-140kph,but unfortunately this does not always happen since it would revert back to sticking at 120 at high revs as if waiting for a gear change.I've already used injector additives and lifter additives since i have noisy lifters and I've checked out the catalytic converter and the exhaust is not blocked,they told me the car was breathing ok. I am now experiencing hard starts, you have to start twice before the engine fires.I do think it may be a tuning problem. I will check out the ecu and check for a cracked air intake hose though guys,thanks very much.

 

[Dave8812]

Something must be clogged or broken. Cause if flooring causes you problems, its obviously when more fuel is in the engine. Maybe the fuel lines are clogged?!?! Probably not much help, buts its all I can think of for the moment.

Welcome!!!

 

[echothreezero]

It must be fuel. I know you replaced the fuel filter and did a fuel volume check, but maybe it is an intermittent fuel prob? Where did you do the volume check? Might be a blockage in the lines. Or the fuel pump could be on the way out - they are known to die on e30's. Some fuel pumps are easy to replace, but others are in the fuel tank itself and quite a mission to remove and replace. Some models also have a restrictor/regulator on the fuel line which can get blocked.

The tip-off for a fuel prob is the hard starting. The reason why it starts on the second go is that fuel is having trouble getting to the engine, but after much pumping, eventually gets there for the second try. If it is this problem, I can't belive your mechanic didn't think of it - maybe you need to switch?

My car is beginning to have starting trouble, and so I will be replacing the fuel pump and maybe the lines in the next few months. You prob have to do the same.

 

[echothreezero]

Another question - as far as you know, did you car ever get really hot - ie, overheat by you or a previous owner? Does it run hot now? Could be a headgasket prob - unlikely, but I'm trying to think of everything I can.