B21FT for Idiots

Alright... I give up I know my way around B230s, but this B21FT has me all confused.

Car is an '82 242Ti. 185K on the clock, car starts fine, runs for a while, then the idle starts getting erratic, and it dies. Trying to start it after that is futile. Car will only idle with gas pedal pressed. Let go... she dies.

Idle Air Motor? If so, where is that damn thing? What does it look like? Does it need to be replaced, or just cleaned and serviced? Can it even be cleaned?

Or is this a case of the Temp Sensor? If so, where's that located??? The manual I have is about as helpful as a poke in the eye.

Oh, how I wish this car had a B230FT...

Can anyone help me?

Thanks all,
Nick

its under the intake. Looks like a beer can with two hoses (nickle size) attacted. You can sometimes tap it with a hammer and get a few more miles out of it
Kevin <><

kevgad said:

You can sometimes tap it with a hammer and get a few more miles out of it
Kevin <><

Click to expand...

damn that sounds professional

http://www.ipdusa.com/productdetails.aspx?ProductID=2552&subsubcategoryID=717

Its on the right of course, I hate those things, mine always goes bad
Kevin <><

A possibility is the crankcase ventilation hose that runs from the intake side of the engine all the way up over the header to the pressure side (i think) of the turbo. Once upon a time I changed my injector seals and forgot to put that hose back on; she behaved very similarly to yours. started, ran for a second, then died. would rev and run fine with gas on. btw, this hose subs in for the flame trap on the B230. this I know after getting confused in my Bentley book and buying a new flame trap only to go over to Haynes and learn that the B21FT has this hose instead.

I would next check o2 sensor, if ok, run a bottle of tec-ron though the fuel system. Also check for vacum leaks,turbo to intake.Sounds like fuel starvation.

Doesn't sound like typical idle air failure symtoms, which in my experience include erratic--usually high--idle. As low-tech as the hammer method sounds, it does work to temporarily unstick the valve inside the unit. Most turbos blow oil and the idle eventually get gummed-up. If you want to clean it, just remove it and spray carb cleaner inside. Always worked for me.