Does your E36 have problems like these:
 

Hello fellow E36ers. New member here with some questions I can't seem to get answered on other BMW forums...I'll be brief about my car's issues, but please feel free to respond with ANY advise, answers, personal experience related..thanks!

2) Window switches. They ALL (including sunroof) stopped working one day. All the fuses look good...are any of those big relays a possible culprit? What else could cause this? My windows are stuck UP 'til I get this fixed.

3) Check Engine light. The error code that is stored is 'fuel tank evaporative system' ... my bmw mech. guy said "get a new fuel cap" so I did...no luck.

4) In the summer it gets very sluggish and smells like sulfer...does better if I spray cool water on the catalytic converter/exhaust for awhile...gets very worse under hard driving or extreme heat and nearly stalls...very poor acceleration from a stop.

1) Car died today. Was going about 25mph and it stalled without warning, and didn't wan to start again..it turns over fine, has gas in the tank...could be anyting I guess what do you think?


well those are the major problems i can think of right now..again, ANY input would be greatly apriciated, even if just to say "I feel your pain, man"

Thanks,
mike_p

Re: Does your E36 have problems like these:
 

Sounds like it might be what is called the comfort switch. It seems that the switch has solder points inside of it that can come loose over time. You can either replace the switch or open it up carefully and re-solder the bad lead.

On the 318 it is located under the driver-side kick panel (aka trim panel). Not sure if it is the same on the 325.

If you check http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/Mult-Code_Reading/Mult-Code_Reading.htm, you will find that the code (1263) probably means that the fuel tank evaporative system purge control valve is probably bad.

As for the sulfur smell and loss of power, sounds like a bad catalytic converter to me!

As for the car dying, you need three things for the engine to run: Fuel, spark, and air (or compression). A blocked exhaust will keep you from drawing much if any air in, so that is one possible culprit.

Check to see if you do indeed have spark (a spare plug on one of the plug wires taped to the head or block or other ground), that you do have fuel (fuel smell at the tailpipe after cranking), and that you have compression (do a compression test).

That should give you a direction to look in.

--DD

It sounds like you have a blocked catalytic converter as well. I'd get under the car and look to see if it is dented or damaged. If the cat is hit hard enough, it can break the ceramic reactant inside loose and block exhaust flow.

If the cat was grenaded woulden't that also be a reason that under increased backpressure the engine would suffocate?

exactly, mathew. I need to address my own cat soon, as the ceramic inside has broken loose and the engine gets suffocated at high RPM's. I plan on just running a straight pipe back. I don't believe that catalytic converters are all that effective anyway.

What would be a sign of engine suffocation at high RPMS? Would it be shuddering throughout the car at around say, 5-6k rpms??? I seem to have that problem with my car......and I just put on a new exhaust and it helped a little bit, but there is still shuddering and massive vibration....

My car just feels like it's losing power and gives out near redline.

Mike, sounds like your engine could be running too rich. An overly rich mixture will cause the rotten egg smell, and cause the catalytic converter to overheat and fail. Check your plugs for soot and unburned fuel.

Hey thanks for all the replies guys.

The reason my car died was due to a dead fuel pump. But gald to report I'm back on the road already...and it only cost me $644!! I think thats abit steep..the punp and filter came to about $230...plus 4 hours of labor, does it really take that long? I know my shop goes by the book on repair times, but I doubt it actually took that long...

GeoPappas: is the "Comfort Switch" the one that disables the rear windows?

I suspected the catalytic convertor as well. I think I might do straight pipes as well...how much should I expect to pay you think?

I did some searching at online parts stores for the "comfort switch" and didn't really find what I expected. There is a "Comfort Relay" described as: "This relay handles the "one touch" up/down feature of the power windows and sunroof among other things. "

GeoPappas:
Is the switch you mentioned an actual switch? Do I have to take off the lower dash panel to access it? Can't seem to find a place that sells them...

thansk again for any help,
mike_p

Hey, just joined up, read your post, I actually just had the some of the exact same problems with my car. Car died and would not start up, turned out to be the fuel pump.... Also, with the windows, none of windows or sunroof would work. Its the main window relay. In the 325's it is located underneath the stearing column and a little to the right. So yeah, you have to take off your lower dash panel. Should be able to pick one up at your bimmer dealership. Luckily, I worked at a bmw dealership this last summer and knew one of the mechanics. I got the windows and the pump done, parts and labor for $280. As for it taking 4 hours to do the pump... that seems a little excesive, you do have to drop the tank to do it, but I think it took about 3 hours for my mechanic to do it. The window relay switch is a cheap part, less than $20 that is if you want to replace it instead of resoldering it. Sure is nice having the window work again and as long as I had it in I figured I might as well have him do it. Good luck with your car.

Ok..this is very helpful.

This window relay (aka comfort relay) is a little black box that plugs into a relay panel under the lower dash, right? I'll check it out tomorrow (its 4am right now)

thanks,
mikey_p

Sorry for the comfusion, but I meant "comfort relay" and not switch.

As I said it is located under the driver-side trim panel (aka kick-panel).

If I remember correctly, I believe that on my car it was an orange colored box about 2"x2"x2".

Thanks guys. I found the relay and took it out, examined it, and there was a burned out connector pin on the circuit board...so busted out the soldering iron and patched it up..and VOILA! windows work!...I've gone almost a year without window power and all it took waws 10 minutes to fix..thanks alot for your help.

-mikey_p