1990 320 cabbie query

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

User avatar
BackinBlack
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:00 pm
Location: Doing Dirty Deeds Quite Cheaply

Post Thu Jul 30, 2015 5:38 pm

Hi

Weird one - I have '90 320 cabbie - last couple of journeys I have noticed the following:

Not driven car for a day or two, leave home and drive somewhere, car struggles to get over 4k revs the whole journey, it does but very reluctantly/slowly. Get where I'm going and park up.

Some time later get back in car to come home, and it will rev over 4k and it seems to really enjoy it (I certainly do :))! Its a completely different driving experience?

Its got new plugs, oil, filters etc. It does occasionally have a petrol smell on start up after not been driven for a while.

Anyone got any pointers/advice at what I should be looking at?
User avatar
aimlessrock
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1821
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Manchester

Post Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:22 pm

When were the injectors last overhauled?
E30 320i Convertible (1989)
190 Mercedes (1988)

"there is nothing more expensive than a cheap E30"
User avatar
BackinBlack
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:00 pm
Location: Doing Dirty Deeds Quite Cheaply

Post Tue Aug 04, 2015 10:37 am

Hi Aimlessrock, thank you for posting a reply.

I've been putting injector cleaning off! But will take them out and give them a clean up as per wiki on here, or if they are well shot I'll send them off for a proper clean.

Do you know where I can get a set of the injector seals from? Been looking on ebay and only seem to find ones for a 4 cylinder?
User avatar
aimlessrock
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1821
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:00 pm
Location: Manchester

Post Wed Aug 05, 2015 8:54 am

contact injector tune from the traders section, he will professionally clean and supply new seals.

its been a couple of years but i recall he charged about £10.00 per injector.

the difference was noticeable.

Hope this helps.
cheers
E30 320i Convertible (1989)
190 Mercedes (1988)

"there is nothing more expensive than a cheap E30"
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49360
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Post Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:53 pm

BackinBlack wrote:But will take them out and give them a clean up as per wiki on here
TBH, unless you value your time at zero, the procedure in the wiki is fairly pointless. Once you've gone to the trouble of removing them, you may as well get the job done properly with the correct equipment, including, most importantly, checking and balancing the flow rates.
There is no lambda sensor on most E30s, so there is no feedback loop to check and correct the mixture. The management system just assumes that the injectors are performing as they should. Even with lambda control, there is only one for all six cylinders, so one leaking injector, making one cylinder rich, will result in all the others becoming excessively weak.
User avatar
BackinBlack
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:00 pm
Location: Doing Dirty Deeds Quite Cheaply

Post Wed Aug 05, 2015 8:07 pm

Thanks guys. Looks like the best plan is whip 'em out and send them off for a proper service.