Some history will help you help me.
I have 72 3.0 csi that has been sitting for three years in garage. Several weeks ago I got new battery and she started on first try. I added oil and coolant and after a good warm-up I drove 15 minutes, oil pressure was fine, but temp went straight to red and started to overheat. Parked it and let it cool down. Spent a few hours reading threads and found hint that my heater vent was not fully open to allow system to bleed air while adding coolant. I fixed this and temp has been perfect ever since. FYI, I have a small radiator leak and am scheduled for my mechanic to do a triple re-core in a few weeks.
Last week, I spent a few hours washing car and did a mild clean on engine with gunk engine cleaner and brush to clean up engine bay. I felt like I covered dist cap, starter and battery pretty well, but now I am not so sure.
Drove car home and took my 3 and 5 year boys for their first ride in the car (we now have 2 new bmw lovers). After about 5 minutes the engine idle started jumping up and down, but car kept running. I parked it in my garage overnight and on my drive to work idle was getting rougher. After about 10 minutes the car almost shut off at a traffic light, but kept running and made it the few blocks to office. Temp and oil were fine.
Yesterday I went to start car and it turned over with no problem, but cut off after a few seconds. After a few tries it back fired and I had to change my shorts (it is parked in the lower level of a parking deck). Oil is fine and I do not see any other leaks. The dist cap appeared to have good connection and nothing obviously loose with just a quick scan of engine bay. I can hear the fuel pump working OK.
I have been reading the posts, but I am now so lost I am not sure where to begin once I go back.
Question? Does this sound more like a dist cap or plug issue from when I cleaned the engine or could I have bad fuel after sitting? What could I have pulled or shaken loose that would cause this backfire?
I know this is a little open ended but any advice would be great before I do more damage. My fatherhood is at stake with my boys who want another ride.
Thanks in advance.
Brian
I have 72 3.0 csi that has been sitting for three years in garage. Several weeks ago I got new battery and she started on first try. I added oil and coolant and after a good warm-up I drove 15 minutes, oil pressure was fine, but temp went straight to red and started to overheat. Parked it and let it cool down. Spent a few hours reading threads and found hint that my heater vent was not fully open to allow system to bleed air while adding coolant. I fixed this and temp has been perfect ever since. FYI, I have a small radiator leak and am scheduled for my mechanic to do a triple re-core in a few weeks.
Last week, I spent a few hours washing car and did a mild clean on engine with gunk engine cleaner and brush to clean up engine bay. I felt like I covered dist cap, starter and battery pretty well, but now I am not so sure.
Drove car home and took my 3 and 5 year boys for their first ride in the car (we now have 2 new bmw lovers). After about 5 minutes the engine idle started jumping up and down, but car kept running. I parked it in my garage overnight and on my drive to work idle was getting rougher. After about 10 minutes the car almost shut off at a traffic light, but kept running and made it the few blocks to office. Temp and oil were fine.
Yesterday I went to start car and it turned over with no problem, but cut off after a few seconds. After a few tries it back fired and I had to change my shorts (it is parked in the lower level of a parking deck). Oil is fine and I do not see any other leaks. The dist cap appeared to have good connection and nothing obviously loose with just a quick scan of engine bay. I can hear the fuel pump working OK.
I have been reading the posts, but I am now so lost I am not sure where to begin once I go back.
Question? Does this sound more like a dist cap or plug issue from when I cleaned the engine or could I have bad fuel after sitting? What could I have pulled or shaken loose that would cause this backfire?
I know this is a little open ended but any advice would be great before I do more damage. My fatherhood is at stake with my boys who want another ride.
Thanks in advance.
Brian
