E36 318is cutting out
E36 318is cutting out
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Original Poster:

2,076 posts

264 months

Monday 22nd November 2010
quotequote all
Can anyone suggest a checklist I should be looking at to find out why my car is cutting out?

Symptoms:

Loss of power whilst cruisng on motorway even though accelerator was engaged. Intermittent and ran fine most of the 300 mile trip.

Cold start last night saw the engine cut out twice before staying on. Smelt very rich.

Cold start this afternoon, 1/4 mile travelled and engnine cut out again.

I'm not too sure where to start and how to check certain things!

Could it be the TPS, Lambda sensor, AFR?????

528Sport

1,470 posts

264 months

Monday 22nd November 2010
quotequote all
does it always restart without issues?
Older E30's and E36's had what was called a DME relay or sometimes called a main relay. I have one casue cutting out on my old e30 and my dads e36 316. When mine was failing it would sometimes not start, cut out or whilst driving it felt like I turned the ignition off then on again very quickly.

Could also be a crank position sensor.
The DME relay is white and will be in the engine bay somewhere.


Gravy

Original Poster:

2,076 posts

264 months

Monday 22nd November 2010
quotequote all
It does restart without issue and continues on its merry way for quite sometime before having a hissyfit again!

It sounds very similar to what you describe so I will have a butchers at that, thanks!

MitchT

17,157 posts

239 months

Monday 22nd November 2010
quotequote all
I had cutting-out issues with mine on three occasions...

1: Would cut-out while idling = Clogged idle control valve.

2: Cut-out while rolling too a stop in traffic. Would re-start and responded to throttle when in neutral, but cut-out again as soon as it was put into gear and an attempt to was made move away = Faulty camshaft sensor.

3: Symptoms as 2, but cleared-up itself after sitting for ten minutes idling. It was very cold and damp that morning so maybe moisture was the issue.