Re: bmw-digest V9 #198

["Your Name" <ebaines@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark:

It may be your idle air stabilizer valve.  I had a similar problem on my
'86 528e last month -- the car would surge at idle from about 800 RPM to
2000 RPM and then back again, in cycles lasting about 4 seconds long. 
Turned out that I had a bad electrical connection at the idle air
stabilizer valve.

If it's not the electrical connection, try cleaning the innards by spraying
some WD40 inside.  Sometimes the valve can get gunked up, and it helps to
periodically clean it so that the valve moves freely.  Check for proper
resistance across the two terminals -- should be about 10 ohms (valve
disconnected).  Then try applying 12 volts to the terminals, and the valve
piston should close, and then open when you remove the voltage.  Check out
the Bentley manual for more info.  If you don't have the Bentley manual,
get one!  Good luck.

- -Chip Baines
BMW CCA
'86 528e
'97 328iC

>Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 11:27:37 -0400
>From: Mark Rich <mrich@domain.elided>
>Subject: Intermittent surging at idle.

>   I've had this '84 528e for two weeks, and it just started surging at
>idle (seems to be getting relatively worse).  I noticed it a few days
>ago as I was waiting at a stop light.

    

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End of bmw-digest V9 #201
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