318is Problem

[ETTIENNE]

Hi gents, i need some advice please.

My better half`s E36 318is Coupe is giving problems. The car sometimes hesitates when pulling away, and it is very prominent in the lower gears, but does not always do this. Even cruising on the highway you can feel the car holding back, and then it`s fine again. It idles fine. Took the car for a diagnostics at Bosch and it initially showed a problem with the airflow meter. They cleaned it out and diagnostics show "No Errors" but the problem still exists.

Any ideas as to what the problem could be? Electrical maybe?

Please help!
:argh:

 

[Dishen]

ICV maybe?:fencelook:

 

[jlr]

Is there a lack of power, and the revs dying at 80km/h+?

 

[Raybimmer]

E36 318iS Coupe ? Is it an import ? This was not a standard production model here in SA , we only had these in sedans .

If you unplug the AFM and drive is the car the same ?

 

[Mr.k]

of topic ,but i wish mine was a coupe!!

when reving through the gears , high rpm about 3,500 - 5000, is it like u pressing the accelerator but the car pauses before it actually starts to accelerate pass that point??

 

[zaleonardz]

Perhaps a pidgeon in cylinder 5

maf, cam sensor, or small vacuum leak.

 

[sclass]

Eish, can a Bosch service centre diagnostics pick up any errors...?They didn't pick up my severed cat sensor cable and the dash board light is on :fencelook:
Probably better served getting codes/faults read by someone like LZ or a specialist with the right diagnostic tools and take it from there

Good luck :thumbs:

 

[Charlie Brown]

Oxygen sensor in the exhaust - this sounds just like my issue a while back, also took to Bosch and was told MAF. I told them to buy and fit and prove before I paid which they agreed. It made no difference, so they tried the oxygen sensor and that did.

 

[ETTIENNE]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Sorry i`m only responding now.

Ok, here we go:

@Mr K - It actually starts at about 2500 rpm to about 4000 rpm, especially prominent when pulling off, but like i said she does not do it all the time, it`s intermittent, and yes, then she accelerates past that.

@Raybimmer - Yes it`s a UK import. When the AFM is unplugged the engine dies.

@jlr - It can best be described as a mild to severe stutter.

@Charlie Brown - I will look into this oxygen sensor thing you speak of. The car was de-catted a while ago because we thought it was the cause of the problem in the first place, but removing them made no difference except that she sounds like Opel now.....:argh:

@zaleonardz - We removed cylinder 5 along with the cats...:rollsmile:

Again, thanks for the input gents.

 

[ETTIENNE]

SORTED!:thumbs: Turns out it was the oxygen sensor in the exhaust.

 

[Mr.k]

:thumbs: good stuff

 

[Dippies]

Glad you sorted :thumbs:

 

[Charlie Brown]

Thought as much !

 

[Peejay]

SORTED!:thumbs: Turns out it was the oxygen sensor in the exhaust.

How did they set it?

 

[ETTIENNE]

SORTED!:thumbs: Turns out it was the oxygen sensor in the exhaust.

How did they set it?

No idea, it was done by Bosch in Moreleta, and i must say i got very good service from them.

 

[mo_s]

hey guys..I think this can go here..regarding an E36 318is, on cold start especially in the mornings when first started the motor runs very rough..as it warms up it idles much better but still not a hundred percent smoothly..the thing that got me thinking was that I noticed the motors been burning pretty rich and you get a strong petrol smell..now I know the oxygen sensor is throwing an error on the diagnostics but no lights etc..further this car only has a single pre-cat sensor and Iv de-catted this one long ago..however that being said Iv left this motor to run with the oxygen sensor for just over a year as the price from BM is crazy and only lately noticed the rich petrol smell..could this be the oxygen sensor or could it be something else I'm missing?

 

[Mr.k]

Erm if you dont mind me asking how much is a new O2 sensor? anyone?

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hey guys..I think this can go here..regarding an E36 318is, on cold start especially in the mornings when first started the motor runs very rough..as it warms up it idles much better but still not a hundred percent smoothly..the thing that got me thinking was that I noticed the motors been burning pretty rich and you get a strong petrol smell..now I know the oxygen sensor is throwing an error on the diagnostics but no lights etc..further this car only has a single pre-cat sensor and Iv de-catted this one long ago..however that being said Iv left this motor to run with the oxygen sensor for just over a year as the price from BM is crazy and only lately noticed the rich petrol smell..could this be the oxygen sensor or could it be something else I'm missing?

yea it does sound like its O2 sensor, could be air flow sensor as well i think

 

[mo_s]

Erm if you dont mind me asking how much is a new O2 sensor? anyone?

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the one I need is just over 3k inc vat from the dealers..I phoned a whole lota BOSCH service centres and found one that can get it for me around 800 bucks..massive saving..so Il prob buy from them soon

 

[ETTIENNE]

I paid R1080-00