swapped some vac lines this morning trying to resolve an eratic idle issue on my 84 325e (2.7 5000 rpm engine). Seems to have worked for now... but in removing stuff noticed a fair bit of what looked like engine oil in the boot between the a/f meter and the throttle body, some on the meter side of the thrttle and some on the meter flange as well. Only source I can think of for this would be thru the breather hose from rocker cover to tb...yet this hose felt dry to my little pinkie thrust in there. I can't imagine any getting into the boot via the hose from the idle control valve (no reservoir of oil there). any ideas? (as proof that one thing leads to another on these, that as soon as you think you've fixed one thing anotehr, worse, problem pops up. I think my starter has died. lots of juice in battery, lots of juice at the front terminals, solenoid tries but unnnnh! no spin. arrggghh!
Fire an email off to Mike Miller of Techtalk. I had similar symptoms about 5 years or so ago. I can't recall his explanation exactly, but I think it was something like harmless splattering backward of oil through the throttle body or somewhere. His explanation was more substantial than my recollection of it. Anyway, the oil was harmless, or at least not indicative of anything that was about to explode or needed to be fixed.
