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1979 528i M/T.

This just started happening yesterday (hasn't happened today). Driving along in stop and go or neighborhood speed. Car just looses power without any hiccup or stutter. It would not start for 1/2 hour. Then after calling the tow truck, I tried one last time and it fired up. Drove for 1/2 hour and it happened again. Came back in 3 hours and it started fine and drove rest of night.

Car was getting hot the 2nd time (between 1/2 and 3/4 on gauge). It may have been up there the first time as well as I had just set at a light for a while.

I didn't have tools to test for fuel when it wasn't starting, so I don't have much to go on except that I need to get a road tool box.

The day that this happened, I had unhooked the 2 wires from the AC valve. The compressor lead was already disconnected, but I wanted to be able to turn the heat dial all the way to cold without the engine idle going up. Could this be related?

My only idea is fuel pump and filter.

Any thoughts?


Thanks.

Mike

Happened to me years ago. Run, up to temp, quit, no start until cold.

Replaced the Ignition Control Unit. Fixed.

Problem is they are very spendy new. Good to try swapping in a good used version first.

T.Hanson wrote:Happened to me years ago. Run, up to temp, quit, no start until cold.

Replaced the Ignition Control Unit. Fixed.

Problem is they are very spendy new. Good to try swapping in a good used version first.

Did yours quit as soon as it got up to temp? I was able to drive yesterday with no problems. Temp did not get above 1/2 though so that may not mean much (all highway). However, on the day it happened, I was above 1/2 for a while before it happened.

I went ahead and ordered fuel pump and filter. I took a look at mine and it looks pretty old (mostly rust).

I'm going with the fuel as the culprit because while cranking it, it would occasionally "mumble" a bit (very weak firing, then nothing).