Big Trouble?!?

[pcmcmeans]

Hi. I'm new to this board and I have a really long question I'm hoping someone can help me with. I have a 1995 318i automatic 4 dr sedan. A couple of months ago some radiator belt broke and the garage guy said I ran it hot - $2500 for new radiator, head and gaskets and whatever else they did. Now, its "coughing". At first this only happened when I would go 75 to 80 mph. Now its all the time and starts at about 60 mph on the highway. In town, there's no problem. I'll start off OK and then it starts -- sounds like it wants to backfire, jerks a couple of times (usually when over 2000 rpm) so I slow down to 55, it coughs, jerks a couple of time so I slow down to 45, it coughs, I slow down----you get the picture. Finally, it just won't go any further. We've checked for trash in everything. My dad put on a fuel filter. Now its back at the garage I mentioned above. He's had it for over a week now and I've not heard anything from him. I called and his wife said that he said it was "broke". Has anyone out there ever experienced anything like this? I just had the whole inside reupholstered and I'm just sick!! Oh yes, the cruise control cable was disconnected because it malfunctioned and was making the idle stick at like 3-4000 rpm. I don't know what that has to do with anything, but I'm grasping at straws!! PLEASE help if you can.
thanks
carol

 

[spanners]

G'day Carol,
Eeek, I saw your post and although I've got an 1990 BMW E30 318i (I hear you say, what's your point?. well, I had some radiator probs a couple of years ago, so it MAY shed some light, then again it may not...)

Your mechanic sounds a bit dodgy... If you paid him to fix it and he returned it in a condition which as you describe is definately worse then when it went in, then I'm sure he's obligated to fix the problem or refund you. I would contact your local trading standards office, or your US equivalent (not sure how your services and purchases law works over there.)

Did you check the oil cap on the engine, was it white and foamy, that usually signifies head-gasket problems..


1) How hot did it run?, How long did it run hot?.
My E30 had real problems in traffic and it was going into the red in traffic and anything under 30mph, it tended to overheat. That was the radiator coupling and some perished rubber hoses to blame for that one. Didn't do much damage to my engine (I hope...)

Backfiring?, perhaps he re-installed the spark plug cables in the wrong order, but then that would not explain why the car is able to drive for a while ok.

As for backfiring, possibly he put the spark plug leads in the wrong order? Perhaps you should check the compression, maybe there is a vacuum leak somewhere, relating to the head gasket. Check the timing, did he adjust the timing at all?, that could be out.

Either way, perhaps you should invest in a Bentley Manual or a Haynes Manual which covers your car. I have a Bentley one and its worth its weight in gold.

Sticky idle, check to see if the idle speed adjuster is correctly, er, adjusted, and see if any lubrication is needed.

Sorry I couldn't give you concrete answers, but if there is any more info, let me know.

Best of Luck,

Keith