E30 Zone

Ive just bought a 316 (1766cc carb) when just on tick over its all over the place and occasionally it stalls at junctions (im hoping theres something i just have to clean), ive only ever had 6 cylinder BMWS before so help would be great.

If it's still got the original Pierburg carb, then it will be sh***ed.
You will need to replace it with a Webber conversion with a manual choke.

In stock ,can do . I have a good used Weber carb for an m10 316 complete with choke cable etc, no nasty electronics, more power and better fuel consumption. Ԛ£80 inc reg post (over Ԛ£200 new!)

How do i know which carb it has on it? im not really clued up on carbs as every other car i have owned has always had injection, any codes/stamps or just the way it looks? Thanks for the offer on the carb but i really cant be bothered to do all that to be honest if the car gives me alot of hassle i will just break it (see link below to view the car). Also what sort of MPG should a 316 do? Ive driven it around a bit and seems to like the fuel as much as my sport!!!?? Is the carb going to be the main problem for the idle or is there anything else i can look at?


http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... pic&t=4992

Original Pierburg has electrical connections to it, and has a vacuum controlled idle control system that operates on the throttle butterfly.

As stated above the original carb is electronically controlled and at this age usually a corpse on a stretcher. If the car is tidy surely its worth getting someone clued up to look at it, it may be something simple like a vacuum pipe split or detached. As a breaker a 316 is worth F.A so breaking it for financial reward is a non starter.

Its my second car ive got a genuine sport to throw money at not a copy thats had a fairly hard rear ender at some point i only bought this because it had 6 months T+T on it and thought it would be cheaper to run so far its not. As for no financial reward how much would i get for and mtec 2 kit, full leather recaro interior (grey and a bit tatty) koni front adjustable suspension and a half sensible exhaust system? More than i payed i bet! Have you seen the link above to view it? Im going to have a look at it this week i hope i can get it running right but if it still uses the petrol it does i would rather get some performance back and put the fuel in the sport.

Since posting this thread ive spoken to Swirley he has a 318i. He has the same problem as me so im thinking it cant be the carb i was just wondering if theres anything which they both use as theres got to be a link same engines different fueling system but same problem.

Yeh, we seem to have similar problems.Both an intermitent problem so somtimes its ok, somtimes its not.Although latly mines been running like a dog ALL the time.Basically starts up and instantly it revs at about 400rpm,the MPG meter goes crazy and moves about everywhere, then the car tries to turn over and it just slowly dies.
It sort of chugs away for a bit,each time sounding like its losing power and not able to keep ticking over, then unless you rev it it dies. Somtimes if you dont drive it long enough ,say for a good 10 minutes it stalls at junctions etc. Ive got a new ICV comming, and might order some new inlet hoses etc, but apart from that i dont know what it could be

my '87 carb 316 is the same. manual choke conversion. Need the choke out for ages to stop it stalling. Better starting from warmer temps. Shocking fuel consumpsion!!!

try changing throttle swithch mate worked for me!!

Thanks guys, it seems to do it more when its hot than cold tough but i imagine that could be down to the auto choke kicking in though. Snares1 how much was the throttle switch and where did you get it? is it main dealer part only or can i get it from GSF? Thanks for your help guys im really not to clued up on the 4 cylinders.

Hello mate,

I had the same problem on my old 316, I know it's annoying but I ran mine like this for 2 years with no probs. I think the Weber carb is the way forward!

My first E30 was one of these, and it had exactly the problems Jamie325isport describes. The problem is with the vacuum operated potentiometers. I managed to bodge them back into working order for a week or two on a few occasions, but for most of the time I just learnt to keep my foot on the throttle at all times and control the idle manually.
I eventually sold the car on (for Ԛ£1000 more than I paid for it) to someone who wanted it for his wife. A few weeks later it aquired a nice new Webber carb, which solved the problem completely (for a couple of years untill she decided to drive it all the way home after a radiator hose had split).
There is no throttle position switch as such on a carb engine, just a microswitch, IIRC, which switches in the circuit that uses the faulty pots at idle.

I don't have idle problems... when the car starts the engine keep running. But my choke don't work. I have to take off the airfilter and lid and pour some fuel in the carburettor top to start it. If I have someone with me he just has too hold the choked closed... and it starts.