Easy start, rough idle until warm?!?!

[jdj53561]

First and foremost, you can consider me an e30 novice from here on out. I recently went over my motor (new head gasket, O2 sensor, cam seal, rear engine seal, timing belt, water pump, idler pully--> basically the "works"). After completion, the car wouldnt start unless sprayed with ether. The engine check light was on, so I read the codes and code 1223 came up. I replaced the coolant temp. sensor, the car now starts, but runs rough until warm. Coming to a stop, the car will just about stall, then come up to idle, although not totally smooth. The check engine light stays on and the 1223 code keeps coming up, no matter what I do.

Question #1: How to I get it to run smooth once started and not stall when I pull out?

Question #2: How to I get rid of the check engine light and rid the code 1223 from appearing? (eventhough the coolant temp. sensor has been replaced)

[blueapplesoda]

ok, whats happening is the ecu cannot tell what temperature the engine is at so it results to a default value, running when warm. You will run lean until then because a cold engine needs fuel enrichment to keep it alive, hence the shitty running warm-up.

You need to check the wiring from engine CLT sensor (not the gauge cluster sensor), from the plugs follow the wires through the harness into the ECU. You probably will find a fault somewhere along the line. Use a ETM for you car to help with wire colors if you are having trouble finding out which wire colors are which.

http://wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm

-Derek
DedericMS

[dont have one]

what octan are you running?

[jdj53561]

ok, whats happening is the ecu cannot tell what temperature the engine is at so it results to a default value, running when warm. You will run lean until then because a cold engine needs fuel enrichment to keep it alive, hence the shitty running warm-up.

You need to check the wiring from engine CLT sensor (not the gauge cluster sensor), from the plugs follow the wires through the harness into the ECU. You probably will find a fault somewhere along the line. Use a ETM for you car to help with wire colors if you are having trouble finding out which wire colors are which.

http://wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm

-Derek
DedericMS

Appreciate the good info. I plan to give that a shot next weekend and I will let you know how it turns out.

Jordan

[jdj53561]

what octan are you running?

I have been running regular (87 octane) since I bought the car about a year or so ago but havent really had any problems until I had worked on the car.

[ttrousdell]

i had the same problem guy. had to hold the accelerator for a little to get warm and it idled like shit. the engine also had to idle around 1250 when i breaked to keep it from dying. turned out that i had accidently switched the coolant sensor wires. if you have a "i" make sure brown sensor is on top and blue sensor is on the bottom and the corresponding wires are connected. i think its a coolant sensor problem and has nothing to do with the type of fuel.

[jdj53561]

i had the same problem guy. had to hold the accelerator for a little to get warm and it idled like shit. the engine also had to idle around 1250 when i breaked to keep it from dying. turned out that i had accidently switched the coolant sensor wires. if you have a "i" make sure brown sensor is on top and blue sensor is on the bottom and the corresponding wires are connected. i think its a coolant sensor problem and has nothing to do with the type of fuel.

Hmm, does seem to sound like very similar conditions. I think I have the brown on top and blue on bottom, however I am not sure about the leads. I will check that and get back to you.

many thnx

[jdj53561]

Just got finished going over every connection under the hood with electric spray cleaner and a follow up with silicon spray. I also checked the coolant sensor wire locations and the car still runs the same (crappy). The only thing that I havent done is the throttle position sensor and exchange the air flow meter box with another used one to check it. How interchangable are the air flow meters from year to year and/or "e" to "i" motors?

any help or ideas much appreciated! --> starting to pull some hair out!

[jdj53561]

Bump... any other suggestions? It's getting to be vert weather!!

[SmokeE30]

e and i afm's are not the same. but i dont think thats your problem it deffinetly sounds like its related to the cts somehow could be thermostat stuck open, never letting the car come up to operating temp.

[jdj53561]

So I know this is an old post, but I wanted to thank everyone again for all your suggestions. Turns out, the problem seemed to be a broken wire in the wiring harness in the engine bay! Who knew? But just wanted to throw that out there for anyone who may have a similar problem. Thanks again!

[Cyrano]

I have the same problem, can you tell me how you fixed it?

[Dermeister3]

So I know this is an old post, but I wanted to thank everyone again for all your suggestions. Turns out, the problem seemed to be a broken wire in the wiring harness in the engine bay! Who knew? But just wanted to throw that out there for anyone who may have a similar problem. Thanks again!

megabump, hopefully you subscribed, but do you happen to remember which wire it was that broke? im having the same issues :(

[jdj53561]

sry, dont get on here a whole lot, but sadly, I must admit, I succombed to the evilness of a german autoshop :( so unfortunately, I don't know specifically what wire, but I will do some digging to see if I can come up with an answer from them!