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1989 325i - Split Second Loss Of Power When Driving

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    #16
    Bad spot on AFM?
    89 E30 325is Lachs Silber - currently M20B31, M20B33 in the works, stroked to the hilt...

    new build thread http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=317505

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      #17
      I had my friend riding with me last night and it happened. And he agreed that it felt ignition related.

      I'm going to get a new CPS bracket for my next attempt at a fix. I have noticed that the CPS sits in it flush before I start tightening down the bolt to secure it. As the bolt is tightened, it is pulling the CPS at an angle.

      Hoping that every once in a while the signal is broken and it's cutting spark. We'll see. I'm running out of time to diagnose and drive the car though.

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        #18
        Sounds like the exact issue I am having, my friend! Did you ever get anywhere after changing the bracket? I've swapped quite a few parts trying to figure it out. So I have some theories. Bad body ground(s), bad SI board (gives power to OBC relay which gives at least some power the the DME), broken sheilding on some wire in the harness (CPS, Cylinder Identification Sensor, Ignition Coil). Just about at my wit's end but I am doing a new dealer battery since the AGM O'Reilly battery I had finally tested bad. New body grounds and alternator-starter cable on the way, also having my instrument cluster restored - even if it's not the culprit, it still acts like crap.

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          #19
          Just a tiny tiny update here. Ran the new upgraded body grounds and alternator-starter cable + new dealer battery. Nothing. Tried driving with ICV unplugged. No issues other than it wanting to stall with foot off gas - normal I take it. So driftxsequence car and my car may have the same issue... Not sure. My ebay rebuilt programma DME + my old DME both bad from a bad ICV? Not sure.

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            #20
            Another update: At this point, I had my suspicions about both of my DMEs. While asking sellers if and how they tested the ones they had for sale, one of them was classy enough to offer me a piece of wisdom - that the original German fuses with a wire that goes from one side to the other, on rare occasion, have a tendency to pull apart under load. I replaced all the German fuses with Chinese ones. Immediately the car ran better, did not stumble or cut out as much. But the problem was still there.

            Yes, my original AND my ebay DMEs were both bad. The original made the engine stumble and cut out at low RPM and the ebay one was after 5k RPM. I got another ebay DME, also rebuilt by Programa, and the problem was solved. What caused them to go bad? Old age? ICVs with high resistance? (I can't remember how far out of spec. my old ICV was, but I did replace it in 2017 maybe, with a cheapo Chinese one, and its specs. are pretty close to spec.) Old German fuses that pull apart under load? Something else? Some combination? Not really sure but if you find yourself having to swap DMEs you may want to check these things first. One more thing I might add is the first Programa I got had places where it said 153 AND 173. So kinda fishy there. Could be a good DME just the wrong one?

            I've already put at least 100 city miles and quite a few cold starts on it since the good DME was put in, and no issues so far. The only thing keeping my hair on my head was having another car to commute with. This problem started out as a small stutter when taking off at low speed low RPM from a cold start. It started happening, I don't know, maybe 3 years ago. About 6 months ago is when it started the whole choking thing. So I have been going insane for the past half a year trying to figure this out. Hopefully this will help others in the same situation. Fixed it up just in time to pass emissions, made me feel good about the year 2018.

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              #21
              The problem is still there. I even got a rebuilt DME straight from Programa, put it in, had the problem, sent it back to have it checked, then they sent it back and the problem persists. Things I tried include used harmonic balancer (can't get new) new OE bolts and washers for it, and chased the threads in the holes in the crank, torqued to spec., used CPS bracket (came with the balancer), wired in my own shielded wires for the CPS, wired in my own fusible link, new OE TPS adjusted correctly... So I'm leaning towards maybe I have a crank wobble. Running 5W-30 right now. What should I try if I have worn crank bearings? 10W-30? 10W-40?

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                #22
                Does it ever do it idle ? Is it Under load only? Does it seem like the power "totally" cuts out momentarily or is it more that it only loses "some" power

                Sounds like bad wiring
                Last edited by digger; 09-10-2019, 12:11 AM.
                89 E30 325is Lachs Silber - currently M20B31, M20B33 in the works, stroked to the hilt...

                new build thread http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=317505

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                  #23
                  Can you rotate the motor by hand 3 or 4 times and track the harmonic balancer teeth to the cps? Or maybe pull the fuel pump fuse, set up a hard mounted camera (so it shakes with the engine) to the car, and crank it over for 20-30 seconds. Even better if you can record in 120 or 240fps. Then watch the video on a computer and slow it down. You might be able to see the crank wobble.

                  I should update the thread I linked above because I have an update for it. Even though megasquirt solved my issue on that motor, I have a new solution. I swapped in a new motor in with stock motronic and everything runs great. I never considered crank wobble, but that sounds very plausible as the root cause of my issue. I think things like this are never one issue, but compound issues which make it really hard to track down and fix.
                  AWD > RWD

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                    #24
                    If the tacho is good then i wouldn't be going down path of crank issue as the CPS seems to be sending a good signal (only a scope would confirm that 100% though)
                    89 E30 325is Lachs Silber - currently M20B31, M20B33 in the works, stroked to the hilt...

                    new build thread http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=317505

                    Comment


                      #25
                      I guess I should update this as well. The new (not used) CPS bracket solved my issue. The sensor was sitting at the slightest angle that it must have gotten a misreading every once in a while.

                      I have even put in a different engine since then and the issue is still gone. So in my case it was the bracket.

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                        #26
                        I'm having almost identical issues. Would love to hear how things are going long term.

                        I had a bad ICV that was replaced by a brand new OEM part. Now I'm wondering if it did something to the DME.

                        I've had a rough idle and occasional stall out issue since I bought the car. The stall out issue happens when I'm coming to a stop and push the clutch in and the revs drop. Once in a great while I'll go into a store, come back out, start the car and it will just crank. I turn the ignition off, wait a second, then crank again and the engine will cough and sputter a bit and then smooth out. The next day the car will just start up normally. These issues are super super random.

                        Flash forward to this week and now the dreaded engine stutter/cutout/misfire has developed. I never ever had this problem before once I got above idle. Like the OP, it only happens for a split second but you can feel it.
                        90 Bronzit 325is
                        16 Black Sapphire 340i M Sport

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                          #27
                          hey this is probably a stupid suggestion but mine would cut out randomly. instant off for a split second.
                          some days it wouldn't even start and i would pull on wires then it would start.

                          for me. turned out the big round plug/harness for the injectors under the manifold was fucked up and not making good contact.

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                            #28
                            Originally posted by LowR3V'in View Post
                            hey this is probably a stupid suggestion but mine would cut out randomly. instant off for a split second.
                            some days it wouldn't even start and i would pull on wires then it would start.

                            for me. turned out the big round plug/harness for the injectors under the manifold was fucked up and not making good contact.
                            I'm definitely thinking it has to be the injectors on my E30. The engine cutout issue has gotten exponentially worse over the last few days. To the point where I can't drive it anymore. It bucks like a bronco when the engine is cold which is scary when driving in traffic. I dropped it off earlier this week at my local independent BMW mechanic. I asked them to flow test the injectors and rebuild them if needed.

                            I chatted with a local BMW owner and enthusiast this past weekend and we came up with a good theory. Which is - an injector is leaking dumping too much fuel into a cylinder, which then causes the O2 sensor to go crazy and thus loads up the catalytic converter with unburnt fuel causing the engine to choke out.

                            There is some serious back pressure going on when you start up the car. You can feel it when you walk behind the trunk. Plus, you can smell hints of unburnt fuel coming out the exhaust on top of the stinky cat smell. The cat also pings like crazy when you turn the car off after a drive.

                            Hoping to hear something from the mechanic today. Fingers crossed.

                            I've been dealing with this for over 3 years and some closure would be nice.
                            90 Bronzit 325is
                            16 Black Sapphire 340i M Sport

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                              #29
                              Well the problem is still there even after having the injectors rebuilt and recalibrated. Now the engine split second cutout is only happening on cold start up. I’d say it does it for the first five minutes of driving in the morning when it’s coldest out. The issue goes away once the car is out normal operating temp. So I finally did the stomp test after a buddy explained the process today. It threw a code did the coolant temp sensor. I’ve read that a faulty temp sensor can cause the issue I’m having. Although I doubt it would fix my crappy idle. I ordered both the ecu sensor and the sending unit sensor just to be safe and hey they’re pretty cheap. If that doesn’t work then I guess I’ll replace the CPS and possibly the o2. My fingers have never been this crossed in their life.
                              90 Bronzit 325is
                              16 Black Sapphire 340i M Sport

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                                #30
                                If it hasn't been done before, clean the AFM and shift the wiper on the track. I was getting something like this (more of a hesitation in power than a total loss) and the AFM corrected it.

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