newbie needs help with air/fuel? problem!!!

[nzracer]

Hi, ive just got hold of a 318i, its a 89 on a G plate. ive had the car a couple of weeks and had no problems intill now, the car has a 87thou engine just put in by the previous owner. The problem is a simple one however im being told it could be diffrent things by diffrent ppl.
On friday morning I had the amber light showing on my fuel gage, it hadnt been on long, I put half a tanks gas in then drove aprox 10 miles, I stoped the car left it running while my girlfriend got out as I was dropping her at work. as I pulled away and went into 2nd the car started to splutter real bad, inorder to get it off the road I had to repitdly "blip" the gas and use the cluth to stop it from dying on me. everytime I tryd to apply the gas it would want to cut out.
The car will start, idels very badly if not dies. If for example I raise the revs to say 2k and hold the gas peddle it will sit there for aprox 1-2sec then die right off. To me the best way I can decribe it is that its not eating the fuel or air very well ( if that makes sence?)
Now Ive cheackd the air flow meter by unpluging it while its running, which in turn makes the car run worse, Ive been told that that should mean the AFM is working?
things that have been recomended are: air leak, fuel pump ( you can here it rising then falling like the cars sucking the fuel rather that pumping it) crank/cam sensors, blocked injectors ( the garage I went to ive found sometimes sells dirty fuel)
There is also a vacume pipe( to the right of the carb) which had been blocked off, I unblocked it and found oil.
the car had a K n N pod filter fitted, Ive found a "spare wire" comming off the wire for the AFM ( it has a square connection?)
Any help would be great!
thanks
Paul.

[buster]

posibly the coil.
Has the ignition been left on for a long period of time without starting the engine ?

[nzracer]

no not that im aware of? not scince ive had it anyway but that has only been a cpl of weeks.

[nzracer]

Oh yeah it also pops out of the airfilter. like a backfire?

[buster]

sounds like a buggered afm,or possibly just the wiring.Double check the electrical connections on the afm and make sure its clean.Use brake cleaner/carb cleaner/electrical contact cleaner on the conector and any other connector in the engine bay to make sure they are all ok.

[nzracer]

ok thanks, going to have a look now

[nzracer]

Well its just started to rain, so I wont be back under the bonnet till its finished. I have however found a code on a wire which reads BMW 1714138 it has a green wire and a brown one, it comes off the wee loom for the AFM but is unconnected? any Ideas on what it could be, where it lives??

the AFM connections look ok too

[buster]

im not sure bud ,but Brainmooooore will be able to help on that one when he sees this topic.

[nzracer]

Any more ideas anyone

[Gwynleym10]

all m40/m42 that I have seen have that unconnect plug by the AFM. Don't that is your problem.

I suggest you clean the AFM / throttle body / Idle control valve with carb cleaner.

Also take the big bellow between the AFM and throttle body off and carefully check for cracks, you may not see them on the car.

Have you changed the fuel filter?
Is the Air filter blocked/very dirty?

[nzracer]

will be cleaning parts tomorow, the bellow you were talking about had some elec tape on it, I took it off to discover a very small slit. everyone that has looked has said that a slit that small shouldnt make it run that way?
It had a newish KnN on it which I have taken off and replaced with the BMW air box and pannel filter, both of which Ive cleaned. the KnN was clean too, just didnt see the point of sucking in hot air.
I do have a e30 316 that im hoping to use for parts, its wheel had a wee drifting accident but the engine is fine, I take it that alot of things are interchangable?

[nzracer]

BUMP for everyone thats just got home

[nzracer]

Sorted, was a dodgy fuel pump!!!! Yaaaay happy drifting for me