What Is a Good Idle RPM for 528e?

[TimeMachinE30]

1000 ?

[e30rik]

Sounds about right, mine idles around 900.

[5Toes]

a 528e SHOULD IDLE at 650rpm.

[TimeMachinE30]

Thought 1k was high.

So a vacuum leak.. I imagine an '86 has plenty of lines to replace.

[101]

My 528e with fresh head rebuild and all new gaskets and hoses installed idles around 650 - 700 RPM when warm. It's slightly higher when cold ... until that 45' switch on the idle control system kicks in (or out).

[nando]

it's 650rpm +/-. Almost every inline 6 BMW idles at 650rpm. 1k to 900 is definitely NOT right.

[TimeMachinE30]

Thanks guys. I ended up not buying it. Seller was firm at 1500. I was not impressed enough. The more I saw of the car, the less I wanted to pay.

I since got into an E38, 740iL. It idles well and much more. What wasn't much more: the price.

[nando]

740il, sweet! I always wondered if those cars really the nightmare that everyone made them out to be - seeing how it's really just a bigger E39, and those are fantastic cars. the E38 sure is a lot of car for the money!

[bmwstudent]

my pop has a very nice 2001 e38 740il. They do take a good amount of cash to keep them in nice condition. Last month was a lock plate and cables for the drivers door, a cam position sensor for bank one, oil and filter service, and a left front wheel bearing. A few months before that it was the front suspension, a few months before that it was a reseal job on the timing chain covers. Last year we did plugs and a reseal on the upper half of the motor, plus a tranny service. I do his work and it still adds up to a decent amount of money every year. However everything on his car works and its probably one of the nicest e38's I've ever been around. These cars go for cheap nowadays because people can't afford to maintain them and they become rolling money pits. If it doesn't have a detailed and extensive repair history you may find that things start adding up. That said, I still want one.

[darbyhood]

your ICV is bad