[Ronnie5]

Hello all, I bought a 2000 318se touring back in January which has been ok since but yesterday it started miss firing the thing is I found that the bloke who sold it me covered the engine management light with a piece of *** packet which if I known I wouldn't of bought it. I have checked with other HT leads and its still the same so checked plugs and found no2 was wet with fuel but not the other 3 but no2 HT lead has a good spark could this be the coil pack? I am totally skint as just split up with the wife and she cleared me out so im financially screwed so now the bimmers started this I'm a bit screwed about getting it to a garage. Any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers.

 

[TheEnd]

Yea, the coil packs are pretty weak, it's a possibility.

 

[dailydoggy]

m43 engine has a combined coil block and they can go fubar or it could be just a duff sparkplug..

m43 coil pack | eBay

 

[Ronnie5]

cheers lads! is there any way of testing the coil pack? I will take all the plugs out and see what kind of spark I get out of them.

 

[dailydoggy]

check to see if all are sparking ok before diving in... just pull the leads off 1 at a time see which dosent do owt then test the 1 thats dead with it out altogether against the bodywork somewhere see if it sparks...

 

[TheEnd]

I don't think there are any easy ways, they need to be under a decent load.
For example, you might get decent resistance readings with a voltmeter, but under use, they can spark and short internally.

 

[Ronnie5]

I will have a bash tomorrow and report back once I have managed to release the throttle linkage because I was revving car by the linkage and it slipped from my fingers and jammed solid so I cant rev engine...

 

[Ronnie5]

I have checked plugs and leads which are ok, I am getting the problem from no2 but still has a spark so I guess this is the coil pack or the best option to go for first? When I bought the car the coil pack was unbolted on the front bolt and removed from the stud then bent down slightly so no3/4 ht leads could reach no3/4 plugs so this coil pack must of been moving backwards and forwards also shaking as its only bolted on one bolt and im sure that the coil pack is going to take a lot of abuse not bolted correctly.
Would you lads say replace coil pack???

 

[dailydoggy]

dont understand are you saying all cylinders are sparking?

 

[Ronnie5]

Yes all 4 even if I switch plugs and leads around no2 still miss fires but has a spark.

 

[bimmerbod]

If they are all sparking its unlikely to be tkhe coil pack. Possibilu no or low compression on cyl 2.

 

[Ronnie5]

When I had the plug out of no2 and fired the car up there was certainly a lot of compression there blowing through the plug hole.

 

[bimmerbod]

That may well be, but maybe not enough to ignite the fuel, u need a compression test. U can buy one from screwfix for 20£. If its.sparking and ur getting fuel (as u sed the plugs wet) then compression must be down for some reason- jacled up hydraulic lifters, headgasket blown, bores washed, bent valve etc

 

[Ronnie5]

Not looking to good really then shame im financially screwed or I'd buy a compression tester my mate would have one but hes over 40 miles away.
Could this not be the coil pack not sparking in the correct order as there weak anyway? its not secure and it must bounce around when cars moving.

 

[dailydoggy]

its either gonna be spark, compression or injector....

you need INPA to diagnose more accurately if yav got a laptop ya can get setup for under as little as a tenner...


http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f99/bmw-inpa-diagnostics-idiots-guide-getting-started-t85220/

http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum...on-modded-usb-vagcom-interface-winxp-t102843/

 

[Ronnie5]

right I shall concentrate on the spark or injector for now as I don't have a compression tester Im hoping I can borrow one from somewhere but I cant sit around wondering what it is and I need the car by Tuesday which aint going to happen!

 

[dailydoggy]

you need to swap stuff to a known good cylinder to rule stuff out see if fault jumps to another cylinder, this would be easier to see with some diagnostics equipment tho ya could see the individual health of each cylinders firing efficiency on the screen..

 

[Ronnie5]

Right I have managed to borrow a pressure tester and tested all 4 cylinder 1,3,4 have just under 14bar and no2 has about 2bar so looks like the head gasket is shot but looking at it, it really doesn't look difficult to replace I think I have the M43 engine. I have had no over heating so would I need the head skimmed?
Thanks for all the help anyway guys!

 

[dailydoggy]

yal prolly need a skim if its havin a headgasket around 45-50 quid for a skim, M43 is a really basic engine so head gasket is pretty straightforward..

ide check the valve work and rocker gear on no2 while head is off just in case itsa dodgy/chipped valve etc or hydraulic lifter....

 

[Ronnie5]

Right! just to end this thread I have fixed the problem and it didn't cost me a penny! I didn't need to remove the head as one of the lifters on no2 had come away from the spring thing on the valve and luckily wedged itself to the side instead of smashing my engine to bits! so pushed spring down to slot lifter back in and she worked! couldn't help wondering why it happened? so fired engine up with rocker off and noticed there was no oil getting to the lifters and cam and found the centre bolt on the oil spray bar thing was blocked so unblocked it and now oil to the top of engine! I guess no oil on lifters got a little hot and came away? Probably done about 60 miles or so and it seems fine and quieter. I was expecting to scrap the car as I thought it'd had it! just the job as I don't have 2 pence to scratch me arse with!!
Cheers for all the help people!!