Want your car to run good? -Go home tonight and clean this (ICV 540i v8)

[John 540i6]

Does your car have mixed performance sometimes? Is your car sluggish in the mornings? Do you have to apply too much gas for too little acceleration sometimes? Do you feel like your car is way faster sometimes and then feels flat and torque-less other times?

Well, chances are that this is clogged.
http://catimages2.sophio.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/imc/images/tn/0280140532.jpg


This is the silver canister sitting right above the throttle body. Cleaning it is very simple.

All you need is a flat blade screwdriver and some Carb and Choke Cleaner that costs 3.19 from an autoparts store.

Pop the plastic engine cover off to expose the intake manifold.

Remove the hose clamp holding the rubber hose to the idle control valve.

Then use the screw driver to push down the upper tab on the rubber mount that the idle control valve slides into. If you have a good hand, you might be able to slide the idle control valve out of the rubber mount without removing the mount from the black bracket.

Remove the wiring connector by pushing in/squeezing on the metal locker around the plastic connector. Then just pull the connector off the valve.

Gently pull/pry the idle control valve out of the intake manifold. Its just stuck in there with a rubber mount/gasket piece.

After you have the valve in your hand, look inside the valve and see if it has any dirt or build up inside it. If it is not shining a bright silver, then its dirty. Spray the carb and choke cleaner in both holes untill it looks spot less. You want the inner part of the valve to spin freely inside the canister. shake it and twist it like you were using a door knob till you hear the valve inside start spinning. If you twist the canister back and forth kind of fast, you should hear the inside part spin. It will go clink (back)---clink(forth)---clink(back)----clink(forth)

After you are certain that the inside 'door' can swing open and shut easily, Reinstall the part. The little door will be just slightly open. If its fully shut or fully open, the part is either still dirty or it is bad and needs to be replaced.

When i checked mine, i found that the door wouldnt move freely. I could twist the little door inside and it would stick wherever i put it. This is not how it should work. It should move freely.

After the cleaning, the door opened and shut very easy.

I reinstalled the part and holy crap! the car runs amazing now- Ive found my lost power! The car starts up better in the morning and it isnt sluggish until it starts getting warm. It just cranks up and drives off like it should.

This took me 10 minutes from when i popped the hood to when i finished washing my hands.

http://carpron.com/multisite/d/98224-1/DSC_0408+_Large_.JPG

Loosen #1
Unplug #2
Unhook #3
Pull out #4
Spray carb and choke cleaner inside both holes till its damn clean.

Installation is the reverse of removal.
http://carpron.com/multisite/d/98221-1/ICV-picture+_Large_.jpg

[oekundar]

Nice writeup, did you clean your throttle body while you were in there?

[John 540i6]

I didnt clean the throttle body because its a separate job. Cleaning the throttle body meant pulling off the intake piping and it was just something i didnt feel like doing. Im going to put an intake on the car soon to make it sound better so I will probably just do that when I do the intake. I will also clean the MAF.

[e39dream]

hmm- I'll have to look into this- I have noticed my cars throttle seems very accurate on one push, then hesitant on another with similar conditions. does my 528i even have this thing? :)

[mookish]

Good info, this is something I definately need to do...

[John 540i6]

does my 528i even have this thing? :)

yes. Just look for it.


Even if your car is running ok, it would still be a good idea to check and clean this part. Its so easy to do-

[racerx0911]

can someone add some pictures?

[John 540i6]

no, i will not add any pictures :D

See the metal cansiter right above the throttle body?
http://carpron.com/multisite/d/98224-1/DSC_0408+_Large_.JPG

Loosen #1
Unplug #2
Unhook #3
Pull out #4
Spray carb and choke cleaner inside both holes till its damn clean.

Installation is the reverse of removal.

easy!
http://carpron.com/multisite/d/98221-1/ICV-picture+_Large_.jpg

[bluecobra]

Excellent info!

[Jamaican71]

Thanks for the write up. I'm gonna clean mine this weekend.

[jonathanvictory]

woohoo! something for me to do this weekend! thanks for the write up!

just curious though...is this 100% safe for car? hehe, not doubting you...just want to make sure on what im about to do.

[Ken21]

thanks for the write up....

[Vortec4800]

Is that the cold start valve?

[98M3_4]

Part is a T-shaped idle regulating valve. Only pre-Vanos E39's have this part (8/98 production date and earlier).

[NickAD]

Only pre-Vanos E39's have this part (8/98 production date and earlier).

Correct. I remember going through the trouble once of trying to figure out where my ICV was only to find out I didn't have one (I have a 99).

Cleaning out your MAF with similar cleaner also helps a lot in pretty much the same fashion.

[Jackcat559]

What's the name of the part?

[atl93fd]

I believe it is the idle control valve, only on the 97 and 98's.

I did this this weekend while changing oil. It is EXTREMELY easy. The part was stuck just as described, and immediately loosens up after a few hits of the throttle body cleaner. I would advise cleaning it thoroughly, apply cleaner, twist and shake, and do it again. Even apply cleaner as you are twisting and shaking. The amount of dirt that comes out is quite substantial.

After the cleaning and reinstallation. Throttle response was immediate and very very smooth. It isn't sluggish at all. This is an EASY DIY which appears to have an impact on the butt dyno.

I also took the liberty to apply some black magic engine bay cleaner. I am ALWAYS hesitant of cleaning the bay on these cars for fear of electrical ut-ohs.

The stuff worked wonders and was used everywhere except directly on wires and belts. My engine bay is shining new. No more oil messes or power steering fluid anywhere (including motor mounts).

[kingchorizo]

I have an '03 E39...so I am assuming I don't apply?

[cr00klyn718]

Might go and clean mines out if it's that easy

[Brewtech]

its called an idle control valve(ICV), as mentioned before. Now you should avoid using Carb oe choke cleaner because its too harsh for the coating on your ICV. Use TB Cleaner instead. Its designed for modern intakes. Now, as for cleaning make sure you dont saturate the motor (end that plugs into harness) beacuse you'll kill it. So clean it upside down.

[The Fifth Element]

When I pulled the part out I looked in there and everything was black. Before I cleaned it, you could see inside that it was gummed up and barely wanting to move, and when I made an effort to get her to 'clink,' all I could get her to do was make a couple of quiet thumps. I made sure not to turn in it on its end toward the motor, to keep cleaner from possibly effecting it. After about five minutes of spraying, wiping and making her all shiny and silver inside, you could twist your wrist back and forth and she would begin to clink with no effort at all.

This man speaks the truth! After reading this a couple of days ago I thought I'd go out and do it today. About fifteen minutes later, took her out on the road and noticed a significant improvement in throttle response and all the hesitation was gone! No more sticky throttle or rough idle, the engine is quieter, I couldn't believe it. I figured it was just the cool air causing a placebo effect but even before I did this, you'd get these 'heart' palpitations in her throttle that never went away, she'd even die on me every two weeks or so. So just to make sure it wasn't the cold air or wishful thinking, I warmed her up to the proper temps and drove her around quite a bit; for my car it's like night and day. Her idle is all buttery now. She feels like she just gained 10 horsepower. Nothing I did before made a difference in the quirky throttle response but this completely eliminated it.

Thanks you guys!
:buttrock :buttrock :buttrock

[TheRide]

Is this also on the 528i?

[00bm00]

: alarm set, cleaner next to bed, ready to go!:

Awesome write-up and if no one has said it. thanks!

[1999E46]

Just did mine with TB cleaner. Real EZ to do. It wasn't too dirty but dirty enough to notice it now takes less effort to rock it back and forth. 108k miles on mine.

Took it for a ride afterward & it ran smooth. Maybe a slight improvement. I'm sure each will be a little different.

Thought of a question while working on it. :confused

Why do these get so dirty? Is it normal? Probably to some extent. I stuck my finger in the hole where it connects (#4 in pict above) and that's where it's really dirty. Is this the air intake manifold? Where's the grime coming from? Burt oil? Should it be cleaned also? Definitley a bigger job. Worth doing?

Thanks John540i6 for posting this. :buttrock

[itsmike]

Anyone have a pic of this thing on a 528i?

[supark]

Anyone have a pic of this thing on a 528i?

The 528i's have one as well - but it's not nearly as easy to access. It's underneath the intake manifold so it takes a little wrestling to get it out. If you can't find anything on it on this subforum, do a search on the E36 or E46 forums - I'm betting it's been covered there if it hasn't been covered here.

[PENER]

528i, part #17 (for a reference, #12 is MAF sensor)

[crown14]

FYI

The idle air motor, at least on my 540i, is IDENTICAL even down to Bosch #s, to the ones used on 4.0/4.6 Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover models using the Bosch engine management system. That would be all Disco II models from 99-04 and Range Rovers from 99-02.

[mookish]

The 528i's have one as well - but it's not nearly as easy to access. It's underneath the intake manifold so it takes a little wrestling to get it out. If you can't find anything on it on this subforum, do a search on the E36 or E46 forums - I'm betting it's been covered there if it hasn't been covered here.I knew it, I was following the pictures above this past weekend when I looked and said WTF? I couldn't find it, so I figured there was a difference b/w the 540 and 528, no I'll look again...

[Judd 944]

I cleaned mine. It was actually stuck shut when I removed it! no clicking at all! I had to break it free with a screw driver (wrapped in a towel) it now moves freely. My wife says she sees no difference in driving. She does not drive the car very hard though.

[mookish]

I cleaned mine. It was actually stuck shut when I removed it! no clicking at all! I had to break it free with a screw driver (wrapped in a towel) it now moves freely. My wife says she sees no difference in driving. She does not drive the car very hard though.I don't see how it could be completely stuck and a difference not felt. Was it stuck open or closed? What's the point of it if it can become stuck with no CEL or adverse perfromance?

EDIT: I just did some reading on this and it seems that this valve only affects engine idling. So I assume that once you put a load on the engine, the valve has no affect. So a difference will only be noticed when the engine is idling, regular driving won't yeild any better performance.

Anyone?

[John 540i6]

that is weird. As soon as i cleaned mine, its like my car gained a lot of low end response. The car reved smoother and didnt require as much throttle input to achieve the same acceleration. Im talking about in the morning when you first start the car up and drive off. Before, it was hesitating so bad i would have to give it 70% throttle just to get it to go. Now it pulls way harder at 10% throttle in the mornings and doesnt seem like im driving around with the hand brake on.

[mookish]

that is weird. As soon as i cleaned mine, its like my car gained a lot of low end response. The car reved smoother and didnt require as much throttle input to achieve the same acceleration. Im talking about in the morning when you first start the car up and drive off. Before, it was hesitating so bad i would have to give it 70% throttle just to get it to go. Now it pulls way harder at 10% throttle in the mornings and doesnt seem like im driving around with the hand brake on.Could be the placebo effect...

"The Idle Control Valve (ICV) is probably the most common cause of
problems as it's sole purpose is to control idle speed and is constantly
adjusting itself to correct for different operating conditions.
A common problem with these is a sticking air valve which can be cleaned
with carburettor cleaner to make the mechanism work freely again. But
once the ICV becomes VERY worn, it will typically cause the car
to stall at traffic lights. The only solution is replacement. Leading
up to this severe failure, you will typically experience idle speed problems
as the mechanism gradually wears out. Eg. idle becomes too slow. (can
also be caused by intake air leaks)

It's a good idea to take a look at the ICV whenever you have idle
problems. Taking the time to clean the valve and make sure it's operation
is unrestriced by dirt, gum, etc, is good preventative maintenance."

[atl93fd]

I made sure to get TB cleaner on EVERY PART of mine, except the electrical plugs. I cleaned the hell out of it. Of course, this was before someone said not to get any down on the motor side of it for it can cause failure. Regardless, what is done is done and the car is working fine for now, about another week in.

If my ICV goes, I'll be sure to post.

[mookish]

I made sure to get TB cleaner on EVERY PART of mine, except the electrical plugs. I cleaned the hell out of it. Of course, this was before someone said not to get any down on the motor side of it for it can cause failure. Regardless, what is done is done and the car is working fine for now, about another week in.

If my ICV goes, I'll be sure to post.What are your before/after results, if any?

[itsmike]

I knew it, I was following the pictures above this past weekend when I looked and said WTF? I couldn't find it, so I figured there was a difference b/w the 540 and 528, no I'll look again...

Same here, ill look again too.

[atl93fd]

What are your before/after results, if any?

The car seems to idle better, much smoother. It also feels like the throttle response is improved greatly. I think this is why we "think" there is increased HP. Care revs very smooth all the way through through redline. I have less burps and stumbles at stop lights as well.

EDIT: That was up until today. Today the car stopped immediately after starting, did it 4 times. Everytime the car started and as the idle settled it stalled out. The car has done this before, never 4 times in a row. Does it sound like it could be a failing ICV? Perhaps I damaged it when I ENSURED as much TB cleaner made it down into the housing as possible?

I suspect it also could be intake manifold gaskets, backplate, or other vacuum related issues. I just turned 103K miles.

Once running, car runs fine and smooth with excellent power.

[The Fifth Element]

I don't think anyone feels they've 'gained' horsepower, more that it's been restored to where it should be.

Still running great since I did it but it hasn't been that long.

[mookish]

I'm gonna look again this weekend, my car idles fine and runs fine (to me), But I'll take a look and see if it needs cleaning (135K). My car is extremly clean and has been taken care of like a baby (until I got it), that's when the beating began. Who knows, maybe I can squeeze a little bit of juice outta that thing....

[harvoh126]

bump

best thread

[eurotunerwerks]

i did this tonight, i will let you know how it is tomorrow morning when i take off for work :) the flap was stuck shut :)

[vnowarita]

How many miles should you have on it before thinking of doing this. Is this a yearly thing a seasonal job or what?

I have a 540 with 28k for only a couple months. It seems to run fine, but don't know if it could run better.

Thanks,

[The Fifth Element]

How many miles should you have on it before thinking of doing this. Is this a yearly thing a seasonal job or what?

I have a 540 with 28k for only a couple months. It seems to run fine, but don't know if it could run better.

Thanks,


I believe only pre-vanos, 97-98 have this item. Mine has 61k.

[vnowarita]

Also if you have a maint package with the dealer can you requet to have this done?

[John 540i6]

it is so easy to clean i might do it with every oil change.... :D

The way this valve works is that it is simply a 'revolving door' that is opened or closed by electro magnets. The valve is slightly open at idle or when it has no electric current being applied to it. This allows air to go around the closed throttle plate and make the engine idle at the desired speed. If this valve gets stuck shut (closed), no air can go through the ICV or the throttle plate and the car will stall out or run really rough depending on how clogged up the ICV is.

When you start to drive the car, the ICV closes its door fully and does not allow any air to bypass the throttle plate.

If the valve gets stuck, then the door cannot fully close which results in more air going into the motor than what the car is expecting. This can cause the car to run rough during acceleration. Almost like a vacuum leak but not :D

When you clean it, it allows the valve to move freely from open to shut. This allows the car to operate properly. When the car is at idle, it reverts back to its static position of slightly open and keeps the car at the correct idle speed. If the valve is stuck open, then the car will have a rough idle because its getting to much air with the same amount of fuel.

That is why the car actually runs better when you clean the ICV. It doesnt only affect idle speed.

[MechEngr]

John, thanks for the step by step write up on this issue, very helpful. I cleaned my IAC valve (101k miles on the car) and I noticed a distinct difference with cold engine driving. Before, acceleration was rough until the engine warmed up. No problems now! Thanks again

[bimmerfiver]

Great thread indeed. Years ago, when I owned my first fuel injected car, I took the time to clean out the throttle body and wow, what a difference it made. The car was so smooth at idle.

My question is, this idle control valve in this thread...does a 2003 525i have one? I pick my car up in about one week and I already have the tune up planned! I'd like to clean all the ports, etc, does anyone know if my car has the same set-up?

Thanks! Also, what is 'TB' cleaner? I always used Gum Out etc (I know the stuff can be harsh/damage valves etc).

[John 540i6]

TB = Throttle Body

I dont think an 03 525 has this idle control valve. I am assuming its the same as all other drive by wire motors but I really dont know what im talking about:D

[itsmike]

Heres another diagram for a 528.. any 528 people out there find an easy access to it?

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/h/i/2.png

[mookish]

I went to clean mine last weekend and when I looked, the thing was so buried that I just said forget it. I'll do it if I'm ever in there but it was too much diging for just that. And my car seems to un smooth so forget it for now. If I was having issues I'd go for it.

[PENER]

on 528i the ICV is under the intake manifold, in the area shown in the pic below. the easiest way to access it would be by removing drivers side HVAC "elbow" going from the microfilter, then using 10mm socket take off 3 bolts (1 for the oil tube guide and 2 for the ICV) and detach the electrical cable. that way you can remove the ICV with the rubber hose still attached to it. the hardest part, stupidly, would be trying to detach the other end of that hose (that is between the MAF and TB). I tried that approach, so I know it works.

[PENER]

however, having full can of TB spray I decided to put it to good use and clean the TB at the same time. therefore I removed air intake parts before the TB, as shown in the pic below.

[PENER]

below is a pic of TB cleaned nicely. the are of detail would be a second throttle plate. as far as the ICV cleaning goes, please remember to clean the opening under the intake manifold, where the ICV attaches, too. apply TB spray multiple times, letting it soak in and work between the applications. good luck!

[mookish]

And the results were...

[PENER]

...hard to say, as I had no problems at all. despite 158k miles my car is extremely clean with no oil consumption at all. if you asked me why did I do it then, well, I had a day off, decided to replace aux fan motor, slap on new fan clutch, and having some time left, clean TB and ICV. you could say I'm anal when it comes to preventative maintenance.

[mustang00]

I didnt clean the throttle body because its a separate job. Cleaning the throttle body meant pulling off the intake piping and it was just something i didnt feel like doing. Im going to put an intake on the car soon to make it sound better so I will probably just do that when I do the intake. I will also clean the MAF.

10 mins and better throttle response.

Awesome DIY!!!

[djetaine]

dont know if this has been said seeing as how i didnt read the whole thread but
"want your car to run WELL" dammit.

[crashtest22]

that is weird. As soon as i cleaned mine, its like my car gained a lot of low end response. The car reved smoother and didnt require as much throttle input to achieve the same acceleration. Im talking about in the morning when you first start the car up and drive off. Before, it was hesitating so bad i would have to give it 70% throttle just to get it to go. Now it pulls way harder at 10% throttle in the mornings and doesnt seem like im driving around with the hand brake on.

I have been having the same problem with my car.
in the mornings when cold you just keep giving it gas and all the sudden it takes off, rough idle, stumble at idle. I have replaced my plugs, ran injector cleaner and nothing has helped. I now have a leak in the radiator and will be replacing that on wed. I will be doing this at the same time. I am getting a little excited about this one.......

[Philboski]

I did mine on the weekend, but I haven't seen any posiitive results as of yet. It was still stumbly on start-up. Next stop, the plugs.

[ben99]

it is so easy to clean i might do it with every oil change.... :D

The way this valve works is that it is simply a 'revolving door' that is opened or closed by electro magnets. The valve is slightly open at idle or when it has no electric current being applied to it. This allows air to go around the closed throttle plate and make the engine idle at the desired speed. If this valve gets stuck shut (closed), no air can go through the ICV or the throttle plate and the car will stall out or run really rough depending on how clogged up the ICV is.

When you start to drive the car, the ICV closes its door fully and does not allow any air to bypass the throttle plate.

If the valve gets stuck, then the door cannot fully close which results in more air going into the motor than what the car is expecting. This can cause the car to run rough during acceleration. Almost like a vacuum leak but not :D

When you clean it, it allows the valve to move freely from open to shut. This allows the car to operate properly. When the car is at idle, it reverts back to its static position of slightly open and keeps the car at the correct idle speed. If the valve is stuck open, then the car will have a rough idle because its getting to much air with the same amount of fuel.

That is why the car actually runs better when you clean the ICV. It doesnt only affect idle speed.

I might be missing something...but isnt the air already metered by the MAF regardless if it goes through the throttle body or the ICV? The hose from the intake to the ICV is post-MAF. If so, then how could this affect performance when not at idle? Regardless of what path it takes, there will be the same amount of fuel injected regardless if the air goes through the TB or the ICV since it is already passed the MAF. Am I missing part of the equation??


EDIT - Nevermind, I see now that the air into the ICV can come from either the Intake pipe or from some 2 other sources as well. Makes sense now.

[E39sporter]

What a awsome post. TOO BAD I HAVE A FREAKING 2000! What a rip off! Does any one know of this same technique in the newer 540's (2000). My car has the same sluggish response as yours (before you FIXED it). I was getting excited just reading all this. Was even gonna leave work early to buy some spray! AHHHHH!!!!!! a 2000 freaking 540...old enough to not come with the upgraded lights and new enough to not have a cool perfomance cleaning project for the day! what a rip!

AC

[zloy]

just did this in my car turned it on and it started chking so i quickly turned it off... i am scared..maybe i did not put it in correctly

[supark]

What a awsome post. TOO BAD I HAVE A FREAKING 2000! What a rip off! Does any one know of this same technique in the newer 540's (2000). My car has the same sluggish response as yours (before you FIXED it). I was getting excited just reading all this. Was even gonna leave work early to buy some spray! AHHHHH!!!!!! a 2000 freaking 540...old enough to not come with the upgraded lights and new enough to not have a cool perfomance cleaning project for the day! what a rip!

AC

Your model year has drive-by-wire and hence no ICV

[zloy]

just did this in my car turned it on and it started chking so i quickly turned it off... i am scared..maybe i did not put it in correctly

reconnected and everything is fine

[Cancan]

dont know if this has been said seeing as how i didnt read the whole thread but
"want your car to run WELL" dammit.

Thank you for this post!:alright The grammar deficit on this forum is unreal. I dig reading the posts however, sometimes they are more difficult to read then the work itself...:eyecrazy

Cc

[CaptnGeetch]

I drive a 2000 528i , Will cleaning the MAF have the same results ? My idle drops out every once in awhile. Only when cold...I was thinking the Dbl Vanos is going...any thoughts ?

[John 540i6]

dont know if this has been said seeing as how i didnt read the whole thread but
"want your car to run WELL" dammit.

sorry! In georgia, that is the correct way to say it. :)

[DJKraft]

This is just what I need it..Thank you..John..^^

[202henhouse]

This is a great thread with alot of info. Based on problems I'm having with my 528i it sounds like my icv is gummed up. Has anyone had the MIL light up due to this with the fault code reading Mass Air Flow Senser/Performance (08 in the Bentley Repair Manual)? When this first happened the engine would not run at all. It would turn over and die immediately. I repeatedly tried to start without trying to depress the gas (I found out later the car would run if the gas were depressed, although very rough). After about 6-8 tries the MIL light went on. When I ran my Peake Scan tool the code was 08. Thanks for all the info to date.

[///M297]

OMG, this will be my task for this weekend. My 97 528i is sso luggish compare with my friend 528i (wel my is 158K), now I may know why. Will report back after cleaning.
Ryan

[Kwaaahhh]

So I'm guessing 03' doesn't apply? My car is 530 w/30k miles.

[Rebel635csi]

Just did this on my friends 1998 528i

he just bought the car and when we both drove it it would sputter and feel like misfiring when low rpm throttle was given....as in when leaving a light or cruising at really low rpm...

read up on it here, and decided to do it.....i almost wish i didnt

that thing is soooo damn burried on 528's, you can just catch climses of it hiding behind the TB and under the manifold.

basically i ripped apart the airbox/maf/elbow to have room to work as well as the HVAC elbow and microfilter box....

Note. DO NOT FORGET TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT THE RUBBER GROMMET THAT FITS INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS STILL THERE WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING THE IAC BACK! i went to put the IAC back in and thought to myself...strange...it wasnt this loose when i was taking it out. I went and looked on my 530i with the M60 engine (that sucker jumps out at you on the V8's as opposed to the I6's and yea, it had a grommet) the grommet fell out and was found resting on the engine block....made sense after that.

while i was cursing all BMW engineers my buddy changed the spark plugs...they didnt need changing but he did it anyways...new owner, wants to know exactly whats done and what needs to be done.

he took it for a spin as i was too greased up and he said its a HUGE improvement...no stumbling...


Thx for the write up guys...

PS. The Exploded Diagram shown did not look like my friends 528i setup.

the IAC inlet/out were vertical and the hose from the main Intake piping was hooked up differently. FYI

[Soco]

So the 2000 528's don't have this part?

[oekundar]

I went and looked on my 530i with the M60 engine (that sucker jumps out at you on the V8's as opposed to the I6's and yea, it had a grommet) the grommet fell out and was found resting on the engine block....made sense after that.


And here I thought the 530i was an I6 as well...:eyecrazy

[Speed25]

I didn't know so many 540s idled so badly!

[chgolatin2]

Hola crap this may be the issue with my car being sluggish! Good write up will def do this once it get a bit warmer, well, I have to turn on the heater on my garage lol

[John 540i6]

And here I thought the 530i was an I6 as well...:eyecrazy

The 530i has an I6. His reply was just a little hard to read correctly. Its a piece of cake to do on the v8, its a little more involved on the 6 cyl car.

[Anson]

Thanks for reviving this post - I'm gonna do it when my car gets back from the shop!

[Rebel635csi]

sorry, i guess i should have specified that i looked on my E34 530i...

[capn shawn]

Why do these get so dirty? Is it normal?

It's the same stuff that get's on your throttle body... just think of what happens in there after you shut down your engine. Some of your intake valves are still open and allow any left over combustion gas, etc. to escape back into the intake manifold. Not to mention the minute amounts of fuel still left on the injectors and intake valves after shutdown.

[chgolatin2]

Well, I did it and now my car is running smooooooth and purrring like a kitty! Nice write up and very easy to accomplish... Thanks

[VCOUI]

on 528i the ICV is under the intake manifold, in the area shown in the pic below. the easiest way to access it would be by removing drivers side HVAC "elbow" going from the microfilter, then using 10mm socket take off 3 bolts (1 for the oil tube guide and 2 for the ICV) and detach the electrical cable. that way you can remove the ICV with the rubber hose still attached to it. the hardest part, stupidly, would be trying to detach the other end of that hose (that is between the MAF and TB). I tried that approach, so I know it works.

Having not looked at my car yet, I'm not sure if I want to try this just yet considering what's involved. Is there a "cheater" way to spray TB Cleaner in there without removing the whole unit? i.e. Disconnect one of the pipes so you can squirt some TB Cleaner in there?

[John 540i6]

Having not looked at my car yet, I'm not sure if I want to try this just yet considering what's involved. Is there a "cheater" way to spray TB Cleaner in there without removing the whole unit? i.e. Disconnect one of the pipes so you can squirt some TB Cleaner in there?

Its really best to pull the ICV out of the car and spray it down. You car going to get some oil/dirt/debris that is going to fall out of the ICV when you clean it. If you were to clean it in the car, all of that gunk is going to wind up in your intake manifold.

After you get in there and attempt to do it, you might find that you were worrying about it a little too much. Its really not that difficult, even on the I6.

[valvesprung]

The 530i has an I6. His reply was just a little hard to read correctly. Its a piece of cake to do on the v8, its a little more involved on the 6 cyl car.

E34 530s were small V8s...JFYI :D

[VCOUI]

Having not looked at my car yet, I'm not sure if I want to try this just yet considering what's involved. Is there a "cheater" way to spray TB Cleaner in there without removing the whole unit? i.e. Disconnect one of the pipes so you can squirt some TB Cleaner in there?

Follow up... did it... may.. or may not have made a diff but it took about 40 mins.

ICV is hard to get to on the 5285i ... gotta remove the TB and the ASC valve... oh.. and air box, MAF etc...

not sure if it did any good but I could see if you had a potentially dirty car.. It'd make a diff.

[fragzem]

No more oil messes or power steering fluid anywhere (including motor mounts).

Whats the deal with this power steering shit? I notice mine is all &!@(* messy... Are they known to slowly leak? Should I get a new screw-on top? the top of my PS bottle is always wet.

[98M3_4]

usually the PS reservoir leaks at the bottom at the hose clamps area, quite common

[BlackSapphire]

It's been hinted at once or twice but I'll say it again. DO NOT USE CARB CLEANER!

Use a throttle body cleaner that is safe for oxygen sensors/electronics. If you don't, you'll dry out your rubber seals and possible make things worse for yourself.

Over and out.

[VCOUI]

Whats the deal with this power steering shit? I notice mine is all &!@(* messy... Are they known to slowly leak? Should I get a new screw-on top? the top of my PS bottle is always wet.

LOL... those things have been a prob for nearly 30 years... that is the ONE thing they have not changed for what ever reason. My buddies brand new 335i that he just took delivery of last week still uses that same cap and yes... they do leak slowly, it's the seal. You can try to replace the cap or just the seal if you can get it but it's just best to always wipe it off whenever you check your oil.


It's been hinted at once or twice but I'll say it again. DO NOT USE CARB CLEANER!

Use a throttle body cleaner that is safe for oxygen sensors/electronics. If you don't, you'll dry out your rubber seals and possible make things worse for yourself.

Over and out.

I second that with one correction... DO NOT USE ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAF CLEANER ON THE MAF! DO NOT USE THROTLE BODY CLEANER ON THE MAF - USE ONLY- CRC MAF Cleaner follow the link for detials http://www.crcindustries.com/files/MAF%20Sell%20Sheet%20Web.pdf ... and no I do not work for CRC.

[fragzem]

LOL... those things have been a prob for nearly 30 years... that is the ONE thing they have not changed for what ever reason. My buddies brand new 335i that he just took delivery of last week still uses that same cap and yes... they do leak slowly, it's the seal. You can try to replace the cap or just the seal if you can get it but it's just best to always wipe it off whenever you check your oil.



I second that with one correction... DO NOT USE ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAF CLEANER ON THE MAF! DO NOT USE THROTLE BODY CLEANER ON THE MAF - USE ONLY- CRC MAF Cleaner follow the link for detials http://www.crcindustries.com/files/MAF%20Sell%20Sheet%20Web.pdf ... and no I do not work for CRC.


Whatever happened to the days of using Starter Fluid to clean everything?

[GTP540]

Whatever happened to the days of using Starter Fluid to clean everything?


Or brake parts cleaner..:) (jk) Great info in this thread...Where does one find the CRC cleaner? Autozone? Poopboys?

Just called CRC and they distribute through NAPAs and Advance Auto.

[BlackSapphire]

LOL... those things have been a prob for nearly 30 years... that is the ONE thing they have not changed for what ever reason. My buddies brand new 335i that he just took delivery of last week still uses that same cap and yes... they do leak slowly, it's the seal. You can try to replace the cap or just the seal if you can get it but it's just best to always wipe it off whenever you check your oil.



I second that with one correction... DO NOT USE ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAF CLEANER ON THE MAF! DO NOT USE THROTLE BODY CLEANER ON THE MAF - USE ONLY- CRC MAF Cleaner follow the link for detials http://www.crcindustries.com/files/MAF%20Sell%20Sheet%20Web.pdf ... and no I do not work for CRC.

You are absolutely right. Great addition, not a correction. I was referring to cleaning the IAC/Throttle body. If cleaning the MAF, use MAF cleaner (electronics safe).

[VCOUI]

Or brake parts cleaner..:) (jk) Great info in this thread...Where does one find the CRC cleaner? Autozone? Poopboys?

Just called CRC and they distribute through NAPAs and Advance Auto.
Up here in Nor Cal I get it at Kragen Auto Parts. Most places that carry the other CRC products like Brakleen and Carbkleen should carry it. I use it regularly now every time I change the oil. Of other note, since we're on the subject; K&N filters have become a bad word with modern 'wire type' MAFs because the oil will coat and contaminate the MAF. If you take two simple steps, you can safely use a K&N in our cars. Step 1) Don't over-oil your filter after cleaning. Step 2) Clean the MAF regularly with the CRC MAF cleaner and you should have no probs. Personally, the single biggest noticeable performance gain I've experienced with my car was swapping out the stock air filter for a K&N in the stock air box. Takes all of 2 mins and if you don't notice a difference, it takes all of two mins to switch it back. I highly recommend it.

[essojay]

Nice write up,

I have a 98 523 that throws out white smoke in the morning for some seconds (smoke only in the mornings) and idles roughly and tend to want to stall at low speed, then the car vibrates when the aircon is turned on and a pain to move (manual drive) especially when you are on slope and moving from rest, it stalls mostly until more power is aplied to make it move.

I hope this is going to sort it out and i ll give it a trial and hopefully someone will read this and be able to advice accordingly.

thanks to all..

bR

[ease160]

excellent post, im gonna do mine in morning. nice job. be back with results.

[Ix540xI]

does this work on 2002 e39 or is just for 98-99

[John 540i6]

this only works for pre vanos models of the e39. So only 97-98 models apply.

[Tyghe]

Nice write-up. Good call on the pictures! Although it won't work on my ride :(

[WagOnBagz]

great write-up!

[fragzem]

I did mine just now... Piece of cake. I used electrical contact cleaner on the whole thing... mine wasn't all that dirty, it looks somewhat new, I'm guessing it was replaced not too long ago, but hey.. preventive maintenance!

[Poolman]

My 525i 2003 model has the ICV, but it really is in a hell of a spot to get too-I saw the post on the 528 above that had the part serviced. With mine it's much more involved -I also have drive by wire so the idea that if your car has drive by wire you don't have an ICV is now disputed. I have cleaned this part many times in my 960 Volvo -but it's a cake walk to get too-not like this 525.
I have never had to add oil in my car except for when changing it out- so I doubt mines real dirty-but with 90k miles on her now I figure I'd better try soon. I'll report back with details afterwards and let everyone know what I found.
Poolman

[swiftpete]

I bought some electrical contact cleaner the other day for the MAF, I've got loads left so is that cool to use or should I spurt some more money on some other stuff?

[98M3_4]

That cleaner should be fine

[s4chico]

I am going to have to try this now. Thanks.

[neagucosmin]

hello gent, i have 535i, year 1998, engine V8. please tell where is located the Idle control valve, because i want to clean it .
i also have problems and the car is very slow compared to what was years ago. it no longer "runs" fast, is very slow.
also, please tell me how to fix the ignition timing on this car. i also suppose the slowness is due to incorrect ignition timing.
thank you so much
please reply to neagucosmin@yahoo.com

[dickmackey]

Anyone have a pic of this thing on a 528i?


+1

[SHWELL]

Nope... You cannot get pics of it because of the location.. The write up a couple of post above is the best you will get..... Removing the vacuum lines is not necessary, but it may help make this job easier.. It is very simple in theory, but getting under there is a bit of a pain. Check realoem.com for the part and location.

[pahhhoul]

Sweetness!
Another thing to add to my "things to do list"

[Hunglow]

yeah i wanted to know how to do it on a 525i as well

[BMW 528]

Same as on 528i.

[adjmcloon]

Can someone elaborate on how to get the air filter housing off?

[Paintballistic]

when someone does this on their 525, please post here(with clear pics). i cleaned my maf and it made a huge difference, i cant even imagine how much better my car will run if i do this.

[jamesdc4]

How to clean Idle Control Valve (ICV) 5xxi I6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=928735)

[Black540]

Do it thats all i have to say if you have a 540 go buy the stuff i used crc throtle body cleaner and do it it took me longer to change my taillight bulb than it did to do this, and this made a big difference. My car had an idle problem enough to cause it to have a SES light and now it idles smooth and the light is out. Thank you to whoever posted this thread its gotten me excited about my car again.

[the fly]

I thought this might help someone...

My '97 540i had been stalling when slowing to a stop, shifting from reverse to drive, and vice versa. I had cleaned the ICV repeatedly and the valve inside indeed spun freely, but the damn thing still stalled. I even tried this valve on another '97 and the stalling disease followed it.

I recalled a couple of people lubing the valve after cleaning. I tried lubing for the first time 2 weeks ago and have not had the problem since.

:alright

[bmw7833]

http://catimages2.sophio.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/imc/images/tn/0280140532.jpg



What is the name or the part number for this thingy?? I want to change mine rather than service it..

[MPorto]

Why replace it? Buy some throttle body cleaner at a local auto store like NAPA and just clean the thing out really good. It literally takes 5 minutes, and (at least for me) the engine now runs so smoothly. While accelerating, the engine revs effortlessly and it requires much less pedal effort to keep the car moving at a constant speed (improved MPG?). Anyway, this has got to be enough reassurance from all these people to just clean it out good and get it over with... you wont regret it!

[drewbiggs]

I popped off the cover of my 2003 4.4L and found no ICV(at least not the same as that in the original pictures on this thread). Does my engine have drive-by-wire instead? There is a part where the ICV should be, but it looks different is is permanently attached to the throttle body. (I'm sure it's just part of the TB). The reason I want to clean it is due to occasional stalls or "hickups" during low RPMs. I hope this post isnt repetitive to others.

[jnyjetta]

Just did this DIY and got fantastic results! Even notable improvement in fuel economy (cause I don't have to press the pedal so hard to make the car go...) THANKS!!

[phathom]

Any pictures of where that valve is on a M52?

[Cantesanu]

Anything like this on a 2002 525i? I'd clean whatever there is to clean on my new baby...just got it and it's got 106k on it so it probably needs some attention especially since the guy that had it before DID NOT take care of the car at all..I spent 8 hours just cleaning the car's inside alone ! Looks real good now though.

[deathwarden5]

Definite must do. Would have taken me no more than 10 minutes if I wasn't incompetent. First, I could not figure out how to take off the engine cover. I thought it either popped off, or had screws/bolts tucked under the little round bits. Took a little while to figure out you had to push down on the round things. My ICV did not click/move freely when I first took it out. After soaking it down a couple times, it moved very freely and was very clicky. After I installed everything, it would start, but instantly die. I just though it was some TB cleaner left, so I revved it for a bit until it sounded like it was holding its revs nicely. It still continued to die. Apparently the joint coming off the intake boot came off as I was removing the ICV. Put it back in, and all is good.

I never really had a bad idle problem before. The car was completely drivable, and was by no means a noticeable problem. Before, when going to idle, it would drop to about 800 and slowly drop down to 500-600. Sometimes it would slowly drop down and go past 500 and surge for a little. It was more noticeable at night, when headlights, ect are on.

Now it immideately drops to 500-600 right away and holds perfect, even with all lights/fogs/brakes/AC on.



No ICV on 1999+.

[Jay D]

I just did this to my e38 which is the same M62 thanx budds, it feels smother specialy entering the highway :)

[acet]

Great write up. Doing this today when I get home. Thank you for taking your time and posting this up with pics!!!



can someone add some pictures?

Your E39 is so clean!!!




Also, for those people who don't know this website yet, www.realoem.com (http://www.realoem.com) can help A LOT as far as finding out where the part is and what is the part number for it!! All the diagrams you could ask for!! check it out!!

[ktmdrz400]

Great stuff. It was easy, took all of 10 minutes and did help with increasing acceleration.

THXS

[stlga1]

before I break anything, as I want to explore the engine, where is this part on my E39?

EDIT: found it and got it to work Thanks!!!

[Caveit77777]

Noob question but I have a 94 540i how do I get my engine cover off? Does it just pop off? Also does this DI apply to my car? Cause I don't want to go get some TB cleaner just to find out that I can't do it.

[jamesdc4]

Noob question but I have a 94 540i how do I get my engine cover off? Does it just pop off? Also does this DI apply to my car? Cause I don't want to go get some TB cleaner just to find out that I can't do it.
On the E39, there are four buttons on the top of the engine cover that need to be pressed down for removal. I'm not sure if it is the same for the E34. You have a better chance of getting an answer if you post this question in the correct forum (below).
1988 - 1996 (E34) (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=201)

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

Regards,

James

[deathwarden5]

Noob question but I have a 94 540i how do I get my engine cover off? Does it just pop off? Also does this DI apply to my car? Cause I don't want to go get some TB cleaner just to find out that I can't do it.

Your car will definately have a ICV. I dunno if it's in the same location.

[takemehigher]

so, ive been reading this thread for awhile now. :) i have a 1991 525i bmw, and i want to clean my ICV. ive been having idle problems and the car seems to be stuttering a lot. problem is i dont know where it is or how to get to it. here is a pic of my engine...anyone know where it is. i heard its under the intake manifold, if so, how do i get under there. ??

[jamesdc4]

so, ive been reading this thread for awhile now. :) i have a 1991 525i bmw, and i want to clean my ICV. ive been having idle problems and the car seems to be stuttering a lot. problem is i dont know where it is or how to get to it. here is a pic of my engine...anyone know where it is. i heard its under the intake manifold, if so, how do i get under there. ??
takemehigher,
You have an E34 with the M50. You might get more out of the M52 thread on this, but I would recommend asking the question in the E34 forum and using the M52 DIY if the ICVs are similar.
How to clean Idle Control Valve (ICV 52*i, 530i i6) (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=928735)

[takemehigher]

hey. thanks for the info. ive tried posting in multiple places, but i cant seem to find an answer. its just very difficult to get under the intake manifold, i dont even know where to look. :)

[ViolinARC]

2000 540i here and I don't seem to have one...

[jamesdc4]

hey. thanks for the info. ive tried posting in multiple places, but i cant seem to find an answer. its just very difficult to get under the intake manifold, i dont even know where to look. :)
With all those threads you started in E34, you didn't get an answer? Did you get a response from Binjammin or Attack Eagle? If not, you may want to consider PMing one of them.

[P11]

I just cleaned my ICV 15 minutes ago.

Noticeable changes:

- Idle RPM dropped about 25%
- Low-end throttle much more responsive (have yet to test on cold start)
- Got rid of my RPM jump when idling

[surferml1091]

good call. and im at 15 posts!

[pogieeh]

Will this work for 2002 540i? Thanks.


Anyone have a pic of this thing on a 528i?

[jamesdc4]

Will this work for 2002 540i? Thanks.
Welcome to Bimmerforums.

You don't have an ICV.

[Purdue540i]

Just did this tonight along with cleaning the MAF and deleting the intake silencer. I am very impressed with the change. It really does wake the car up at higher rpm's! I felt like the power kinda died down at about 4-4500rpms before, now it seems to have a stronger pull!! The pedal pressure is defintiely reduced also, which I find strange that it is affected. Very easy and productive 30 minutes.

[Matt Nigro]

do i have an IVC? if not why dont i have one? i have a 2003 540I M-sport.

[Camarok]

What's that cable thingy going to the Throttle body? :) I hate drive by wire....

Well, I Think this stopped in 98, there is not an ICV on 99-03, then again, correct me if I'm wrong

[libap]

Just did this today. ICV was gunked up. Didn't make the clink noise til after a few sprays.

I didn't watch out for this:

Now, as for cleaning make sure you dont saturate the motor (end that plugs into harness) beacuse you'll kill it. So clean it upside down.

I sprayed through both ends, at different angles. Maybe not upside down......Would you think it would damage easy?

I forgot to plug in the sensor and turned on the engine. Now my check engine light is on lol. After driving, the throttle response is much smoother and responsive. I plan on cleaning it again after another project. Hopefully better results then.

Great tip, thanks John540i6!

[tgaffer]

This is a great idea and I went to do it to my 2000 540 but it is not like the photos. Is it in a different place or is this not appicable?

[jamesdc4]

This is a great idea and I went to do it to my 2000 540 but it is not like the photos. Is it in a different place or is this not appicable?
N/A Your 2000 doesn't have an ICV. :)

[Edgeburner]

I have been searching for what the problem is with my cars idel and lack of oomph. I can't wait to do this to my '98 540. When I read the first post I immediately realized this is part of my problem with the idle stumble at stop lights and the feeling I am towing something behind the car on acceleration. Sometimes it feels responsive, sometimes it doesn't. We'll see after I do this.



Whoo hoo. First post.

[jamesdc4]

I have been searching for what the problem is with my cars idel and lack of oomph. I can't wait to do this to my '98 540. When I read the first post I immediately realized this is part of my problem with the idle stumble at stop lights and the feeling I am towing something behind the car on acceleration. Sometimes it feels responsive, sometimes it doesn't. We'll see after I do this.



Whoo hoo. First post.
:)

[Devo540]

i just did this 15 project and made me feel awesome for doin something that made such an impact for no money :) it idles great and smooth now, not to mention quieter. +1 for quick diy

[Edgeburner]

Best 10 minute maintenance I have ever done. Period.

-smoother idle - no surging from 500 to 750 rpm
-better off idle throttle response - no lag

Thanks again for posting this up!

[uncensored188]

does a 2002 540i/6 have an ICV

[tmaurice]

Hello,
Saw your post. I sometimes observe hard starting in my Bmw 535 i v8 which has the same engine with your 540i. Before now, it was jerking and so I changed the fuel pump. Currently it does not jerk but atimes when you kick it goes off until after say three attempts before it starts. sometimes it starts once. Electricians cannot detect the problem and I am sad. Secondly , when I turn the steering i hear alittle noise which has been constant and does not increase. I also notice a somewhot wobbling noise in the front wheels when i drive. Please can you be of help or link me up?
Thanks,
tmaurice

[Devo540]

Hello,
Saw your post. I sometimes observe hard starting in my Bmw 535 i v8 which has the same engine with your 540i. Before now, it was jerking and so I changed the fuel pump. Currently it does not jerk but atimes when you kick it goes off until after say three attempts before it starts. sometimes it starts once. Electricians cannot detect the problem and I am sad. Secondly , when I turn the steering i hear alittle noise which has been constant and does not increase. I also notice a somewhot wobbling noise in the front wheels when i drive. Please can you be of help or link me up?
Thanks,
tmaurice
make a thread in the e39 5series section about this. youll have more luck there.
but make sure you search about it first so you dont get flammed for it.

[Sokola311]

READ THIS!!!!

I have a 2000 528i and i have one on mine. It's right next to the throttlebody. HERE'S A GREAT TIP!! If you login to autozone.com you can download guides for installation, testing and removal of the ICV with PICS! Just look up the part and click on the guide to the right. This will also answer wheter or not you actually have this part.

[Monster540i6]

Just did this, and it literally took 10 minutes. However I opted to use Mass Airflow Sensor cleaner available right next to brake clean an carb and choke cleaner because it is safe to use on parts with sensitive electrical components like the ICV and MAF, and still does an awesome job removing dirt and buildup. My valve was free moving, but instead of an audible click, it made a dull thud sound, so I sprayed and wiped a few times, and it was good as new! I did actually notice a slight improvement in throttle response from a stop, even though mine wasn't that dirty.. so it really goes to show a little bit of dirt DOES affect this part. But remember to hold the part with the connector side facing upward so the gunk doesn't go back into the thing..Awesome DIY!

thanks!
-the Monster.

[aussiebilly]

Sensational results on my 535..
When cold mine was idling all over the place and nearly stalling..
Idle was ok when hot.
thought a sensor was playing up even though no codes on the PEAK tool.
I cleaned it using electronic contact cleaner.
Fantastic DIY..:)

[jamesdc4]

I did this today...
Cleaned my Idle Control Valve (ICV) today... (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1468492)
Thanks John 540i6!

:cool

[Bianca98]

Did this to mine today. amazing! went to start it after the cleaning and it was like it was a professional sprinter! snapped to life, purrs. car ran fine before hand, runs great now. i used carb/choke/tb cleaner from NAPA 2.10 for the can. mine was pretty dirty and immobile with 128k miles on the car.

[BurkeG]

I live in central Missouri, and this morning it was around 72 degrees fahrenheit, almost had a heart attack because of my 98 540i. It started and ran for 2 seconds and almost died on me, didn't move an inch, it felt like I had misfires through out 0 to 3000 rpm. Shifted terribly, didn't move easily, no response to the throttle. It only has 104k miles on it. When the engine temperature got out of the blue box, it ran just fine, strong as ever. So I ruled out wires, coils or spark plugs.

I was freaking out because of this, I was almost crying on the way to school. I'm in class right now but since this happened all I can do is research, then I bumped into this thread. It's such a relief to know others had the same issue, and found a solution. I don't know exactly if this is the issue with my baby, but this is definitely on top of my to-do list tonight.

Thanks everyone, especially OP, great write up!

I'll keep you guys posted..

I cleaned it this morning, I can easily tell it definitely has better idling now. However I think my problem lies in bad coil packs.. Still a really nice write up, thanks..

[Mr Yuck]

Performed this quick procedure today after changing the oil. Took all of 10 minutes. I definitely notice a difference!
Thanks!

[litespeed4]

I have a 2001 530i (6 cylinder) with a very rough idle problem. I cleaned the ICV which wasn't all that dirty. Not as simple to get to on this model, BTW. However, in order to get to the ICV, I had to remove the 'intake manifold runner valve' (that's what BMWpartstore.com calls it). In doing so I discovered the vane/butterfly was broken where it attaches on the actuator end, ie: it is free floating. I ordered a new one for $200! It hasn't arrived yet. Does anyone know what this thing is supposed to do? Could it possible have something to do with rough idleing? Thanks for your help.

[litespeed4]

The intake manifold runner valve arrived yesterday. Took almost 10 minutes to install it. I started the car and she purrs like a kitten. I have to tell you, though, when I spoke to the guy I normally take the car to when I can't fix it, he assured me this would not fix the idle problem. I replaced this because it was broken. It's nice to have it back to normal. I want to also add that I wouldn't have found this broken valve if I hadn't read about cleaning the ICV on this forum, so thanks for putting me on the right path.

[Costick]

If you twist the canister back and forth kind of fast, you should hear the inside part spin. It will go clink (back)---clink(forth)---clink(back)----clink(forth)

Ok so I have cleaned mine twice, both times I felt a big performance gain then it dropped off. The second time I tried to get the clink clink and could get it but it just keeps sticking. I used almost a full can trying to get a consistent clink clink but it just keeps sticking. So that said I would guess I need a new one so any of you know of who to buy this from after market or if you can? RealOem.com lists it as a 335.00 part :(

[sappw1]

Haven't actually pulled off engine cover, but my 2002 530i should have one..
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DT63&mospid=47587&btnr=11_2879&hg=11&fg=40

does this disprove what everyone has been saying about VANOS cars?

[aspensilver540]

I did this today, my first E39 DIY. I didn't see an easy way to unhook #3 at first, I really had to force the rubber tabs by pulling more than I was comfortable with. It doesn't sit quite as tightly putting it back in, but still fine. The results were positive, as the car has a more immediate throttle response. Thanks for making something I was able to figure out!


http://carpron.com/multisite/d/98221-1/ICV-picture+_Large_.jpg

[Adventman]

Is there a way to test the valve to see if it functions properly after cleaning? I have the same idle issues as have been described and cleaned the valve with carb cleaner (oops, never got to the part that said not to :() The door flapper thingy moves freely with an audible click, but the car still idles erradicly, BUT...sometimes it idles perfectly. Could my problem be the MAF sensor instead? Could some of un be mis-diagnosing the problem?

[aspensilver540]

Try cleaning the MAF w/ crc maf cleaner
You may want to start your own thread in the regular e39 forum

[Adventman]

In the end i replaced the ICV, problem almost solved. Now just need to contend with a newly discovered vacuum leak, but the car at least idles consistently.

[sfoda764]

In the end i replaced the ICV, problem almost solved. Now just need to contend with a newly discovered vacuum leak, but the car at least idles consistently.

If you can smoke test, do it. Most likely locations are at DISA o-ring seal and line between dip stick tube and bottom of ICV.

[conspiracycrazy]

Hi there I'm new here and saw your post and did exacly what was told clean the ICV with the connector upwards it was dirty and valve was stuck so I was happy Iwas cleaning it I had random missfire but did not notice it i have been trying to fix it,that is why I decided to clean the ICV. But now Car got way Worse it now backfires like crazy when letting off the gas at first and second third gea, what happened please need help is my only car and now seems I cannot drive it since MPG drop to 7 miles

The Car has New OXygen Sensors, new Fuel breather valve ,NEW Iridium Spark Plugs, in the last week I replace those parts since codes keep coming up for missfires but now I'm noticing them since I'm backfiring. Everytime I fix something something else goes wrong is driving me crazy and Broke in parts but good thing I have not went to a shop but for my Clutch and Brake Work like Calipers the ripped you off just telling you what is not the problem

[schnitzermike]

Cleaned my ICV two days ago after reading this thread. The inside was completely stuck. I used Brakleen to clean the inside and it did the trick. No more rough idle in the morning! Thanks so much guys this forum is awesome.

[300kplus]

Okay so I see "TB" Cleaner on this thread--what does it stand for please? Got an E39 with high miles and I'm going to clean it this wknd. Just need to know what cleaner to get.

Thanks--



its called an idle control valve(ICV), as mentioned before. Now you should avoid using Carb oe choke cleaner because its too harsh for the coating on your ICV. Use TB Cleaner instead. Its designed for modern intakes. Now, as for cleaning make sure you dont saturate the motor (end that plugs into harness) beacuse you'll kill it. So clean it upside down.

[mosttlive]

So i cleaned my ICV about 3 days ago, at first the idle was impeccable perfect staying right on the tach, but as of yesterday the idle has become erratic sometimes dropping close to zero, even stalled once on a hill today, I have a 12/96 540i and the icv feels almost spring actuated where it wont stay open it is always about 3/4"s close unlessi force it open, its seems pretty clean with no gunk really to be seen, i sprayed an entire bottle of tb cleaner in the thing over the past 3 days, after I did all of this I began to get a quick whistle when my car would reach about 1500 rpm it would go away instantly but any help would be awesomeee

[myohmy540i]

So i cleaned my ICV about 3 days ago, at first the idle was impeccable perfect staying right on the tach, but as of yesterday the idle has become erratic sometimes dropping close to zero, even stalled once on a hill today, I have a 12/96 540i and the icv feels almost spring actuated where it wont stay open it is always about 3/4"s close unlessi force it open, its seems pretty clean with no gunk really to be seen, i sprayed an entire bottle of tb cleaner in the thing over the past 3 days, after I did all of this I began to get a quick whistle when my car would reach about 1500 rpm it would go away instantly but any help would be awesomeee

You might need to replace the grey rubber grommet that seals the icv into the t/b. check for vacuum leaks by spraying carb/choke or t/b cleaner around that area. Could have disturbed the vacuum hoses surrounding the t/b also. Check the common problems section for "teapot whistle" I remember reading about that issue in that section. Good luck!

[jamesdc4]

Okay so I see "TB" Cleaner on this thread--what does it stand for please? Got an E39 with high miles and I'm going to clean it this wknd. Just need to know what cleaner to get.

Thanks--
Throttle Body (TB)

[schnitzermike]

So i cleaned my ICV about 3 days ago, at first the idle was impeccable perfect staying right on the tach, but as of yesterday the idle has become erratic sometimes dropping close to zero, even stalled once on a hill today, I have a 12/96 540i and the icv feels almost spring actuated where it wont stay open it is always about 3/4"s close unlessi force it open, its seems pretty clean with no gunk really to be seen, i sprayed an entire bottle of tb cleaner in the thing over the past 3 days, after I did all of this I began to get a quick whistle when my car would reach about 1500 rpm it would go away instantly but any help would be awesomeee

Have you fixed the issue? Vacuum leak? Update please!

[wswellman59]

OK. I did the ICV clean up thing, but now my car wont idle at all! Starts and revs fine, let off the throttle, and it drops to zero and stalls out. Funny thing is, when I disconnect the icv, the car will idle and run, just a little clunks (and of course, the cel comes on for ICV open condition).

I got a new ICV, thinking my was bad (it is 15 years old), but I get the same behavior. I checked for vacuum lines in the area and they look fine!

Scott
1997 E39 540/6spd

[chaseu2]

3 weeks after having the fuel pump/filter replaced for a no-start condition, my '97 540ia engine started surging in city traffic after a 2 hr drive. The idle would jump from normal to 1000-2000 rpm and back to normal; it never bogged down. There was no CEL, a new ICV didn't fix it, eventually it flooded and wouldn't start. But finally, a coolant temp sensor code came in. Replacing the sensor fixed it. There was never overheating, and the temp gauge always showed normal. The car runs great with 173k miles.

[wcholt]

My 540 was starting to idle roughly and hesitate on light acceleration, when I removed the ICV it was frozen/varnished almost 2/3 way closed. After prodding with a dowel and almost a full can of CRC I reassembled and the results are stunning. Thanks for pointing out a basic PM which should be part of every E39 annual maintenance.

[nakedpants]

My idle valve was stuck too and I got it loose by spraying brake cleaner into it. Now the valve moves very freeley.

I don't have any carburator cleaner, do you think brake cleaner is sufficient or is carburator cleaner better?

What do you think of filling a 50/50 mix of acetone and atf into the valve?

Such a mix is well known for removing carbon deposits and dirt in cylinders.

I am sure that mix would get rid of all dirt within the idle control valve.

[schnitzermike]

I used brake cleaner and had zero issues. Just make sure that the little "window" inside moves freely when you hold the icv in your hand and rotate your hand. It should "clink". Hope this helps! Cheers

[Photowebbz]

project for monday morning? i think so

[Flat Four]

First post, here =) Just did the ICV clean on my '97 540i this afternoon...super easy. The valve was moderately dirty and only moved a little. Cleaned with CRC TB cleaner until both sides shined. Results: Idles a bit smoother on cold start and seems to take less to give it throttle. By that, I mean that I can now 'tip toe' on the accelerator pedal and it goes.
Thanks for the write up!

[jamesy]

awesome write up! dont know anything mechanical. this took me two minutes and now the gears arnt lagging and the car is not stalling !!!! Thank you

[Scottloy8991]

2000 e39 here, the ICV is a little harder to get to. You have to remove all air intake housing/tubes, remove DISA (wipe clean or use CRC throttle body cleaner while it is out), and jiggle out the ICV which is tucked under the throttle body. Make sure the metal ramp/flap moves by pressing it. Reverse the process making sure to follow the air glow arrow on ICV (little tube/T goes in grommet housing first). While you have the boots off the throttle bottle uses CRC throttle body cleaner to spray it out, keep in mind you must move the throttle cable on the right to open the flap on the inside.

[Jengels]

This is maybe already asked, but does this work on a 2000 BMW 528i ?

Thank you

[300kplus]

This is something I did after getting a bunch of codes AFTER I replaced my MAF as the culprit from the first set of codes. I took the ICV off and cleaned it as part of replacing this time, the number 5 coil (original factory BMW 7/98 stamp on it) and the new MAF a week ago. HUGE DIFFERENCE! Thanks for sharing. FYI, my gasket from the ICV to the manifold was good so I just cleaned the old sealant off of the unit and put new sealant on it...

[300kplus]

I did this a month ago along with a lot of other maintenance and yes it makes a hell of a difference. UPDATE: My E39 sat a few days and was running great after putting a new MAF, replacing a coil, cleaning the ICV and replacing the air and cabin filters. That was a month ago after she was stalling at stops, rough idle before stalling and misfiring bad. Now she's back to misfiring! I'm baffled. All she did was sit for a few days and was running great when I parked her. I wanted to ask you all when putting the ICV back on, I cleaned the old sealant off of the ICV and put new sealant (#4) marked above where it attaches to the manifold. Could that be an area of concern? Is that gasket easy to identify if it's bad? Just guessing here as I have no clue what the hell happened... Any ideas???? Thanks! Here's what I did a month ago: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2188854-Update

- - - Updated - - -


I did this a month ago along with a lot of other maintenance and yes it makes a hell of a difference. UPDATE: My E39 sat a few days and was running great after putting a new MAF, replacing a coil, cleaning the ICV and replacing the air and cabin filters. That was a month ago after she was stalling at stops, rough idle before stalling and misfiring bad. Now she's back to misfiring! I'm baffled. All she did was sit for a few days and was running great when I parked her. I wanted to ask you all when putting the ICV back on, I cleaned the old sealant off of the ICV and put new sealant (#4) marked above where it attaches to the manifold. Could that be an area of concern? Is that gasket easy to identify if it's bad? Just guessing here as I have no clue what the hell happened... Any ideas???? Thanks! Here's what I did a month ago: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2188854-Update

>>>>>>>UPDATE: I just pulled codes and here's what I have (TripleTTT are you reading this :-) PO330, PO505, PO325, PO307 (this one came up more than once and is the only one that repeated itself) PO173, PO325 So cylinder 7 is now misfiring (I replaced coil #5 a month ago (see hyperlink above) and it looked to be original...) Not sure if it's a plug or coil--how do you know? Well there you have it... 350kish and still clicking... Any and all input is always appreciated. Thanks!

[Diren]

So, anyone have any ideas for what might be causing these symptoms on a 2001 540i? The idle just bottoms out and the car shuts off, no idea what causes it. As long as I'm on the gas everything works, power is great, but as soon as I stop the car shuts off. I'm waiting on a new MAF, but wondering if anyone has any other ideas?

[fabrice]

So, anyone have any ideas for what might be causing these symptoms on a 2001 540i? The idle just bottoms out and the car shuts off, no idea what causes it. As long as I'm on the gas everything works, power is great, but as soon as I stop the car shuts off. I'm waiting on a new MAF, but wondering if anyone has any other ideas?Don't know what controls idle on the 2001; if it has an ICV, clean it.

My '97 540, which runs fine and idles perfectly, would stall often enough if it the clutch was depressed when it had been running at highway rpm, like when getting off the highway at an exit ramp. Idling at a light, it never stalled.

If the rpm dropped rapidly, it would keep dropping, then either the rpm would 'catch', as if bouncing off zero, jump to ~1200, oscillate for a second or two then settle down to ~700. Or, the rpm didn't bounce back, but fell to zero and stalled, as if there was lag in a control system. Roughly 50/50 chance.

I thought it might be an ECM software problem (car is an early example), or ICV lag. Couldn't do anything about software, so I cleaned the ICV.

It was only slightly dirty (was cleaned years ago; car has only highway miles). A quick rotary flick would cause the flapper to hit the internal stops. But it's hard to know just how easily it should rotate, or if it's free enough. That test isn't exactly reproducible. But my impression was that cleaning caused it to hit the stops with a more noticeable click.

Maybe imagination, but in similar situations since, it hasn't stalled. Engine rpm drops smoothly to ~ 650, without rebound or oscillation.

Now, if only the SW wasn't so persnickety about shutting the engine off if it's not fed *exactly* the right amount of gas when the clutch is engaged at idle. Geez, for an engine with such torque, it should be at least as robust as my '86 535i. On that car, with engine idling, you can dump the clutch and it won't stall; it just pulls away. No SW beast to feed?

HTH
-Fabrice

[geargrinder]

So, anyone have any ideas for what might be causing these symptoms on a 2001 540i? The idle just bottoms out and the car shuts off, no idea what causes it. As long as I'm on the gas everything works, power is great, but as soon as I stop the car shuts off. I'm waiting on a new MAF, but wondering if anyone has any other ideas?

Absolutely I likely know what the problem is.


Don't know what controls idle on the 2001; if it has an ICV, clean it.

Its the drive by wire (DBW) throttle body (TB).

In essence an ISV/ICV is a computer controlled mini-TB for idle stablization... on the DBW cars its not needed since the DME can use the actual TB.

@Diren, the DBW TB has a known failure mode where the insides (inside is a servo motor but also several position-sensing potentiometers) get dirty/dusty and then the pot tracks get contaminated so the DME gets a false signal for where the throttle plate is. I've posted up a bit on this lately. Your symptom is a common "early warning sign".

That said it also could be a vacuum leak, but I will admit this TB thing is my pet chip on my shoulder because I've wrestled with it all too much since some of the new off the shelf VDO's kinda suck...

Unlikely it's the MAF.

Have a look at this info. Note my bit about testing this by working the plate back and forth a bunch by hand and seeing if the problem goes away for a while. Also note the codes are fairly reliable for this or accelerator pedal or MAF.

--- EDIT --- ooops I have 3 threads at least on this topic... THIS one is the latest one... ------------------

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2303368-Topic-Reboot-M62TU-idle-problems-and-FAILSAFE-and-Throttle-Bodies

Read the posts there, in fact I should probably post a quick update....

[crdiscoverer]

Reviving this DIY with this info I found since I was about to remove the ICV again to clean it after a couple of recent episodes of stalling and throttle lag from idle.

I don't see this e46 post linked in this thread, but it contains a lot of interesting details about the inner workings of the ICV: https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/project-m54-engine-dissection-of-an-icv.1043323/

The TL;DR is: When you clean it, always keep the motor and electric plug facing up (inverted T) until the cleaner dries out and then put some drops of engine oil inside and turn the ICV around. Besides the risk of killing the motor with the brake/throttle cleaner, there are 2 bearings inside the ICV. Brake/throttle cleaner will dissolve the factory lubricant inside those bearings and the valve will eventually become sticky again, not because it's dirty but because the bearings are bone dry.

There is also this thread from MBWorld that shows how these "revolving door" ICVs react to different applied voltages: https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w124/503103-idle-air-control-valve-airflow-versus-control-voltage.html

Better understanding how they work helps in properly understanding what you are doing when you clean them and how to avoid killing them. I suppose I have caused tons of wear on the bearings after several cleaning sessions with no subsequent lubrication. I'm at around 170k miles.