E36 M3 ICV - opinions requested...

[ARCHER]

I have been noticing an sporadic dip in RPM's when I chop the throttle (traffic lights, etc.) It has only stalled on me once, during a hard throttle chop - brake - right turn. It happens at any temperature, but is more likely to happen in hot weather - A/C has no bearing whatsoever. RPM'S dip and return to normal within a split-second - otherwise, the car runs like a champ.

After much research, I have decided that it is the idle control valve - probably gunked up. My question is... should I just pony up and install a new one or try cleaning it first? Either way, I have to pull it off and re-install. I am inclined to just buy a new one.

Thoughts?

[zach]

I have been noticing an sporadic dip in RPM's when I chop the throttle (traffic lights, etc.) It has only stalled on me once, during a hard throttle chop - brake - right turn. It happens at any temperature, but is more likely to happen in hot weather - A/C has no bearing whatsoever. RPM'S dip and return to normal within a split-second - otherwise, the car runs like a champ.

After much research, I have decided that it is the idle control valve - probably gunked up. My question is... should I just pony up and install a new one or try cleaning it first? Either way, I have to pull it off and re-install. I am inclined to just buy a new one.

Thoughts?

Ugh. My first inclination is to just buy a new one.

In other, non-related news, I think my cam sensor is dying. I went into limp mode the other day. Boy, did that suck.

[ARCHER]

I have been noticing an sporadic dip in RPM's when I chop the throttle (traffic lights, etc.) It has only stalled on me once, during a hard throttle chop - brake - right turn. It happens at any temperature, but is more likely to happen in hot weather - A/C has no bearing whatsoever. RPM'S dip and return to normal within a split-second - otherwise, the car runs like a champ.

After much research, I have decided that it is the idle control valve - probably gunked up. My question is... should I just pony up and install a new one or try cleaning it first? Either way, I have to pull it off and re-install. I am inclined to just buy a new one.

Thoughts?

Ugh. My first inclination is to just buy a new one.

In other, non-related news, I think my cam sensor is dying. I went into limp mode the other day. Boy, did that suck.

This is the time when our cars start needing things. I've come to grips with it and am prepared to take care of the nagging wear items. I like the car far too much to bail on it now. Once I work through this shit, she should be good for another 40-50k - and long gone by then.

The dread cam sensor! What will that set you back?

[zach]

I have been noticing an sporadic dip in RPM's when I chop the throttle (traffic lights, etc.) It has only stalled on me once, during a hard throttle chop - brake - right turn. It happens at any temperature, but is more likely to happen in hot weather - A/C has no bearing whatsoever. RPM'S dip and return to normal within a split-second - otherwise, the car runs like a champ.

After much research, I have decided that it is the idle control valve - probably gunked up. My question is... should I just pony up and install a new one or try cleaning it first? Either way, I have to pull it off and re-install. I am inclined to just buy a new one.

Thoughts?

Ugh. My first inclination is to just buy a new one.

In other, non-related news, I think my cam sensor is dying. I went into limp mode the other day. Boy, did that suck.

This is the time when our cars start needing things. I've come to grips with it and am prepared to take care of the nagging wear items. I like the car far too much to bail on it now. Once I work through this shit, she should be good for another 40-50k - and long gone by then.

The dread cam sensor! What will that set you back?

Yeah, it's starting to get expensive. I have the precursor to vanos noise as well - kind of a vibration as from the front of the engine as I decelerate or let the revs go down. According to a reliable source, the cam sensor should be about $200 installed. We'll see.

I ordered front konis yesterday, and I look forward to installing those.

Also, my rtabs are completely shot.

I'm really hoping that the vanos unit doesn't need to be replaced. That's damn expensive.

[ARCHER]

How many miles on your car?

[zach]

How many miles on your car?

82k :shock:

[ARCHER]

I just turned 67k. It's a love/hate relationship - mostly love though.

[zach]

I just turned 67k. It's a love/hate relationship - mostly love though.

Yes. Some days, I get out of my car and immediately begin looking for reliable replacements. Other days, I get out and swear I'll keep it forever. Assuming I make the career decision I'm leaning towards, It'll be with us for several more years.

[ARCHER]

I know the feeling well. Then, when I see anothr one on the road, I can't help but think... "Damn, that is sweet car." There is a kid who works near me with a sedan that looks very much like yours (M Contours, though). They have such a presence on the road, I just can't help taking pride in my own car when I see another.

Yeah, I'll keep mine for a while. I'm hoping the M2 makes it here - we'll see...

[zach]

I know the feeling well. Then, when I see anothr one on the road, I can't help but think... "Damn, that is sweet car." There is a kid who works near me with a sedan that looks very much like yours (M Contours, though). They have such a presence on the road, I just can't help taking pride in my own car when I see another.

Yeah, I'll keep mine for a while. I'm hoping the M2 makes it here - we'll see...

Yes, sedan drivers have a special bond. There were so few of them produced with manual transmissions that when I see one, I can't help but smile.

I'm hoping the cam sensor helps the engine out. If the sensor truly is broken, the car is likely only delivering 80% of its power right now. I need to have the codes read and decide what to do.

[TD]

Fortunately my cam sensor went while I was still solidly under warranty.

And that's the thing. My car has only 60K miles on it and I have essentially already replaced damn near everything that's going to fail. It really makes me think I ought to keep it for a couple more years.

I've got a new tranny, clutch, flywheel, shocks, control arm bushings, rear ball joints, and RSMs. Plus I got the ECU flash (to address the stall/stutter issue), had the brake light circuit replaced and had the ignition cylinder replaced.

I also upgraded the headlights, tranny mounts, and steering wheel. And I added the x-brace, built-in radar detector and XM radio.

And when I get back in it after having commuted in the Saab for a couple of days (itself far from being a bad car), I am always struck by how good the M3 feels.

Yup. I think I'm stuck.

[ARCHER]

Fortunately my cam sensor went while I was still solidly under warranty.

And that's the thing. My car has only 60K miles on it and I have essentially already replaced damn near everything that's going to fail. It really makes me think I ought to keep it for a couple more years.

I've got a new tranny, clutch, flywheel, shocks, control arm bushings, rear ball joints, and RSMs. Plus I got the ECU flash (to address the stall/stutter issue), had the brake light circuit replaced and had the ignition cylinder replaced.

I also upgraded the headlights, tranny mounts, and steering wheel. And I added the x-brace, built-in radar detector and XM radio.

And when I get back in it after having commuted in the Saab for a couple of days (itself far from being a bad car), I am always struck by how good the M3 feels.

Yup. I think I'm stuck.

Geez, you're good to go. I would have a hard time letting my car too if I'd put that much into it.

[JST]

Fortunately my cam sensor went while I was still solidly under warranty.

And that's the thing. My car has only 60K miles on it and I have essentially already replaced damn near everything that's going to fail. It really makes me think I ought to keep it for a couple more years.

I've got a new tranny, clutch, flywheel, shocks, control arm bushings, rear ball joints, and RSMs. Plus I got the ECU flash (to address the stall/stutter issue), had the brake light circuit replaced and had the ignition cylinder replaced.

I also upgraded the headlights, tranny mounts, and steering wheel. And I added the x-brace, built-in radar detector and XM radio.

And when I get back in it after having commuted in the Saab for a couple of days (itself far from being a bad car), I am always struck by how good the M3 feels.

Yup. I think I'm stuck.

You've still got the RTABs to do at some point in the future. And the radiator. And the transmission, once you start to develop the no-5th-gear-detent issue. And your VANOS could pack it in, too.

[ARCHER]

Fortunately my cam sensor went while I was still solidly under warranty.

And that's the thing. My car has only 60K miles on it and I have essentially already replaced damn near everything that's going to fail. It really makes me think I ought to keep it for a couple more years.

I've got a new tranny, clutch, flywheel, shocks, control arm bushings, rear ball joints, and RSMs. Plus I got the ECU flash (to address the stall/stutter issue), had the brake light circuit replaced and had the ignition cylinder replaced.

I also upgraded the headlights, tranny mounts, and steering wheel. And I added the x-brace, built-in radar detector and XM radio.

And when I get back in it after having commuted in the Saab for a couple of days (itself far from being a bad car), I am always struck by how good the M3 feels.

Yup. I think I'm stuck.

You've still got the RTABs to do at some point in the future. And the radiator. And the transmission, once you start to develop the no-5th-gear-detent issue. And your VANOS could pack it in, too.

I've got the 5th-gear detent issue. It rears its ugly head in cold weather only. I plan to try the Roundel fix before the end of summer.

[TD]

Fortunately my cam sensor went while I was still solidly under warranty.

And that's the thing. My car has only 60K miles on it and I have essentially already replaced damn near everything that's going to fail. It really makes me think I ought to keep it for a couple more years.

I've got a new tranny, clutch, flywheel, shocks, control arm bushings, rear ball joints, and RSMs. Plus I got the ECU flash (to address the stall/stutter issue), had the brake light circuit replaced and had the ignition cylinder replaced.

I also upgraded the headlights, tranny mounts, and steering wheel. And I added the x-brace, built-in radar detector and XM radio.

And when I get back in it after having commuted in the Saab for a couple of days (itself far from being a bad car), I am always struck by how good the M3 feels.

Yup. I think I'm stuck.

You've still got the RTABs to do at some point in the future. And the radiator. And the transmission, once you start to develop the no-5th-gear-detent issue. And your VANOS could pack it in, too.

I already got a new tranny. No 5th gear problem for me.

But I do know the radiator and RTABs are hanging out there.

I'd do the radiator myself.

Oh, and I need to fix the little lock on my fuel door. It does not retract without a sharp object pushing it back in.

[JST]

Fortunately my cam sensor went while I was still solidly under warranty.

And that's the thing. My car has only 60K miles on it and I have essentially already replaced damn near everything that's going to fail. It really makes me think I ought to keep it for a couple more years.

I've got a new tranny, clutch, flywheel, shocks, control arm bushings, rear ball joints, and RSMs. Plus I got the ECU flash (to address the stall/stutter issue), had the brake light circuit replaced and had the ignition cylinder replaced.

I also upgraded the headlights, tranny mounts, and steering wheel. And I added the x-brace, built-in radar detector and XM radio.

And when I get back in it after having commuted in the Saab for a couple of days (itself far from being a bad car), I am always struck by how good the M3 feels.

Yup. I think I'm stuck.

You've still got the RTABs to do at some point in the future. And the radiator. And the transmission, once you start to develop the no-5th-gear-detent issue. And your VANOS could pack it in, too.

I already got a new tranny. No 5th gear problem for me.

But I do know the radiator and RTABs are hanging out there.

I'd do the radiator myself.

Oh, and I need to fix the little lock on my fuel door. It does not retract without a sharp object pushing it back in.

Ah, right. Forgot about that.

[TD]

In the grand scheme of things, only having the radiator and RTABs on the still-to-fail list is pretty minor. Total potential outlay compared to, say, replacing the tranny is quite small.

[Plaz]

when I get back in it after having commuted in the Saab for a couple of days (itself far from being a bad car), I am always struck by how good the M3 feels.

:thumbup:

[scottn2retro]

I'd do the radiator myself.


When we lost the one on the race car at Fontana, we put in one from an S54 M Roadster. Fits in place, but has one more row. But I hear the aftermarket ones are built better. The first new one we tried had a leak on the side seam.

[Rob]

Archer, we just had the mass air flow sensor replaced on the Volvo - it went out hard (car was not driveable), but the fix has made a significant difference in idle speed and engine response to throttle drops. It actually idles a bit rougher, but the idle speed is dead even now instead of bouncing around. Makes me wonder . . .

Zach, I also just had the cam sensor replaced in the M. It removed a lot of chatter from the engine and made it a lot smoother. The change is significant. I knew that other Ms I have driven didn't make the same sound, but I didn't realize it was "wrong." Your vanos sound might be taken care of by the sensor.

On the down side, now I hear valve knocking at start up. It's about time for an oil change, so I am hoping that Mobil 1 0-40 will cover that better than the BMW synthetic.

Not that this is news to any of you, but - drive another car for a few weeks and go back to your M. You won't ever sell it. On the other hand, going to the MINI from the M makes the M feel bloated with a slow turn in and response time. I still love the car every time I get in it though.

[lip277]

Not that this is news to any of you, but - drive another car for a few weeks and go back to your M. You won't ever sell it. On the other hand, going to the MINI from the M makes the M feel bloated with a slow turn in and response time. I still love the car every time I get in it though.

Not that this really is the same.....
But every time I drive the 2002, I realize how good that car is at just making me smile when I'm out on the road. Sure... Nearly any new car is 'better' if you look at the numbers, but I have yet to EVER drive a car that gives you that much 'fun' behind the wheel. I'm not talking about screaming around every corner like my hair is on fire or slamming on the breaks to get the shortest stopping distance or whatever. Just the perfect feeling of being connected to the machine and feeling totally in touch with what is going on.
(heck - Even a Kia or Hyundai these days outperform the 2002 if you look at the specs, but..... you get the idea)

[zach]

Archer, we just had the mass air flow sensor replaced on the Volvo - it went out hard (car was not driveable), but the fix has made a significant difference in idle speed and engine response to throttle drops. It actually idles a bit rougher, but the idle speed is dead even now instead of bouncing around. Makes me wonder . . .

Zach, I also just had the cam sensor replaced in the M. It removed a lot of chatter from the engine and made it a lot smoother. The change is significant. I knew that other Ms I have driven didn't make the same sound, but I didn't realize it was "wrong." Your vanos sound might be taken care of by the sensor.

On the down side, now I hear valve knocking at start up. It's about time for an oil change, so I am hoping that Mobil 1 0-40 will cover that better than the BMW synthetic.

Not that this is news to any of you, but - drive another car for a few weeks and go back to your M. You won't ever sell it. On the other hand, going to the MINI from the M makes the M feel bloated with a slow turn in and response time. I still love the car every time I get in it though.

I hope that's it. Then again, I don't even know if the limp mode was caused by the sensor or not. I need to get the codes read.

[Rob]

I hope that's it. Then again, I don't even know if the limp mode was caused by the sensor or not. I need to get the codes read.

Well, you are a little far to borrow my diagnostic tool . . . you really ought to get one. It's a good investment and you seem to do a lot of stuff yourself.

[blee]

Not that this really is the same.....
But every time I drive the 2002, I realize how good that car is at just making me smile when I'm out on the road. Sure... Nearly any new car is 'better' if you look at the numbers, but I have yet to EVER drive a car that gives you that much 'fun' behind the wheel. I'm not talking about screaming around every corner like my hair is on fire or slamming on the breaks to get the shortest stopping distance or whatever. Just the perfect feeling of being connected to the machine and feeling totally in touch with what is going on.
(heck - Even a Kia or Hyundai these days outperform the 2002 if you look at the specs, but..... you get the idea)

I drove a buddy's 2002 once, and I concur. That car was so much fun to drive, even though it really doesn't start, move, turn, or stop any better than most of the econoboxes that are out there today. There was just something magical about the way all of its parts came together with me at the helm.

Of course, my passenger (the car's owner) had a bit of a tense moment as I learned that the car has non-power-assist brakes. We almost didn't make it out of the garage. :D

[ARCHER]

I hope that's it. Then again, I don't even know if the limp mode was caused by the sensor or not. I need to get the codes read.

Well, you are a little far to borrow my diagnostic tool . . . you really ought to get one. It's a good investment and you seem to do a lot of stuff yourself.

What tool do you have and does it read all OBDII codes?

[TD]

http://www.euroautosolutions.com/index.php?cPath=78_79&osCsid=8f158a7000575e4264566f555d887cbf

[Rob]

Yeah, the link TD showed is the tool I was talking about. It reads the OBDII codes and resets stuff like the service indicators. Sometimes it lets you know what a problem is so you can fix it. Sometimes it lets you know what your mechanic is going to fix when you bring it to him. It will also reset the SES light ifyou manage to repair the problem yourself.

[zach]

Yeah, the link TD showed is the tool I was talking about. It reads the OBDII codes and resets stuff like the service indicators. Sometimes it lets you know what a problem is so you can fix it. Sometimes it lets you know what your mechanic is going to fix when you bring it to him. It will also reset the SES light ifyou manage to repair the problem yourself.

I haven't gotten the check engine light. However, there was certainly something wrong with it last week. I hope there is some code out there.

[TD]

Yeah, the link TD showed is the tool I was talking about. It reads the OBDII codes and resets stuff like the service indicators. Sometimes it lets you know what a problem is so you can fix it. Sometimes it lets you know what your mechanic is going to fix when you bring it to him. It will also reset the SES light ifyou manage to repair the problem yourself.

I haven't gotten the check engine light. However, there was certainly something wrong with it last week. I hope there is some code out there.I have nothing to gain by posting this plug, but it's only right-

If you get one, make sure to buy it from Doug.

[Rob]

The light doesn't always come on. I had a fuel injector code hanging around for awhile with no light. Hopefully, you can borrow a code reader and find at least the beginnings of the problem.

Fwiw, the mass air flow sensor on the Volvo was never right - the rpms at idle were never constant until yesterday, but it didn't generate a light until it completely failed at 15k. In hindsight, the cam sensor in the M was also never right since I got the car, but it didn't generate a code or turn on a light until it failed hard and stopped working altogether.

But you said you went into limp mode. I suspect you have a code to support that. I am surprised you didn't get an SES light to go with it.

[ARCHER]

If you get one, make sure to buy it from Doug.

Absolutely.

It appears the Peake reads only BMW fault codes, which is fine. I have seen similar tools that claim to read all OBDII codes. Sounds like a great tool, but I suspect it would be a jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing.

It would be nice if I could find a tool that would accurately read BMW and Rover codes.

[TD]

If you get one, make sure to buy it from Doug.

Absolutely.

It appears the Peake reads only BMW fault codes, which is fine. I have seen similar tools that claim to read all OBDII codes. Sounds like a great tool, but I suspect it would be a jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing.

It would be nice if I could find a tool that would accurately read BMW and Rover codes.I wouldn't be surprised if a BMW code reader read Rover.


(Red rover, red rover, send Timmy on over...)

[ARCHER]

If you get one, make sure to buy it from Doug.

Absolutely.

It appears the Peake reads only BMW fault codes, which is fine. I have seen similar tools that claim to read all OBDII codes. Sounds like a great tool, but I suspect it would be a jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing.

It would be nice if I could find a tool that would accurately read BMW and Rover codes.I wouldn't be surprised if a BMW code reader read Rover.


(Red rover, red rover, send Timmy on over...)

Har, har... har-dee-har, har...

Clever boy...

[zach]

Yeah, the link TD showed is the tool I was talking about. It reads the OBDII codes and resets stuff like the service indicators. Sometimes it lets you know what a problem is so you can fix it. Sometimes it lets you know what your mechanic is going to fix when you bring it to him. It will also reset the SES light ifyou manage to repair the problem yourself.

I haven't gotten the check engine light. However, there was certainly something wrong with it last week. I hope there is some code out there.I have nothing to gain by posting this plug, but it's only right-

If you get one, make sure to buy it from Doug.

Yeah, of course. I think I'll buy one. The good thing about my car is that it's sure to break a few times so I will get my money's worth out of the tool.

[Rob]

If you get one, make sure to buy it from Doug.

Absolutely.

It appears the Peake reads only BMW fault codes, which is fine. I have seen similar tools that claim to read all OBDII codes. Sounds like a great tool, but I suspect it would be a jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing.

It would be nice if I could find a tool that would accurately read BMW and Rover codes.I wouldn't be surprised if a BMW code reader read Rover.


(Red rover, red rover, send Timmy on over...)


Maybe - if it fit. Or if they made an adapter. I don't know - the BMW reader and the MINI reader are suppposedly not interchangeable. If those two don't mix . . .