Re: Sputtering '92 325i

[Hans Conser <conser@xxxxxxx>]

Sputtering problems can be very difficult to diagnose.  I had a very 
similar problem with my car, and after replacing many things the thing 
that actually fixed was replacing all the coils.  Your (our) car has a 
coil for each cylinder, and they are a very common failure mode 
especially on the earlier E36 models.  Important:  They will be bad 
even though they don't "test" bad.  All of mine passed the resistance 
test listed in the Bentley manual, yet replacing them made the 
sputtering go away.

A good place to start is checking the on board computer for a code, 
your bentley will help you there.

If you don't have any code the coils are as good start, they are very 
easy to replace and you can save yourself the labor charges.  They will 
fail sooner or later, so it really is preventive maintainence . E36's 
do not have ignition wires.  If you haven't done the plugs recently you 
may want to do them at the same time as long as you are in there.  For 
me the hardest part of this job was getting the plastic cover off the 
engine without breaking it.  (I broke it).



Other potential sputtering sources:  Oxygen sensor, oxygen sensor 
connector (mine was contaminated with oil from the rear transmission 
seal leaking), and the throttle posiiton sensor.

Good luck,

Hans Conser




On Friday, August 22, 2003, at 12:07  PM, bmw-digest wrote:


> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 14:08:39 -0400
> From: "Douglas M. Max" <DMax@domain.elided>
> Subject: Sputtering '92 325i
>
> Hope you can help me save some money and get my car going well again.
>
> A '92 325i with 115K.  Starting off after it's been sitting, it does
> great for quite a while.  Sometime after it warms up, I'll get
> sputtering whenever it's below around 3,000rpms.
> At slow speeds, it makes a backfire like noise, but don't know enough 
> to
> know if it's a real backfire or not.
>
> The exhaust has been getting throatier, and someone told me that a pin
> hole might be causing this...though I had the beginnings of the 
> symptoms
> when I passed inspection a year ago, so makes me think not that, or not
> just that.
>
> Coils have been suggested.  Can a handy DIYer replace coils? I've got
> the Bentley, but thought I'd ask.  I've been suggested that it might be
> the wires going to the coils (but someone said my car doesn't have
> ignition wires).
>
> Lots of advice, but nothing authoritative.  I also thought maybe fuel
> pump (gotta go sooner or later).
>
> Me, I really don't want to just have some mech replace everything 
> hoping
> he/she gets it right.
>
> Final question:  will a dealer run a diagnostic on it, knowing that I'd
> take it elsewhere to get fixed--can I ask them to do this for a fee and
> would it likely uncover the particulars of this problem?
>
> Thanks a bunch whatever you can suggest.
>
> Doug in NJ
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