Car will start but not run(searched)

[Prozak]

i searched but i just wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem.
car : 1991 318i
The car starts up and idles really low and dies unless I put the pedal to the floor. once the pedal is on the floor the revs climb but very very slowly. If I let off the gas the revs drop quickly then the car dies. If I try to move the car with it reved up high there is no power at all.

things i need to check?
vacuum leaks (checked but i think a double check is in order)
fuel pump + relay (if either was dead the car wouldnt start at all right?)
ICV ( no backfire, does that rule it out?)
AFM (dirty?)
plugs + wires (would it still start if those were bad?)

thanks in advance

[kylebes1]

Fuel pump worky?

[DaN]

hows the intake boot? holy?

[rede30]

the fuel pump could be your problem. Somtimes It doesnt go out all together it can just start going slowing. Did this problem start all of a sudden or did it slowly get worse and worse?

[rede30]

fuel filter is another cheap and easy thing to change.

[Prozak]

update : fuel filter is new, plugs look good.

I took off the fuel line after the filter then tried to start the car, gas started to shoot out so i know the pump still works. It doesnt look like there are any vacuum leaks. Im thinking the AFM is bad.

[Prozak]

another day and i still have no clue what to fix.


now it just starts up then dies after 3 sec.
someone help please. anything I can do before I start to buy what I think could be wrong. (coil, wires, new afm,tps,camshaft position sensor)

[Adrian_Visser]

just because theres some fuel coming out doesnt mean theres enough. if its running at all and you suspect the fuel pump may be to blame you hafta do a volume test what you do is take the fuel line from the fpr and put it into a LARGE measuring cup and crank the engine for 30 seconds if you dont get at least 875 ml (3.5 cups) of fuel then the pump is dying not dead but dying if it was dead then the car wouldnt start at all.

[Prozak]

just because theres some fuel coming out doesnt mean theres enough. if its running at all and you suspect the fuel pump may be to blame you hafta do a volume test what you do is take the fuel line from the fpr and put it into a LARGE measuring cup and crank the engine for 30 seconds if you dont get at least 875 ml (3.5 cups) of fuel then the pump is dying not dead but dying if it was dead then the car wouldnt start at all.

ok i'll give that a shot tomorrow in the daylight. there was a least 3/4 of a cup after cranking it for about 8 seconds but that was from right after the filter.

[Deutschbag]

I posted this on Bimmerforums, but why not here too: I had this problem recently when I checked my air filter. Turns out I pulled out a gigantic vacuum line that goes to somewhere under the throttle body. It would run, rev up, then immediately die when it tried to idle.

Did this all of the sudden happen, or did it happen after you did something to your car?

[Prozak]

all of the sudden while i was driving.

[KillerCalypso]

clogged cat?

meoww

[delatlanta1281]

ICV is what happened in my case. I was driving and went through a HUGE puddle and my car stalled. I thought I had cracked the block. It would start though and immediatly turn off. The only way it would run was if I kept revving it while at a light. It drove no problem, but if I took my foot off the gas it would stall out. There were no backfires at all. I took a used ICV and replaced it, and it has run fine ever since. Your door my be stuck on you ICV. Unplug it and try to run the car. see if it will stay on. The revs should fluctuate. Also you can have a friend check the door when you turn your key. and you will hear a humming coming from the ICV. pretty loud humming in fact.

[Prozak]

ok i took off the icv and cleaned it out with carb cleaner. the door was open just a little bit. tomorrow i'll try start with it unpluged. It looks like time for a junk yard mission.