No Acceleration On My 93' 318is Any Ideas Why???? [Archive] - Bimmerforums

str8chillin718

10-16-2005, 11:51 PM

TboneM3

10-17-2005, 12:53 AM

the MAF mass air flow sensor is the device between the intake filter (stock or not) and the trottle body, it has an elbow intake boot after it and a plug on top of it. It monitors the amount of air coming in to tell the computer how to behave accordingly I believe, so it's sorta important...

chris48197

10-17-2005, 07:34 AM

I learned a lot about checking the vane type mass air flow, the hard way. Using an ohm meter, I was checking for the resistance to change across the wiper pin and the gnd pin and I measured an open circuit. I was happy that I found the smoking gun of why my car didn't run correctly and promptly cut the cover off with a hacksaw. After reverse engineering it, I learned it has a small analog cpu board that corrects the vane position output with the temp sensor output and sends the corrected output to the ECU.
Bottom line, leave it in the car, turn the key on so it has power on the first and last pin, and check for a 0 to 5 volt output on one of the center pins as you move the vane back and fourth. Or the easy check is make sure the vane moves easy without binding and has a positive return spring tension on it.

Hope that helps,
Chris

thejaff

10-17-2005, 07:36 AM

So I'm getting no acceleration when I pull off from 0mph...I literally have to floor it to get it moving. I had his problem once before but it lasted only one day. I got a fault code 1215 on my car's computer, something about the "mass air flow"...I have a 1993 318is automatic...If you have any ideas why this problem exists on my baby please inform me.
Not exactly sure, but I think your problem originates from the bold selection.

J/k, :D

str8chillin718

10-17-2005, 09:44 AM

Looking for help here not smart ass comments from dudes with cars that have NO bragging rights.
not j/k

Ahheck01

10-17-2005, 10:21 AM

Looking for help here not smart ass comments from dudes with cars that have NO bragging rights.
not j/k

woah dude, chill out a bit. besides vs. you, he does have bragging rights - I6 vs. I4... he was just joking anyway. Nobody wants to help you if your going to diss on people higher on the food chain. I learned that pretty quick.

Gary328i

10-17-2005, 10:28 AM

So I'm getting no acceleration when I pull off from 0mph...I literally have to floor it to get it moving. I had his problem once before but it lasted only one day. I got a fault code 1215 on my car's computer, something about the "mass air flow"...I have a 1993 318is automatic...If you have any ideas why this problem exists on my baby please inform me.

I'd guess your MAF sensor quit or detached somehow. It's not sending any fuel until you floor it, which tells me it's not seeing any airflow. Check to make sure it's still plugged in and that the wires are intact.

Gary

TC535i

10-17-2005, 10:47 AM

My E36 318is is missing all over the place, and throwing a 1215 code...

I swapped the AFM with a known good unit, and no improvement.

louisianajobe

10-17-2005, 11:09 AM

woah dude, chill out a bit. besides vs. you, he does have bragging rights - I6 vs. I4... he was just joking anyway. Nobody wants to help you if your going to diss on people higher on the food chain. I learned that pretty quick.

werd man. take a chill pill. oh, maybe find another 318 and switch maf then test drive. this way you'll know for sure. if it is the real problem, you might as well get a new maf bc it may just keep giving you problems or fail if you "fix" it.

louisianajobe

10-17-2005, 11:11 AM

My E36 318is is missing all over the place, and throwing a 1215 code...
I swapped the AFM with a known good unit, and no improvement.

yeah, this guy has the right idea.

johnf

10-17-2005, 11:17 AM

woah dude, chill out a bit. besides vs. you, he does have bragging rights - I6 vs. I4... he was just joking anyway. Nobody wants to help you if your going to diss on people higher on the food chain. I learned that pretty quick.I am not sure why str8chillin718 should expect to be insulted in order to get help. Besides, he actually does have some bragging rights. His car is an 'is because of its motorsport developed engine; the other guy's car has an 'is because of a North American marketing department.

Ahheck01

10-17-2005, 11:25 AM

I am not sure why str8chillin718 should expect to be insulted in order to get help. Besides, he actually does have some bragging rights. His car is an 'is because of its motorsport developed engine; the other guy's car has an 'is because of a North American marketing department.
That's kind of a stretch my friend, about the bragging rights.

And an insult is meant maliciously. There's a difference between an insult and poking lighthearted fun.

thejaff

10-17-2005, 01:08 PM

Woah, I'm sorry I caused all this mess. I really didn't mean anything by it. No offense str8chillin718, and I hope you do get your problem solved. These boards can be great for that, you just have to ignore asswads every once in a while.

RedNosePit

10-17-2005, 01:47 PM

Geez break out the Vagasil..It's all in fun.

werd man. take a chill pill. oh, maybe find another 318 and switch maf then test drive. this way you'll know for sure. if it is the real problem, you might as well get a new maf bc it may just keep giving you problems or fail if you "fix" it.

Louisianajobe has the best idea, I am not sure if you know anyone near you that has a 318 but this would help out the best without spending $$$ trying to figure it out.

LinxJinx

10-17-2005, 02:00 PM

I was going to make a post about the 1215 fault code but since you have the same problem i'll just post my experiences here.

I've got a 94 318i (thank goodness for OBD I) and the Mass Air Flow Meter was changed no more then 2 months ago with a brand new unit. It use to be the check engine light might stay on for a second or two, but once I started driving and the car went past 3k rpm, the check engine light would disapear and there would be no more problems.

This problem really didn't present itself until I put in a "dinan" chip into the ecu which i graciously stole from a junkyard pretty much. I was never able to verify its true authenticity but the codes read right on the stickers, so i figured might as well give it a shot for 20 bucks. Since then there has been a noticable increase in acceleration and overall the engine is more willing to travel at higher speeds without struggling.

Recently the check engine light refuses to go away anymore and checking the codes it throws the 1215 code at me. The O2 Sensor was also replaced when the MAF was replaced. (170k miles needs some loving) I'll probably revert back to the stock chip today or tomorrow to see if that clears up the problem, but I'd had to lose the better acceleration.

Personally I think there's something screwy around the mass air flow sensor, that i'll try to take a closer look at later except now I have class. Any thoughts and insights to our problem(s)? Seems to be somewhat common among us 318's. But I still love my I4 anyway. :)

TC535i

10-17-2005, 02:18 PM

I really don't think it's an AFM (these cars don't have MAFs, they have vane AFMs).

It feels like a misfire, I'm going to swap out a set of plug wires tomorrow hopefully and see if that does it. Mine is not so much a "power loss", as a "something's seriously wrong here". Heavy shuddering under acceleration, motor pops and shakes, a definite misfire situation.

Maybe the M42 is prone to throwing an AFM code when it's something else, I don't know. All the mechanics I've talked to say they've never seen an AFM/MAF code be anything else, but like I said, I swapped it, no improvement. The O2 sensor is probably original, but I can swap plug wires for free, so I'm gonna do that before I drop the $$ on an O2 sensor (which I should probably do anyhow, but I'm not gonna do that until I fix this problem or run out of options).

I'll keep you guys updated on the situation once I get that swapped, and if anybody else gets their issue figured out, let us know as well.

LinxJinx, have you changed plugs/wires/coil packs recently? Just trying to narrow down causes.

johnf

10-17-2005, 03:22 PM

That's kind of a stretch my friend, about the bragging rights.The M42 engine was still winning European touring car races into the 1990s because of its favorable specific power (hp/liter). I don't recall much of the M50 motor back then.

And an insult is meant maliciously. There's a difference between an insult and poking lighthearted fun.An insult does not have to be meant maliciously, because someone can make an insult unintentionally. Better still, the receiver of such an insult does not have to be aware he was insulted at the time!

I think the necessary ingredient of poking light-hearted fun is that the recipient is laughing.

Anyway, I hope the guy finds the source of his power loss.

LinxJinx

10-17-2005, 03:59 PM

The ignition coils, and wires were replaced along with the air flow meter and o2 sensors along with the sparkplugs. My mechanic did the wires so I hope he didn't do anything wrong heh. As long as the car gets started for me it idles smooth enough, no real problems with acceleration anymore. Although I find that after the car warms up and say I take a stop at the bank. When I go to start my car again it will stall unless I give it some gas. Only happens when the engines warm though, at cold it'll start every time.

I never have to floor it though to get it going like st8chillin718 does though. That sounds like the air flow meter just isn't working correct anymore.

ridebmw

10-17-2005, 04:44 PM

The M42 engine was still winning European touring car races into the 1990s because of its favorable specific power (hp/liter). I don't recall much of the M50 motor back then.

An insult does not have to be meant maliciously, because someone can make an insult unintentionally. Better still, the receiver of such an insult does not have to be aware he was insulted at the time!

I think the necessary ingredient of poking light-hearted fun is that the recipient is laughing.

Anyway, I hope the guy finds the source of his power loss.
Laughing requires sense of humor not everyone has one thats not someone elses fault. Also dont get so caught up in your own car that you cant respect someone elses. You are more then welcome to be proud of your 318 but actually believing it is superior to a greater motor is going overboard and showing that your not a car guy you just like yours.

TC535i

10-17-2005, 05:07 PM

You are more then welcome to be proud of your 318 but actually believing it is superior to a greater motor

And you're doing the same thing. Why is the other motor "greater" and you believe it's superior? You're making the same claims he is...

Does the other motor have a forged crankshaft? Dual timing chains? Oh wait, it's a BIGGER engine, it must be "superior"!

johnf

10-17-2005, 05:08 PM

Also dont get so caught up in your own car that you cant respect someone elses. You are more then welcome to be proud of your 318 but actually believing it is superior to a greater motor is going overboard and showing that your not a car guy you just like yours.You are making quite a few assumptions about my comments. I did not write that one car was superior to another, or that one motor was greater, or what I think of my car (with an M44 engine), or even if I like it :) -- only that someone with an M42 had bragging rights in at least one area I know of, if he felt like bragging. I assume the OP is the sort who doesn't: he just wants his fixed.

Sorry about the duplicate post.

str8chillin718

10-17-2005, 05:18 PM

ok, well I didn't want to start any trouble in here!!! I know what's his name was "just kidding"...But at the time I was going crazy trying to get some answers and being that it was Sunday I couldn't get hold of any mechanics...So I vented on his post a bit...
We have all been there!!!
However I do have a great sense of humor and I always read these threads and laugh to myself about some of the comments...thanks to everyone that did give me some ideas on what may be my car's problem.
thanks guys!

ridebmw

10-17-2005, 05:36 PM

And you're doing the same thing. Why is the other motor "greater" and you believe it's superior? You're making the same claims he is...
Does the other motor have a forged crankshaft? Dual timing chains? Oh wait, it's a BIGGER engine, it must be "superior"!
dont assume i know nothing about motors to try to drive your point home thank you. So no bigger is not always better and i know this. Also i dont have a 323 nor did i say anything about my 2.8 liter engine so im not making the same claim he is. :rolleyes
Also i think BMW is pretty well known for the inline 6 engine for a reason.

TC535i

10-17-2005, 05:38 PM

dont assume i know nothing about motors to try to drive your point home thank you. So no bigger is not always better and i know this. Also i dont have a 323 nor did i say anything about my 2.8 liter engine so im not making the same claim he is. :rolleyes

You're saying that he can't claim one engine is better than the other, then you're making the same claim. So yes, you are.

ridebmw

10-17-2005, 05:47 PM

Didnt say he couldnt claim an engine wasnt better then another i claimed he shouldnt get caught up in his own car. I will subtract the statement greater engine to make you feel better but i was mostly pointing out the fact he did not have respect for another person car. He says it was just a bad day so im finished here.

Mr.M

10-17-2005, 06:22 PM

Besides, he actually does have some bragging rights. His car is an 'is because of its motorsport developed engine; the other guy's car has an 'is because of a North American marketing department.

:lol 318's are still slow, motorsport development and all :rolleyes

zurcdrawde

10-17-2005, 07:44 PM

Straightchillin is an ass for not taking the joke and is an idiot for insulting a 323 when it is essentially his car but faster.

TC535i

10-17-2005, 08:00 PM

Straightchillin is an ass for not taking the joke and is an idiot for insulting a 323 when it is essentially his car but faster.

Except it's heavier, and I'd rather have an OBD-I 325 than a 323, the OBD-II is less power, feels slower, and responds more poorly to mods... Far more potential with a M42. Especially tracking the car, but I guess all some people to do is press the gas pedal really hard (in which case I don't think a 323 is the best car, or most BMW's for that matter).

TC535i

10-18-2005, 08:19 PM

SOLVED MY CODE 1215 ISSUE!

No guarantees this will fix your car, but mine was missing heavily, and the only code the stomp test brought up was a 1215 (AFM faulty). Swapped on a known good AFM, no improvement. Swapped on known good spark plug wires, and it runs GREAT.

So, bad plug wires can cause a code 1215. Strange.

AlaskaBimmer

10-18-2005, 09:57 PM

a bad, stuck, or dirty idle control valve can also throw a 1215 code. and it also causes a warm engine to stall unless you stomp on the gas a few times to unstick the valve.

you might want to take out the icv and give it a good cleaning and see if it helps.

my icv got to the point where cleaning it didnn't work anymore and it would die if I started it warm or suddenly let of the gas and dropped the revs fast by pushing in the clutch like when pulling up to a stop light or parking place. I just got a new one and no more problems.

it also threw a 1215 code after it died under those circumstances.