E30 broke down on me...

[E30_Narek]

UPDATE: Well it wasn't the fuel pump. Spent $100 for nothing.

[Seawolf]

UPDATE: Well it wasn't the fuel pump. Spent $100 for nothing.

Maybe so but did you test your fuel circuit pressure (dead end and in circuit test) ?

Unless you can categorically eliminate individual systems (e.g. Fuel delivery, Fuel metering, HT Ignition & Engine Management) throwing parts at this problem can get very expensive very quickly.

[E30_Narek]

Maybe so but did you test your fuel circuit pressure (dead end and in circuit test) ?

Unless you can categorically eliminate individual systems (e.g. Fuel delivery, Fuel metering, HT Ignition & Engine Management) throwing parts at this problem can get very expensive very quickly.

I'm somehow just going to limp the car to a mechanic. I've had this same problem for 10 or so months and I'm tired of dealing with it.

[J.Rizo]

I'm somehow just going to limp the car to a mechanic. I've had this same problem for 10 or so months and I'm tired of dealing with it.

are your lights dim by any chance? I was having similar issues; bad idle, choppy throttle response, etc. I thought either my injectors were clogged because I had recently ran the tank reeeeally low, or I had some other fuel related issue.

BUT, I changed my alternator and got a new battery and so many of the problems I was having are solved. car cant run right without enough power, crazy right? haha

since it happened slowly over time I didn't realize how dim my lights had been lately, should've been an obvious sign I was losing juice. both the battery and alternator are easy to remove and go get tested. I skimmed through the thread, not sure if you replaced them or ruled them out already but yeah, check those out. good luck man! I know the struggle.

[E30_Narek]

are your lights dim by any chance? I was having similar issues; bad idle, choppy throttle response, etc. I thought either my injectors were clogged because I had recently ran the tank reeeeally low, or I had some other fuel related issue.

BUT, I changed my alternator and got a new battery and so many of the problems I was having are solved. car cant run right without enough power, crazy right? haha

since it happened slowly over time I didn't realize how dim my lights had been lately, should've been an obvious sign I was losing juice. both the battery and alternator are easy to remove and go get tested. I skimmed through the thread, not sure if you replaced them or ruled them out already but yeah, check those out. good luck man! I know the struggle.

All those are good. The battery is off my dad's car which he replaced recently. The battery did die on me about 3 weeks ago because I left my electric fan on overnight but that's about it. It's been doing this before that though. Lights are fine.

EDIT: I keep reading something about a fuel check valve... what the hell is this? Is it in the fuel pump? Do I have to worry about it if I changed the fuel pump?

Another EDIT: Yesterday when I tried driving it, it flashed a CEL. So I checked the code and it was 1215 which is for the AFM. This same code showed up last year when my car was broken down at this exact same time. I just changed the fuel filter and it went away. What do I do this time?

[Seawolf]

EDIT: I keep reading something about a fuel check valve... what the hell is this? Is it in the fuel pump? Do I have to worry about it if I changed the fuel pump?

Another EDIT: Yesterday when I tried driving it, it flashed a CEL. So I checked the code and it was 1215 which is for the AFM. This same code showed up last year when my car was broken down at this exact same time. I just changed the fuel filter and it went away. What do I do this time?

The check valve is in the fuel pump.

As to What do I do this time? - You need to systematically diagnose the problem and eliminate systems to narrow everything this could be down to the root cause rather than trying to remediate symptoms.

I really recommend you get one of these ($20), it will always be very useful:

http://www.harborfreight.com/fuel-injection-pump-tester-92699.html

This has everything you need to diagnose the fuel delivery system. A dead end test should give you 80 - 100 psi maintained at the fuel rail feed and a consistent 43 psi inline with the engine running. If all this checks out you KNOW that it isn't fuel delivery and you can focus on the other remaining systems.

If you need help on fuel pressure test procedures let me know and I'll write it up.

If fuel delivery is good I'd swing my attention to the HT ignition system, I see you replaced a lot of stuff but what about the coil ? Your symptoms could be the result of an ailing coil - is your plug spark bright blue or orange ? If it's the latter then the coil is suspect but there is a test procedure to confirm this before throwing another $100 at it.

Provided these systems both check out then you are left with engine management (fuel and ignition metering) which are trickier but all doable. And there are some weird things that may surface (e.g bad alternator, dry DME solder connections) but at least you know it isn't basic stuff.