RE: Oil leak in E30

["Fadeev, Alex" <Alex.Fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Well I'm fairly new to the list and have two problems I'd appreciate 
> help with. I purchased my '86 325e last january and it I think it 
> drives very nice. The problems now, Well it has leaked oil since I 
> bought it, the first week I owned I changed the oil myself and it 
> looked good and used, no particles floating in the oil and no water 
> in it. but the car has burned about 1/2 to 1/4 of a quart of oil a 
> week and I was wondering if anybody can give me an idea of where to 
> look.

	Did it actually burn the oil (blue smoke out the tail pipe, etc) it
did it just leak out? Are there any oil drops in your driveway/parking
space?

> Oh yeah, last weekend I changed my spark plugs and found the 
> tips where really dry and white, but every other part of them where 
> covered in oil. So maybe thats where the leak is? if so what can I do 
> about it. 

	That is probably the valve cover gasket, but I doubt it is leaking
1/2 quart of oil from it. You would have noticed the oil flow path just by
looking at the engine. 
	If there is no blue smoke out of exhaust (and with 1/2 quart/week
oil consumptions you probably would have already noticed it), then the oil
is likely leaking out. There are tons of places for it to leak. The common
E30 spot is the oil filter housing. There are plenty more.
	If you are not comfortable crawling under the car take it to a good
mechanic. You will need to find one sooner or later anyway. He/she should be
able to help with identifying the source of the leak.

>     My second porblem is that I have a strange idle once the cars 
> warms up. When cold the car idles very nicely right around 700-750 
> and sounds nice and relaxed, but once it gets warm it pulsates 
> between 700 and 1300 almost like I was revving the engine alittle 
> here and there.

	Once the car warms up, the O2 (oxygen) sensor input is being read by
the DME (engine computer) to constantly adjust the fuel mixture (closed loop
mode). If the O2 sensor is dead, and they go after 60K miles, it can cause
loopy warm idle. Get the Bentley manual and test the O2 sensor output with a
voltmeter. Or just replace the thing. Roundel advertisers sell those with
BMWCCA discount for around $60. 

> I've been reading the list and heard something 
> mentioned about an Idle Control Valve, abut when I went into the 
> foreign car parts supplier here they couldn't find anything under 
> that name, thanks for all the help you've given already and all that 
> is to come.

	Get the Bentley manual and/or a good mechanic.
	ICV ($160 new or $75 used) is probably not to blame or the idle
would have been bad with the engine cold as well (particularly with the cold
engine). You can find ICV by tracing air intake paths. Start with the
airbox, past AFM (air flow meter), onto the 90 degree rubberish boot leading
to the manifold. One of the paths on that boot should go through the ICV.
There will be a 3? pin connector attached to the ICV. Bentley has the values
for testing ICV output with a voltmeter.
	I would vote for the O2 sensor. 

good luck,
alex

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