 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 405,043 Views | |  |  |  |  02-11-2011, 06:51 AM | #1 | | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wake Forest Nc Posts: 11 |  Possible fuel filter?
So, I was driving my 96 318ti last night, and the wife and I went to downtown Raleigh for a show. The roads there are very bumpy and after a little while the car shuts off while driving. I try to restart and ... nothing, it attempts to startup, sputters a bit and gives up. So, I back it into a parking spot and tinker a bit when I notice there is a buzzing sound coming from the sensor attacher to the front of the throttle body, I disconnect it, sound goes away, I reconnect it and it starts back up.. odd. So I disconnect the battery and of course it stops then and when I hook it back up it stops. Try to start the car and... nothing once more. So I wait a little while longer and the car starts right up. I get it to a parking garage, sat for a while and same thing: no start. So we decide to leave it for a few and let it sit for a few hours. I come back, it starts up and drives just fine for 8 miles when it cuts out again. Now when I try to start it, it doesn't even pretend to start. It sounded like the engine was not getting fuel / air but I just don't know where to go from here. My only hypothesis is that the fuel filter is clogged beyond use and driving on the bumpy streets shook up sediment and clogged the filter. I just can't understand why it would work fine and then give out, then do it once more...  Any ideas? Thanks |  |  | | 02-11-2011, 06:53 AM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
Suction picks up stuff and clogs filter, it floats away when the suction stops... Becomes intermittent... __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 02-11-2011, 07:00 AM | #3 | | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wake Forest Nc Posts: 11 |
That's what I'm thinking! I'm just hoping I'm not entirely of my rocker to think that. It's only got 112k on it, can't remember if the fuel filter has been replaced yet. | | | | | 02-11-2011, 08:39 AM | #4 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
I've seen this with the strainer in the fuel tank as well on MANY cars since E10 fuel came out.... __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 02-11-2011, 04:40 PM | #5 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Earth Posts: 178 |
Could just be fuel pump going out too. | | | | | 02-11-2011, 05:37 PM | #6 | | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wake Forest Nc Posts: 11 |
I'm going to guess that the fuel pump is one heck of a job? | | | | | 02-11-2011, 08:36 PM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
Nope easy, just pop the back seat out and you can see the port on top of the tank.
Dave __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 02-12-2011, 10:59 PM | #8 | | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wake Forest Nc Posts: 11 |
Well, I tested the fuel pump and it's good, the fuel filter got changed and it's still defunct. I'm guessing a sensory somewhere like the crankshaft position or something... Any ideas? | | | | | 02-13-2011, 02:13 AM | #9 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Auburn, Alabama Posts: 206 |
Have you tried pulling any codes out of it? | | | | | 02-13-2011, 02:17 AM | #10 | | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wake Forest Nc Posts: 11 |
Yeah, no codes pull from it. It's very perplexing. It will start and run for about 10 minutes, then it will give up for an hour or so and will not start up. It will either give up working while driving down the road, or by not starting after I shut it off.
After i try to start it, there is a sensor on the front of the upper intake manifold that buzzes while the ignition is on, but goes away once it's turned off. | | | | | 02-13-2011, 02:34 AM | #11 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
Quote: Originally Posted by ravnistic  Well, I tested the fuel pump and it's good, the fuel filter got changed and it's still defunct. I'm guessing a sensory somewhere like the crankshaft position or something... Any ideas? | Did you check the fuel pump by pulling it out? Or just pressure, I fought this for months, and the strainer was plugged and it would collapse under suction and choke the motor intermittently, changed the 3 dollar strainer and problem gone.... That buzz is a actuator, the sensors are quiet... I think  Dave __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 02-13-2011, 02:39 AM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Auburn, Alabama Posts: 206 |
I have a buzz too. I've always thought it was the secondary air pump or the throttle motor. Which is a possibility maybe? I have been working on a Lincoln at work that is really finicky about when it wants to crap out, similar sounding to yours. Ended up diagnosing it as a throttle body(which with Ford comes with a throttle body motor, secondary air, etc). hmm. | | | | | 02-13-2011, 03:03 AM | #13 | | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wake Forest Nc Posts: 11 |
Weird, I did fidget with the throttle body as it was sticking at the top of the gas pedal, but that was months ago... | | | | | 02-17-2011, 02:57 PM | #14 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Earth Posts: 178 |
Definately pull the pump and check what Dave (pdxmotorhead) mentioned, the rear seat botom pulls right out, and then you can unscrew the fuel pump.
Hard to test an intermittent problem.. but if you tested it when the car won't run, then I would make sure you have pressure. I still think it's the pump if sometimes it just won't restart and it was running until you shut it off. | | | | |
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