Is engine suppose to stall once oil cap removed

[B7gyg]

Bmw 325i e30 purchased needing some tlc..once car is running and you remove oil cap in engine bay is it suppose to switch off or carrying on running...
Thanks [/list]

[kam-325i]

The engine should carry on running, but it would be a really rough idle...

[B7gyg]

What if it stalls and switches off what does that mean?vacum leak somewere?

[kam-325i]

vacum leak somewere?

Yes, you've took the oil filler cap off !!!!

you need to start at the beginning, as taking the oil filler cap off is allowing extra "un-metered" air into the intake. so, I would first check the ICV and the TPS....

[mcspike]

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... #Air_Leaks

[BenHar]

I'm not sure why people keep saying check for air leaks.

What is the point in checking for more leaks when you've just made a huge one by taking the oil cap off?

Rough idle and possible stalling are exactly what should happen when you take the oil cap off.

Ben

[Grrrmachine]

Ben, the engine can cope with a certain amount of unmetered air and still run - that amount is just about as much as the oil cap hole will let in. If it stalls with the oil cap off then either a) there's another hole letting even more air in or b) the ECU has the wrong idle settings.

It's a very primitive way of troubleshooting, but it does at least reveal that the engine isn't in tip-top conidtion.

[kam-325i]

I had this problem before.

you need to check the basics first, start with the TPS switch under the throttle body.