318 is giving me trouble.. help!

[bimmerlover]

So.. during my 45 mile commute to school this morning.. my 318 "broke down" TWICE!

First time, I'm about 20 miles from home, AC on, going up a hill at about 65. I have the pedal to the floor and all of a sudden it just starts losing power. The speed starts very rapidly decreasing, I pull off the road and by the time I get to a stop, the engine has died.
So, I say a nice little prayer, turn the key.. and it starts up and sounds dandy.
I decide to go on without the AC on, just in case it was part of the problem.

Another 20 miles up the road, I'm cruising along on a flat road at 80 mph and it does the EXACT same thing! No matter what I tried, it's like it wouldn't get any gas. (by the way, I have a full tank) So again, pull over, car dies, give it a minute, start up and go.

So I made it to school, but I have to make that 45 mile trip after dark tonight..
and I'm wondering if you guys have any ideas as to what could be causing it or what I should check etc.

TIA

Rachel

[James Crivellone]

fuel pump? ignition? etc

[Jand3rson]

Sounds like the alternator is dying to me. My Subaru did the EXACT same thing one time, and we replaced the alternator, and it never happened again.

[bimmerlover]

hmm.. alternator is a likely candidate.
Can that be tested easily with a multimeter or something like that?

thanks

[Jand3rson]

hmm.. alternator is a likely candidate.
Can that be tested easily with a multimeter or something like that?

thanks

Take it out, and take it an auto parts store. Most good ones wil be able to test it right there, and if it's bad, they will take you old one as a core toward a new one.

Hope this helps.

[James Crivellone]

one quick way to check if the alternator has died


start car, turn highbeam switch to on, as well as fogs


turn on headlights, listen for engine tone to change, one quick way

obviously if you have a voltmeter I would use that

[Jand3rson]

obviously if you have a voltmeter I would use that

I need to get myself a good multimeter. They have Stanley ones on sale at Home Depot right now.

[grlaneriejr]

sounds like either the alternator or something called the fuel pump crossover relay. I had both problems in my car.

take your alternator to a GOOD shop (beware autozones and pep boys - their equipment is terrible) and have it checked.

If alternator is good, check your relays on the driver side fenderwell under the hood (right in front of the fuse box). If you can slap a relay and it runs rough, then "slap" it back to running right, it's probably that relay (if you're talking about a 84-85 318i).

See if this helps.

[bimmerlover]

hmm.. thanks.
My only issue with the alternator problem would be..
shouldn't it not want to start?
I can crank it over just after it's cut off and it sounds very normal.
So I guess now I'm leaning more towards something fuel pump related.
I definitely could be wrong though.

Should I risk trying to get it home tonight?

I appreciate the help!

[BMW BMXER]

Whem My alternator went the battery lit up very dimly. Also the gauges would go flat and stuff before it died. You could feel it wanting to die.

Also the car didn't drive to far once the battery got really drained. If it is your alternator you won't make it home sorry to say.

[///M42 sport]

how old is your fuel pump? Thats what happened when my fuel pump went bad. The engine just died.

If you can start the car back up after it dies, I would just drive it home. Its a risk though, since you don't know when its gonna go completely.
________
Xnxx

[155///MPH]

Checked your plug wires and plugs lately? Arcing can cause the same symptoms.

[nickmpower]

check the smaller wire that goes to the battery, check and make sure its connected very well

[bimmerlover]

Made the 45 mile trip home without a hitch. Didn't give me a bit of trouble.
Which I find.. actually quite annoying!

I haven't done anything to the fuel pump since I got the car 3 years ago.
It's been about a month since I checked the plugs/wires.
I'll look into both suggestions.

Thanks guys

[arnoldgtr]

Transfer pump good?
If the transfer pump is dead (and very few of them last 100K miles), your main fuel pump could be overheating. That would explain your symptoms. Could also be a bad fuel pump relay.