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From: donch@teklabs.UUCP (Don Chitwood)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: 2002 BMW Strange Stalling Problem
Message-ID: <2787@teklabs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 27-Mar-84 22:57:30 EST
Article-I.D.: teklabs.2787
Posted: Tue Mar 27 22:57:30 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Mar-84 07:13:16 EST
References: <1088@sdchema.UUCP>, <278@charm.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 43

My wife's '74 2002 has a very strange stalling problem.
SYMPTOMS:  When driving at highway speeds, engine begins mild stuttering.
The car begins to slow down, so more throttle is given to maintain speed.
tuttering usually gets worse, necessitating more throttle, until the 
throttle is fuly open.  Usually near full throttle, the power comes on full
again, so when the throttle is backed off (because we just got up to 80
in a real hurry) it feels like the ignition has been shut off; flooring
the throttle gives us full power again--usually.  On one occasion, the 
car simply died.  During all of this, engine temperature is dropping
significantly.

OBSERVATIONS AND CAR HISTORY:  This problem has persisted for 3 years
with random occurance.  It happens in spite of a new 2-barrel Weber carb,
a head rebuild, new spark plub wires and distributor caps, installation
of an Alison breakerless ignition.  The electronic tach never twitches
as it would if the signal to the coil was flakey.  It occurs on the
level, uphill, downhill, high or low altitudes, usually during our
rare and precious vacations, and almost always after an hour or more
of continuous highway driving.  Fuel filters have been changed, the
carburetor float bowl has been examined for water or debris--none.
Also, but not necessarily related, when riding around town the engine
occasionally spits and bucks and the idle  has spells of being erratic--
always in the direction of engine dying.  Once when the car simply died
at the end of a particularly bad stutter spell, I pulled the plugs.
They were extremely black and sooty.  Replacing with new plugs solved
the problem.  Around town type driving reveals normal plug appearance.

THEORIES:  I suspect a polution control device which diverts fuel pump
pressurized gas to the carb when the engine is off.
Also, it could conceivably be some electrical gremlin like the coil.
I've had a few weird coil problems in the past.


Mind you, I haven't teken this problem to a "qualified" service dealer
or local guru.  I like to solve my own problems for the challenge and
the savings of bucks.  This one has me buffaloed.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Don Chitwood
Tektronix, Inc.
Imaging Research.
teklabs!donch