Help! E36 M3 Woes

Help! E36 M3 Woes

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Discussion

ripface

Original Poster:

17 posts

212 months

Sunday 25th March 2007
quotequote all
Hi,

Hope someone can ease my mind. Just arrived home after a trip into town (25 miles). Was taking it easy, no problems. As I pulled into the driveway I notice a terrible roughness in the engine as it dropped to idle. It's enough to shake the car!! There is almost a low end rough rattle, like you would expect if a big end had gone (But I don't think it's that!!).

Anyone any clues? It was fine when I left town, and I only noticed it when I got home. Hope it's nothin' serious as the bloody BMW warranty just ran out last November!! It's inspection II is just due so I guess I'll get it booked in for a check. It'd be nice if anyone knows what the problem might be. Just off to take her round the block to see if it affects general running, but the engine still sounds sweet at high revs.



BMW M3 Evo SMG
1998
78K Miles
FBMWSH + Warrantied until last Nov.

ripface

Original Poster:

17 posts

212 months

Sunday 25th March 2007
quotequote all
... just back from a test run. Still pulls well right round to the red line!! No other apparent issues other than the *horrible* lumpy tickover. Is there a sensor on the engine somewhere that can fail and cause this symptoms ...

Puzzled!

m3stu2

13 posts

212 months

Sunday 25th March 2007
quotequote all
Hi,

Sounds like your vanos has gone or possibly just the idle control valve. I had these symptoms with my E36 Evo Convertible a few months ago and it turned out to be the vanos unit.

If it's the vanos you could be looking at over £1k to resolve.


Edited by m3stu2 on Sunday 25th March 19:16

ripface

Original Poster:

17 posts

212 months

Sunday 25th March 2007
quotequote all
Hi M3Stu2,

Thanks for easing my mind ....



I don't think it's the Vanos. The noise is too deep a rumble, and is coming from deeper in the engine. The Vanos sounds more like marbles rattling around in a tin.

Time will tell .....

Cheers,
Ripface.

ripface

Original Poster:

17 posts

212 months

Monday 14th May 2007
quotequote all
Hi,

Just a quick update on my running fault. Been away working in the Netherlands for a while, so just got around to getting the lumpy idle issue looked at.

As it happens it was just a £10 relay which controls an air pump. Part is on order, and booked in this Friday to fit.

Phew!

Thanks for all the advice.
Cheers,
Ripface.

toady1

1,618 posts

231 months

Monday 14th May 2007
quotequote all
Hi, how did you find the prob?