E32 not running to good

[bmw735iboy]

Hi All

I got a 1988 bmw 735i (E32). Lately she been gving me drivability problems. In the morning she starts fin and runs good for about 15 monutes, then all hell breaks loose, When she is coasting and i put my foot down for that little bit extra she starts to , how should i put it, SPUTTER. It's as if she is firing and then missing and it goes on and gets worse. She eventually dies when you put your foot down all the way. Could this be the coil and leads? Please help

 

[clutchplate]

air/fuel ratio. probably your (AFM) air-flow meter... either getting too much or too little air. check for leaks in the intake plumbing.... also try unplug your AFM and see if it makes any difference

 

[BimmerMan]

I agree with Clutchplate...AFM or airleak...

Being as you have the 88 model, it will have a vain type Air Flow Meter, which wholy relies on a small metal wiper arm to run along an electrical track to tell the ECU how much air is coming into the engine.

As this AFM gets old, the wiper cuts its way into the electronic track and eventually starts to give sporadic readings to the ECU. So one second the ECU sees that you are under hard acceleration and then the next, that you have gone back to idling...so it will deliver the amount of fuel based on those readings....
When this starts happening 3 or 4 times a second, the car will behave as you are describing...

In terms of the airleak, check the intake throttle boot to see that it does not have a tear in it...