Car cutting out again (worse this time)

[Junglistjed]

My 316 used to cut out whenever the engine was cold but as soon as it warmed up it was fine, this problem was fixed fairly easily!

The car has now started cutting out again.. and this time its worse! it just doesn't stop, a warm engine doesn't solve anything now..

Whenever i brake it will cut out but on the odd occasion it doesn't.. the engine is making a horrible rattling noise as well :/ no idea what has caused this as the car was perfect on friday and i haven't driven it since today!

Any ideas guys?

Cheers!

[ravstar13]

I had this issue with my 316 as well till the fuel pump died on me in Mile end....after i changed it along with a fuel pipe near the intake which had a slight leak...it never happened again, ...might be something different on yours though....but could be fuel related as it was for mine.

[Junglistjed]

Did your engine have the rattling problem?

[ravstar13]

are you talking about the tappets ?? or just a general rattling.? I the engine was sound and had the tappets were replaced....but it would cut out on me heck of alot...i just think the fuel just wasnt delivering properly and just got worse and worse...until i changes the pump

[Junglistjed]

general rattling, engine moves a lot too which is weird! Its just a hassle having to restart the car every time i slow down! haha

[Speedtouch]

Have you replaced the fuel filter recently? A clogged one may cause such fuelling issues.

[ravstar13]

I can imagine always happened at the worst time to me as well....but always started eventually ....what fuel related parts have you changed recently?

[Junglistjed]

Can was fully serviced and MOT'd about 2 months ago and im pretty sure the fuel filter was changed! @Speedtouch - if it is the fuel filter, can it be unclogged until another one arrives?

I personally haven't changed any fuel related parts, pretty sure the filter was changed and the mechanic might of changed something when he fixed my original cutting out problem!

[Speedtouch]

You could try and unclog it by swilling it out with fresh fuel, but best to replace it if it hasn't been done in ages.

[Junglistjed]

Im pretty sure it was replaced as the first garage i went to thought it was the cause of the original cutting out :/ is a new fuel pump needed?

[ravstar13]

yeah a fuel filter change is a good idea....I was told on here to change it as i changed the pump ....car ran like a dream after that smoother , responded better to throttle...i think the filter was clogged...so done a bypass operation in away and the fuel circulated better and you could feel it ,,,,i would recommend even if fuel is not the issue...

[Speedtouch]

You can replace the fuel filter without doing the fuel pump as well, but if the fuel pump is at fault, then obviously that will need doing as a matter of priority.

[Junglistjed]

Was hoping it was an easy fix but i will just have to deal with it tomorrow and friday and put it in the garage saturday!

[ross_jsy]

Will it rev all the way out to the limiter?

[Junglistjed]

Rev counter is broken but yes i can put my foo tall the ay down!

[Junglistjed]

any tips for driving it with this problem?

[Junglistjed]

I forgot to add, i have managed to leave the car running without any pressure on the accelerator..? surely that means the fuel pump isn''t the problem?

[Speedtouch]

Possibly, unless that is, the pump is unable to provide the higher rate of flow required when you press the throttle...

[rich318i]

my 318i used to cut out and sometimes not start and was the air mass, give it a whack and would work but just gets worse and worse

[Junglistjed]

Its only cutting out when im breaking and removing my foot from the throttle, but its able to stay stationary fine without any throttle

[Speedtouch]

In that case, check that the brake servo hose isn't split, or the connections between it and the inlet manifold aren't leaking. Does it use brake fluid? If so, you may have a leaking servo, creating a vacuum leak which would cause such a problem.

[Junglistjed]

Would the engine rattle have anything to do with it at all? rattles really bad when the car is stationary

[Speedtouch]

Check your engine mounts. What sort of rattle is it - a metallic sounding rattle, or just the engine shaking on its mounts?

[rich318i]

Its only cutting out when im breaking and removing my foot from the throttle, but its able to stay stationary fine without any throttle

Drinking more fuel than it should be? my other car was cutting out when braking and was the engine temp sensor put it on my mates snap-on and the ecu was saying engine temp -13 at normal hot idle. so it was just dumping fuel in

[Brianmoooore]

OP states that the car is a 316. If this is true, this is a 1.8 M10 engined E30 with a carburettor, and most of the above isn't relevant.
Can we confirm what car this is please, and if it is a 316, what carb. is fitted?

[Junglistjed]

It is indeed an 1.8 316 m10 carb engine m(1986) , the carb will be factory fitted!

[Junglistjed]

Check your engine mounts. What sort of rattle is it - a metallic sounding rattle, or just the engine shaking on its mounts?

I had a look and it seems the whole engine is moving..

[Brianmoooore]

TBH, after twenty seven years I'd be surprised if what you describe wasn't happening. I had one of these around nineteen years ago, and that behaved like yours then. There is no closed throttle stop on the Pierburg carb. - it relies on an electronically vacuum operated bellows to control idle speed, with a feedback loop controlled by a linear variable resistor mounted on the carb. to supply throttle position information to the ECU. Working correctly, it uses the engine speed signal to maintain a constant idle speed, regardless of engine load. If you approach a hill in too high a gear, and the revs drop off, you get the weird feeling of the throttle pedal moving down under your foot without you actually pressing it.
The weak point seemed to be the linear variable resistor, and although I could get it to work for a couple of weeks after wasting a couple of hours on it, it always eventually started acting up again. I adopted a 'heel and toe' technique to drive the thing, but my wife couldn't get on with it, so when I was offered twice what I paid for it, it was sold on.
The new owner had a Weber carb. conversion fitted to it, which is likely to be the solution for you as well, if you want to keep the car.

[Junglistjed]

I really do enjoy the car but these engine problems are starting to become a pain :/ i either sell it on or spend the few hundred on a new carb.. decisions..

A blown fuse or something wouldn't cause the cutting out would it? installed an amp the other day so i may of blown something with the added surge or power!