engine wouldn't start...now runs like nothing happened?

[PHARMDVIPER]

So I recently did a s52 swap in my track car and decided to drive it to work this morning to add on some miles and break the clutch in....went to crank it and it turned over but wouldn't stay running...I tried about 4 times and said eff it ill deal with it when I get home...

so I get home and try a couple more times and eventually with the foot to the floor and it wanted to stay running for about half a second longer and then die so I did that a few more times and BOOM cranked right up and purrs like a kitten again.....what happened? motor flooded? I am assuming it is fuel related....I can hear the pump kicking on so I don't think its that...I am going to replace the fuel filter and spark plugs for the heck of it but has anyone else dealt with this before?


thanks

[Albertan]

Yes it was flooded. I bought a E46 really cheap when guy flooded it, couldn't start it then towed it to a repair place that said timing chain slipped.
I did some searches here first to confirm that he had flooded it. I can't remember the conditions but always happens when cold out etc.

[UnderCoverGuy11]

well I wouldn't change the plugs since it was obviously running. If it happens again perhaps the FPR may be acting up.

[PHARMDVIPER]

so if flooding was the cause then what would cause the flooding? leaking injector? anything else?


I need to replace the spark plugs anyway...motor only has 75k and the plugs may be original

[PHARMDVIPER]

put new spark plugs in it after sitting over night and it fired up and runs just fine.....I am still changing the fuel filter just to be sure

[keeslinger31]

possibly a leaky injector but could be an underlying problem and it just flooded from you cranking and it not starting. Was any oil in the spark wells?
Any codes? from you saying it wouldn't stay running it could be a vacuum leak or lack of consistent spark

[PHARMDVIPER]

possibly a leaky injector but could be an underlying problem and it just flooded from you cranking and it not starting. Was any oil in the spark wells?
Any codes? from you saying it wouldn't stay running it could be a vacuum leak or lack of consistent spark

no codes and no oil on the spark plugs/coils

if it was a vacuum leak then I would suspect that it would happen every time

lack of consistent spark would mean a misfire which would most likely throw a code and or run like poo when it is running....but it is running absolutely fine currently

[keeslinger31]

Well something isn't quite jiving correctly and i suspect its electrical

[M Quick]

When you floor it and try to start it, that seems pretty obvious as a reason to that it may have gotten flooded to begin with :) It's not an old car with carburetors that you need to floor to get it running etc.. :)

[PHARMDVIPER]

I didn't push the gas pedal during the first few tries....I did later on which I think helped and eventually got it to run

drove it today and it acted completely fine...changing the fuel filter on monday



the rubber feed and return fuel lines...if they were crossed the car wouldn't even start right?

[PHARMDVIPER]

so it did it again today...tried cranking the first time and wouldn't start...2nd time it started but not with some help of the gas pedal

any ideas? I put new spark plugs in but have not changed the fuel filter yet

[PHARMDVIPER]

so it did it again today...tried cranking the first time and wouldn't start...2nd time it started but not with some help of the gas pedal

any ideas? I put new spark plugs in but have not changed the fuel filter yet

... for some reason it didn't bump the thread

[PHARMDVIPER]

vacuum leak?


I started it today and it fire up but about 5 seconds of idling it wanted to bog down and die but I gave it some gas and the idle smoothed out and ran fine

here is a video of some whistling that is coming from the intake area (I think)...I am not too concerned about it since I am about to do a m50 manifold swap but hopefully a vacuum leak is the cause of my problems

after about 10 seconds the idle will be fine and the car drives like normal


http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf3uQZqsueg&feature=plcp (http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf3uQZqsueg&feature=plcp)

[PHARMDVIPER]

vacuum leak?


I started it today and it fire up but about 5 seconds of idling it wanted to bog down and die but I gave it some gas and the idle smoothed out and ran fine

here is a video of some whistling that is coming from the intake area (I think)...I am not too concerned about it since I am about to do a m50 manifold swap but hopefully a vacuum leak is the cause of my problems


http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf3uQZqsueg&feature=plcp (http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf3uQZqsueg&feature=plcp)

[ChuckDizzle]

it's an e36, this type of shit happens

[PHARMDVIPER]

oh ok thanks for your much useful help :rolleyes

[ChuckDizzle]

crankshaft position sensor might be it. I had similar issues and didn't have a Check Engine Light. It was on its way out and every once and again I had similar symptoms to yours.
Did compression tests, leakdown tests, smoke tests for vacuum leaks etc and couldn't find it, then a buddy just said change the CPS and see what happens. The OBD-I diagnostic did not show any codes related to it, yet it was the culprit as far as I know. The headgasket blew a few weeks after replacing though :shifty so now my e36 is broke again

[Kody]

Did you prime the fuel system after installing the engine? Sounds to me like you forgot to re-pressurize it and it took a bit to get the fuel system pressurized again. Then again I could be wrong.

[PHARMDVIPER]

nah...ive put a couple hundred miles on it since the swap...I did all the pre motor firing stuff (priming/getting oil flowing)

the car drives fine...its just on cold starts sometimes has trouble starting and then has a rough idle for a few seconds but then idles and runs like nothing is wrong