Power Loss Now Won't Start

[Loachr]

HI All

I have a 1983 beautiful 6 series in red - and in the main it is great - however, the revs have dropped to 1000 at most - i managed the three mile drive to get it home - now its marooned on the drive and I cannot find a mechanic anywhere who will look at it - any ideas, I am based in Bham.

Anyone know a reputable caring mechanic?

[Guest DazH]

Firstly, welcome to BMWOC

Please give us more to work with. We need to know a bit more details. How sudden? What happened when it done this? What did you hear? Are the all the gauges working? (TEMP GAUGE!), Last good service?

From what you have said, it sounds to me as though a vacuum hose has popped off. That will cause atmospheric pressure within the intake causing the throttle to become limp.

May sound silly but, pull your dipstick out and tell me the colour of the oil. Saying this may seem a tad insulting depending on your technical knowledge but,... same thing happened to me and it was because my cylinder head broke.

There are a few trusted (very trusted) members on here in the west midlands who can offer advice and/or a service.

Hope this helps,

Daz

[G4VHD]

As above mate..a tad more info please.

Also where are you in Brum, I'm from Walsall myself

[Loachr]

Hi Darren

I live in Great Barr - couple of miles away from Walsall.

The power went instant - I was on the Walsall Rd by junction 7 when all of a sudden the car started slowing right down even though the foot was on the accelerator, I only just made it over the fly over due to the hill. When it went there was a rattling from the engine and it was not running smooth and when I stopped at the school a few miles away it felt like it was hotter than normal - however all gauges were OK - the temperature fluctuated up when I was struggling on the hill but I did not allow it to go past the half way point - the last cyclinder head had to be imported from Germany !

The oil is all fine - the head is good - I had the lot replaced about 18 months ago at great expense but I was working in Sheffield and new a great garage that sorted it all out.

There is a bloke at Ashley Exhausts that looked at it last year when I had the exhaust replaced and I know he is an enthusiast and Im trying to make contact. I am consideing getting the AA to come tomorrow, problem is if they cannot get it sorted I don't know where can get them to toe it to.

Thanks for your help !!!

Richard

[G4VHD]

PM me your postcode mate, im no mechanic but if your not to far I could pop over sometime and have a look with you.

[Loachr]

b43 5bu - the house with the broken BMW outside and a campervan on the lawn

[G4VHD]

I know where you are..

Are you at home Monday day time?

[Guest DazH]

Gav will have a look at it. If it's fixable by the road side, you'll get it sorted through Gav.

Let us know if you have any questions until then

Daz

[Loachr]

it depends what time on Monday - when is good for you?

Thanks

[G4VHD]

Anytime mate.

[philsbmw]

Have you got this fixed yet, could it be a fuel pump or a sensor failure?,

[Loachr]

HI All

I have a 1983 beautiful 6 series in red - and in the main it is great - however, the revs have dropped to 1000 at most - i managed the three mile drive to get it home - now its marooned on the drive and I cannot find a mechanic anywhere who will look at it - any ideas, I am based in Bham.

Anyone know a reputable caring mechanic?

Hi Gav

I had had lots if problems trrying to reply to you so apologies if you get three replies through, Monday Lunch time would be great.

Thanks

[G4VHD]

Hi Gav

I had had lots if problems trrying to reply to you so apologies if you get three replies through, Monday Lunch time would be great.

Thanks

See you then mate, i'll bring my tools.

Looking forward to it

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

What part of engine was rattling? Sounds terminal its internal...

[G4VHD]

Been to look at this car today, found a few vacuum houses sliced and lying in various places around the engine bay.
We went to purchase some new hoses but struggled to find the proper locations to connect them.
With a bit of jiggery we got the car started and revving.
Now the car idles at about 500 rpm and there is a big delay in the throttle.
Im presuming I havnt piped it back up properly.
I've took a few pics and I'll try explain but Im a bit stuck now.

Right, we have this sitting on top of the dizzy with a location above and one below for a pipe


We have a location on the top and bottom of the throttle body


We have this one here that bridges the rocker cover to the airbox side of the throttle body


And one at the underside of the inlet manifold.

Bit difficult to see here but this is how im piped up at the moment.

1.From underside of intake mani to underside of throttle body
2.From top location on dizzy to top of throttle body
3.From bottom location on dizzy to pipe that bridges rocker to throttle body




Cheers in advance guys

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

I'm on it :ph34r:

[Guest DazH]

Same as

[Guest DazH]

At higher revs, the distributor needs to change its timing. This is usually done with a spring system but that valve on the top looks to be the way the M30 does this. The pressure from the engine most likely acts upon that valve to alter the timing. Without it, at higher revs the car will lack power. I imagine the vacuum line would come from the inlet manifold.

RealOEM isn't helping a lot when it comes to the distributor.

This is what I make of it...

The nipple ontop of the throttle body seems to go UNDER the dizzy.

The nipple ontop of the dizzy seems to go over the rocker-cover and down to the bottom of the inlet manifold.

I believe, the reason for the lumpy idle and terrible throttle response is to do with the distributor. Like my M20, You can spin it with your hand to either Retard/Advance the timing. I used to retard mine to give it a lumpy idle but suffered badly with performance. You can turn it to the point where the car loses enough revs that she stalls so this really makes sense in my head.

My money is on the dizzy slipping.

Hope this helps

[Loachr]

this is great guys, thank you all for your help,

Gav - cant thank you enough for your time and effort today !!

[G4VHD]

this is great guys, thank you all for your help,

Gav - cant thank you enough for your time and effort today !!

No problem mate..we will get this fixed I promise

Daz, top man, I will try the timing that makes sense a lot...not sure how its moved though!

As for the hoses, I still will have a spare connection at bottom of TB and in the pipe bridging the rocker to the air intake before the TB?

[Guest DazH]

No problem mate..we will get this fixed I promise

Daz, top man, I will try the timing that makes sense a lot...not sure how its moved though!

As for the hoses, I still will have a spare connection at bottom of TB and in the pipe bridging the rocker to the air intake before the TB?

It will move if the bolts are not tight enough (shuddy HG job). The dizzy is spun from the crank or the cam so, alot of torque is put into that we thing...

Check if there are any horrible screw holes in the dash. Me and Dabs have a feeling some a*se has tried to take a vacuum line into the cab for a "turbo" gauge.

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

Has to be a vac issue as it also drives the adv/ret for dizzy... Anything else been butchered on it recently that might shed extra light on it?

[Loachr]

Hi, yes I think your right, but no nothing has been butchered on it, but i doi agree it is a strange set up of vac hoses. The last lot of work done was the over heating and it had whole coolant system and new top and front heads with replaced rockers. It was Quarry motors in Sheffield and they know their stuff - expensive - but clever so I am as surprised to see the butchered hose issues.

I'm hoping to get a picture on later for you all to see it.

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

Can't wait lol

I know Quarry Motors, the one near Meadowhall area?

[G4VHD]

Ill try get back over to you early next week Richard