'97 E36 M-Sport Starting issues
 

Morning all, from deepest Dorset..

Well, where to start..?
I have a 1997 E36 318ti Compact M-Sport that I bought around a year and a half ago. It's a great, solid little car that has a lot of punch for something with just 140bhp, so I'm really chuffed with it. :D

However...
Unfortunately, it's developed a 'starting in the morning' problem..

Let me explain the symptoms:
Key in the ignition, switch on.. Now at this point I would expect to hear the comforting whine of the fuel pump pressurising the fuel line. Which I do. Sometimes...
So, with or without the fuel pump priming (the next thing happens anyway), I try to start the car. It turns over, and over, and over, splutters a bit, turns over, and over, splutters a bit more, coughs then finally catches and fires up.
'Great' I hear you say.. not really though, because the engine sounds.. well.. 'lumpy'.

So I'll give it some welly (which I know the neighbours absolutely love with my fast-flow exhaust, because I can see them waving encouragement at me from their bedroom windows), and it will generally settle down to a nice steady (and quieter) 750 or thereabouts rpm.

Occasionally however it will continue with the 'lumpyness' and the revs will rise and fall until it eventually cut's out and dies if I don't intervene. This will happen at anytime I leave it for a few hours not just the mornings, and it's been developing over a period of around a couple of months.

Now, what have I done about it so far?
Well, pretty much nothing really, apart from changing the spark plugs.

My mechanical prowess?
Think '5 year old Jeremy Clarkson'..

So I think that's about it really - what with winter coming on, I'd really like to get this sorted out, and I'd really like to have a punt at doing this myself so please go easy on me!
Thanks in advance to anyone who helps me with this.
Cheers!
Doug

That's a cold start issue. <speaking to Jeremy> Check the temp sensor, at least clean its connector.
Then check for air leaks.
This assumes it starts/runs OK when it's warmed up. Look through a couple other threads on hard starting for more info.

Hi Karl, thanks for the reply.
Yep, when it's warmed up, it will start & run without a problem - I only get this when it's been left to stand for a few hours.
As far as air leaks - are you talking of vacuum leaks? I just had a vacuum leak fixed after noticing a whistling under the bonnet whenever it was running. I couldn't tell you where now though..
I'll clean the temp sensor as soon as I find it and report back!
Thanks mate.
Doug

Just a quick addition, by Temp Sensor, I assume you mean number 15 in this diagram..
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/h/d/23.png
Thanks..