car starts and dies . . .

[SKycity_BMW]

On my way to work, I get on the freeway and the car starts to sputter and I hear a back fire. OK . . I'll make note of that. I get off the freeway and come up to the stop light and it dies. I start it and it's sluggish and goes, then dies. It does this all the way down the road. I pull into a Arby's parking lot and try to start it again. It starts then dies. Try again . . . samething. I start it up and hold down gas, so it's around 1500 rpm for about 30 secs, and it's fine.

So, I think. . . I'll just ride the gas and brake and take it down to my mechanic. I almost make it, but on the way down I try to give it more gas and it starts to die.

My mechanic checked it out and can hear a vacuum leak but can't find it?

Does anybody know where to start the search ? ?

Thanks for the help ! !

 

[my3rdbimmer]

do the ether check...get a can of starting fluid and let your enginge cool off start it up and spray it around in little puffs.. don't go nuts (it is flamable lol ) until you hear the engine rpm go up then try to pin point it. (if it won't run at all never mind) not sure what to do then..

 

[Nataku]

Starting Fluid, Uhh ?

Try using a mild dish soap solution and look for bubbles instead

 

[Nataku]

Starting Fluid, Uhh ?

Try using a mild dish soap solution and look for bubbles instead

That is if you are looking for an air / vacuum leak

 

[Kirby]

What year is the car? The ECU should have thrown an OBDI or OBDII code to help find the problem. It could be the MAF (Mass Air Flow) Meter. When they die, the ECU runs the engine in a "limp home" mode that allows the engine to spin only to about 2000 RPM and it runs rough.

 

[Kirby]

Starting Fluid, Uhh ?

Try using a mild dish soap solution and look for bubbles instead

Vacuum leaks on cars are sucking in, so IMHO you won't see any soapy bubbles (unless you are on the inside of the engine, hehe.)

 

[epj3]

Vacuum leaks on cars are sucking in, so IMHO you won't see any soapy bubbles (unless you are on the inside of the engine, hehe.)

I think tim and al did that on "home improvement"

 

[chief]

Hate to be repettative but check that throttle control valve below and behind the trottle body. If it has dropped away or the vacumme line has split it will cause the symtoms you discribe.

 

[SKycity_BMW]

thanks guys . . . will check . . . I drove it a couple of days ago for the first time in a month and it started fine . . . I drove it and it was fine just like before . . . then about 10 minutes later . . . it did the same thing . . . .

 

[SKycity_BMW]

it's a 1992 325i . . the ECU is just a year old . . and I checked it . . it's ok . . no errors on OBC . . .

 

[epj3]

Ooh a 92?? I assume you already checked it for water damage?

 

[my3rdbimmer]

oh yeah i forgot about the o'l water in the ecu thing.. i'd check that first... do a search on this subject

 

[SKycity_BMW]

Ooh a 92?? I assume you already checked it for water damage?

Yeah . . it's fine. . . .

 

[93 325i]

I heard one story similiar to yours. The car would just die suddenly at a red light and keep stalling.. Turned out to be the camshaft positioning sensor..

 

[Pink_Floyd]

Check for water in your spark plug wells. I had the same problem on my '92. Water got into the spark plug wells. When the car was cold it would run fine, but once it heated up and the water started to boil (I guess) then it shorted out the coils and the car could run REALLY rough - I barely made it home. Luckily all I had to do was dry everything out and nothing was damaged.

 

[SKycity_BMW]

yeah . . I have to check all these out ! ! !

Thanks again guys ! ! ! !