ICV How to clean it

[MeinBMW]

I've searched about cleaning the ICV and all I can find is that you should clean it if you have cold start/idle issues ... however I haven't seen how to clean it

Think I remember seeing somewhere that carb cleaner works ... do I just dunk the whole thing in there? (I'm assuming no) ... do I try and flush it or something ?? If I don't have carb cleaner, gasoline should work just as well right? Provided it is left to completely dry before putting it back in

And finally for reference ... pictured below is the ICV right? When I look up the part number it says it's the IDLE REGULATING VALVE ... car is an '87 325e



Thanks for the help!

[SpecM]

go buy a can of carb cleaner at your local auto-parts store. spray down the inside of the ICV liberaly. Let it dry, put it back on.

and yes, thats the right part

[MeinBMW]

good deal ... thanks!

[Butler]

I just found some good info about trouble shooting and diagnosing ICV problems.

http://www.mesaperformance.com/faqs/idle.html

Check it out.

[Mike30e]

It's in the DIY section...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=111370

[jlevie]

Idle or hard starting problems are most commonly caused by intake leaks and/or
a sticky or defective Idle Control Valve (ICV). The only reliable method of
locating intake leaks is to have a smoke test run on the intake and crank case
and to test the brake booster with a gage and vacuum pump. The complete list
of possible causes of an intake leak is:

Intake boot
Throttle body gasket
ICV hoses & connections
Brake booster, hoses, and connections
Crank case breather hose
Evaporative control hoses, valve, and expansion tank
Fuel pressure regulator & hose
Injector seals
Valve cover gaskets & bungs
Oil filler cap
Dip stick o-rings
Oil return tube o-rings

While leaks in some of those can be found by inspection or by spraying carb
cleaner on suspect areas, not finding leaks that way doesn't eliminate the
possibility. Only a smoke test will really work.

Once the possibility of intake leaks is eliminated, the ICV needs to be
removed and cleaned with carb cleaner until the vane inside moves freely. When
the ignition is switched on you should be able to feel vibration from the
ICV. If no vibration the ICV is bad, there's a problem with its wiring or
connector, there's a problem with the TPS, or the DME (or Idle Control Module
(ICM) on an ETA car) is faulty.

For the DME (or ICM) to control idle, the idle switch in the TPS must work
correctly. The switch should close when the throttle stop is 0.020-0.060" off
the idle stop screw.

The fuel system should be tested via the suite of tests in the Bentley manual
as invalid rail pressure can be a contributor to idle and starting problems. A
simple injector check is to pull the injectors, jumper the fuel relay to run
the pump, and see if the injectors are leaking. You can also point the
injectors into a towel, remove the coil wire, and crank the engine to see if
all of the injectors appear to be spraying in a similar fashion. The best
approach to possible injector problems is to have the injectors cleaned and
flow tested. Since raw fuel can or will be released in these tests, have a
fire extinguisher handy.

The O2 sensor can be a contributor to idle problems. The O2 sensor is a
scheduled maintenance item with a useful life of no more than 100k. If the
sensor has that mileage or more (or is of unknown age), replace it.

The AFM can be a contributor. If the vane doesn't move freely or the
resistance track is worn the DME may be receiving invalid data from the
AFM. And if someone has fiddled with the bypass air adjustment the DME may be
unable to stabilize idle. The bypass air adjustment should only be adjusted
per the procedure in the Bentley and with an exhaust gas analyzer. And even
then everything else associated with engine management has to first be
operating properly. If the AFM becomes a suspect, replacement with a good used
unit is the best approach.

Improperly adjusted or malfunctioning valves will affect idle and starting. As
can compression issues from ring or cylinder wear. A valve adjustment is
called for every 15k. A useful diagnostic is to run compression and leak down
tests on the engine. And aged ignition wires, plugs, distributor cap, or
rotor can cause problems. Insulation does break down with time and heat. And
since the youngest E30 is going on 19 years old, if the ignition system is
original or the plugs are old replacement is indicated.

Although not usually a problem, a bad DME temp sensor is a possibility. That
generally won't cause an unstable idle, but can cause hard cold or hard hot
starts and/or a rough idle. As can problems with the timing reference sensors.

When all other possibilities have been eliminated and idle or starting
problems persist, replacement of the DME, or if applicable the ICM, is
indicated.

[Kershaw]

holy shit.

props.

[Butler]

Great Info ^^^

[MTechnikII]

Hi Guys,
Here is what I did with both my cars ICV and it's working like a charm.( it is only for " i" engines not eta )
symptoms: rough idle,fluctuating idle
I recommend to have a working ICV on the side, just incase you screw up

1-take the ICV out and clean the air passages with WD40 make sure all rubber parts are in tact, no cracks or broken areas specialy between the ribs of the intake boot.
2- look at the black part of the ICV it is clamped and pressed on the aluminum part find the tabs which are pressed in the aluminum part.there are total of 6 tabs.
3- you have to lift the black tabs from the aluminum part (Caution I have several times poked my hands with screwdriver, use extreme care not to do that) [/color]4- take a sharp pointing screwdriver that you can force it under each tab and lift it,
5- after lifting all 6 tabs, mark both black and aluminum section of the ICV that you can put it back at the same position as it is now.( use white out or some sort of permanent marker )
6-slowly pull the ICV apart,( there is a plastic cone at the end of the icv, it has a tendency of jumping out, ( DO NOT LOSE it)
once you take the black cover away, you see a copper section,
7- take a fine emery cloth or sandpaper and smooth the copper area out, clean with some cleaning solvent, and fine brush
8-look inside the black can, you will see 3 electrical brushes inside, with a long fine brush or Qtip clen those with some solvent,
9- place the cone back on the ICV shaft ( without this plastic cone, you can not reassemble this)
10- reassemble the unit, make sure you put it back and position it according to the markings on both sections, Slide it snugly over the O ring .
11-install the ICV, plug the connector back on it.
12-start the engine( it might take a few attemps to start.)
13- If it does'nt start , turn the black section of the ICV a few degrees (not too much) to left or right then try again,
if no luck go the other way. IF you have done everything correctly it will start.
14-after the engine starts, check the idle, if its high or low you can adjust the idle by turning the Black section of the ICV a few degrees to get the ideal idle, on my cars the idle goes up to 1100 and as low as to stall the negine.
mine is set at 800 RPM and its working fine,
I hope this helps. any questions,, feel free to contact me,
Henry at
Mpower6008@aol.com