Idle speed increases when depressing the clutch

[Suprgnat]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

Not sure I want to tackle this on my own... Looks pretty involved.

If yours is an N51, I'm pretty sure you're covered for that repair by the SULEV warranty. You're way under 15 years/150k miles.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by Suprgnat

If yours is an N51, I'm pretty sure you're covered for that repair by the SULEV warranty. You're way under 15 years/150k miles.

Nope, the engine is an N52.

[b1aze]

It’s really not as bad as it seems. Took me 4.5 hours and I decided to do plugs and coils while I was in there. It’s helps if you have someone that can give you a hand holding the cover up when putting it back on.

[Thunderguts]

Originally Posted by b1aze

It’s really not as bad as it seems. Took me 4.5 hours and I decided to do plugs and coils while I was in there. It’s helps if you have someone that can give you a hand holding the cover up when putting it back on.

I need to investigate this a bit more, but I think you would only need to remove the windshield wipers in order to remove the entire cowl. With that gone, the valve cover would be so much easier to remove and reinstall. You wouldn’t need to worry about the gasket coming off and you’d have easy access to the three bolts in back.

[jlc45]

Right on. Good come back. Cheers. JC

[bmw1racer]

Now my "Check Engine Soon" light has come on.

[Thunderguts]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

Now my "Check Engine Soon" light has come on.

If you haven't replaced your ESS yet, that would cause it. If the engine cannot sense the position of the eccentric shaft, it's probably in limp mode.

[bmw1racer]

Update:

A couple of weeks ago I took apart things to get to the ESS sensor connector and found it had oil in the connector. I cleaned it out with an electrical contact cleaner and coated the contacts with dielectric grease... No more fluctuating idle!

Don't know how it'll last and I'm not sure how the dielectric grease will hold up to the engine heat, but so far, so good.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

Update:

A couple of weeks ago I took apart things to get to the ESS sensor connector and found it had oil in the connector.

Dang these engines leak oil just everywhere.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by wdb

Dang these engines leak oil just everywhere.

LOL.

Sort of a bad design to put an electrical connection inside the working parts of an engine and not have its seals oil-proof.

[JHZR2]

I don’t know about others, but my 135i, which I’ve owned since new, raises idle a bit when clutch is depressed. Not 600-1009, but it is slightly audible if you’re paying attention.

[bmw1racer]

Five years later, I'm getting this problem again. 😝

[bmw1racer]

Ran diagnostics on the car and got these codes:

2A31
2A32
2A37
2A1A

It's the eccentric shaft sensor alright... 😕

[bmw1racer]

Eccentric shaft sensor and associated seals and gaskets replaced... $1953.