She almost let me down this morning...

[Dan in NZ]

Car wouldn't start this morning, and while cranking was making a really weired noise. After cranking a while, I got it going and kept it running by giving it heaps of gas, and then it stalled. Started it again after a long crank, then it was running really rough, making a regular clanging noise... Let it idle for a 10-20seconds, then it smoothed out and all was fine. Every other start today has been instant and trouble-free.

I'm thinking that perhaps the ICV was just stuck first thing? Sure as hell scared the **** outta me. Hopefully it was just a one-off freak occurance.

[genphreak]

Time to sell?

Your posts are pretty sad these days Dan. With a car this age you either fix it right or you let someone else do it instead... maybe its time to liquidate the thing and give it one last chance at life before you up and leave NZ.

I did this when my head blew- decided to keep and fix it right. It's a labour of love and I knew the likelyhood (have done it before) of this being lengthier than I expected but I still did it. Was financially the wrong decision though, even though the car is much better built than others I have done this with in the past. It's easy to read these boards and get carried away thinking you can maintain a car like this without putting in the necessary dollars and sense (which is not insignificant)...

Good luck with it... I suggest you drive it carefully (nurse it around) so it won't break on you before you do eventually sell it... :) GP

[Gayle]

Time to sell?

Your posts are pretty sad these days Dan. With a car this age you either fix it right or you let someone else do it instead... maybe its time to liquidate the thing and give it one last chance at life before you up and leave NZ.

I did this when my head blew- decided to keep and fix it right. It's a labour of love and I knew the likelyhood (have done it before) of this being lengthier than I expected but I still did it. Was financially the wrong decision though, even though the car is much better built than others I have done this with in the past. It's easy to read these boards and get carried away thinking you can maintain a car like this without putting in the necessary dollars and sense (which is not insignificant)...

Good luck with it... I suggest you drive it carefully (nurse it around) so it won't break on you before you do eventually sell it... :) GP


You must have missed the thread about Dan's current financial troubles and his efforts to sell his car. Dan we are all praying for your car to hang in there til you graduate. Congratualations on postponing its demise another day.

[genphreak]

You must have missed the thread about Dan's current financial troubles and his efforts to sell his car. Dan we are all praying for your car to hang in there til you graduate. Congratualations on postponing its demise another day. Indeed, thanks Gayle. it is a tough time, sorry to be so calous Dan, would you like me to make a window sticker for you? I am doing some atm... could put FOR SALE (ph number) on it so everyone can see it when u park around the place. :( Just PM me your addy, I'll zip em over to you in a few days...

[Dan in NZ]

Thanks, it's had FOR SALE $5500 on it for about a month now... Not a single phonecall.

The car has started and run fine since yesterday. I'll assume it's A-OK.

The E34's are almost worthless over here at the moment. People that want to spend $4-10k on a car don't want the expense of maintaing an old euro. Especially as you can get an E36 for around 10k and an E39 from about 15k. Also, the price of gas is putting people off big cars.

In 10 weeks I finish university, and will be living back at home for a couple of months. That's when the car will get the attention it deserves!

[genphreak]

On ya Dan, that's good to hear, no wonder she sounds a bit neglected at our end. Last time I was in NZ the Japanese 2nd hand import craze was really biting the market for local euro cars hard. :) GP

[Marcusd]

Dan,

If it is any help, I've had this on my 167,000 miles '96 E34 525i a couple of times and it always seems to happen if I accidentally step on the throttle when getting in to the car before turning the key. The last time it happened was over 6 months ago and it has not happened since.

At a pretty uneducated guess, it felt as if the press of the throttle had messed up the cold start system.

My car is pretty well maintained and has only had this twice, maybe it could be the same thng?

Cheers, Marcus

[Dan in NZ]

Hmmm, could be that Marcus. Hasn't done it at all since, so it must just be a one-off. I normally never touch the gas when I start the car, so perhaps I could have...