Bimmer Owners Club

Hi....welcome to the Forum

Good to have you onboard

....from a fellow Z3 owner

Hi Barrootz .... welcome to the Forum

What a superb low mileage Zed, and definitely an appreciating classic

Good to have fellow Z3 owner onboard

Cheers,  Trevor

Do you have any photos of the car?

Have you got any photos of the car?

HI David.....welcome to the Forum

Those engine revs are low, could be gummed up idle control valve, it could also be a Vanos fault but could also be a sensor malfunction.

If it is a Vanos fault then I would recommend replacing the engine oil (if it is due/overdue) and refiling with a quality brand.
As the Vanos system relies on good oil pressure to operate then this could be a simple fix.

If it is a sensor then you should be able to extract a fault code or two from the ECU and therefore narrow down the possible cause of the lumpiness.
Also, as there is no Engine Management light displaying then it is more than likely a mechanical issue.

Let us know what you find

You can post some pics up in the Members Gallery area if you like

https://www.bimmerownersclub.com/gallery/

Hi Vik.....welcome to the Forum

Lovely to see an old school Beemer on here

Good to have you onboard

Here is the link

https://www.bimmerownersclub.com/gallery/

Hi Ron.....welcome to the Forum

Congrats on opting for a 3 series which should deliver on all three requirements on your hit list.

Feel free to post up some pics when you get it

Cheers,   Trevor

Hi Matt....welcome to the Forum

It looks like a dummy connector to me....as you say it is probably there in the loom for an EGR had it been fitted to the engine at the factory.

Hi Mike....welcome to the Forum

It sounds very much like it is the brake servo that has failed and the mechanical linkage interaction is no longer present and as a result leading to lack of pedal and also would explain the hissing air noise.

I would remove it and examine it to see whether this is the case.
Also worth checking that the vacuum hose is attached and not ruptured.

Hi James

From memory, yes it would have different settings but the requirement to 'code it to the car' from that era is not necessary.
Also from memory, I think you may have to get the ECU to learn some settings so I would take it for a drive using low, mid and high throttle settings and see if it makes any difference.
Otherwise, the sensors would all be similar so cannot see why it would not work to be fair

Let us know how you get on with it

Great tip, thanks for posting it 🙂

Hi ... welcome to the Forum

Sounds like a vacuum hose leak to me....that would explain the hunting revs.

Check for any hissing under the bonnet and you could use a smoke generator or a solvent to diagnose where the leak is.

Let us know how you get on with it

Cheers,  Trevor

I always found the best method for increased MPG is the close monitoring of the right foot extension 🙂

Also, keeping the car in tip-top condition with maintenance and also premium fuel (e.g. branded not supermarket) which is mostly around the same price nowadays

My Z3 Vanos seals have gone past their sell-by date....it is a 2.0 litre M52 engine with twin Vanos.

The symptoms are:

Poor idle and staliing
Lack of performance
Popping from the exhaust on overrun
Poor Economy

The seal kit to replace the originals are around £25 and I have the kit and intend to fit shortly (will post up a guide when I tackle the job)
The original seals weren't up to the heat and oil contamination hence the new ones are much improved.

Another factor to consider is that the Vanos relies on oil pressure to operate and if the oil quality is poor and the filter is partially blocked then the Vanos does not function as it should do.

Here's a guide if you want to carry out a refurb yourself....cheaper option in the long run

https://autoevoke.com/index.php?/forums/topic/869-painting-brake-calipersdrums-guide/&tab=comments#comment-882

Just thinking that if you've cut everything out of the car then I would be tempted to wire the fuel pump directly through a cut off switch and even if it is drawing power then you can switch it out completely

Had your Catalytic Converter stolen or failed the MoT Emissions test?

The Catman always offers a very high quality service, efficient and speedy, whilst offering truly amazing value for money.  

The Catman will only supply from the well established quality suppliers that offer substantial guarantees. To this end, all of the products are guaranteed for a minimum of 12 months.

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Chap on here looking for a swap for an X5 

Fine looking car....hope you get a quick sale

Hi Alan....welcome to the Forum

Its always good to hear from fellow car enthusiasts from the other side of the pond.....car passion is the same wherever you are in the world 🙂

Good to have you onboard

Cheers,  Trevor

Not sure personally but I would be interested in doing this mod myself so hopefully someone on here may know the answer

Hi James....welcome to the Forums

Sounds like a short circuit which is energising the pump relay.
I would disconnect the lambda sensor connector and see if this changes anything, if not the change the relay (may be another one in the fusebox that you can substitute to see if it makes any difference.

Let us know what you find out

Hi Alan

Thanks for pointing this out to us.....we are looking into it and will hopefully rectify it soon