hi, first post to the forum, i have an 84 318i runs great, except when it warms up it idles around 2200 rpm. i tried to reset the service indicator lights by crossing 2 of the wires in the service connector. i have sucessfully done this before with the diagram in front of me, but i tried to do it without it and must have shorted something out. now the car will start fine and warm up fine, but once it warm the rpms will increase to around 2200. also the temp gauge isnt working. im thinking it has to do with the check control circuit board, maybe the batteries are dead or i shorted them out. the fuse for the idle control valve is fine and if you unplug the idle air control valve the idle will go irratic like its supposed to. it just seems somehow, the car doesnt know that its warmed up. this really bothers me, and id actually pay to have it fixed if thats the case. and about the blue and white of attleboro guy, i took it there for a similar problem, {that time it turned out to be a fuse which i replaced myself} only after paying him 200 dollars to install a penny (no lie) with a hole drilled in it between the idle air control valve and the tubing to the throttle body. so it wont be going to him for this problem. if anyone , has any ideas id like to give them a try. this is my 2nd car and i do miss driving it, i guess its drivable but i look silly at redlights revving at 2200. but it did get alot better gas mileage than my maxima. any help would be appreciated. thanks
I would suggest getting rid of the Maxima and getting another BMW. Seriously, the penny trick is total crap. It works like a charm until you realize you have no cold weather idle and your spark plugs are fouling out after about 1000 miles. I tried it and would NOT recommend it. If you know anyone with a 318i who is really, really nice, you could try swapping out the idle control module and then the ECM to see if you've fried one or the other. Also, try checking all of your electrical system grounds. On a car this old, bad grounds will give you a fit. I would also recommend purchasing the Bentley manual if you don't already have it. It will give you the specs for all of the sensors, etc. If you haven't shorted something out, then good luck. I have an '84 318i that decided one day, out of the clear blue, that it wanted to idle at 1800 rpm's. After 1 1/2 years of fooling with it off and on, I've gotten the idle down to 1200 rpm's. I have checked literally everything. Vacuum leaks, sensors, control modules, everything. Trying to sort this out probably qualifies as a hobby by now. Good luck!
318i idle problem I see from the other reply that this has happened to a few of us 318i owners,in my case the first time it was a wire picnhed between the bellhouseing and engine ,second time it was the electrical connector at the temp sensor that needed to be cleaned[antifreeze leakage onto sensor],third time it was the connector on the cold start valve that was broke.There is a member of the genesee valley chapther [joe adjavon]that is pretty knowledgeable if you can contact him lives around rochester ny.wish you luck
