# has any one successfully fixed the idle problem?



## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

If I was a betting man, I'd put money on a cam sensor, the VANOS, or maybe the DME, like BMW insists.


----------



## Rubber Ducky (Feb 27, 2004)

*Lotsa things?*



RChoudry said:


> If I was a betting man, I'd put money on a cam sensor, the VANOS, or maybe the DME, like BMW insists.


This and other forums (fora? - naw) have tons of posts with folks having ZHP idle probs and several fixes that follow error clues to a fairly wide range of different faulty components. There seem to be 4 themes in all of this:

1. The ZHP engine mod is a bit more prone to idle probs than the unmodified 330 version

2. No one source stands out as the single cause, but some are more prevalent than others

3. Stored error codes tell the story

4. This is a complex, 'puter controlled engine

Recommendation is that you keep going back to the dealer's shop until it works right. The problem is real, but so are the faulty components, which, when found, seem to make the prob go away and stay away. Underneath it all, it seems more a story about complexity than it does a bad machine.

I've got a ZHP on order to arrive in May. I will be alert to symptoms, but I think this is statistically somewhat a rare problem and hope for the best. If I have a prob, I plan to go to the dealer and say one word: fixit.


----------



## Raikkonen (Jan 20, 2004)

mine was fine the first 6,000 miles but of late it is doing some odd things when I have the clutch down at a light. I even had it stall last week for the first time the revs dipped so low why I was not even in gear but just in nuetral at a light.


----------



## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

I am amazed at how long this is taking to remedy.

My ZHP has less than 200 miles, it's my third 330 in the last few years. 

There is clearly much more vibration at idle and "surging" despite no drop in idle speed than I ever experienced before. The needle simply doesn't stay still. Always a 50-100 rpm fuctuation and any electrical load (window, engine fan, heated seats) will make the idle fluctuate.

I'm with you guys. BMW and the dealers need to address this problem ASAP.

Resources include NHTSA and BMWCCA. BMWNA is simply not helpful and without SES codes, a problem cannot be targeted.


----------



## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

My 330cic (non-ZHP) has the same problem. Have had new DME software, and recently a new ICV (idle control valve). 

The problem mostly occurs when it is warm out, so we shall see if the ICV fixes it or not.


----------



## killerdeck (Dec 21, 2001)

*Ah the joys of looking forward to a new ZHP...*

All of this talk about these issues should make for a fun 1200 mile drive back from the Performance Center to Austin in a month! By the way, hey Hockeynut!


----------



## FenPhen (Jan 13, 2004)

RChoudry said:


> My ZHP has less than 200 miles, it's my third 330 in the last few years.


Crap, what's your build date. Mine's like last day of February and I was hoping things would be resolved by now. 

Also, to anyone's that had the idle problem, can you simply just lightly apply the gas to at least prevent it from stalling?


----------



## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

my build date was second week of 02/2004


----------



## NASA43 (Jul 19, 2003)

RChoudry said:


> my build date was second week of 02/2004


RChoudry, mine was built the same week as yours. I have a little over 300 miles on it and the idle has been rock steady so far. The only problem I have had was the SES light came on the first day, went off the next day, then came back on and off two other times. I took it in last week and they said it was the air intake sensor apparently shorting out. They ordered a new one, not installed yet. The funny thing is, the light hasn't been on since. The sensor was not affecting the performance as far as I could tell. Temperature here has been mid 60's up to low 80's.


----------



## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

killerdeck said:


> All of this talk about these issues should make for a fun 1200 mile drive back from the Performance Center to Austin in a month! By the way, hey Hockeynut!


Yo!

Actually it isn't so bad. When it happens, it starts right back up and in 5000 miles of driving it has happened maybe 6 times.


----------



## Bill97Z (Dec 20, 2002)

*I have the same problem with my 2001 325i*

It's gonna be out of waranty soon so I will try one last time. Mostly dips in bumper to bumper traffic and stopping at lights when I am braking and push the clutch in. The RPM's dip down so low it sometimes stalls. I'll keep you posted...


----------



## toddkageals (May 5, 2003)

FenPhen said:


> Crap, what's your build date. Mine's like last day of February and I was hoping things would be resolved by now.
> 
> Also, to anyone's that had the idle problem, can you simply just lightly apply the gas to at least prevent it from stalling?


HA! I've got a 2000 328i. I too have had new DME software (waiting on a second upgrade). The dealership has NOT been able to fix this problem. No codes are stored so all they want to do is wait on new software. I'm not sure why this seems to be a problem. I had an '87 Mazda RX7 Turbo. Car had 220K miles on it and it NEVER stalled on me. My BMW has stalled maybe 10 times in the last two months! Good luck getting it fixed. I hope they find the cause soon but I am not holding my breath.

Todd


----------



## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

I've noted recently, that the car does really idle ROUGH on cold start up, but as it hits operating temperature, it smooths out and does not do it anymore.


Man there's a lot of coil failures these last few weeks on e46's!!


----------



## Andy (Jul 16, 2003)

Some guy over at E46Fanatics took his 330i ZHP into the dealer to have the idle problem fixed and it appears that the dealer was able to fix it. He has a printout of the workorder and everything. Hopefully this is the end of the idle problem.

Here is the thread:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=151977

Here is the workorder:


----------



## mkh (Mar 24, 2003)

Andy said:


> Some guy over at E46Fanatics took his 330i ZHP into the dealer to have the idle problem fixed and it appears that the dealer was able to fix it. He has a printout of the workorder and everything. Hopefully this is the end of the idle problem.


This has been discussed earlier in another thread.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56126


----------



## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

I wonder if the funny idle/stalling problem causes emissions problems when inspection comes up?


----------



## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

NASA43 said:


> The only problem I have had was the SES light came on the first day, went off the next day, then came back on and off two other times. I took it in last week and they said it was the air intake sensor apparently shorting out. They ordered a new one, not installed yet. The funny thing is, the light hasn't been on since. The sensor was not affecting the performance as far as I could tell.


I'll bet it is! Especially if the ECU is ignoring it and using default values for mix calculations, in which case you're probably running rich.

Wait 'til you get the replacement, give the ECU 100-150 miles to adjust the adaptation parameters, and I'll bet the car will feel perceptibly more powerful. :thumbup:


----------



## Andy (Jul 16, 2003)

mkh said:


> This has been discussed earlier in another thread.
> 
> http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56126


 :doh:


----------



## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

I'm very interested in the fuel consumption (MPG) of cars with the idle problem.


----------



## samlee4444 (Oct 2, 2003)

*DME issue*

I had this same exact problem and started seeing it after around 1K miles, but the funny thing it, it would happen most often right after I filled up my gas tank. I'd pull out of the gas station, get to a red light, then the moment I press my clutch, the rpm's dip and it would stall.

Thinking it was a o2 sensor or a problem with the gas i was using, i took it into the dealer. Apparently it has been an issue with the DME. Got the DME replaced and it hasn't stall once since.


----------

