**CEL** Rough Idle, No power

**Farmer** · 08-23-2003, 09:30 PM

Well..a few days ago I was reading around some posts and decided to take the baffle out of my air box. I did and all was well..the next day I started my car and it sputtered and then quit..I re-started the car and the check engine light came on. I proceeded to drive home with a drastic loss of power and an unsmooth idle. I put the baffle back into the airbox and re-started the car and the CEL went off. Whew!..I did this all yesterday..now today I was driving to work and stopped to get something to eat and when I got back into my car I re-started it and the CEL came on again..it is running rough like it was before as well. I have hardly any power from the car..It feels like I need to be at 3000RPM in order for first to engage without killing it...I have no idea what it could be and don't have access to a code reader. I have had the O2 sensors replaced...I was reading somewhere about the Idle Control Valve..could that be it?? It seems kind of odd after I was fumbling around with the air box and pulling it out and re-attaching the huge rubber hose that goes into the throttle body(?) that this is all happening..ANY help is appreciated..this baby is my daily driver and I need her back!

Thanks

Peace

Farmer

**Farmer** · 08-23-2003, 10:30 PM

Bump..I need help BAD

**butterm3** · 08-23-2003, 10:42 PM

sounds like your crank position sensor...

**Farmer** · 08-23-2003, 10:48 PM

Thanks..I am searching old posts about that now..I need to get a code read out on it..how hard are those sensors to replace?? are they spendy??

Peace

Farmer

**subpilot** · 08-23-2003, 10:49 PM

Sorry I can't help with your problem other than to suggest checking all the hoses and connectors which I'm sure you've done. Without a code it's hard to say.
I assume you're OBDII. You really should get a code reader. Check out www.obd-2.com. It's cheap and well worth the $

**Farmer** · 08-23-2003, 10:53 PM

Yes..1997 M3..I am going to purchase a code reader today..it won't arrive till mid-week..I feel like I'm in the dark with not really knowing what is going on. It just seems odd that this all happened after I was messin with the airbox...Hmmm

Peace

Farmer

Thanks again for the input fellas

**Kevlar** · 08-23-2003, 10:59 PM

maybe some wires are loose in relation to the HFM? maybe a possible hose leak after the HFM causing a miscalcuation of incoming air?

**Farmer** · 08-23-2003, 11:23 PM

I'm checking all that stuff as we speak...I am gonna take off my airbox and HFM and put it all back together so I can check everything...and we'll see what happens. If that was the problem would/could the CEL fix itself??

PEace

Farmer

**monterey** · 08-24-2003, 12:07 AM

Sounds like a misfire of some sort. Don't drive the car in that condition. When It occurs, turn the car off immediately and try restarting.

**subpilot** · 08-24-2003, 12:42 AM

The MIL probably will not go off without a reset but the car should run OK with it on after you do a few stop and restart cycles without the problem re-appearing. Depends on what the problem is/was. Try starting and turning off the car without getting on the gas very much and see if it runs smoother. You may have to do it 3 or 4 times.

**Farmer** · 08-24-2003, 01:18 AM

First off I cannot stress enough how much I appreciate the feedback and this board in general. I was talking with my pops after we were looking over things and something came up and my pops said something about the bentley manual and I was like "don't worry I'll be right back"..came on here and searched a second and found my answer..like those damn credit card commericals.."Bimmerforums.com...Priceless" ok enough ass kissin

I took the HFM off and checked everything (hoses, connections..etc) everything was in-tact..took out a spark plug to check the end..all good..put everything back on and the car starts up a lot better than before. No more rough-idle..everything is pretty much as it was before the CEL. The only problem is the power..I will come out of first and it feels as if its bogging through all the gears..It's like my car turned into a civic dx! So I am guessing some sensor somewhere is throwing it off a bit. I am going to Baxter autoparts on Monday..they told me they can check the engine code for free..so we'll see..again thanks for the info everyone!

Peace

Farmer

**butterm3** · 08-24-2003, 04:22 PM

I can bet money it is the crankshaft position sensor, I had the same problem, it was a recall on many late 97- 98 cars...

Juan

**Farmer** · 08-24-2003, 10:05 PM

Well I picked up a code reader today and it pulled "Camshaft position sensor circuit malfunction"..so what is the deal now?? It isn't the crankshaft one..help me grin

Peace

Farmer

**Farmer** · 08-24-2003, 10:48 PM

I checked on bimmerparts and found the sensor for 81 bucks..not too bad but still sucks. Now, I have heard that the sensor is next to the oil filter housing..is it the "plug" looking thing going into the block??..if not can someone give me a pic or a description of where and what it is..also will I be able to do this myself. I feel I can do anything with the proper tools (that might have sounded weird) rofl..anyhow thanks in advance..

Peace

Farmer

**Farmer** · 08-25-2003, 01:13 PM

bump

**butterm3** · 08-25-2003, 08:15 PM

Farmer it is the crank sensor, if you continue to pull codes you will get O2 sensors and throttle sensor...

I know that it was a recall on 97-98 e36 so maybe you can have the dealer replace it for free....

Juan

**Farmer** · 08-26-2003, 01:29 AM

For real?? Even though I pulled a Camshaft sensor code it is the crankshaft sensor?? Also, how come I will start pulling O2 sensor and throttle sensors if I was to connect the code reader again?? Im way confused.

Peace

Farmer

**butterm3** · 08-26-2003, 07:43 PM

because since the crank is off on the car (if sorta if you had a distributor cap that was not adjusted properly)it will run lean then rich then repeat again so the computer starts to bug out and thinks the O2 sensor is sending wrong info same with the cam since the timing is off...

that is how BMW explained it to me....

I kept going back for the same problem, I changed the O2 sensors a day later my car started bugging out again, I changed the cam sensor...nada there were about to swap my ecu out when they finally figured out it was the crank, btw my car was out of warranty and I had been paying out of my pocket after all was said and done I got refunded for everything since it was a recall....

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