Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post Reply
User avatar
BobZ4
Member
Member
Posts: 216
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:32 am

Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by BobZ4 » Sat Jul 10, 2010 8:28 pm

I found this really useful and informative you tube video that takes you through how to clean your Idle Control Valve, this is for the M54 engne and though it is an e46 being worked on its the same for the Z4 minus the air guide removal at the start. Please note I didn't make this video it was a guy called Xionunjust on youtube, I hope this is useful to you guys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STy-J10DtiU

User avatar
AlanJ
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 7725
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:54 pm
Location: North Yorks

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by AlanJ » Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:48 am

Thanks Bob - very useful. :thumbsup:
///M tri colour steering wheel, mud flaps and loads of other extras! ZHP illuminated gear lever..... Pre Purchase Checks,Getting the Best out of Dealers http://www.bmwz4roadster.net

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by cj10jeeper » Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:58 am

Ah no - is this something else I have to worry about and strip out just for the hell of it.
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

User avatar
AlanJ
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 7725
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:54 pm
Location: North Yorks

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by AlanJ » Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:42 am

cj10jeeper wrote:Ah no - is this something else I have to worry about and strip out just for the hell of it.
You know it makes sense - and what else would you be doing on a Sunday in 25 degrees of heat.... :driving:
///M tri colour steering wheel, mud flaps and loads of other extras! ZHP illuminated gear lever..... Pre Purchase Checks,Getting the Best out of Dealers http://www.bmwz4roadster.net

User avatar
cj10jeeper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 17846
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:50 am
Location: Lichfield, England

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by cj10jeeper » Sun Jul 11, 2010 1:16 pm

Well actually fixed an exhaust rubbing noise that was as the new system had settled. Sure the neighbours liked the angle grinder running, but job done :thumbsup:
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills

User avatar
AlanJ
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 7725
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:54 pm
Location: North Yorks

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by AlanJ » Sun Jul 11, 2010 1:31 pm

cj10jeeper wrote:Well actually fixed an exhaust rubbing noise that was as the new system had settled. Sure the neighbours liked the angle grinder running, but job done :thumbsup:
That's the sound of a UK Sunday.... mowing machines, electric drills, angle grinders and the 2 tones horns of the ambulance collecting the DIYers who thought they could.... :rofl:
///M tri colour steering wheel, mud flaps and loads of other extras! ZHP illuminated gear lever..... Pre Purchase Checks,Getting the Best out of Dealers http://www.bmwz4roadster.net

User avatar
BobZ4
Member
Member
Posts: 216
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:32 am

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by BobZ4 » Sun Jul 11, 2010 2:04 pm

I cleaned my ICV yesterday and it only took me around an hour, my car has done around 63K miles and it was black but it still moved. I cleaned it anyway and now it moves alot more freely.

The only thing i hate about the Z4 is it is so damn low, my back hurts when working on it.

nealjr
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:46 am

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by nealjr » Sat Oct 29, 2011 12:28 am

Do N52 Owners need to worry about this?

johncunha
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:13 am

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by johncunha » Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:57 am

I had the following problem (in my 2005 2.2 E85) which was solved by cleaning the ICV...:

About 2 weeks ago I started my car in the garage on a cold morning. the first thing I notivced was the yoyo-ing idle revs.
This seemed to dissapear after about 10 mins.
A couple of weeks passed and the problem didnt happen again so I forgot about it.

A couple of days ago I was (luckily) in the garage working on the car's bodywork...
When I tried to start the engine it ran for a while then suddenly stalled.
I started again and tried to rev it but everytime I would press the gas pedal, it would stall. The car was idling a bit lumpy but any pressing of the gas pedal would cause it to stall immediately.
After looking on the net for possible causes of the simptoms, I suspected the ICV.

I removed the IVC (as per instructions above) and upon examinatino it was very dirty inside and clearly stuck.
I cleaned throughly with petrol and refitted.
The car started first time with no problems and has been working fine since then... :)

p.s. My car has 102000 km on the clock.

User avatar
bcworkz
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1740
Joined: Wed May 04, 2011 10:56 pm
Location: ǝɹǝɥ ƃuoɹʍ s,sƃuıɥʇǝɯos

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by bcworkz » Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:24 pm

nealjr wrote:Do N52 Owners need to worry about this?
No, the valvetronic system manages the idling.

Warning! Trivial factoids follow. Some engines achieve idle control by having a little gadget move the main throttle linkage a bit so the throttle valve remains cracked open, allowing idle. The M54 idle valve is a completely separate air intake system. The main throttle can be completely shut and the idle valve provides enough air for the engine to idle. One benefit is the throttle valve can return to a solid home position without risk of stalling the engine, which allows the electronic throttle control to positively know where the throttle valve position is, independent of sensor data.

The separate intake system takes idle air to just outside one of the intake valves. The benefit of this arrangement is the idle air can be used to induce a swirl into the main intake air under certain load conditions to ensure complete and rapid combustion. Additional complexity? Yes. Cool engineering? Absolutely!
Image
"The cause of most problems are solutions" (06 3.0si, sport pkg)

User avatar
Jembo
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6030
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:59 pm
Location: 1066 Country

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by Jembo » Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:57 pm

bcworkz wrote:
nealjr wrote:Do N52 Owners need to worry about this?
No, the valvetronic system manages the idling.

Warning! Trivial factoids follow. Some engines achieve idle control by having a little gadget move the main throttle linkage a bit so the throttle valve remains cracked open, allowing idle. The M54 idle valve is a completely separate air intake system. The main throttle can be completely shut and the idle valve provides enough air for the engine to idle. One benefit is the throttle valve can return to a solid home position without risk of stalling the engine, which allows the electronic throttle control to positively know where the throttle valve position is, independent of sensor data.

The separate intake system takes idle air to just outside one of the intake valves. The benefit of this arrangement is the idle air can be used to induce a swirl into the main intake air under certain load conditions to ensure complete and rapid combustion. Additional complexity? Yes. Cool engineering? Absolutely!
Gotta love this forum for gems like this, especially the last sentence
Joined the dark side with a ///M Hell Bronze Sepang Coupe :happyclap:
Ex Aug 2005 Maldives Blue 3 litre cruizer, lots of toyz,

Lifer 54

synthedup
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1873
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:11 pm
Location: Rotherham

Re: Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by synthedup » Mon Feb 03, 2014 10:03 am

BobZ4 wrote:I found this really useful and informative you tube video that takes you through how to clean your Idle Control Valve, this is for the M54 engne and though it is an e46 being worked on its the same for the Z4 minus the air guide removal at the start. Please note I didn't make this video it was a guy called Xionunjust on youtube, I hope this is useful to you guys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STy-J10DtiU

Hi Guys, I have noticed that when I start the car and leave it to tick over it does rev a bit lumpy, Its doesn't effect the starting/driving of the car and doesn't stall. I've never really thought about it until I read this thread. the revs go up ad down about 100rps ( no more ) has anyone got any feedback on this? could doing the above fix this?

Any information is much appreciated :)

Slocombe1
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:00 pm

Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by Slocombe1 » Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:05 pm

Hi, New to the forum so hello to everyone. 2003 z4 SE. Having a problem with my Z where when the revs dropped back to idle the car jerks a bit and at times has appeared do so much it almost kangaroos down the road. No problems with accelerating. Generally happens going from 1.5k revs down to idle. Do you think this is due to the the ICV valve? Any comments will be appreciated 👍

z4_lover
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:48 pm

Cleaning the M54 ICV - Idle Control Valve

Post by z4_lover » Thu May 16, 2019 11:29 am

Hi - did anyone buy a new ICV, or did everyone manage to fix this by cleaning it?

Post Reply