Chugs after steam cleaning. Help!
 

My son has a 1997 318ti that while he was away, I took it to the car wash and power washed the engine and compartment. Engine was chugging when I started it. Felt like only one cylinder out so I ran it for a few miles towards home. Progressively got worse to the point she would stall or chug with no power. Crank and no start after. After sitting a half hour, she would crank and fire and run with a low chugging idle about 400 RPM. Sometimes when started, feathering the throttle you could get RPM's up. I held the idle at 1800 RPM's for a few minutes then released the throttle and it would again chug and stall. I checked the coil pack terminals for water, none. Checked the air intake tube and found slight trace of water. (engine wasn't running while washed) I need help, any help would be appreciated.

Might want to check the spark plug tubes in the head. They are great for holding water if it manages to get in there.


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Thanks Maverick. I had know idea the plugs were under that black BMW strip. Easy fix. Thanks again for your reply.

No problem Newbomb Turk. Yup they are up under there and if the water makes its way in there it tends to hang around.


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I pulled the plug wires and checked, not a lot of water in that area, but some. I used air compressor and blew out any water and debris. Blew out the wire ends and used a paper towel and reassembled. Wires looked like new. Didn't pull a plug. Checked the ICV, it looked original and in bad shape. I took it apart as the youtube video showed. I just replaced it, it was rusty and nasty. While looking around I found the vacuum hoses where in bad shape. I pulled the upper intake loose and replaced PCV and hose, replaced intake boot and hose from boot to the vacuum manifold. Replaced the air filter and cleaned the throttle body. Found a broken vacuum nipple on the EVAP canister thats mounted to the drivers side strut tower, the one that has the blue tube connected to it. It was repaired before. I'm in the process of letting the repair cure. I have new spark plugs coming for it, NGK BKR6EQUP. The original problem was the temp gauge got hot, so we had the water pump replaced, it had no impeller left. When we got it home from repair, it started to heat up. I was thinking maybe some loose plastic from the impeller. I decided to pressure wash it before I flushed the cooling system and replaced the thermostat and housing. I haven't started it as of yet, kinda keeping my fingers crossed. I'll start it after I get the new plugs in it. I'll check codes after running it. PS: I've leaned a lot in the last week about the M44 engine.

Pulled the plugs and found a couple #2,#3 had oil on the plug ceramics. Replaced the valve cover gasket, plug tube gaskets and replaced the oil supply tube seal, it was hard as plastic. Started it after I installed the gaskets and new plugs, ran better yet, but still misses. Flushed cooling system and replaced thermostat while thinking what to do next. I was thinking maybe the water wicked up the plug wire cores, so I replaced them. Ran better but miss is still there. Cleared check engine light, after replacing the gaskets, but came on when I went around the block. P0300 and P0302. Random misfire and misfire on #2 cylinder. Some of the posts I've read seem to recommend cleaning MAF. Could the MAF cause the misfires?

Cleaned MAF and the sensor in the air box, can't say that I noticed a difference running. Did some more reading, about the Cam Position Sensor. Pulled the upper intake off again and ran the CPS harness, installed the sensor in the head. Reinstalled the intake, miss was still there. Gave up for awhile on it, came in to read some more. Found a site about DTC's. It gave a list of what can set the codes. The list was in order of likeliness. About the only thing I hadn't replaced or cleaned at this point was the coil block. I've looked it over probably three times and just couldn't see it being bad. Under the cover on it, it's poured plastic, just couldn't see it being penetrated. I thought F it, replaced it. It runs like a Swiss watch. No more miss. It truly runs like new, idles so smooth, rev's instantly. Cleared codes and went for a ride, accelerates instantly, a pleasure to drive. I've gotten a massive dose of 318ti this last ten days. Did everything need to be replaced, probably not. But this car in 3 mo will go to my youngest son, so it was worth it.

Good to hear you got it sorted out!!!

Unfortunately the P0420 code showed up. But that'll be for another time.