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My 1986 325es does not start up in the morning

Hi gang,

I have a 1986 325es with 215,000 miles on it and it rung great. I have a problem in the morning when I start up the car. It takes a few tries before the car starts up. After that it starts with the first try. I am not sure if it is cold wheater related or not. Because today in California it was nice an warm and I got up to go to work and tried to start it up and it took 5 tries. When I go to lunch around noon the car starts up with the first turn of the switch or, when I leave to go home around 8:00 PM in the evening again, the car starts up with the first try. It is in the morning (or, I shoule say after the car has not been driven for a long period of time) when I have problems starting it up.

Someone told me that I need to press on the gas pedal quickly and let it go and then press the cluch and old it and then start up the car but, that did not go either.

The car runs fine and never have any electrical or fuel injection problems with it and once it start up and get going you cannot stop it!!!! It is a great car but, it annoys me that I have to cranck the starter about 5 time every morning.

Any ideas or suggesstions are greatly appriciated.

bmwguy2 at g m a i l

Reply to
bmwguy2
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Sounds a bit like fuel pressure non return valve leaking back to tank overnight. Could also be cold start valve. Inj or Carb?

More like fuel pressure and cold start if inj but more than likely choke control if carb

Reply to
Oscar

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Clean the Idle Control Valve. It's the sliver cylinder with an L-shaped hose-in/hose-out. It's on the passenger side of the intake manifold. Remove it from the car and spray some WD-40 or brake cleaner into the open sides. Shake liberally and allow to drain out the 2 big holes. Repeat 2 or 3 times. When dry, reinstall and try to start the engine. If you don't notice a difference. Replacement may be necessary. I have one for cheap with the control module.

Bill in Omaha '86 535i

Reply to
Bill

It is injector.

Reply to
bmwguy2

Hi Bill, I took the silver cylender thing to Kragon auto part and asked for a cleaner for it. They call "throttle body" and not Idle Control Valve. Anyhow, I had to go to BMW dealership to order the gasket because they did not have it in stock. I did not see anything unusual other than some black residue, I also cleaned it up with the "throttle body cleaner" that I bought from Kragon. I need to wait for the part to arrive at BMW dealership and then install it and try to see if it works any better. Once I put the whole thing back together then, I will let you know.

Thanks,

Reply to
bmwguy2

Well, the part you took off was not the idle control valve. There is no gasket for it. Now that the throttle butterfly is good and clean, you can put it and the new gasket back on the car. The idle control valve is the little valve that sits off to the side of that piece. It is connected to two hoses (one side connects to the intake hose and the other end connects to the piece you removed already. The is an electrical connector attached to the end of it as well.

Reply to
Psycho

I guess I should have sent a picture. Sounds like the Air Flow Meter was mistaken for the ICV. Yikes! and that thing is VERY expensive from a dealer. The throttle body cleaner will also work on the ICV.

Bill in Omaha '86 535i

Reply to
Bill

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