733i-1983- High Fuel Consumption HELP!!

:banghead: Car's sucking up gas bigtime! Can you please help me? any suggestions on why it is?

NEED more in the way of other SYMPTOMS !....hows
it running, any smoke, how's it starting, etc.......jb.

:grinno: The car starts ok ... but at times there is no power when you step on the gas but if you keep your foot on the gas pedal ( for example 1200 rpms and you dont move your foot it will shoot up tp 1600 rpms then it will drop down again to 1200 rpms, then back up to 1600 rpms ) Then if u have the vehicle in gear it will surge forward then it will cut back down then surge back up and you'll see black smoke, then when i put it in netural and push on the pedal a few times then it will red line and when this happens it runs ok until i stop again then it all happens again with the lack of power. Also the mpg will stay in one spot like at number 5 I get less then 50 mpg on 20.00 dollars worth of gas and there is no fuel leaks, and is it true that if you remove the oil filler cap the car should die??? if it's true i tried this and it doesn't die it cuts out like it wants to die but it doesn't. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR FIRST REPLY

ok, lets see now......last first, the car may not 'die'
but the idle should noticably change [rough, uneven
NOT be the same] and yours sounds like it does this AND, you've already eliminated a number of things by checking that! I HATE THROWING DARTS
right off the bat but you've descibed ALL the classic
symptoms of a sticking 'Air Flow Meter'. Other components can cause some of your problems some of the time, [fuel press. regulator, NTC, connections] BUT none of those cover ALL those bases you've just touched. The 'AFM' is the aluminum 'box' with the two big hoses connecting to it over the top of the engine. one goes straight
to the intake manifold, the other to the air cleaner box.
Try this, while it's running badly [not too fast, just off idle will do] smartly smack it's housing [the part that looks like a little waffle iron] with a piece of wood........don't try to break it but hit it hard enough to cause it ' a little pain ' . IF the engine 'clears-up' for even a moment or longer, YOU"VE found your problem........These aren't cheap
and we want to be SURE, BEFORE replacing it......jb.

THANKS for the information, we'll try this ... if it doesnt work i'll write you again if this is ok? Thanks again so much...
Debi.....

I'll shall be here [sometime this weekend]........jeffb.

I saw one claimed to be in good condition on ebay recently for less than $100.

Ok just checked and that auction is over. There is one for $250 that looks to be good. I know, not cheap but better than full price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7911070989&category=33596&sspagename=WDVW

Thank you for the info on the air flow meter but its for 1988-1994 models and i have a 1983 dont think it would work. It was nice of you to go to the trouble of finding that for me. THANKS VERY MUCH!
Debi.....

Hi I Talked To By Dad A Certified BMW tech he said that it is a bad fuel pressure regulator that is causeing your problems so he said try that first because thats probubly what it is

Hi THANKS alot for the info, Do you know if there is a way to CHECK the fuel pressure regulator see if thats the problem? I was thinking that the problem is the catalytic converter? If you can help me i'd be very greatful! :grinno:
THANKS AGAIN!
Debi....