Engine cutout @ ~1800rpm..after basic maintenance...

[Eviltwin]

SO...

Performed valve adjustment
replaced valve gasket
replaced small section of cracked fuel line
...

and for some reason, decided to clean the engine (pressure wash)

NOW THE ISSUE...

engine starts and runs idles just fine.

rev gradually to about 1800-2000K, engine will cut out/hesitate and bounce down to about 1500K, and shoot back up to about 2200K...than will rev normally to 4K without hesitation...

Fuel pump is humming fine, throttle cable is nice and taught...all wires/cable connectors seem okay...

now wtf did I do?

Cam angle sensor?
Fuel Delivery?
Possible to have messed it up during the valve adjustment?

I figure, that if it had to do with the engine wash, it would idle like sh*t, or not start...the car starts up and idles wonderfly.

any ideas?

btw- car is a 1985 325 ETA.

[dark89e30]

What do you mean the rpm goes from 18k-15k? Do you not have power between then, and while you slow down then all of a sudden you go from 15k to 2.2k? Is your gauge broken too? Please make sense of this because you are missing info.

[AndrewBird]

Remove the k smart ass. He meant 1800 RPM and 2000 RPM (1.8k and 2k).

Can't help you on the question though. Not sure what would cause that. All I can say is check for loose connections/plugs. Did your MAF get water in it by chance?

[Eviltwin]

Remove the k smart ass. He meant 1800 RPM and 2000 RPM (1.8k and 2k).

Can't help you on the question though. Not sure what would cause that. All I can say is check for loose connections/plugs. Did your MAF get water in it by chance?

right, sorry...rough night- I meant 1800rpm-2000rpm...not K

checking MAF, ICV now

[AndrewBird]

right, sorry...rough night- I meant 1800rpm-2000rpm...not K

checking MAF, ICV now

I didn't mean you, I meant dark89e30. You made an honest mistake. He dicked around like he didn't know what you were talking about, when it was obvious what was going on.

[dark89e30]

I didn't mean you, I meant dark89e30. You made an honest mistake. He dicked around like he didn't know what you were talking about, when it was obvious what was going on.

Dipshit, I wasn't even making reference to this mistake. You are seriously Fn dumb. The point was; what happens between those RPMs? F urself 2x. And Eviltwin, more info would be great. And these engines don't come with a MAF (does yours have one?)

[Eviltwin]

fuck nevermind, it's doing it again

[Eviltwin]

Dipshit, I wasn't even making reference to this mistake. You are seriously Fn dumb. The point was; what happens between those RPMs? F urself 2x. And Eviltwin, more info would be great. And these engines don't come with a MAF (does yours have one?)

I meant AFM (air fuel meter)

[Eviltwin]

baiscally fuel is getting cuttoff mid throttle.

everything is f'ken kosher...I'm getting frustrated.

ECU?

[dark89e30]

How are your cap and rotor? Is everything stock? And does it happen at the same rpm every time (most important)? And what plugs are you running? For some reason the ecu only likes the oem ones. But it very well could be the ecu. Just went through some stuff recently with 2 bad ecus and they can do some funky stuff.

[deansbimmer]

make sure the in tank fuel pump is working and report back.

[e30josh]

check your crank position sensor and the connection up off the intake manifold.

[88bmw325]

i had a sputtering issue kine of like this.. was rust in the tank and the o2 bad.. just my 2 cents..

[beamertech]

Did you check the throttle position switich under the throttle. If it gets water in it it will cause the ECU to go crazy. You would notice that your mpg gauge will jump from one side to the other when the engine sputters and the engine temp gauge will fluctuate a little bit. I just bought my E30, it ran fine and then started sputtering. My E24 was doing the same thing and it turned out to be the cap and rotor. That's an M30 3.5L this one shares the same cap and rotor and much to my anger, replacing the cap and rotor made no f&&(!!ing diffrence. I read in another forum that it could be the fuel injector harness but my 325 didn't have one, but the tps was full of coolant from the throttle coolant heater leaking down on it. Thank God I'm a BMW Mast Tech and get parts at cost or I'd never own one of these. And here I am buying my 3rd. Boy I'm a Jackass.
Hope this helps. Remember, unplug the TPS and see if it helps. If not, sorry. Hell it only takes you a second.

[Eviltwin]

Did you check the throttle position switich under the throttle. If it gets water in it it will cause the ECU to go crazy. You would notice that your mpg gauge will jump from one side to the other when the engine sputters and the engine temp gauge will fluctuate a little bit. I just bought my E30, it ran fine and then started sputtering. My E24 was doing the same thing and it turned out to be the cap and rotor. That's an M30 3.5L this one shares the same cap and rotor and much to my anger, replacing the cap and rotor made no f&&(!!ing diffrence. I read in another forum that it could be the fuel injector harness but my 325 didn't have one, but the tps was full of coolant from the throttle coolant heater leaking down on it. Thank God I'm a BMW Mast Tech and get parts at cost or I'd never own one of these. And here I am buying my 3rd. Boy I'm a Jackass.
Hope this helps. Remember, unplug the TPS and see if it helps. If not, sorry. Hell it only takes you a second.

tried that just now, still nothing...

I think I might be onto something tho...

SINCE you're a Bmw master tech...what do you think of...

coolant temp sensor causing all this sh*t...

like I said, car will start just fine- however, the temp gauge goes haywire...the 'coolant' light on the check panel is on...
RPM will run smooth up to exactly 1500rpm, whether clutch is engaged or not...than engine will cutout...will not go over 1500...sort of like a 'limp mode'.

if my coolant temp sensor, or wires encompassed with this sensor are loose, frayed, whatever...could this cause it to behave that way?