Something I noticed on the way to work today..

[PNWDan]

My E30 is a daily driver and this happened on the way to work so I haven't had time to dig into it but figured I would get any ideas that you guys had..

Today the car started cutting out under load above 3k. If I gave it gradual throttle it was less likely to do it than if I shifted down and throttled hard. Im leaning towards the fuel system. All ignition stuff is new as is the fuel filter

What do you think?

[blocke]

Is your AFM plug on solid? My plug came loose (clip is lost), and I experienced all kinds of weird bucking and stalling above 3k on the freeway. Just a thought.

[Suspence]

Spark plug wire.s

[PNWDan]

Just an update.. took it out at lunch and nothing wrong now. Pulls hard up to the redline without a hiccup. Didnt have time to dig deep so I guess we'll see how the ride home goes and then I'll get some time to checl it out further.

[jlevie]

My first thoughts would be of the fuel system or WOT switch in the TPS.

[Earendil]

My first thoughts would be of the fuel system or WOT switch in the TPS.

Even the wot switch if off wouldn't cause anything so bad as to be described as "bucking". A fuel system issue I would expect to cause a consistent problem.

Sounds like a classic moisture in the distributor sort of scenario. Check your coil, check the connection to the fuel pump.

Even a single bad wire or spark plug would not cause bucking on a 6 cylinder. Whatever it is has to be effecting multiple cylinders at once.

[PNWDan]

Even the wot switch if off wouldn't cause anything so bad as to be described as "bucking". A fuel system issue I would expect to cause a consistent problem.

Sounds like a classic moisture in the distributor sort of scenario. Check your coil, check the connection to the fuel pump.

Even a single bad wire or spark plug would not cause bucking on a 6 cylinder. Whatever it is has to be effecting multiple cylinders at once.

Yeah the TPS was replaced a few months ago so im leaning towards the fuel system. It hasnt done it since then though. We'll see how it goes. Its hard to pin it down when its not consistent

[z31maniac]

Intermittent issues are usually electrical in nature, whether it's a loose connection/bad ground, etc.

[PNWDan]

Intermittent issues are usually electrical in nature, whether it's a loose connection/bad ground, etc.

good point

[PNWDan]

Ok just an update and more info needed. Today was the first time the E30 acted up since I started this post. Today It started really cutting out and now anything over 2k and it sounds like multiple misfires. It use to just sputter once and now its constant. Sputters hard and wont pull. Under 2k and I can drive as fast as I want in any gear.

[ak-]

Oh man, this problem plagued me for a couple weeks. It would not go past 2k/3k and sputter it's life away.
Turned out to be my cap and rotor and the tps.

In the process I replaced the cps, o2 sensor, and plugs to no avail.

Goodluck

[PNWDan]

Oh man, this problem plagued me for a couple weeks. It would not go past 2k/3k and sputter it's life away.
Turned out to be my cap and rotor and the tps.

In the process I replaced the cps, o2 sensor, and plugs to no avail.

Goodluck

Yeah the cap and rotor are new as well as the TPS from about 6 months ago. It Idles fine and I drove about 10 miles this morning before this all happened. Im thinking it has to be ignition related so I guess I'll go from there when I get home today. I need to get it fixed. I drove the GFs E46 today and its a tank. I miss my E30 already

[ak-]

Right, hmmm.
My friend had the same exact issue as I and he virtually replaced everything.
The last thing to replace was his wiring harness which turned out to be the culprit.

[PNWDan]

Well I think I've solved it but you wont believe it...

Here is a picture of my distributor cap

See #5 down there??
Hmm so its wet but how is it mysteriously causing intermittent problems??
Ok so the small hose coming from the radiator to the expansion tank had a tiny leak at the tank side. The tank slightly leans at an angle. The spark plug loom broke free from the valve cover and was upright. The leaking coolant was running down the bottle onto the loom then inside and along the wires where it traveled down #5 right between the boot and wire. It was so minor that I didn't see it until looking at the underside of the wire where there are deposits from the antifreeze baked onto it.

I rigged the loom up proper until o can replace it, changed the small hose, and zip tied the boot to put tension on it against the wire so the fluid can't get in.

We'll see how it goes lol

[spiDmang]

get that connection cleaned up, and it should be good!!