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Thread: E36 328i 1998 Cabriolet, rough idle (livedata shots inside)

  1. #1
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    E36 328i 1998 Cabriolet, rough idle (livedata shots inside)

    Hi and if this is wrong way to ask help please moderate this.. to right place..
    FAQ was not any help in this case.

    Car:




    BMW 328i E36 7/1998 with 86.000miles mileage.

    Problem has been since i bought this car last summer. Problem is that idle rpm is correct but car shake/vibrate little bit. Vibrating can be feel in seats / steering wheel and windshield is resonating.

    Last summer was done Inspection II service including new spark plugs and last week i tested with second set of coils. Not any help.
    Rubber boot between throttle body and MAF is new. I cant find any obvious vacuum leaks by looking parts.. maybe i have to take vacuum parts off the car to look closer.

    Here is some livedata shots from carsoft, there are no fault codes present.


    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x...rvice/1jpg.jpg

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x...rvice/2jpg.jpg

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x...rvice/3jpg.jpg

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x...rvice/4jpg.jpg

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x...rvice/5jpg.jpg

    Thanks

    Antti-Ville / Finland
    Last edited by AnttiO; 03-15-2011 at 02:37 AM.

  2. #2
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    1998 328 convertible
    Can you use my guide to INPA to get per-cylinder data using your E36 interface cable?

    You may need to use the STD:ADS not STD:OBD if you are not using OBD2 adaptors.

    Here you can see per cylinder how much energy is going into the engine idle. If any values are greater than 1.5(!) then that cylinder maybe needs new spark plugs or coil packs.


    Alternatively, the list of the usual fixes (some of which you did already), like cleaning the ICV, checking all the spark plugs are tight, checked the air intake hoses for leaks, compared MAF readings to Lambda readings to check for air leaks, oil change, spark plug change, engine mounts, coil packs, reset engine adaptations (engine off) (note this takes ~150 miles to restore normal idle speed).

  3. #3
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    Thanks for your reply

    I may try Inpa if my cable would be compatible? It is carsoft cable which connects directly in car test plug under hood (not obd socket in car).Other end is com socket for computer. I really dont know is it Inpa compatible? Car soft is quite limited when compairing Inpa.

    edit:

    I have new ngk spark plugs and i have tested another set of coil packs.
    Last edited by AnttiO; 03-15-2011 at 04:42 AM.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnttiO View Post
    Thanks for your reply

    I may try Inpa if my cable would be compatible? It is carsoft cable which connects directly in car test plug under hood (not obd socket in car).Other end is com socket for computer. I really dont know is it Inpa compatible? Car soft is quite limited when compairing Inpa.

    edit:

    I have new ngk spark plugs and i have tested another set of coil packs.
    Does carsoft access ABS, ZKE etc (OBD1), or only DME and EGS (some years/countries OBD2)?

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Joylove View Post
    Does carsoft access ABS, ZKE etc (OBD1), or only DME and EGS (some years/countries OBD2)?
    I am not really sure, ABS + DME i am sure works.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnttiO View Post
    I am not really sure, ABS + DME i am sure works.
    According the the schematic, ABS is only connected to OBD1 ports, therefore you have a more desirable OBD1 adaptor (aka ADS) supporting BMW DS2 protocol over a bidirectional serial style interface.

    Hence you would not want to use STD:OBD during your installation of INPA, instead maybe STD:ADS. I have not got that working yet because I don't have an ADS interface. You may need to experiment, please post your results.

    You should be able to access all E36 modules with OBD1 adaptor.

  7. #7
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    no e30
    Idle control valve? Maybe clean it.

    Motor mounts?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slvr328IS View Post
    Idle control valve? Maybe clean it.

    Motor mounts?
    Hi

    I dont believe motor mounts are faulty because in cold it runs smoothly.
    Vibrating starts when warm

  9. #9
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    Get the car warmed up and unplug the MAF. If the idle improves then the MAF is dirty of faulty.

    Its great that you want to do a really decent diagnosis but you're spending a lot of time on how to do it instead of trying a few very common and very quick tests.

  10. #10
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    My car did what sounds like the same exact thing. When it was cold, it ran perfectly. As it warmed up, it ran like crap. Rough idle, stumbling off the line unless floored, sometimes dying completely. I had cleaned the ICV, and replaced a couple of bad plug boots.

    I decided to check the ICV again to see if it had gummed up again, and found the problem. On the ICV hose, where it fits into the ICV, there is a "collar" on it. The hose flares like a trumpet bell, then the "collar" fits up into the ICV. It had torn, probably when I removed it, about halfway around. I replaced the hose, no more problem. Worked like magic.

    Hope this is helpful.

  11. #11
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    Hi and thanks for your comments.
    MAF has been disconnected when car is warm, no any change. Car takes revs and idles just like maf is connected.
    Vacuum leak is sure one possible thing, but unfortunately car is in shed.. and here is still real winter with over 50cm of snow and - degrees so i cannot really do lot of one time when i go in storage. How bad idea is to buy startpilot or something and spray it around intake manifold? That rubber boot between maf and throttle body has been replaced already last summer.
    I also took look under manifold with flaslight and do little testing around little vacuum hoses.. i cant find any obvious vac leak.
    Hold on, i will update this when i found the reason. Worst case scenario which i afraid is compression or valve fault one of cylinders : (

    Alpin, i will check that icv vacuum hose next time i visit in storage.
    Last edited by AnttiO; 03-28-2011 at 05:06 AM.

  12. #12
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    Hi again and time for little update!

    Yesterday i took breather system away, and did closer inspection. I am not expert, but i think breather valve is working correctly and the inside parts are okay.
    Reason why i took breather off is that when i open oil cap of motor there is no vacuum _at all_ and idle does not change. So i believe there is vacuum leak in breather. All pipes are good, no damage. Altough i will order all pipes new but i will install old breather valve.
    Btw. that shaking starts when coolant temp reaches +66c , (livedata).. what happens in +66,. ? Warmup stops or what.. i dont know.
    Last edited by AnttiO; 04-01-2011 at 02:41 AM.

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