Help please! My e30 is dying while driving!

[jr325es]

hey guys, I have a 1988 bmw 325... Once the car is running for a while it starts to sputter the eventually dies. I replaced the fuel filter, fuel pump, afm, icv, and ecu. the ecu it had and the one i put in are both 173s. the car hadnt been used in about a year. The car also has a new battery. I need help guys i've searched and tried what i saw. Im pretty sure the fpr is good. and i swapped the first relay from the separate three with the foglight one ( i think thats the main relay).

Once the car stalls itll turn one but its hard to get it running. then it'll turn off again and becomes even harder to turn on. The car also smells like its running a little rich but it always does since it has 5.0 inj. i put my finger on the coil wire, and fell spark and doesnt feel like it changes when it starts the sputter.

any thoughts guys? thnx...

[s38e30]

I think the first relay you switched with the fog light, is for the fuel pump.

It seems like it is heat related. Try a different Coil if you can, then look at cap and rotor.


Maybe I am wrong but the Main relay is a 5 pin relay, and the fuel pump is a 4 pin. Could be wrong since this is off the top of my head.

[StereoInstaller1]

Maybe I am wrong but the Main relay is a 5 pin relay, and the fuel pump is a 4 pin. Could be wrong since this is off the top of my head.

Likely main relay: forwardmost in the group of 3 on the strut tower.

They tend to heat up and crap out, 99% of them out there are 20+ years old.

It is a 5 pin, as are several other relays on the car...but the configuration is different than any other 5 pin on the car.

GL!
Luke

[jr325es]

thnx guys on my car the realy closest to the front of the three is a four pin...?

[jr325es]

in the bottom of the 5 pin does everyones have a little red wire that goes from one of the pins to the other?

[StereoInstaller1]

thnx guys on my car the realy closest to the front of the three is a four pin...?

What is your car?

in the bottom of the 5 pin does everyones have a little red wire that goes from one of the pins to the other?

that would be the other side of the relay coil wire.

You should have a 5 pin in the forward position if it is M20 powered, unless it is really early (pre-C101)

[bmw325csi]

in the bottom of the 5 pin does everyones have a little red wire that goes from one of the pins to the other?

sounds like the independent fog light mod

[jr325es]

the car is a 1988 super eta i think theyre motronic 1.1 the 5 pin is a white relay the others are orange and light orange, where can i buy a new relay?

[jr325es]

sounds like the independent fog light mod

nope ur confused thats in the fusebox. ;)

[StereoInstaller1]

I thought the SETA was M1.3, but no difference, they are the same, wiring-wise.

As a desperate solution, go buy a fog light relay from a generic source, like an auto parts store. You need a 5 pin SPST relay, where there are 2 "87" pins, but no "87a".

A quick trip should show you if that is the issue or not!

GL!
Luke

[bimma360]

To me it sounds like your cat is clogged. My car runs on the rich side as well... and i had a crappy aftermarket cat on to pass inspection... three months later the thing had a complete meltdown, and my car had symptoms pretty much like yours. Put the test pipe back on and problem was fixed. Buddy of mine had the same thing with his e30 except it wouldnt go over 2500rpm. Since your car is running rich... i'm willing to bet money on the fact that its your cat.

Dave

[StereoInstaller1]

To me it sounds like your cat is clogged. My car runs on the rich side as well... and i had a crappy aftermarket cat on to pass inspection... three months later the thing had a complete meltdown, and my car had symptoms pretty much like yours. Put the test pipe back on and problem was fixed. Buddy of mine had the same thing with his e30 except it wouldnt go over 2500rpm. Since your car is running rich... i'm willing to bet money on the fact that its your cat.

Dave

I have never seen a clogged cat cause a "sputter", but I have now personally fixed 3 cars with bad main relays that did.

I say $5 for a known good relay is at least a good starting point, y'know?

[bimma360]

I have never seen a clogged cat cause a "sputter", but I have now personally fixed 3 cars with bad main relays that did.

I say $5 for a known good relay is at least a good starting point, y'know?

Yeah i agree. Also on the same note... i take back what i said, b/c today my car started doing the same thing it did before i removed the cat. I dont think my problem and the OP's are the same. But i do know that my buddy had a clogged up cat and his car wouldnt go above 2500rpm. Sorry for the confusion.

Dave

[jr325es]

hey Luke, i tried to look for the relay autozone wasn't in the zone... they only had four pin relays. Do you know where else can i get one? BMW dealer? If so are the gonna jip me? thnx

[jr325es]

Yeah i agree. Also on the same note... i take back what i said, b/c today my car started doing the same thing it did before i removed the cat. I dont think my problem and the OP's are the same. But i do know that my buddy had a clogged up cat and his car wouldnt go above 2500rpm. Sorry for the confusion.

Dave

its okay man at least you guys are trying to help thnx though:)