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Thread: Kickdown switch and oil in my sparkplugs! Chaos!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
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    Hickory nc
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    E36 vert, e92

    Kickdown switch and oil in my sparkplugs! Chaos!

    So the 318 has been sitting a few months because of a bad alternator. I just replaced the brushes and put it back in and everything seemed to purring nicely. I had my son drive it about 5 miles and he said it drove fine. I decided to take it to work about 80 miles roundtrip, I noticed it was sloooooow and realized that my kickdown switch wasnt clicking. It seemed to be stuck. Ok thats why it was so slow on takeoff but other than that everything was fine. So while at work I pulled my kickdown switch out, tried to get it working by cleaning it up. I think I might have messed it up because after I put it back in the car seemed to be idling rough, misfiring and just running bad. I tried to make it home but could here what I thought was backfiring or pops coming from under the hood. I figured the kickdown switch was messing with the car and probably fouled my plugs. I figured I would just buy a new switch , clean the plugs and everything would be ok. To my horror when I opened the plug wells, each hole was filled to the brim with oil! No wonder it was misfiring. I dont know if this is new or not. Did I blow my engine? What do I do now? Are the two things unrelated? Help me guys!

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    1997 328i
    You need a new valve cover gasket. Be sure to get new grommets as well. Don't buy a cheap brand, use OEM BMW or Felpro.

    When your done with that you should smoke test it for vacuum leaks. Personally not familiar with the 318 engine but if you have access to vacuum lines when doing the VCG then replace them.
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  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Would the kickdown switch have anything to do with the valve cover gasket blowing? Or do you think its just coincidence that the plugs started misfiring when I pulled the switch out? The plugs were totally submerged in oil.

  4. #4
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    WTF is a kickdown swtich?
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  5. #5
    Join Date
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    E36 vert, e92
    I just pulled all the plugs. The front two are swimming in oil and the back two are bone dry. Im still worried about the kickdown switch but with 2 good plugs thats the reason I was able to limp it home.
    20190603_193732.jpg20190603_193732.jpg

    - - - Updated - - -
    Last edited by Kylescore; 06-03-2019 at 08:18 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
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    In an automatic its the little clicker under your gas pedal. It clicks and tells the tranny to downshift and the revs go up. Like a mini turbo boost. In a 318 4 banger it makes a big difference

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    1993 318is/who to knows
    Tjeres the valve cover gasket, then theres the center gasket rings that always need to be replaced as well.
    Kickdown switch put the tranny into "passing gear" or "low gear" to put the engine into power band when the car needs immediate power for whatever reason the driver decides.
    Nobody would recertify these machines after somebody screwed with them without any visibility into what they did.

    HONK! HONK! Clown car coming through!

    -Oakdizzle

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    03 zhp, 97 e36m3, 04 zhp
    ^ ... and kick down switch has nothing to do with oil in the spark plug wells.
    I'll be pulling my switch next weekend, forgot to yank it after conversation - you can have it if you leave me your address... though I tend to think your problem is tied to excessive oil build up.
    Last edited by Mless5; 06-03-2019 at 10:40 PM.

  9. #9
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    Thanks mless5. I just grabbed a used switch off ebay. Dang new ones were $50!!! I guess it was just coincidence i noticed the switch wasnt working and then the gasket failing

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    The switch I got off ebay was frozen too. Here is what you do. Just spray it with pb blaster and work it back and forth. Works great now. Wish I would have known before I bought a new one

  11. #11
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    $40 at ecstuning.
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