need help diagnosing

[biggie1784]

hey i know there are alot of very smart bimmer guys on this forum and i feel more confident w/ your answers than my local dealer so here it goes.... under acceleration my mpg gauge fluctuates and i notice a lack then a surge of power then lack then surge etc. and it does this quite regularly not extremly noticeable but i can tell nontheless i have also been getting bad gas mileage since ive noticed the prob also there is a burning smell kinda smells like plastic burning after i drive for a while or get on her, check engine light is always on and it says to check coolant although there is alwayz enough but it is slowly goin sumwhere, oil looks fine and so does the coolant any ideas i know u guys r the best of the best so im pretty sure u guys have heard of something similar i hope thnx alot,
Craig

[buttuh]

what year and model is your car Craig?

Do a search for blown head gasket and see if you're having the same symptoms. I think it might be worse than that unfortunately.

[PeteK]

It could also be something as simple as the O2 sensor or the cam timing sensor going bad... Neither are expensive to replace.

The O2 is a DIY.

[joey328is]

I had similar performance and mileage problems recently with a check engine light and it ended up being the cam sensor. replaced that and it was perfect.

I also had a failed oxy sensor a while ago but never noticed any performance issues with that problem.

[biggie1784]

weirdest thing got in my car this moring and for the first time in a very long time the check engine light waz off???? weird didn't notice nething drove like it waz new then on the way home the light was still off but i noticed the hesitation again as soon as it hits about 3k then i notice what seems to be a lack of power and it still smells like melting plastic or rubber after i get on it a little
btw my car is a 95 325is hey thnx alot for your suggestions i apprecitate it greatly,
Craig

[biggie1784]

hey everyone well my check engine light is still off but the hesitaion is gettin longer and more noticeable so if you have anymore ideas please let me know thnx alot

[djkiko]

You have a obd1 computer, so your car is capapble of doing the stomp test. This is a way to diagnose you car by using the check engine light. Some body on this forum knows the website for instructions on how to do the stomp test including all of the code #'s but I forgot it. Is all you do is turn the key to the last position before ignition and quickly stomp the gas pedal 5 times, you will see the check engine light blink in the order that the code # is. Hope somebody can help you because I wouldn't be driving that car right now especially if your pushing it hard, doesn't sound too good at all.

[biggie1784]

yea i know im trying to be easy on her but i still gotta get around i hope its just some stupid cheap thing to fix but i fear for the worse and hope to soon find out what it is also i found the stomp test and codes thanks for you help.

[djkiko]

no problem.

[biggie1784]

has anyone else ever suffered from this prob if so i would love to know the outcome thnx alot

[biggie1784]

hey i did the stomp test and it is the ego# 1 sensor can any one give me some insight onto how hard and how expensive it might be thanx alot

[djkiko]

Not sure what the ego sensor is but if you don't have much money then I would recomend calling a salvage yard (http://www.stocktonauto.com/ these guys will ship all over) and picking up the part for cheap(knowing that it is a sensor it will probably run you under $75) and bring it into a shop for what should be a plug and play installation(you could probably do on your own if you have the right socket). Don't worry too much!

[bimmer95]

EGO = Exhaust Gas Oxygen = o2 sensor. Check the "specials" section at www.bimmerparts.com for a good price.