ETA running awful...please help. Video inside.

[BoxDriver86]

Fixed - The Autozone Duralast brand rotor I put on ended up being a dud. Replaced with a used unit and all is well. Thanks to everyone who helped out, especially KMOSES who drove out of his way and spent entirely too much of his own time helping me get this sorted out. Ken, I am forever in your debt and will gladly repay you with body work.

First things first - 1986 325es, M20B27, stock with the exception of an Ansa exhaust and "hot air" cone filter intake

Driving home from work the other day I noticed my trust ETA was running a little sluggish. On the following day, it was mildly worse. The next morning when I went to start it up, it sounded like it was running on 4-5 cylinders. There is a definite smell of fuel and some moisture coming from the exhaust.

Here's what I have replaced recently:
Fuel filter
Coolant temperature sensor
Fuel lines
Injectors (poor man's rebuild to factory units)
Valve cover gasket
Spark plugs (NGK recommended units)
Distributor cap and rotor
O2 sensor

I have been told that it could possibly be the plug wires but when I gave them the spray test they were fine. The car is idling at the correct engine speed and revs fine. I removed the valve cover and it looks brand new with no damage to the rockers or anything else in eye's view. I unplugged the O2 sensor and it still didn't make a difference in how it ran.

The feature film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_xnQxTbZB0

Any help you may have would be greatly appreciated. I use this car as my commuter and my other car is currently dismantled. No e30, no work and I have a wedding to pay for. Thanks in advance! A 6-pack of Brooklyn lager (greatest beer in history!) for the first person who figures this out.

[Eta power]

Did you hook up the CTS and the injectors properly? Have they come unplugged? Are the injectors the right part?

[BoxDriver86]

Did you hook up the CTS and the injectors properly? Have they come unplugged? Are the injectors the right part?

As far as I can tell. I did all of this about 2,000 miles back with no incident. Do you think that something failed on an injector side? Would a pintle cap coming off cause this? The injectors are the original part off the car. I just rebuilt what was there.

[call me jack]

i would electronically test the o2 sensor. check the Bentley for how to do this..

otherwise... idk. idle air valve

[DmcL]

maybe a rocker comitted suicide if it sounds like its off a cylinder.

[BoxDriver86]

Definitely not a rocker, I pulled the valve cover off and everything looks fine. This was my initial thought as well.

How do I diagnose the idle air valve?

[Eta power]

The Idle Control Valve only has an effect at idle. Manual or auto?

[BoxDriver86]

It's a manual.

[BoxDriver86]

Update: Pulled the intake manifold and got a look at the valves. Here's what I found:

And the #5 for comparison:

After pulling the valve cover, it appears that both the intake and exhaust valves for #6 are compressed. Is this normal operation or do I have a valve problem?

My injectors are fully operational.

I have officially stepped outside of my mechanical realm here. Any ideas?

[KMOSES]

Wow just read your entire post, if both intake and exhaust are open, one or the other may be stuck. If you need any spare known good parts to swap out let me know, I have injectors, ECU, rotor and cap, I also have a spare eta head ect..

[BoxDriver86]

Actually, intake #6 and exhaust #4 are fully compressed. I wasn't looking at it clearly although the exhaust on #6 does look like it is a tad more compressed than the rest.

[KMOSES]

Just looked at my spare ETA head, at no time are both valves open that much. This head was purchased complete (cam, rockers, springs) from another member and was listed as only having 40,000 miles on it. If you need it, come get it.

[KMOSES]

I'm sorry, I thought you were saying that the intake and exhaust valves were both open on #5 cylinder. A valve that is not seating properly can make it run rough also. But I think it would idle rough. Do you have a leak down tester? That would be the quickest way to tell if you have a valve not seating properly.

[BoxDriver86]

Might have to do that Ken. Here's some pictures of the head with the valve cover off:



Like I said, #6 and #4 are fully compressed, the exhaust side of #6 is not I was just looking at it from the wrong angle. I'm really hoping I don't have to swap the head. Waiting for a new gasket and head bolts would kill me. Can't keep driving the Lotus for work or Haggerty will have my head!

I do not have a leak down tester. I guess I'll have to swing by Harbor Freight in my travels today.

[KMOSES]

I only have an ATD compression tester. If you need something, just give me a call.