RE: cold start update

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

"Peter Curtin (EUD)" <EUDPECU@domain.elided> wrote:
> 
> My car is a 1986 325E....I put back in my old motronic and 
> the cold start problem went away.  I opened the "new" motronic
> I had purchased, and it looked even older than the one that 
> came in my car.  The wiring used individual wires instead of 
> a ribbon cable to connect the two boards.  I am wondering if 
> that particular motronic had a cold start circuitry?  

Peter,
If I remember correctly, all eta's had a seperate idle management computer. 
Motronic 1.1 on M20B25 engines eliminated the need for a separate idle
management computer and included its duties in he DME. I don't remember
exactly if this upgrade took effect with '87+ 325i's, or '89+.
Anyway, your '86 325e definitely has a separate idle management box.
Somewhere below the steering wheel, if memory serves.

> From the outside, both units looked the same.  The numbers on
> the eproms were different.  Anyway, I am trying my old unit 
> again to see if the other problem it had has gone away (it 
> would just die every now and then and the car would not start
> unless I disconnected the icv...ie let in more air to correct
> the flooding).

This may well be a flaky idle management computer. Then again it could also
be the DME ;-) 
On my '89 325i, I had both the intermittent engine cut out problem (bad DME
- - replaced) and lousy cold running problem (bad idle control valve -
replaced after swapping every other engine part with my wife's car, what a
PITA).

good luck,
alex f

------------------------------