E30 1985 318i M10 Starting Issue

[Fordkoppie]

When you crank it from cold and it eventually takes.....

Is it running perfectly normal initially, or is it rough and then clears after a few seconds? In other words - does it burst into life, or wake up like I do in the morning?:rollsmile:

 

[boxerulez]

Like you do in the morning. It takes and stutters for a splitsecond, then picks up and idle normal.

However there has been since October last year, 8 special mornings where it had burst into life miraculously.

 

[JayDrft]

Hey Boxer,

I can confirm what Fordkoppie said about the alarm system...I had a M40 318i, and I chased everything even up to replacing the ignition, only to find out that there are dry connections on the alarm immobiliser unit.

Another good point, Fuel filter...what type is on your car? Is it the steel type, or usual plastic type....double check them, i would assum the m10 might not have the steel type filter...if it has the plastic type, make sure that the direction of flo is correct. Might not be the problem solver, but it can be a cause.

So i just want to get this straight, you only complaining about the fact that it takes a bit longer than usual to crank up in the mornings....Am I correct....otherwise the motor is sweet?

 

[boxerulez]

Its just taking long to start, everything else is "sweet".

As stated above there is a new aftermarket alarm fitted so cannot be that, as the problem was present before fitment of alarm.

Thanks for all your input, lets keep it rolling....

Fuel filter is the steel type, it is the correct direction, and it is new... but problem was present before and after replacement.

 

[JayDrft]

Have you replaced rotor and dizzy cap?

Check for black deposits within the dizzy....usually indicates poor connections(Does the M10 run with points or ? Points gaps on motors are also role players that need attention)....Plug leads also may affect this....have the motor run at night, there may be a plug lead thats jumping spark somewhere....at night in a dark area, have it idle and even rev it(from both sides of the motor, spark could be jumping intermittently....

Give it a bash and let us know...I found my motor jumping spark the hard way, by putting hands on things....result was shocking to say the least!

 

[boxerulez]

Have you replaced rotor and dizzy cap?

Check for black deposits within the dizzy....usually indicates poor connections(Does the M10 run with points or ? Points gaps on motors are also role players that need attention)....Plug leads also may affect this....have the motor run at night, there may be a plug lead thats jumping spark somewhere....at night in a dark area, have it idle and even rev it(from both sides of the motor, spark could be jumping intermittently....

Give it a bash and let us know...I found my motor jumping spark the hard way, by putting hands on things....result was shocking to say the least!

New Rotor, New Dizzy cap, new plug leads, plugs and coil.

I dont see points in this dizzy I believe there is some voodoo going on in there creating spark and I am too afraid of the unknown voodoo to dismantle it....

On a serious note, there is some actuator in the dizzy that lets the electronically generated spark through...

 

[Fordkoppie]

No EFI BMW ever came with points.

The ignition is breakerless.

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Has the airflow meter been opened by a previous monkey, or is it still sealed?

 

[boxerulez]

No EFI BMW ever came with points.

The ignition is breakerless.

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Has the airflow meter been opened by a previous monkey, or is it still sealed?

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I do not know? How to tell if it has been opened or not?

 

[Fordkoppie]

Does the black lid on top of it look mangled/scratched + glued back on

 

[boxerulez]

Does the black lid on top of it look mangled/scratched + glued back on

Ok

Just paid attention to it the first time and noticed that the lid has been glued back on, pretty professional looking job can hardly spot the silicone.

What next?

 

[Fordkoppie]

Dont you know anyone with a similar one (with no issues obviously) that you can borrow?

Once people fiddle with these things, they are quite tricky to get right again. But if you feel comfortable opening it again, check if the carbon track is still in tact in the closed position area.

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I have managed previously to get my 323's one right.

Although it is more of a band-aid rather than a permanent fix.

You adjust the "sweeper" to run on a new part of the track

 

[GPGrobler]

O.K. Cold start is working fine. I'm stumped, anyone else have any ideas?

The only thing I can think of now for you is weak or intermittent spark, as we have eliminated fuelling as the problem.

Just some info, I had some defective brand new spark plug leads a few years ago on my Ford Escort - the car fired up fine, then all off a sudden the plugs died one by one until the engine stopped, restarted, did the same thing until we replaced the spark plug leads.

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www.e30clubsa.co.za

 

[boxerulez]

O.K. Cold start is working fine. I'm stumped, anyone else have any ideas?

The only thing I can think of now for you is weak or intermittent spark, as we have eliminated fuelling as the problem.

Just some info, I had some defective brand new spark plug leads a few years ago on my Ford Escort - the car fired up fine, then all off a sudden the plugs died one by one until the engine stopped, restarted, did the same thing until we replaced the spark plug leads.

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www.e30clubsa.co.za

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I had the problem with original bosch plugwire loom. Replaced with champion loom, no change....

New plugs vs old plugs no change
New coil vs old coil. You guessed it.

What would be the symptoms of that telefunken chip on the firewall going bad? What is that thing exactly? Ignition unit?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

[GPGrobler]

I have never heard of a Telefunken chip to do with the ignition, can you post a picture of it?

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This also might be helpful, I know it sounds nuts, but my M10 ran best withe the timing at TDC.

 

[boxerulez]

5

I have never heard of a Telefunken chip to do with the ignition, can you post a picture of it?

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This also might be helpful, I know it sounds nuts, but my M10 ran best withe the timing at TDC.

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Here is a photo of it... not mine but exactly the same.

How to set it to tdc?

Sparkplug hole screwdriver job? Or is there another way?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

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I have never heard of a Telefunken chip to do with the ignition, can you post a picture of it?

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This also might be helpful, I know it sounds nuts, but my M10 ran best withe the timing at TDC.

---

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

[GPGrobler]

O.K that is the ignition module, are all the connections clean going to and from it?

Something else, have you checked that the connectors on the ECU are clean and secure, with time the contacts on the ECU on these cars oxidise causing bad connections. The reason they oxidise is that for some weird reason the designers of the ECU decided to make the connectors from or coat them with Zinc which of course oxidises over time.

 

[boxerulez]

O.K that is the ignition module, are all the connections clean going to and from it?

Something else, have you checked that the connectors on the ECU are clean and secure, with time the contacts on the ECU on these cars oxidise causing bad connections. The reason they oxidise is that for some weird reason the designers of the ECU decided to make the connectors from or coat them with Zinc which of course oxidises over time.

I had a look and didnt see anything nasty there but will double check tomorrow morning.

How does the oxidation look on those zinc pins? Like dried milk? Whitish like aluminium oxidation?

How to clean? Lektrokleen or emery paper?


Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

[Fordkoppie]

5

I have never heard of a Telefunken chip to do with the ignition, can you post a picture of it?

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This also might be helpful, I know it sounds nuts, but my M10 ran best withe the timing at TDC.

---

Here is a photo of it... not mine but exactly the same.

How to set it to tdc?

Sparkplug hole screwdriver job? Or is there another way?

---

He meant turning the distributor until the timing is at 0 degrees.

Dont tamper with that ignition module

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BTW - there is an O l T on the damper pulley. line that up with the mark on the timing cover for TDC

 

[boxerulez]

5

I have never heard of a Telefunken chip to do with the ignition, can you post a picture of it?

---

This also might be helpful, I know it sounds nuts, but my M10 ran best withe the timing at TDC.

---

Here is a photo of it... not mine but exactly the same.

How to set it to tdc?

Sparkplug hole screwdriver job? Or is there another way?

---

He meant turning the distributor until the timing is at 0 degrees.

Dont tamper with that ignition module

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BTW - there is an O l T on the damper pulley. line that up with the mark on the timing cover for TDC

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How do you get 0 on the dizzy?

Ive only done that with the beetle using testlight.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

[GPGrobler]

O.K that is the ignition module, are all the connections clean going to and from it?

Something else, have you checked that the connectors on the ECU are clean and secure, with time the contacts on the ECU on these cars oxidise causing bad connections. The reason they oxidise is that for some weird reason the designers of the ECU decided to make the connectors from or coat them with Zinc which of course oxidises over time.

I had a look and didnt see anything nasty there but will double check tomorrow morning.

How does the oxidation look on those zinc pins? Like dried milk? Whitish like aluminium oxidation?

How to clean? Lektrokleen or emery paper?


Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

Yes, it will look like dried milk, I think emery paper will do fine, but someone else any ideas, or you can Google it?