split personality 316!

[mancs_joker]

hi can any1 help me? i do not not the first thing about engines or anything but still love my bmw 316 to bits thing is iam having problems getting it started sometimes! sumtimes it will start and sumtimes not. like i cud be driving around say to my mums go in the house for 15 mins get back in the car try and start her up and voila like i have a flat battery but then try again 15 mins later and will start!!! either that or i have to bump it!! and battery seems to drain very quick aswell after getting it alarmed which i spose is normal maybe? cud this be due to the battery ?iam gonna buy a new 1 or maybe summat like the alternator? help would be much appreciated thanx

[johnono]

alternator mabey, not to sure though

[dazleeds]

bad earth somewhere ???

[keith52]

Sounds like an earth , look for a heavy gauge brown cable attached from the engine to the body , remove clean up both surfaces Not sure how many on a M40 engine Also check and clean your battery terminals

[Dan318-is]

bad earth pal also

have to agree thats a weird problem to have i cant htink anythign else it would be?

[Martinaston]

I can not tell from your description but did you have the problem before you installed the alarm ?

[mancs_joker]

it was working fine after a month after the alarm was put on then just started goin weird on me its a 89 316 so that wud make it a m10 engine i think. well iam gonna try a new battery then if same alternator thats after doing that with the brown wire ! will probably here a bang and me looking up with a black sooty face lol. ever since ive had the car its sumtimes just cut out when ive slowed down to turn a corner but always restarted straight away but now if it stalls or cuts out iam stuck there ! not nice when nova chavs r racing past ya grinning!!!

[Martinaston]

They didn't make an 89 316.
Did you mean 316i ?

[Jhonno]

316 stopped in 88..

[mancs_joker]

oops yeah sorry e reg 87 see its what i love about u people u know everything lol

[William]

sounds stooooopid but it could be a tired old battery that wont hold its charge - I had this, one minute the car was running, next it wouldn't start and needed a jump, as if it was running on the alternator the whole time or something stoooooopid. anyway, new battery solved all the problems. last resort though, if all other suggesions fail, try a new battery

[mancs_joker]

well iam gonna get a brand new battery anyway so will let u all know

[mancs_joker]

well i got the new battery and everything seems ok apart from a weird sparky sort of noise coming from engine soon as i bring accelerator back up?

[telski789]

thats probably the icv you can here buzzing,that means its working! (inlet control valve)

[mancs_joker]

well i hope so! anyone on here that lives in the manchester area just out of curiosity?

[mancs_joker]

well so far so good not had the car not starting problem so hopefully it was just the battery. still got the car cutting out on me when i slow to turn corners sometimes but i can live with that for now! i want it lowering now but ive only got 14 inch wheels at the min ready to be put on so what height shud i go for

[Martinaston]

If it cuts out when you hit the brakes it may be the idle is too low.

[mancs_joker]

well it doesnt happen often but when it does iam usually in 2nd gear all the red lights will come on but if i put my foot down usually it kicks off again with out me turning engine over!!

[brento]

sounds like ur alternators packed in

[mancs_joker]

great lol. i have pics of my car on the photo gallery if any1s interested in giving me suggestions as what to do to it and yes it as chrome wheel arches lol. wondering wether to keep and do up or sell and try find a 318is.but i still l her lol

[mancs_joker]

that should be love her!!