Is an 86 325e supposed to be THIS SLOW?

[cdiaz3]

Hello all!! I've been a lurker here for about two months now, never posted before cuz I've never really had anything interesting to say or ask. Until now.

I have an 86 325e auto. The car has always ran the same way. In the last 2 months I've replace the timing belt and tensioner, crank sensors that are on the tranny bellhousing, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, waterpump, all belts and hoses, and fixed a massive vacuum leak I had. This was because of regular maintenance not stuff that broke.

I have not yet changed the temp and O2 sensors. My Check engine light does come on when I first start the car but I touch the "check" button in the little diagnostics console that's above me, in front of the sunroof, and it goes away.

The car starts fine but hesitates a little when it's cold, idles fine though.

This is much slower than my mom's 95 Toyota Tercel (automatic)!!!
It's also way slower that my 87 Jetta GLi (5-speed)!!!

If you guys can take a look at these vids and tell me if this is normal for an Auto 325e I would greatly appreciate it.

This first vid is floored from 20 MPH to 45 MPH with the A/C off. It took 12 Seconds!!

http://www.vidiLife.com/video_play_1073537_Slow_E30_2.htm

This one is floored from 50 MPH to almost 75 MPH with the A/C on (I forgot to turn it off). It took 17 seconds!!!

http://www.vidiLife.com/video_play_1073536_Slow_E30.htm

[LivingLegend06]

wow, thats really slow. Something is defiantly wrong. I would start to make sure that every cylinder is firing, I'm sure somebody else will have some better help for you.

[Jonathan M3]

Looks like the tranny won't downshift to anything lower than 3rd gear. Does it even take off in 1st gear from a stop and upshift normally through the gears?

[cdiaz3]

wow, thats really slow. Something is defiantly wrong. I would start to make sure that every cylinder is firing, I'm sure somebody else will have some better help for you.

All cylinders are firing.

The tranny shifts through all gears normally. It does downshift but it only goes down to the previous gear like from 4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2sd.

I can manually shift it if I want to but it only gets slighter better. It kind of hangs between 2000 and 2500 rpm like it's EXTRA weak there, then it starts to pick up again when it reaches 3000 rpm. But this is an ETA, it's supposed to make good torque in the midrange, I shouldn't have to redline it to get it to move. My Jetta 8v has more torque in the same rpms than this thing.

[Mike325]

That is not right at all. One thing to check is the torque converter for the auto trans. Do a stall test and get back to us. Put the car in drive and hold the brakes with your left foot and hold the gas down with your right foot, like you are trying to do a burnout. Without doing a burnout, your rpms will go up to around 2k and just stop. When the rpms stop climing, record the rpm and tell us what it was. Do not hold it there for more than a few seconds, as this is bad for the torque converter.

I have a feeling that it or the trans clutches may be slipping. When is the last time you changed the tranny fluid and filter?

PS: Welcome and good choice in music;).

[TopOfTheLine89]

Time for a 5spd swap. you should do a 0-60 run and film it just like you did so we can see how the tranny is shifting cause in the above vids it wasn't downshifting porperly. i have a stock 87 eta 5spd and my best 0-60 is 9.2 sec.

also how hot out was it, when i was doing 0-60 runs in the heat(96degrees) i couldn't get below a 12.00

[JasonC]

The cat or muffler isn't plugged up is it?

[VAPORBLADE]

Are all four of your wheel bearings over torqued? :) Seems slow to me as well...

I remember my 325e was slow, but not that slow!

[CorvallisBMW]

Seafoam FTW!!

Seriously though, do a compression check and get back to us with the numbers. Mike is spot-on with the converter stall test too, do that also. Also change your tranny flui/filter, fuel filter, and maybe have a shop test your exhaust backpressure for a clog (?)

[Belteshazzar]

Seafoam FTW!!

Seriously though, do a compression check and get back to us with the numbers. Mike is spot-on with the converter stall test too, do that also. Also change your tranny flui/filter, fuel filter, and maybe have a shop test your exhaust backpressure for a clog (?)

there it is.

[mattdk318i]

check your kickdown button under your pedal. And check your throttle cable. IVe had one stick before and it wont accelerate over 1200rpm even in nuetral

[cdiaz3]

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I wouldn't have thought to check the torque converter.

I will try and record a 0-60 time but I will have to shift through the gears myself though to get the best time. It gets a little better when I get it between 3500 and 4500 but still nothing to write home about.

I'm supposed to be going to my bud's shop this weekend to check compression, ignition timing, the O2 sensor, and the exhaust to see if it's restricted. I will also check the torque converter for stall speed.

I am supposed to be tuning the tranny up soon, it's just a matter of time and money. I've only had this car since April or May and I've done a shit load of maintenance to it already but I had to stop to buy a condo and get married. I will resume the battle with the E30 soon though, it has a long way to go.

Thank you all again, I will keep you posted on any findings.

[SpecM]

My Check engine light does come on when I first start the car but I touch the "check" button in the little diagnostics console that's above me, in front of the sunroof, and it goes away.

-Oh BTW this is NOT the "check engine light". Its just the CHECK light. It's different.

[StereoInstaller1]

Yes, your ETA is supposed to be that slow...it makes us "i" owners feel better about how slow our cars are.

I've only had this car since April or May and I've done a shit load of maintenance to it already but I had to stop to buy a condo and get married.

So much for fun with the E30!

[T Verdier]

slow eta

yeah i have an 85 325e auto and at 50 if i floor it and the button clicks it downshifts and has a lot of balls if you floor it slowly sometimes it doesnt downshift but if i do it hard and quick it boogies