84 318i, engine missing, need some experienced help here

[new2bmw]

so i have driven the car about 700km since i got it on the road and have worked out most of the bugs. The one thing i cant figure out is why its missing? It will miss at idle and then gets pretty bad on acceleration until about 80km/h, it then eases up. It bugs the hell out of me because i cant take of smoothly. Every so often when sitting at a light it will have a big miss, shakes the whole car.
Someone wrote that if you have put on an after market (K&N) air filter that you are letting more air into the engine and that you need to bump up the fuel? not sure if it already running too rich, my new exhaust tip is black as hell inside after only 2 weeks. If it is too rich how do you adjust fuel rate on an m10 engine?
Also today when i first started it or after sitting for more then an hour or so, white smoke would come out of the exhaust for a minute then go away, not sure if this may be related? I have put a new dizzy cap and spark plugs in, changed the fuel filter hoping it would help but nothing yet. I have a road trip coming up on thurs. hope someone can help here.
thanks guys!

[jbombdizzle]

timing off?

[peerless]

bad spark plug wires.

White smoke could have been condensation, or you could have a blown headgasket. That might be what you think is a miss.

Or blown fuel pressure regulator, but I think you would see black smoke on acceleration.

Compression Test and a Fuel Pressure Test will answer you questions.

Or try a set of plug wires?

[new2bmw]

plug wires

so you think this could be the prob? can i tape them or something? where can i get a cheap set?
thanks guys

[SpecM]

so you think this could be the prob? can i tape them or something? where can i get a cheap set?
thanks guys

go to a local auto parts store for cheap ones, or try pelican parts (.com)

[new2bmw]

roadtrip?

i have already put a can of seafoam engine treatment through the engine via gastank, anything else i should try on this trip to run through the engine? i was thinking maybe lucas injector cleaner but is there something better?
thanks

[new2bmw]

cleaner

So, if i use an injector cleaner is that better then using a so called tune up in a can? I am thinking that since my fuel filter was so plgged that maybe my injectors are plugged up also?

[another1bitesthedust]

could be a bad coolant sensor?

[CntrlcoastE30's]

Start with the simple things first. Valve adjust will make a big difference, especially if it is missing.
The distributor on these early models needs to be working correctly also.
The motor really likes fresh plugs. An aftermarket K&N will allow the engine to rev to redline, it does not need any more fuel. Check and change the fuel filter.

As already mentioned a compression and leak down will provide a better picture as well.