strange, lumpy cold idle...

['88740GL]

Hi everyone,

I have a 1988 740 saloon with the redblock 2.0 engine, no emmision system, B200E engine, It has a very weird cold start cycle, it starts fine, revs up to 1500rpm for 12-15 seconds then idle drops to 1100 and stays there for about 1 minute, then the engine starts shuddering and the idle drops to 300-400rpm and it hunts...it will continue to do that until you get in and drive it for 2-3 miles, then all is well, but whilst its idling you see a white steam/smoke puffing out of the exhaust, and it smells super rich, with a lot of condensation.

I've checked injector seals by squirting wd40 around the injectors and non is sucked in, and the engine runs no different, i've cleaned the flametrap, throttle body and the fuel distributor plate carefully, adjusted warm running idle after that, I've put new plugs in, checked the ignition wires, air filter is brand new, i've tried different types of octane petrol, (V-power and valvemaster additive makes it hunt faster?)

It's a funny engine but i love the car, i can live with it if this is its nature, and i don't expect it to run like a car from today either.

p.s i dont think main mixture is rich as the is no soot whatsoever being deposited on the inside of the exhaust spout, unlike when i first got it.

Thanks in advance!

[RAW]

That's sound very wierd. Certainly not normal. Our b200e starts and immedi
fly begins to idle at 850-900 rpm, which is just the same as the warm idle. It used to be a bit lumpy kn idly, but that was solved by running injector cleaner a few times. Whitsun smoke normally turns out to be steam, and in your case is, I presume, ****ably caused by moisture in the cylenders when the engine is left to stand. You would have to ask someone who knows more how it would be getin there though.

Good luck sorting it out though, it WILL make a great car when it's working right.

Richard

['88740GL]

Originally Posted by RAW

That's sound very wierd. Certainly not normal. Our b200e starts and immedi
fly begins to idle at 850-900 rpm, which is just the same as the warm idle. It used to be a bit lumpy kn idly, but that was solved by running injector cleaner a few times. Whitsun smoke normally turns out to be steam, and in your case is, I presume, ****ably caused by moisture in the cylenders when the engine is left to stand. You would have to ask someone who knows more how it would be getin there though.

Good luck sorting it out though, it WILL make a great car when it's working right.

Richard

Its only the cold start system as it seems, as i've had this car for 2 months and clocked 2000 miles on her already, never has it failed to take me where i wanted to go, and it gets my girlfriend to work on time every morning, (i drive of course, lol even though she's an aussie, and at 16 drove a 1972 ford falcon v8 to school, and later college!, still don't trust a woman with my car)

The coolant isn't dissapearing, and the moisture is clear, and has the typical exhausty/petrol condensate smell, (my coolant is pinky red) it doesnt steam all the time and will disappear 5 minutes after startup. I pulled the plugs after fitting new ones 1000 miles ago,, they're as clean as they were when they were put in, only slightly whitish deposits on the ground electrode, but i'm running a pottasium/manganese lead replacement additive + octane booster, as this car will run on leaded 4 star on unleaded (i'd play it safe)

I love this car, i really do, and won't let this funny cold idle thing ruin anything, this car has 43,000 original miles on it, (i checked with VOSA and all of its MOT certificates, and the miles are original!) So i'm guessing she's spent most of her life sitting in a garage or on the drive of the 5 previous owners due to its thirst...25mpg motorway 15-18mpg in the city.....