Can anybody help with a problem on my E36 please?

[Luvvly Linda]

Its just had a major service and passed its MOT but its not running properly.

When travelling with revs around 3000 and approach slowing traffic, if I take my foot off the accelerator, the revs stay at 3000.. for a while ... so its racing and sometimes I have to dip my clutch to get them to drop!

Its as though (and I know its not the case) the choke is on all the time.

I rang the local BMW garage to see if they would do a diagnostic check on it and they say it wouldn't show up on the diagnostic machine?? Is that the case?

Does anybody have any ideas please?

[mrflibbles]

I had this on my e30, and it was the Idle Control Valve (ICV). Apparently it fills full of gunk, so I gave it a good clean and the problem is sorted.

Its a common problem on the e30's but not sure about the e36.....

Hope that helps,

MrF

[Luvvly Linda]

Funny you should say that... I was talking to a guy only this evening and the first thing he said was have you had your idle control valve checked.

I'll get somebody to check it for me. Thanks very much.

[silverback mike]

Definately the control valve.
I had the exact problem with my last E36.
Not too expensive either which is a bit of a bonus.

[Luvvly Linda]

Thank you Silverback...

[Luvvly Linda]

Had ICV cleaned out and its only marginally better. It seems sometimes when it's at 2000 revs, on acceleration, they don't increase and even my speedo's playing up now (intermittently).

Anybody have any other ideas I can try please?

[silverback mike]

Bugger.

Ecu maybe?

[numbnuts]

Possibly the throttle switch

[Luvvly Linda]

Could it be that the ICV is sticking or needs replacing rather than just cleaning?

I don't think its the throttle. ECU? Not sure what the ECU is, sorry.

I do feel its something that needs cleaning out. Could it be the airflow meter?

[numbnuts]

The idle control valve is just a stepper motor and it can be cleaned, but they dont usually give problems at those sort of revs.

[Luvvly Linda]

So what else could it be.

I've noticed today that its struggling a bit and its a bit lumpy in bottom gears.

Is it worth having it put on BMW diagnostic machine, do you think?

[silverback mike]

Not sure personally Linda, I am a bit of a dabbler rather than qualified.
Numbnuts (Dave) is the best man for this sort of thing, being a top mechanic bloke, he should be able to come up with a solution.

He has always managed to fix my cars, which is quite a feat in itself as I do generally break them quite well.

[Luvvly Linda]

I'd love to be able to say "here you are, drive it!" .. that would probably be the quickest way for him to come up with the problem; but I'm grateful for any assistance.

I'll try anything that's suggested rather than put it into a BMW garage and leave it with them to find it.. could take a long time that way.

I'll just have to keep popping back to see if anyone has any more ideas.

Thanks anyway.

[numbnuts]

The first thing i would do is get an emissions test.
If thats ok that should elimanate air flow meter/oxygen sensor.
I will try and get you the phone number of a guy in bristol who is s-it hot at this sort of thing.
Could help you over the phone , its worth a try.

[Luvvly Linda]

If I could have his number, that would be ideal.

I'm going away next week for 2 weeks and I would like to leave it with a local garage (good mechanics but not a BMW garage). It would help if I could suggest a few things they could check whilst I'm away.

It passed it's MOT only in December - could it be an emissions problem so shortly after its MOT?

[numbnuts]

Luvvly linda heres that number 0117 9656143 , ask for dnnis.
Hope this helps.

[Luvvly Linda]

Thanks. You're very kind. I'll give him a try.

[numbnuts]

Sorry thats DENNIS not dnnis!