Hi all,

My '94 325 started to loose power at certain RPM. While driving the car would become very sulggish and I cannot get anymore acceleration until I change to a higer gear, then I can get acceleration until it reached same RPM and sluggish again.

About a month ago my cluster gauges would intermittently become non-functional, then it works again after 1 to 20 secs, engine was then still running OK. Until tonight... :)

I am not sure if these 2 problems are related, but I am getting quite concern now that thr RPM seem to be affrecting the acceleration.

Unfortunately, when I loose acceleration the cluster is also dead and I am not sure what the RPM is when engine starts to run sluggush. I can pusg gas pedal all the wat to the floor when the car slows down enough (hits below certain RPM), it would speed up again just to become sluggish again (assume hitting same RPM).

Looking for any suggestions on what may be causing these.

Gracie.

Just a lil clarification... so when your driving, the car will start to lose power at a certain RPM and at that time... your dash goes dead too? Then until u shift, the power doesnt return?

Stylin,

Thank you for taking the time to access my problem(s).

Before tonite, when the dash goes dead power is OK. Tonight however, I noticed the power loss at certain unknown RPM when the dash is also dead. So far I only experience the loss of powewr when dash is dead.. correct.

Power returns when I change gear, from 2 to 3rd, or 3rd to 4th, and 4th to 5th.

Any ideas? I just like to know what may be wrong before I take it into the BMW shop. If it is easy enough to fix I will try to convince my good friend to help me fix it.. :)


Desperately Thanking you..
:D
Gracie

Gracie, I wish I can give u a straight answer but I cant.. I can only guess at a some things... When was the last time the fuel filter was changed? There could be VANOS problems if ur having power loss at certain RPMs.. the dash dying out on u I also have the same problem at times. But rarely, I noticed it went away after i changed the battery. My entire cluster would drop dead for a few seconds then come back.

Im going to copy this thread in the "techincal help forum" to get some other more educated ideas from our BMW techs. :)

Stylin,

Again Thank you. I trully appreciate your help. I am familiar where I can go to get help on this.

I don't know when the fuel filter was changed, I just bought the car last year. I wil change that for a start. I still think it has something to do with the dash blanking out, I will do a test drive again tomorrow to be sure.

Thank you Stylin for your help so far.. :)
I am suprised that your dash also blank out at times, what year is your BMW?

Gracie..

Mine is a 1997 328i.. My dash used to all drop while I was driving for a few seconds... most of the time is when I turn my HIDs on.. seems like the HIDs drew too much power at the initial start and killed my cluster. But I think it was the battery coz its been good since I changed the battery.

We have a BMW technician here.. Jon C and Jim P who moderates this board.. and who are both very helpful with problems..


oh and BTW.... welcome to bimmerforums. :stickoutt

Can't wait to know what may be wrong. My dash also drop fro few seconds sometimes, but tonite it stayed off for like 10 mins at a time intermittenly. Car was good till this starts happening a month ago,

And thank you for the 'welcome' :wave:

Gracie..

Maybe it's a loose ground wire on the transmission?

One or two cars ago... I would have the same problem. Dash would die, car wouldn't accelerate... basically electrical gremlins. After months at the dealer, it was later diagnosed as a loose ground wire on the transmission (but it was an auto tranny)...

Maybe? :dunno

Sounds like a ground problem to me

Kevlar,

Someone suggested that maybe it is a loose ground, which I would think be hard to find. :(.

I know the chimes turns on 1/2 of the time when the dash is powered up again, suggesting it thinks it is just getting connection again. Wonder why all of a sudden it affects my acceleration.

Think I may need to spend some real cash for dealer to diagnose..

Gracie <== sad.. lol

Originally posted by gracie
Someone suggested that maybe it is a loose ground, which I would think be hard to find. :(.

I know the chimes turns on 1/2 of the time when the dash is powered up again, suggesting it thinks it is just getting connection again. Wonder why all of a sudden it affects my acceleration.


Unfortunately, it is one of the hardest problems to find because it a) only happens sometimes and b) it's an electrical ground that sometimes works.

The acceleration is affected probably because the power is being lost to a critical part of the drive system. If the car's computer is not receiving full power it doesn't know how much fuel to inject into the cylinder to match whatever air reading was calculated by the air mass meter ... not to mention all the other tables that have to be referenced for calculating the right air/fuel mixture.

I wouldn't be suprised if other things were affected as well... you are just less likely to notice them due to the bigger problem with lost acceleration.

Ok all..

Thank you 'all' for your comments and suggestions. Think my only choice is to visit the dealer.. Love my car... when it's ruuning well.. :D

Gracie

I'm sure they'll figure it out

I think I've experienced something similar, I've had my 1997 328i for 7 months (16k miles in that time) and noticed a loss of power on two or three occasions.

Once accelerating harshly from 1st, changed into 2nd, high revs but the car wasn't pulling, up into 3rd couldn't speed up, same deal, back to second no joy - I let the revs die and it was OK after that.

Second time I was waiting to join a roundabout (UK) clutch pedal at biting point and some gas for a bout a minute (3k rpm?), pulled onto the roundabout and accelerated very slowly (I was trying to get onto the roundabout v.quick to avoid the approaching traffic on my right). Same deal as before changing gears didn't help, I just had to nurse the car like some granny (engine revving high all the time) but very little pull. Let the car settle down again and it was fine.

The only reason I mention this is because my instrument cluster was drawing 1/2 amp from the battery (all the time, even when parked up over night), and had to be replaced (between 1st and 2nd power loss experiences).

Let us know how you get on Gracie.

PS. I've not noticed what the dash is doing on these occasions, too busy thinking WTF is going on ?!

flagelant and all,

I took car to dealer and as expected they replaced the instrument cluster and cost me a bundle. :(.. The problem with acceleration happenned when dash when cluster was dead so I had no choice as I need to get car running welll before I hit the highways in 3 weeks.

I have been told (not from dealers) that capacitors on the cluster would sometimes go and for less that $10.00 can be replaced if one has the time / skills. I can almost see that the capacitor shorting out (leaking) and drawing too much amps and affected the acceleration as mentioned by flagelant.

Unfortunately, dealer cannot set my odometer back to replect the actual mileage of the car, claimed with a '94 325 it is not possible.
SO , I now have an '94 with 56 km on it.. anyone? :) JK!!

I stil rather have car to have proper odometer set, does anyone know if this can be done? Maybe they missed something. There is only 1 BMW dealer here and I cannot check with others locally.

Gracie.

Any future owner who takes the car to a BMW dealer may find out about the odometer change. It will be reflected in the service record. I bought a car like this, and the seller provided me a service printout that explained it. As you say, I'd rather have the odometer be accurate, but this isn't really a problem either.

Gary

yeah gbeale, I will defintely keep that service record. It is not really a problem, but to some people it may be.

As for me, I probably keep the car till it dies. So .. hopefully by that time it will have thousands of kms. :D

Originally posted by gracie
I stil rather have car to have proper odometer set, does anyone know if this can be done?
In the US, I believe there was a service bulletin detailing this procedure. I think (but can't say for sure - probably Jon C can...) that it entails the dealer ordering an instrument cluster from Germany with the correct mileage, and impounding your car until the cluster arrives and is installed.

Also, in the US, I believe it's Federal Law that if the dealer replaces your odometer, and doesn't set it to the correct mileage, they are required to set it to zero, and put a permanent sticker in the left doorframe saying what the date and mileage was when the swap occurred...You might want to check the Canadian laws.

Jim

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the comments. I am not sure what the law is here in canada. The dealer told me that aas long as I keep the work order / receipt i be all right sicne they (BMW dealer) will have a record of tyhe repair. Sounds like an excuse than anything else to me.

Anyways, for $200 CDn, I think I found someone who can set the odometer correctly. Seemsa like this person knows more about BMW than the dealer here in town. (The only dealer in town i should add!).

I was told by this person that there is a specail tool neede to set the odometer and possiblt the dealer here just wont invest in one.

Gracie

I was reading your description of the "chimes" coming on, suggesting that it was "reconnecting" again. Some were talking about a loose ground wire. After disconnecting/reconnecting my battery about 100 times yesterday, that makes me think you may have a loose battery terminal. Check that just for kicks. The rocking back and forth when you shift gears could be causing it to connect/disconnect. Just a hunch. Hey, if I'm right, do I get a promotion from junior member up to something more prestigious?

-Jeremy

Wasn't a short on battery. But thanks anyways...:)