ti troubles....

[marleymon]

Guys I'm having a few issues and I was wondering if anyone has had similar.
95 m42 116k. I do get a code (1126 I think- knock sensor control or something)

First, since it's been colder out, I've been getting heavy belt squeal. The belt i'm using is from carquest and seems to be a different, feltier material as compared to the contitech. Also it is not cracked and has been on the car less than a year. During rain, the slipping/ squeal is REAL bad. I have a contitech coming but was wondering if anyone has had the tensioner gone bad on their m42 (#3).


Another issue i'm having is a bobbing idle. When started cold in the am, it's pretty rough and will nearly stall.
I have had the rpm's stay high with the clutch pushed in...but hasn't happened in a few weeks.
I also have the idle bob when pushing in the clutch for stopping or rolling. It drops low enough to dim the headlights, then bouces back.
I do notice a big idle drop when turning on the headlights, sometimes even enough to stall the car. Also when blipping the window switch up with the window already closed, and even hitting the brakes (lights) makes the idle drop.
Does this sound like a bad ground? I've replaced some of the vac lines like the meter boot and a split hose to the ICV. I also have a new bosch ICV coming because of a good deal on ebay. They run $150 new.

What should I do? Will simply replacing knock sensors clear the code? Should I just pull this intake off and replace everything from the ICV to the sensors, to the coolant pipes on the back, starter, spider to the injectors, valve gasket set...etc? There seems to be so much you can do if digging in that far...


oh I know i'm all over the place....

#3- I'm down a parking brake cable (I only have one right now).
Am I doing any damage to the trans by parking, on a pretty extreme incline, and leaving her resting in gear?

Overall the car seem to be running ok. I can hear a ticking noise while running...I have it eared to the valve cover. I do feel lag sometimes when getting on it...but my clutch seems to be on the way out too. I notice with the clutch pushed in I have some kind of noise which stops when let out.
anyways...comments/advice accepted....josh

[mohaughn]

Idle problems when doing something electrical sounds like it is a problem in the electrical system. Either a bad ground, bad alternator, battery, plug wires, etc... Also realize that a knock sensor code does not mean the knock sensor is bad, just means that sensor is causing a code to be thrown. Either because it is out of parameters, or it is picking up some other problem.


Bosch ICV can be had all of the time for about 126$ from autohausaz.com. Just installed a new one in my car last week. I would recommend not buying new injectors, but having your injectors cleaned and tested, cruzinperformance.com.

The M42 does not have any coolant pipes on the back of the head. There is only the on L shaped pipe directly below where the lower intake bolts to the head. The engine temp and coolant temp sensors are right above that pipe. The vacuum line "spider" that connects to the fuel injectors was in great shape on my car. I moved my manifold enough to replace the two temperature sensors. I've not replaced the knock sensors or that coolant pipe yet.

All of these sensors will fail eventually. If you are going to keep driving your car for awhile and you do the work yourself you can change out all of the M42 sensors for less than 500$ and probably 8 hours of your time. If I had felt like removing the wiring harness I would have completely removed the manifold and replaced those coolant pipes and knock sensors as well.

[CirrusSR22]

I had a knock sensor code come up once. I cleared it with a scan tool, and it never came back. That was thousands of miles ago. I'm guessing it was just a little transient thing.

My car has always dropped RPM when I move the window switches. Especially when I press up, and the windows are already up. (as you said) Or vice-versa. I think it's normal to a certain degree. I seen this in other cars too.

So the idle is good once the car has warmed up? Try that new ICV and let us know what happens.

[b.u.ti-ful]

If the idle drops when you turn on the headlights it is probably your alternator. And, if your belt is slipping, could be the alternator is not spinning like it should.

[marleymon]

thanks fellas- lot's of good points. it's hard for me to know what's normal on this car when there's nothing around to compare it too.

parts are on the way....i'm going for it. I've got a bentley and Wayne's book, which is pretty cool I must add.

Does anyone know if I can get at the starter with the intake pulled?
Are there 2 knock sensors on the m42?

mo- did the new icv help performance or any problems? why did you go at your's?

if things go as planned, i'll have a 2 car garage in a week.

doh...fill me in on the best way to park this fukr on an extreme incline? Is resting her in gear ok or no?
josh

[cooljess76]

I always park mine with it in gear and the parking brake. I just think it's safer incase the cable snaps or the car gets bumped. Perhaps if you're worried about damaging the tranny, you could engage the parking brake first, let the car rest on the brake and then place it in first gear. This way the car isn't being supported by the transmission, but instead by the parking brake with the tranny as a backup. Also, you should turn your wheels towards the curb, so if it were to roll, it would roll into the curb instead of traffic and possibly come to rest against the curb vs. rolling down the hill. Definitely get that cable replaced asap!

As for the idle problem, try cleaning out your throttle body. Mine has been a little sticky lately, hanging at 1200rpm for a second and then dropping down to the normal 790-800rpm. I'm going to clean mine sometime this week. BTW, KO Performance has good deals on OEM parts

[mohaughn]

KO performance can do better prices if you feel like emailing them and then waiting a few days for them to tell you what the correct price should be. I priced out every single 318ti m42 sensor and autohausaz had them beat on every single part. I emailed KO asking them to adjust their prices and they told me a few days later that they could beat the prices, but they never lowered the prices on their website. I prefer to go to a website, see a good price and buy it. I don't want to haggle with the guys trying to get a lower price everytime I need to order something.

Yes, you can get to the starter. You actually need to remove some wires from the starter to remove the "squid." There are two knock sensors. One of them is on the same side of the engine as the temperate sensors. Not sure where the second one is. I think it is behind the block, firewall side.

I bought a new ICV because I had a cold idle problem. I wasn't getting any codes other than a bogus one pointing to the air flow meter. Changed the ICV and the two temp sensors under the intake. I got it all back together and the car was no longer stalling when cold. Although I took it all back apart again to send my injectors off to be cleaned/tested. When I get those back I will also be changing my thermostat out as I think it is stuck open. Takes the car a real long time to warm up which may have also been contributing to my cold start issues. My car would never stall, hesitate or sputter once the engine is warm.

Edit- Also make sure that you have some 12-20mm clamps. The clamps holding the fuel lines to the fuel rail could not be re-used on my car. I ended up buying a variety of different clamps 12-20mm, 20-32mm, 25-40mm in 10 pack bulk bags so that I always have the type of clamps that I need going forward. I also bought 2 meters of black vacuum hose(3.5mm od) and 2 meters of white(4mm od) vacuum hose. These are the vacuum lines running from the intake to the fuel regulator and underneath the manifold to charcoal container.

[marleymon]

so i'm an idiot I pulled the ti in on lunch and to a look at the alternator. Right away Bill noticed the belt couldn't have been right. It was only gripping about an inch or so on the pulley. I had it running over that smooth pull instead of under. A 2 minute fix and now she idles fine. The charging system checked out great. No more idle du-wap, no more idel du-drop wap wap...thanks for keeping it quiet Billy B.


So all's good I guess for now...yeaah right....
passenger window fell in yesterday which is an easy fix, I need to fix the door clips anyway.
I also am getting a whinning noise now... I'm 90% it's coming from under the shifter and not the rear diffy. I did replace the rear output seals and fluid. Transmission is next. Parking brake is next. I think i'ma wait on front brakes until spring.
I fired the e21 up for winter beating, but this car is so much fun.
josh

[wls318ti]

If knock sensor is fault check spark plugs wells depending on sensor number for oil. My valve cover seal had leaked oil into spark plug well and had submerged the plug and caused the knock sensor to fault. Replaced valve cover gasket and cleared code. Knock sensor never resurfaced.