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The Steinbauer BMWs:
Rick and Rainer's BMW
633 CSi (Igor)
Rick and Rainer's BMW
633 CSi (Igor)
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In spite of all the wedging plugs in; Igor keeps dieing. I did adjust the timing according to
specifications but no luck! Drive about 8 miles and the car just dies. Also noticed that the fuel
consumption is extremely high. Suspecting the O2 Sensor to be the problem? Before I replaced that
sensor, the old one was not connected and the car ran fine. No extreme fuel usage either. I
remember driving up to Denver and back and we had no issues. Last time I checked, I disconnected
the sensor and drove 12 miles without any issues. Further test drives are in order.
23 Mar 18: Disconnected the O2 Sensor and drove Igor around the neighborhood for about 20
miles or so and then he started acting up again. Got home and he just died. Did not want to start
anymore even after the engine cooled off. I checked the fuel and there was still fuel coming through
the line and so I checked for spark and there was none. No power going to the ignition coil either.
So I checked the connections to the resistor ,and the AT Control Unit Plugged it all back in and
checked for power on the ignition coil and had power. Started right up and ran ok. Did not do a test
drive though.
3 Aug 19: Finally installed the in-tank and in-line fuel pumps and also the wire harness for the tank
and Igor started better. Drove about 8 miles and Igor started to sputter and died a few times. Given
a few minutes and he started right up again. I suspect crud in the tank. Will see that next time.
17 Aug 19: Still not so much sold on the crud in the tank, I changed out some of the coolant sensors
specifications but no luck! Drive about 8 miles and the car just dies. Also noticed that the fuel
consumption is extremely high. Suspecting the O2 Sensor to be the problem? Before I replaced that
sensor, the old one was not connected and the car ran fine. No extreme fuel usage either. I
remember driving up to Denver and back and we had no issues. Last time I checked, I disconnected
the sensor and drove 12 miles without any issues. Further test drives are in order.
23 Mar 18: Disconnected the O2 Sensor and drove Igor around the neighborhood for about 20
miles or so and then he started acting up again. Got home and he just died. Did not want to start
anymore even after the engine cooled off. I checked the fuel and there was still fuel coming through
the line and so I checked for spark and there was none. No power going to the ignition coil either.
So I checked the connections to the resistor ,and the AT Control Unit Plugged it all back in and
checked for power on the ignition coil and had power. Started right up and ran ok. Did not do a test
drive though.
3 Aug 19: Finally installed the in-tank and in-line fuel pumps and also the wire harness for the tank
and Igor started better. Drove about 8 miles and Igor started to sputter and died a few times. Given
a few minutes and he started right up again. I suspect crud in the tank. Will see that next time.
17 Aug 19: Still not so much sold on the crud in the tank, I changed out some of the coolant sensors
(See 7 and 9 in the picture) and the starting up went a lot easier. Driving
around displayed the same issues as there were before. I had the O2
Sensor connected and the car still acted up. After disconnecting there was
no change. I swapped out the ECU and the car acted normal again. This
leads me to believe that it is not crud in the tank but more the ECU.
Returned back to the house to charge the battery.
around displayed the same issues as there were before. I had the O2
Sensor connected and the car still acted up. After disconnecting there was
no change. I swapped out the ECU and the car acted normal again. This
leads me to believe that it is not crud in the tank but more the ECU.
Returned back to the house to charge the battery.
7 Sep 19: Bought some fuel system cleaner and added that to a full tank of gas. Drove around for
about 60 miles and had one small buck. The rest of the "trip" went uneventful with the exception of
the smell that comes with that cleaner. Also have a battery drain that I need to investigate as well as
the turn signals that do not want to work anymore. For now the battery just gets disconnected. Turn
signals? Not really a big deal since without turn signals you fit right into Colorado Springs.
At the end of the test drive Igor just died on me. Later I checked and there was no spark.
19 Oct 19; Hard to believe how time flies since I worked on Igor. Went to O'Reilley's and got a
distributor cap and a rotor which gave a spark again. From the way it looks there is no fuel. Both
pumps run but apparently there is not enough to produce enough pressure to run. Getting ready to
go overseas so I have to see what is going on when I come back.
20 Oct 19: Apparently someone thought Igor was parked too far back and hit him. Good thing is
that the perpetrator was a guest of one of our neighbors which made a "left a note" accident versus
a "hit and run". Igor was hit hard enough to be pushed forward 6 feet and wheels on the curb even
though my parking brake was engaged.
about 60 miles and had one small buck. The rest of the "trip" went uneventful with the exception of
the smell that comes with that cleaner. Also have a battery drain that I need to investigate as well as
the turn signals that do not want to work anymore. For now the battery just gets disconnected. Turn
signals? Not really a big deal since without turn signals you fit right into Colorado Springs.
At the end of the test drive Igor just died on me. Later I checked and there was no spark.
19 Oct 19; Hard to believe how time flies since I worked on Igor. Went to O'Reilley's and got a
distributor cap and a rotor which gave a spark again. From the way it looks there is no fuel. Both
pumps run but apparently there is not enough to produce enough pressure to run. Getting ready to
go overseas so I have to see what is going on when I come back.
20 Oct 19: Apparently someone thought Igor was parked too far back and hit him. Good thing is
that the perpetrator was a guest of one of our neighbors which made a "left a note" accident versus
a "hit and run". Igor was hit hard enough to be pushed forward 6 feet and wheels on the curb even
though my parking brake was engaged.
Left: Impact pushed
Igor on to the curb!
Was previously
parked parallel to the
curb
Igor on to the curb!
Was previously
parked parallel to the
curb
Trunk lid is also bent
Above: Car was pushed 6 feet forward even
though the parking brake was engaged.
though the parking brake was engaged.
9 Nov 19 Update: Igor is not a total loss after the insurance adjuster discovered that the market value us
$6,600 (low). Checked the fuel lines and discovered that they are all connected right but the in line fuel
pump seems to be the problem. Have a replacement on order and it will be installed soon.
17 Nov 19. Installed the fuel pump and Igor runs again.
26 Sep 20: Time flies and I have gotten lazy with updating. So in November last year I changed out fuel
pumps. Other major work I have done since is changed out the fuel tank since the old one was so rusted
that the rust pieces kept clogging up the filter in the in tank fuel pump. Also wound up changing the return
line and finally connected the throttle position sensor (TPS). Not as easy to adjust since you do not hear a
click. Got help from the First Five Forum "Easy. Break out the ohmmeter. You should have closed contacts
at idle, and they should open just as the throttle is cracked open just a tiny bit.". Well, I played around for a
while and think I got it. Igor runs and does not buck when I drive so it must be good, right?
20 Oct 20: After being lucky with the throttle position sensor the car runs nice and I would declare Igor
reliable. Taken several trips in the immediate area without any problems. Was able to drive until the fuel
light came on.
24 Oct 20: The "ultimate" test! Drove Igor without any complications up to Franktown (80 Mile roundtrip).
16 - 25 Nov 20: The ultimate test time! Since Niko's front differential went out, I decided I drive Igor to
work. Went well with the exception of a few stutters but overall no problems. Got to work and back from
work. Developed an oil leak somewhere that requires some attention. It may be the transmission but we
shall see.
Did some research and found someone who would put a headliner in. This did not work out since the man
is more equipped for newer cars. Igor would require to have the rear window removed to properly put one
in. Since he cannot really make a headliner that fits Igor, I did some more research and found
Worlduph who sent me some fabric samples. Nice material but for now I think I postpone the idea about a
headliner.
I had the seams on the front seats redone and put them back in. Passenger seat is still causing some
problems since the back of the seat is not staying up.
Things that I need to do:
Install the rubber bushings I bought recently
Some time in January 2021, Igor died all of a sudden and I think it was the connection to the fuel pump
relay. Made sure that the relay is seated tight and had no issues since.
Made a bad discovery when I drove Igor up to Denver and back. The fuel tank that I put in from Fritz is
leaking. Now I just have to really clean out the fuel tank that was in Igor before and put that back in.
$6,600 (low). Checked the fuel lines and discovered that they are all connected right but the in line fuel
pump seems to be the problem. Have a replacement on order and it will be installed soon.
17 Nov 19. Installed the fuel pump and Igor runs again.
26 Sep 20: Time flies and I have gotten lazy with updating. So in November last year I changed out fuel
pumps. Other major work I have done since is changed out the fuel tank since the old one was so rusted
that the rust pieces kept clogging up the filter in the in tank fuel pump. Also wound up changing the return
line and finally connected the throttle position sensor (TPS). Not as easy to adjust since you do not hear a
click. Got help from the First Five Forum "Easy. Break out the ohmmeter. You should have closed contacts
at idle, and they should open just as the throttle is cracked open just a tiny bit.". Well, I played around for a
while and think I got it. Igor runs and does not buck when I drive so it must be good, right?
20 Oct 20: After being lucky with the throttle position sensor the car runs nice and I would declare Igor
reliable. Taken several trips in the immediate area without any problems. Was able to drive until the fuel
light came on.
24 Oct 20: The "ultimate" test! Drove Igor without any complications up to Franktown (80 Mile roundtrip).
16 - 25 Nov 20: The ultimate test time! Since Niko's front differential went out, I decided I drive Igor to
work. Went well with the exception of a few stutters but overall no problems. Got to work and back from
work. Developed an oil leak somewhere that requires some attention. It may be the transmission but we
shall see.
Did some research and found someone who would put a headliner in. This did not work out since the man
is more equipped for newer cars. Igor would require to have the rear window removed to properly put one
in. Since he cannot really make a headliner that fits Igor, I did some more research and found
Worlduph who sent me some fabric samples. Nice material but for now I think I postpone the idea about a
headliner.
I had the seams on the front seats redone and put them back in. Passenger seat is still causing some
problems since the back of the seat is not staying up.
Things that I need to do:
Install the rubber bushings I bought recently
Some time in January 2021, Igor died all of a sudden and I think it was the connection to the fuel pump
relay. Made sure that the relay is seated tight and had no issues since.
Made a bad discovery when I drove Igor up to Denver and back. The fuel tank that I put in from Fritz is
leaking. Now I just have to really clean out the fuel tank that was in Igor before and put that back in.