Strange Idol

Car: 2005 e46 Tourer 318i A/T

Problem: Not sure but the last couple of days when I get home from being on the road the whole day, as I stop to open garage the car stands and Idols. Here is the strange bit. The revs climb and then drop, climb and then drop, climb and then drop. Excatly between 1000 and 1500 rpm. Regardless if the car is in park or N. Does not do it everyday and never in the morning. I stopped at the shop and it did it, switched of shopped and got into car. Stopped at home didnt do it. Took the maid to the taxi did it and then again when I stopped @ home?

Always between 1000 and 1500 rpms.

:thinking::thinking::thinking::thinking::banghead::banghead::banghead:

Please help or tell me what it could be as It is anoying.

Could possibly be cam timing? I know that was the issue on mine causing the rough erratic idle.

Yep, Billy Idol is strange ha ha.
Sorry couldn't resist a wise crack.

Had similar symptoms on the GTI before I traded it in. Never in the morning, cause of the choke. When it is hot, it hunts, up and down, up and down. Diagnostics came back that the car is running lean, and now the computer artificially adjusts the idling to sort the problem, then realises it's idling too high, then cuts the fuel, and so the process repeats itself.

Bottomline, it is an airleak. Mine was on the intake side of the engine.

Yours might be totally different, but the symptoms are so alike that I am pretty sure you might have an airleak.

mine does that sometimes on start up...i thought it was normal or my car was just a bit posessed...

Vacuum leak or sticky/dirty Idle Control Valve are the most typical causes.

How do I find it and fix it?

---

SKwinty :clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

ANiMOSiTY said:

Vacuum leak or sticky/dirty Idle Control Valve are the most typical causes.

Click to expand...

+1

ANiMOSiTY said:

Vacuum leak or sticky/dirty Idle Control Valve are the most typical causes.

Click to expand...

+1 Sticky Idle bypass valve

My 325i had that aswell. Turns out all it needed was some dam water through it... long story... but after we got the water out of the block it idled like purring kitten. I don't know how long the "fix" lasted because I traded it in ASAPimp:

What you should do is remove it and see what is causing the stickyness. It might be in obvious need of a clean.

Its quite easy to find because there is usually a narrow pipe 1.5cm that bypasses teh throttle body and it has a mechanical valve with electrical plug. Its usually easy to remove as you just disconnect the pipes and unplug the cable. This is on the E30 325i it may be different on yours.

---

Or you just have this... A strange Billy idol

When last did you check your oil, if dipstick is not properly inserted can also cause a problem, check all air flow pipes for cracks or tears, can also cause a problem