325is won't start

[rage941]

Okay I just bought a 1992 325is and it ran great besides the fact that the alternator was dying and the battery was ruined from the bad alternator.
I've replaced the alternator and battery and now the car isn't starting. This is going to be pretty long, but you need the background info to fully understand.

Like I said car ran great, it just needed a jump every time I started it because the alternator wasn't doing it's job. So I planned on replacing the alternator and battery. I had to wait for these parts, so while I was waiting I decided to change the oil. I pulled the old filter and realized the new one I had was wrong. So I put the old filter back in and set the top of the canister in place, but did not tighten it because I planned on getting the right filter right away and finishing the job. Well, I didn't and a day goes by and I ended up not getting the filter but I got the new battery. So I bring it home to put in on and totally forget about the open canister. So I put in the new battery and start the car with the top to the canister in place but not tightened. I was at the trunk with the battery so I didn't see the oil coming out. So I ran the car and lost about 2-3 quarts of oil :banghead: Oil got on everything. I rolled the car out of the garage to clean the floor. When I went to drive it back in (after completing the oil change in the driveway) it started but ran funny, would stutter, stalled a few times, low idle etc. But after 3 tries I got it in the garage. After that I didn't start it and decided to get the alternator on and see what happened, praying it would be normal with the new alternator. So two days after that I get the alternator in and put it on, and the car starts right up. I started it about 5 different times after that(within about 30-45 minutes), let it idle a few of those times and revved it up. Never drove it, but it idled for a combined 5-10 minutes probably. Totally fine. Later I go to drive it and it has the starting problem again. Now it won't start at all and just cranks and then kind of fires up but doesn't fully start running and dies.

It can't be anything with the alternator right? (it's a shitty brand so I wouldn't be surprised if the new one was bad) Because it would just run off the battery and be fine (until the battery died) if it was the alternator, correct?

I could hear my fuel pump. I pulled one of the lines close to the engine and fuel came out, so it's making it that far. I don't think it's spark since it's cranking and sort of firing up a little and sputtering...

Swapped some relays around and I think those are all good.

Any ideas? I don't know how these cars work but I know on a lot of cars if you have a bad MAF, when you unplug it the car runs in safe mode or whatever. Are these cars like that? Because when I unplug the MAF it doesn't make a difference.

Right now my only other ideas are maybe the ECU is messed up, or could it be crank position or cam position sensors? Would those cause the symptoms my car is having?

Since the problem started after the oil spill it seems like maybe oil got on something and ruined it. Any ideas on what though?

Also I'm pretty sure the check engine light is on, but it's hard to tell since the car won't start up and idle. When I turn the key to power, all the lights come on. When I crank it and it sort of starts up for a second I THINK everything goes off except the check engine light (and SRS and ABS, but those have been on).
Oh and the stomp test to get codes isn't working...

Going to try to test those two sensors tomorrow, swap out my ECU and MAF for known good ones, and try to get ahold of a scan tool.

Sorry this is a big, long, jumbled mess of info and questions but it's late and I've been messing with this car all week and I'm tired.

And I'm searching as we speak but I started this tread because the oil spill thing kind of makes my situation unique and that could lead to the answer.

Thanks :/

edit: one more question, how much oil does this thing take? I've read different answers, and right now I have about 7-7.5 quarts in and it still is at the low line. My friend has an e30 with an M50 and he swears it doesn't take more than 6 qts.

[sjpgoalie]

6.9 quarts. Seven is fine. Some people even add a tad more. Check the vacuum lines beneath the intake manifold. I had a main one blow off and had a similar sounding starting issue.

[rage941]

Thanks. Pretty sure I checked all vacuum lines unless I missed one. Maybe I'm reading the dipstick wrong but I have a little over 7 and it still says it's low.

But does anyone know what this is? It's just chillin in the engine bay near the alternator. One line goes the back of the coolant housing thing? and one goes to the throttle body. The car does have an aftermarket temp gauge.
http://i55.tinypic.com/2005xee.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/28w1hs8.jpg

[DaveAZ]

The thing you are holding goes into the airbox. it is a temperature sensor. it opens and closes in order to allow coolant to go to your throttle body to warm it up, if I remember correctly.

Your oil filter panic leak issue should be a non-issue as long as it didn't run for very long and had most of the engine oil still in the block. It could have been a lot worse, like if you went for a long drive.

Your electrical issue sounds like a deeper issue. My guess is that you have a short somewhere ant it is draining your battery. It could be blowing the voltage regulator in the alternator as well, but that may also be just fine.

Either find someone who knows how to find auto electrical shorts, or read up on it and try some diagnostics. I was taught to put a test light (non-LED) between the detached negative battery cable and the negative terminal on the battery with the ignition off and everything turned off and see if it lights. If it does, you have a short. Have someone else pull (and put back) fuses until the light goes out. When it does, that is the circuit with the short, and you need to follow those wires to track it down. Start with the radio and alarm, as these are the most messed with circuits.

I should add: If you are missing your airbox and filter where that thing plugs in, there is also a big-assed vacuum line in that same area that goes in somewhre near the airbox/throttle body. The car will typically idle and sputter, then suddenly die when it is left open.

[flyfishvt]

Clean off your crank sensor. Its right below the oil filter so there's a good chance it got soaked with oil and can't read the crank pulley correctly.

[rage941]

The thing you are holding goes into the airbox. it is a temperature sensor. it opens and closes in order to allow coolant to go to your throttle body to warm it up, if I remember correctly.

Your oil filter panic leak issue should be a non-issue as long as it didn't run for very long and had most of the engine oil still in the block. It could have been a lot worse, like if you went for a long drive.

Your electrical issue sounds like a deeper issue. My guess is that you have a short somewhere ant it is draining your battery. It could be blowing the voltage regulator in the alternator as well, but that may also be just fine.

Either find someone who knows how to find auto electrical shorts, or read up on it and try some diagnostics. I was taught to put a test light (non-LED) between the detached negative battery cable and the negative terminal on the battery with the ignition off and everything turned off and see if it lights. If it does, you have a short. Have someone else pull (and put back) fuses until the light goes out. When it does, that is the circuit with the short, and you need to follow those wires to track it down. Start with the radio and alarm, as these are the most messed with circuits.

I should add: If you are missing your airbox and filter where that thing plugs in, there is also a big-assed vacuum line in that same area that goes in somewhre near the airbox/throttle body. The car will typically idle and sputter, then suddenly die when it is left open.

Here's my intake set up
http://i55.tinypic.com/24w6fpu.jpg
so where would that thing go?

[rage941]

Okay I got lucky and it was a bad ground causing the issue. But something happened with my tach. The rpm needle is pegged all they on the other side and won't do anything. It happened one of the times I was cranking the engine when it wouldn't start, I just noticed it fly all the way from 0 to the other side and stay. Also my windows aren't working anymore..is there a lock for them? I don't see one, but with my e30 I thought the windows didn't work for the longest time until my friend hit the unlock button.
And lastly I have a DME code, but everything seems fine, and I swapped my ecu out for another and still got the code...maybe it's a ground again?
Also when I start the car I get a CHECK light for the first 30 seconds-a minute...is that normal?

Oh yeah, does anyone recommend any certain type of spark plugs for these cars? Or can I just go to the parts store and tell them my car and take what they give me?

[flyfishvt]

There is a circuit breaker next to the steering column. Make sure its pushed in with no red/orange showing on the sides of it. I bet this is your window problem. If that's not it then check fuses (there are a few for the windows). Last but not least....do a search for Comfort Relay. 92 and 93 e36's had both the circuit breaker and the comfort relay. There's tons of good writeups on fixing/replacing the comfort relay.

Your check engine light should come on as soon as you turn the key to "RUN" and it should turn off a second or two after the car starts. It shouldn't stay on longer than that. What exactly is the code you're getting and what did you use to read the code? (scanner? stomp test? x-ray vision?)

Your tach is most likely toast. Does it go back down when the key is removed? If not then its a gonner for sure.

Everytime someone asks about which plugs to use it ends up being a 10 page thread. Instead of having this thread suffer the same fate I suggest you do a quick search. The options and opinions on plugs are ENDLESS.

[sjpgoalie]

Okay I got lucky and it was a bad ground causing the issue. But something happened with my tach. The rpm needle is pegged all they on the other side and won't do anything. It happened one of the times I was cranking the engine when it wouldn't start, I just noticed it fly all the way from 0 to the other side and stay. Also my windows aren't working anymore..is there a lock for them? I don't see one, but with my e30 I thought the windows didn't work for the longest time until my friend hit the unlock button.
And lastly I have a DME code, but everything seems fine, and I swapped my ecu out for another and still got the code...maybe it's a ground again?
Also when I start the car I get a CHECK light for the first 30 seconds-a minute...is that normal?

Oh yeah, does anyone recommend any certain type of spark plugs for these cars? Or can I just go to the parts store and tell them my car and take what they give me?

You have a 92. There is a button just above your right knee on the very bottom of the dashboard where it begins next to the steering column. Press it and see if the windows work. They should. Your RPM needle, just unplug the battery and reconnect it.

What DME code are you getting?

[rage941]

There is a circuit breaker next to the steering column. Make sure its pushed in with no red/orange showing on the sides of it. I bet this is your window problem. If that's not it then check fuses (there are a few for the windows). Last but not least....do a search for Comfort Relay. 92 and 93 e36's had both the circuit breaker and the comfort relay. There's tons of good writeups on fixing/replacing the comfort relay.

Your check engine light should come on as soon as you turn the key to "RUN" and it should turn off a second or two after the car starts. It shouldn't stay on longer than that. What exactly is the code you're getting and what did you use to read the code? (scanner? stomp test? x-ray vision?)

Your tach is most likely toast. Does it go back down when the key is removed? If not then its a gonner for sure.

Everytime someone asks about which plugs to use it ends up being a 10 page thread. Instead of having this thread suffer the same fate I suggest you do a quick search. The options and opinions on plugs are ENDLESS.

You have a 92. There is a button just above your right knee on the very bottom of the dashboard where it begins next to the steering column. Press it and see if the windows work. They should. Your RPM needle, just unplug the battery and reconnect it.

What DME code are you getting?
Thanks I'll check that circuit breaker. But the check light stays on for 30 seconds-a minute, but I don't know if it's the check engine light. It's an orange square that just says CHECK. Is that the check engine or something else?
And I used a Peake scan tool and got code C8. From Peakes list of codes it just says that code is "DME Control Unit".

And the needle is permanently on the other side. What do I do to fix it?

And I did a quick search for spark plugs but didn't see anything really useful. They're all just random threads where people use the words "spark plugs" but don't really talk about them.

[UnderCoverGuy11]

There's a check and a check engine light, check just means vheck your obc, which is generally a light out issue or low coolant or whatever else it says

[sjpgoalie]

Thanks I'll check that circuit breaker. But the check light stays on for 30 seconds-a minute, but I don't know if it's the check engine light. It's an orange square that just says CHECK. Is that the check engine or something else?
And I used a Peake scan tool and got code C8. From Peakes list of codes it just says that code is "DME Control Unit".

And the needle is permanently on the other side. What do I do to fix it?

And I did a quick search for spark plugs but didn't see anything really useful. They're all just random threads where people use the words "spark plugs" but don't really talk about them.

I was going to say, I have my peake booklet, but yeah...that's pretty vague. What the hell? Is it the check button directly in the middle of the gauge panel or the one further to the left? Sounds like your check light. What does your OBC say when you turn the car on? Did you try disconnecting the battery, by the way? Because, when you reconnect it and turn the car on, the gauges reset themselves. If that doesn't work, I'm not sure what the fix is. My friend had a temperamental tach needle on his old 328is and it would get stuck at all sorts of RPMs. We never tracked down the issue and I figured it was time for a new cluster. Every it'd get stuck, we'd just bang once on the top of the cluster and the needle would resume with the engine readings. So, I figure if we'd just pulled the cluster something was stopping the needle from moving. It's a '92 so I'm not quite sure if the needles function the same way as later e36s...pull the cluster out and have a looksie if the battery disconnect doesn't reset it.

Spark plugs: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-4020-e34-525i-1991-95530i540i-e36-m50-bosch-spark-plug.aspx

Did the switch make the windows work?

[rage941]

I was going to say, I have my peake booklet, but yeah...that's pretty vague. What the hell? Is it the check button directly in the middle of the gauge panel or the one further to the left? Sounds like your check light. What does your OBC say when you turn the car on? Did you try disconnecting the battery, by the way? Because, when you reconnect it and turn the car on, the gauges reset themselves. If that doesn't work, I'm not sure what the fix is. My friend had a temperamental tach needle on his old 328is and it would get stuck at all sorts of RPMs. We never tracked down the issue and I figured it was time for a new cluster. Every it'd get stuck, we'd just bang once on the top of the cluster and the needle would resume with the engine readings. So, I figure if we'd just pulled the cluster something was stopping the needle from moving. It's a '92 so I'm not quite sure if the needles function the same way as later e36s...pull the cluster out and have a looksie if the battery disconnect doesn't reset it.

Spark plugs: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-4020-e34-525i-1991-95530i540i-e36-m50-bosch-spark-plug.aspx

Did the switch make the windows work?
The screen on the OBC is messed up. But the check light in the middle and I'm pretty sure it's just the check light for the OBC. I didn't think it was at first because it goes away on it's own, where as with my e30 you had to hit the check button to make it go away.

But I disconnected the battery and it didn't do anything.

And I cannot find any circuit breaker...Are you sure all 92s have it? And if so where, where is exactly is it?

[sjpgoalie]

To the right of the steering column.

[rage941]

To the right of the steering column.

I don't see anything...is it like under the dash or in plain sight?

[flyfishvt]

Its to the right of the steering column. Its the same size as the hazzard light button.

[rage941]

Its to the right of the steering column. Its the same size as the hazzard light button.
I see nothing! Does somebody have a picture or something? I'm feeling quite stupid here. Once again I'll ask, are you sure all '92s have it?

Here's what I still need to buy
Spark plugs
Brake light bulb
Miscellaneous interior pieces
New OBC - how much is one of these?

Here's what I need to fix
Sunroof (it doesn't stay shut and is missing the whole cover; it's bare metal. It also just doesn't open or anything)
Drivers door (it's hard to open)
Windows
Tach
Radio
Remove the "eyelids"


Once all that is done, I MIGHT get some 17s (style 5s maybe?) and lower profile tires, an aftermarket steering wheel, and an M3 rear bumper.
Also I'm debating turbo'ing it. It's against my better judgement but I miss boost. I want to keep this as a daily and buy something else already turbo, but I can't afford insurance on two cars.

Also I got about 22mpg with regular (not beating on it too hard) combined city and highway driving. Does that sound about right?

So far I've put about 500 miles on her and it's been great so far. Here are some pictures.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6012/5916387085_5c75e3e357_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5916946574_2655cbe117_b.jpg