Cylinder 6 is Dead.

socalfiver · Post by **socalfiver** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 7:25 pm

I hate my 6th cylinder. It gives me nothing but problems. It has been acting fine for 6 weeks or so, but now is completely dead. I've got good compression, and it sparks like cray-zee. I know it's that one because pulling the plug connector while revving it (2k rpm) shows no effect, while the other 5 are noticeable.

Clogged injector? Bad injector?

Does anyone know the proper resistance measurement for the injector? Proper voltage to the injector?

I have searched and checked all of the FAQs for this info and didn't find it.

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 11:55 am

They are low impedance injectors, about 3 ohms. The obvious voltage check is to see what the other injectors are getting.

socalfiver · Post by **socalfiver** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:02 pm

In hindsight, that does seem obvious!! Thanks again, Mike.

I'm headed to 3 salvage yards today that I haven't been to before in hopes of locating fuel injectors. And anything else I may happen across, but hoping to locate at least 1 ribcage big 6er. Going to Anaheim, Santa Fe Springs and Stanton, CA.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 5:01 pm

I have all six injectors mounted on the rail. A beer will be the price. My cats will appreciate the rail being moved. I also have the email address of a guy with a good rep that rebuilds them to match each other or, to run well w/o being super-matched.
Lemme know,,,,Greg
Ps Meanwhile, I'll email him if I find the address to see if he's still doing it.
It was in his nicely set up garage.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 5:19 pm

The injector rebuilder email address is 'rich@cruzinperformance.com'.
The guys here may know of others, too.
Did you find some decent E12's? There are a few things I need too.
Did you notice any M10's? I will need stuff for my '73 2002, also. Like front bumper & side trim? Steering wheel; there must be more, ya know. Greg

socalfiver · Post by **socalfiver** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 7:09 pm

I got a couple of injectors today to try out, I'll let you know after I tinker if I need to take you up on your kind offer.

I have a small cache of parts I've accumulated since getting the car (don't we all?). What are you looking for?

I only made it to one yard, the Santa Fe Springs Ecology yard. They have an '80 e12 that is stripped of everything good (ecu, icu, afm, interior). I got a few pieces: Power lock motor, passenger door wood trim, fuel pressure regulator, 2 injectors, rear package tray, 528 emblem and a side vent.

I changed out the injector and #6 still seems dead. I swapped injector leads between 5 & 6, no change. Swapped spark plugs between 5 & 6, no change.

Weirdly, the 6th cylinder will occasionally fire for a bit. Not every time, but sometimes, when gently accelerating on the freeway, I can hear the stumble go away and the acceleration gets smooth again. As soon as I let off the gas, the stumble/miss returns and usually remains for the rest of the trip.

Could it be a valve issue? If an eccentric valve adjuster came loose, could #6 lose compression? I have a slight valve tick, but nothing major. I had the valve seals changed when I swapped heads, but did not have the valves ground. I did a valve adjustment just after installation, probably 2k ago.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 7:27 pm

I need the driver's door handles that you pull the door closed by grabbing; in both red and tan colors.
Are the other two P-N-P's Ecology or 'Pik Ur Parts'? I need to take a trip there.
So tell me, confidentially, why didn't you get a valve job??? O I C!!

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 7:32 pm

BTW; did you notice if under the trunk lid covering was intact except for the tool door? I NEED the vinyl cover. Thanx,,,,Greg

socalfiver · Post by **socalfiver** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:18 pm

Trunk Lid Lining is there but not screwed in. I may go back and get the trunk lid itself. Mine is rusty.

Both driver side armrests/pulls are there in tan.

the other 2 are Pick Your Part. I found them on their website. There's a bunch of yards down in Chula Vista, but you can see Mexico from there, so that's a day trip by itself.

I didn't get a valve job because I'm jobless and it would've jacked up the price of my head rebuild to an unbelievable $690. The pressure test came back good.

socalfiver · Post by **socalfiver** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:48 pm

So I test drove it again. It runs on 5 until I floor it. Once it gets to about 3k, the 6th cylinder kicks in. It's doing it regularly now. Maybe AFM/ECU issue?

It was raining all day the day I worked on the car, so I imagine it's possible that some rain got where it shouldn't be and shorted something out?

Lenny D. · Post by **Lenny D.** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 11:35 pm

Did you swap the spark plug with a known good one (even used)?

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 11:38 pm

So, please give me the address + zipcode to the one with the stuff I need.
Also the address of the other ones.
Thanx,,,,Greg

socalfiver · Post by **socalfiver** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:59 am

Lenny-

#6 plug sparks normally when removed and grounded against the engine.
Even so, I swapped it with the #5 cylinder to see if the miss would move to cylinder 5, same with the FI connector. Swapped them between cylinders 5 & 6. The misfire remained on Cylinder 6, meaning the plug is good and the injector is getting power.

Should the injector spray be a fine mist like on Chevron Techron commercials? When I pulled the injector and fired the engine, fuel was released, but not a fine mist as I would expect. It was more "drippy."

I have swapped fuel pumps with one from a boneyard. Both produce fuel pressure. Is it possible that fuel pressure is too low? I have not changed the fuel filter yet, but it seemed pretty clean and free- flowing.

Greg- I don't know the address. It's on Imperial Highway, south side, about 2 miles east of the 5. You can't miss it. Check the Ecology website for the exact address. The silver e12 is in the very last row of foreign cars, alongside a row of defunct MTA busses.

I'm off to the other 2 yards now in search of AFM, ECU. I'll look 4 ur red door handles and 2002 bits.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:40 pm

Who IS that honking the horn behind me while leaving Ecology?? Another E12! It was great seeing you at Ecology today, Ted. Sorry I didn't take the time to stop & chat. I wanted to get to tbe Beach Blvd. P-A-P. And then to the Katella P-A-P. Oh well, I was tired after the drive to Beach Blvd. & came home. For one thing there was/is no Beach Blvd. sign, so, I went way past it. Of course I had to come all the way back.
And then there's always tomorrow.
I did get some goodies, including; brake master cylinder, trunk top liner, door handle goody, both tailight boxes for a late model E12. Maybe more I forgot. I almost got the two stock turbine-style wheels w/tires, but, I already have too many of those. I noticed the tranny & linkage was missing.
The block said3.2/3.3. Hummmm.
It was stamped on the block by the dipstick, How cum I can't find any stamp anywhere on my '75, anywhere??
However, it DOES get up!! Quicker than my Rossalina(2.

. The compression test read at 180ft.lbs. on all six! Or however it should be said.
Til next time, Thanx Ted,,,,Greg

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:21 am

GripGreg wrote: The block said3.2/3.3. Hummmm.
It was stamped on the block by the dipstick, How cum I can't find any stamp anywhere on my '75, anywhere??

More likely 3.0/3.3. It refers indirectly to the bore size, those two having a common 89MM bore. Back in '75 they may not have started it or may not have had enough 3.3s to worry about it. Later E12 528i's were marked 2.5/2.8 as they shared the same 86MM bore.

Back to the OP, the injector should spray, at worst like a squirt gun spray, but spray not dribble. Pull the fuel rail and crank it with 6 cups underneath to measure volume. But even though you said you have spark, I wonder about it. Find an extra spark plug cable, slap it in there and see if it makes any difference. Or ohm out yours, but the resistors can be intermittent, or worse if it has some weird aftermarket cables installed. Resistance should be a little under 2K ohms IIRC.