RE: need some parts and advice for '86 325es

["Fadeev, Alex" <alex.fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ron Downs [mailto:cbandurraga@domain.elided] wrote:
> 
> Hi everyone, I need some help with my '86 325es. My
> car has an intermittent problem whereby the fuel/air
> mixture gets very rich, then very lean, rich, lean, and
> so on. I'm able to temporarily solve it by adjusting the
> spring/gear inside the airflow meter. I've already
> replaced the ECU, so I know that's not the problem.
> I've also replaced the oxygen sensor, to no avail. I
> want to replace the airflow meter, but don't know if
> that will help. I've been dealing with this for quite
> some time, so at this point, it couldn't hurt. Any
> suggestions?

ICV (idle control valve). In your car it might also be the ICV brain. 
Any 10+ year old car (any E30) with idle or rich/lean running fluctuations
should a). suspect; b). replace the ICV. Even if that POS passes all Bentley
tests. Don't bother cleaning them out => replace. 
It took me 8 months and immeasurable amount of frustration to come to this
conclusion. I finally identified ICV as the root of my cold running
stumbling after eliminating all other parts by swapping them with my wife's
E30. The bad ICV was still testing fine according to Bentley. All the way
into the trash can.
Find a friend who would let you swap in his ICV/brain and see if that cures
your problem. If you can't find a friend, buy a used ICV/brain from the
Roundel advertising junk yards.

> Also, I had the clutch and 5 speed transmission replaced
> about 6 months ago (with a used one). When I got it out 
> of the shop, the tachometer and temp gauge no longer worked.
> The car hasn't been driven since, until last week. I
> put it back in the shop (they denied having anything
> to do with the tach/temp problem), and they replaced
> the instrument cluster with a used one. Now the tach
> works, but the temp gauge works intermittently.

You hadn't driven your car for 6 months? The SI batteries had likely died
and disrupted the tachometer/temp gauge operation (should also have effected
the mileage gauge at the bottom center of the cluster). 
On your new cluster the temp gauge ground - the very same nut that holds the
temp gauge to the rest of the cluster, needs to be tightened.

> I had them recharge the air conditioner. It cools now,
> but not very well. It's just not very cold. Is there
> something else that could be causing this?

An AC leak?

> I'm looking to purchase a used airflow meter, a 14"
> rim (my spare is bent) to fit the '86 325es model (can
> send a picture if necessary), and I'd REALLY like to
> find a blue driver's seat in good condition. 

14" rims are either 14x6.5" BBS style (cross spoked) or 14x6" 'bottle caps'.
Let us know which one you need.
I had a spare AFM but don't remember the part #. Please forward me the one
from your AFM.
Assuming the driver seat is leather, you will be hard pressed to find a used
one in good condition. The NAPPA (rat skin) leather barely lasts 10 years
with meticulous care that is non existent at the junk yards that sell used
seats. 

good luck,
alex f 

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