ViolinARC
11-08-2019, 06:24 PM
OK...I decided to close the other thread because the original issue was solved. It was def a bad alt in combo with a dead battery. No more crazy dash lights...:alright
Now I'm dealing with a strange new issue...a lumpy idle. Here is what I've done so far:
Finally decided to stop waiting for the software and cable because I'm impatient. :rolleyes We all know there are a few directly related items associated with rough idle and misfires so I decided to start with the coils/plugs. I immediately attacked the right bank at the rear and surprise, surprise, surprise...the damn plug well was FLOODED with oil. I didn't suspect that to be the issue because that side was recently serviced for a burned exhaust valve. The vcg should be leak free but evidently not! :mad Seriously, as soon as I cleaned up that one plug well/coil, she fired up and ran much smoother. Attacked the second from the last and there was quite a bit of oil in there too but not as much. Cleaned that one out and VOILA...smooth as glass!!
BUT WAIT...
CAW< CAW< CAW...crunch, crunch, crunch! Me eating CROW! Just returned from an extended drive and it must've been the choke. After she warmed up, the lumpy idle is back...smooth over 800rpm but at 500-700, lumpy. It's a bit less but it's still lumpy...damn! Thought I had that one stitched up...guess it's back to the drawing board. :confused
NOW...
Response to question: Thanks man but all the coils and boots are BRAND NEW as are the plugs and CCV. After my experience last night, I'm going to attack all the coils and plug wells first because there was a lot of oil in the first two plug wells that I cleaned out. The others look clean but I may as well pull and inspect. I was originally just going to pull one coil at a time to replace with a known working coil but stopped when I found the wells were flooded and just started cleaning up all the liquid. Started her after cleaning the second coil and plug, which is why I posted that all was good but it must've been the higher idle because as soon as she warmed up on my ride, the lumpy idle returned. :help
I spent some time last night checking for vacuum leaks by replacing the exposed, obvious vac lines and cleaning/treating all the seals along the air intake...no change. Disconnected the HFM5/MAF...no change. Inspected the CCV, which was originally pi**ing all over the back of the engine and it is clean and dry (I did a good job :D). Going to spend my "free" time inspecting ALL the coils and plugs but this time, I'm going to follow my original plan and change out ONE coil at a time with the known working one (borrowing from the '00 "parts car"). My BMW code reading software just refuses to work and I'd rather spend the time working on the car! I'm forced to blind troubleshoot but at least, the knowledge I have gained from Bf.c and turning my own wrench, allows me to do this with a good idea of where to start and continue...:buttrock
Hopefully my lunch won't include crow this time...:stickoutt
Response to question: Well, not yet but I never fixed the leaks into the plug wells on the '00 and it never acted like this when the wells were filled with oil. The coils are brand new as are the plugs so I highly doubt some oil could cause this much uncivilized behavior (starting to lean towards a vac leak). The coils I inspected looked perfect and when I swapped each one of the two I cleaned and inspected with the other known working coil, the engine acted the same. I am going to be more diligent today and will go at each coil, HOWEVER, will remember to warm the car up before testing...:rolleyes
MORE INFO:
FRUSTRATING! The cold idle is def better but still slightly lumpy and as soon as she warms up...stumbling idle. Just finished pulling/cleaning/inspecting each coil and plug. Tested each cylinder with a known, functioning Bremi coil and with each start, still lumpy. There was some oil on the right side rear two plug wells and the same (albeit MUCH less) on the left side but not enough to cause an issue fme. :dunno
I also inspected and cleaned the gas cap o-ring but that didn't help either (will probably switch with the '00, which is a new replacement). I am def leaning towards a vac leak somewhere but am on hold for now. If anyone has other possibilities or suggestions, please chime in because before the rogue alt incident, she was running smooth as silk...WTH happened?!?!? :devillook
Now I'm dealing with a strange new issue...a lumpy idle. Here is what I've done so far:
Finally decided to stop waiting for the software and cable because I'm impatient. :rolleyes We all know there are a few directly related items associated with rough idle and misfires so I decided to start with the coils/plugs. I immediately attacked the right bank at the rear and surprise, surprise, surprise...the damn plug well was FLOODED with oil. I didn't suspect that to be the issue because that side was recently serviced for a burned exhaust valve. The vcg should be leak free but evidently not! :mad Seriously, as soon as I cleaned up that one plug well/coil, she fired up and ran much smoother. Attacked the second from the last and there was quite a bit of oil in there too but not as much. Cleaned that one out and VOILA...smooth as glass!!
BUT WAIT...
CAW< CAW< CAW...crunch, crunch, crunch! Me eating CROW! Just returned from an extended drive and it must've been the choke. After she warmed up, the lumpy idle is back...smooth over 800rpm but at 500-700, lumpy. It's a bit less but it's still lumpy...damn! Thought I had that one stitched up...guess it's back to the drawing board. :confused
NOW...
Response to question: Thanks man but all the coils and boots are BRAND NEW as are the plugs and CCV. After my experience last night, I'm going to attack all the coils and plug wells first because there was a lot of oil in the first two plug wells that I cleaned out. The others look clean but I may as well pull and inspect. I was originally just going to pull one coil at a time to replace with a known working coil but stopped when I found the wells were flooded and just started cleaning up all the liquid. Started her after cleaning the second coil and plug, which is why I posted that all was good but it must've been the higher idle because as soon as she warmed up on my ride, the lumpy idle returned. :help
I spent some time last night checking for vacuum leaks by replacing the exposed, obvious vac lines and cleaning/treating all the seals along the air intake...no change. Disconnected the HFM5/MAF...no change. Inspected the CCV, which was originally pi**ing all over the back of the engine and it is clean and dry (I did a good job :D). Going to spend my "free" time inspecting ALL the coils and plugs but this time, I'm going to follow my original plan and change out ONE coil at a time with the known working one (borrowing from the '00 "parts car"). My BMW code reading software just refuses to work and I'd rather spend the time working on the car! I'm forced to blind troubleshoot but at least, the knowledge I have gained from Bf.c and turning my own wrench, allows me to do this with a good idea of where to start and continue...:buttrock
Hopefully my lunch won't include crow this time...:stickoutt
Response to question: Well, not yet but I never fixed the leaks into the plug wells on the '00 and it never acted like this when the wells were filled with oil. The coils are brand new as are the plugs so I highly doubt some oil could cause this much uncivilized behavior (starting to lean towards a vac leak). The coils I inspected looked perfect and when I swapped each one of the two I cleaned and inspected with the other known working coil, the engine acted the same. I am going to be more diligent today and will go at each coil, HOWEVER, will remember to warm the car up before testing...:rolleyes
MORE INFO:
FRUSTRATING! The cold idle is def better but still slightly lumpy and as soon as she warms up...stumbling idle. Just finished pulling/cleaning/inspecting each coil and plug. Tested each cylinder with a known, functioning Bremi coil and with each start, still lumpy. There was some oil on the right side rear two plug wells and the same (albeit MUCH less) on the left side but not enough to cause an issue fme. :dunno
I also inspected and cleaned the gas cap o-ring but that didn't help either (will probably switch with the '00, which is a new replacement). I am def leaning towards a vac leak somewhere but am on hold for now. If anyone has other possibilities or suggestions, please chime in because before the rogue alt incident, she was running smooth as silk...WTH happened?!?!? :devillook