New owner - low idle, car stalls

[kennethm3]

Hello,

I've recently had a few items replaced on my car, ie the valve cover gasket, oil and filter change with Mobil 1 5w-30, spark plugs and rear manifold gaskets. Also I put in Depo headlights. Now though, the car runs but the idle is below 500 rpm, sometimes stalling in the morning (with 30 degreeish temps) and will stall even with the engine warmed up. Any ideas? I've had a compression test ran, all cylinders were in the 180 range except one in the 165 range. Could this be causing my issue?

Thanks in advance.

[kennethm3]

Bump

[kennethm3]

I took it for a spin and the car cut off during a turnaround, as I was entering the turnaround. I saw the battery light cut on, but the battery tested out fine.

[///S50 M3]

I would also like to get an anwser to this, as my old 318I experiences an odd idle when the engine is cold. After the car has warmed up for a couple minutes it is fine, but when i start it after not for a couple days it can just stall out even when in neutral.

[BMWManiac]

Is the idle unstable? Sounds to me like a vacuum leak.

[kennethm3]

The idle was stable, just super low - like 400 rpm at the most, thus my car would barely if at all start. I would have to apply gas until the engine was warm before driving, and sometimes it would still stall. Plus the oil light would flicker with this low idle and the motor would shake off and on while stopped.

Yesterday, my mechanic friend adjusted the idle. Immediately the oil light flicker, stall issue and motor vibrations ceased. However, the idle did not maintain at the adjusted level this morning when I started the car up, it will be around 400 rpms' until it has fully warmed up.

[ParadigmGuy]

Rear manifold gaskets?

[kennethm3]

Rear manifold gaskets?

I actually had those replaced after the compression test. I ordered replacements online, and replaced the rear manifold with a used one. Could you elaborate how this could cause my low idle?

[ParadigmGuy]

I actually had those replaced after the compression test. I ordered replacements online, and replaced the rear manifold with a used one. Could you elaborate how this could cause my low idle?
Maybe I'm just tired, but I don't know what a rear manifold is.
If you are referring to the intake manifold, I would suspect a vacuum leak, likely at the ICV.

[kennethm3]

Maybe I'm just tired, but I don't know what a rear manifold is.
If you are referring to the intake manifold, I would suspect a vacuum leak, likely at the ICV.

Ah, its what I normally refer to as the header. There's a front and rear section on these cars. BTW, cool mod list ;)

[ParadigmGuy]

Ahh, header.
Well, could still be a vacuum leak, I'm just not sure where.

[BMWALDO]

I'll bet on a vacuum leak.

I had my m50 manifold installed and I've had a vacuum leak ever since. Haven't taken the time to take it apart and find it.

I'm lazy... :(

[saint166]

check the coolant temp sensor

[M13]

I'll bet on a vacuum leak.

I had my m50 manifold installed and I've had a vacuum leak ever since. Haven't taken the time to take it apart and find it.

I'm lazy... :(

Hey Waldo, if you do, can I help, watch? I'm thinking of putting a M50 in.. so... yeah.

[NickDanger]

i had this problem once, turned out to be a burnt out HFM. Id say that, or ICV.

[Stephen Max]

i had this problem once, turned out to be a burnt out HFM. Id say that, or ICV.

Hi,

I am very much a noob here. Could you tell me please what an HFM is?

[NickDanger]

Mass Air Flow Meter, the black unit that meters incoming air from your intake/airbox.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/drphilliam/HFM.jpg

[RAT3D M]

i have the same problem how do you know if its the mass sensor ,and how do you know if its the coolent temp sensor

[NickDanger]

get a fault reader and pull those codes! i could be completely wrong about this, but i remember something about the HFM and ICV fault codes fall under the same code. i think i cleaned my ICV valve... didnt fix the problem, swapped HFM's and it solved it. this could just be an isolated issue and could be very far off from your problem. worth looking into though.

[mmark.]

Hello,

I've recently had a few items replaced on my car, ie the valve cover gasket, oil and filter change with Mobil 1 5w-30, spark plugs and rear manifold gaskets. Also I put in Depo headlights. Now though, the car runs but the idle is below 500 rpm, sometimes stalling in the morning (with 30 degreeish temps) and will stall even with the engine warmed up. Any ideas? I've had a compression test ran, all cylinders were in the 180 range except one in the 165 range. Could this be causing my issue?

Thanks in advance.

You have an OBD2 spec car.1997?
It should be throwing codes if it is running that poorly.
Have the codes checked out.
Change the fuel filter out as well.

m