The z3 and a e36 are two different cars :S what one do you have ?

 

Oops! places i've looked say its a E36...well, it is a 1.9 Z3.

Basically, the car had been sitting for about 4 months before I purchased it and intermittently when on throttle it will feel like it either misfires or the asc cuts in. The light will always be on but ASC button does engage or disable ASC (have wheel spun to test) but either way the problem still occurs. If I pull the fuse(s) will that totally disable the ASC control unit? Then I can see if it is that and not the engine misfireing?

Again, apologies for my noob-ness!

 

If the ASC lamp is it solid using the switch, it will not cut in and throttle the engine.


EDIT; and if we are being pedantic the Z3 is an E36/7 the coupe is the E36/8, sedan E36/4 etc.

 

The switch doesnt turn the warning light on or off, but it does seem to turn the ASC on and off (light stays on no matter what) and both when ASC is and isnt on I get the issue. I have found a thread about a similar issue;

Advanced Hints and Tips : BMW ABS problems

just wondering if i can simply disable the ASC control unit?! BMW near me want over £200 + vat just to have it for an hour!

 

Just unplug the ASC actuator?

 

I don't suppose you'd have/know of a diagram to show me where this is?! Apologies as I am realtively new to this!

 

TBH honest I don't know the layout of your engine. But there will will be two throttle bodies (TB), the one closest to the engine is the one from the accelerator pedal. The next one back is the ASC. Follow the bowden cable from the ASC TB back to a black canister the size of a red bull can. That's the ASC actuator. Unplug the power.

Perhaps the 1.9 crowd can help with a picture of the item.

Here's the actuator

Here's an ASC TB.

 

ah nice touch! cheers! I'll have a butchers tonight and see if it works! Will also take some photos to post up for other hapless individuals like myself!

 

Good stuff.

Unplugging the actuator will store a fault and light the ASC warning (yours is already lit), but it'll be cleared when you next start the car with it plugged back in, and ASC SERVO UPLUGGED (or similar) will be in the fault memory.

 

But it won't kill the ABS functionally? Having read loads of threads (manually actually about ///M models) they reckon that it kills that too?

 

I've unplugged mine too and accidentally started the car. The car runs a diagnostic cycle at startup. It'll detect the ASC TB isn't working and throw a fault. Plugged it back in, restarted the car, lamp goes out.

As for ABS, you likely have a duff sensor so it's not working anyway. In any case this is just a quick test, not a full time thing.