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View Full Version : Another EWS2 question... sorry...trying to help a deserving kid


yardpro
10-02-2018, 10:13 AM
So let me start by saying that i have searched and read for two days now... so much that my head is sort of spinning....

My son has a 328is. a couple weeks ago his car died and. cracked block...

the car sat a few weeks and the stereo, etc killed the battery, drained it pretty flat
we had to tow it to a different location as we are coastal NC and just got hit by florence.
I say this because they key was in and on to free the steering while towing but battery was pretty flat.


We removed the motor and installed a motor from a 99.
All went well with the swap.
My son tried to start the motor before we had the radiator and front clip installed. he first tried jumper cables from my wifes suv directly to the bmw cables, not attached to the battery... no dice... i found out and had him hook them back to the battery. he left the cayenne hooked up and was able to start the motor.. we were confirming it would start before we finished the front clip, etc... he let it run for a few seconds to build oil pressure, etc..

I got there and he started the car again to show me.. (he's 16 and was very proud of our accomplishment)... We let it run for about 10 seconds. (no exhaust hooked up to the headers, no belts, no radiator, etc...)

After hooking up all the front end, belts, cooling system, etc, we tried to start and nothing...

Battery has voltage, all lights in car dash, hvac controlls, and information panel all work and light.
No voltage drop when we try and start the car.

My son had an aftermarket flip out key that he had been using with the transponder transferred from the old key...

i checked voltage at the fuel pump fuse and no voltage at any time, so i assume its the EWS2 kicking in..
at one point he kind of hit the steering column and thinks the starter tried to engage, but nothing afterwards...


We only have one key for the car.
sorry this was long, but trying to give all the pertinent information.


I have inpa and the usb/obdII cable, and have just ordered the odb2 to 20 pin adapter.


My next question is how to proceed troubleshooting the cause, and what to replace...

My son is 16 and dying for his car. He has worked his tail off with me to restore this car with me ( we bought it as a project when he was 15 and have painted, recovered seats, installed stereo/amps, etc... fixed original motor issues (CPS, O2sensors, injectors, etc..) all ourselves... And just when he thought we were in the clear with this motor swap.... BAM... Hit with this.. it was very disheartening and demoralizing for him, so any help anyone could give asap would be greatly appreciated.

He has been busting his hump the last few weeks working 12 hours a day (schools have been out until yesterday due tot he hurricane) helping cleanup and move families that were devastated from the Florence, and really deserves some help, so please go easy on the " should have used search, comments."

Currently my wife is sharing her car with him, but i need to get this fixed asap..

so anyone that can help me figure this out would be GREATLY appreciated. it would be helping a VERY deserving kid whose dad is over his head with this particular issue. we have just gotten into a realm of auto repair i don't know much about.
jc43089
10-02-2018, 10:58 AM
A couple things, do you have a multimeter, I assume so because you said you checked for voltage at the fuel pump fuse.

Google search "BMW Wedo ETM" and find the right one based on month of production.

My references below are from the 09/95-08/96 which is likely the right one. Relay locations are on page 7100.0-19, data link (diagnostic plug under the hood) connector pinout on page 0670.5-11

Start at page 0670.5-05

Check for 12V at pin 14, it should be 12V at all times (if not likely the fusible link is blown in the trunk, however it should still crank. Unlikely that this is the problem)

Check for 12V at pin 16, it should be 12V when the key is in run and start. This is fed from fuse 26.

Check continuity from pin 19 to body ground. It should be grounded.

Check that out and let me know what you find.
vr6dubny
10-02-2018, 11:21 AM
I had a similar no start situation after jumping my car, though yours ran at least a little. Ended up being the ews transmitter box under the dash. It is like a 10 minute fix to try a new 1, I grabbed 1 off ebay for like $12 shipped, may want to give it a try.

could be ews ring around ignition as well.
jc43089
10-02-2018, 12:11 PM
Right it could be those things, but if it just was running and now wont then I suspect something got unhooked like an engine ground. What I suggested for a check will confirm that the fusible link isn't blown and the ignition switch is working. Pin 16 on the pacman connector should jump to 12V in run and start. If not the ignition switch or something in between isn't working.
yardpro
10-02-2018, 01:52 PM
A couple things, do you have a multimeter, I assume so because you said you checked for voltage at the fuel pump fuse.

Google search "BMW Wedo ETM" and find the right one based on month of production.

My references below are from the 09/95-08/96 which is likely the right one. Relay locations are on page 7100.0-19, data link (diagnostic plug under the hood) connector pinout on page 0670.5-11

Start at page 0670.5-05

Check for 12V at pin 14, it should be 12V at all times (if not likely the fusible link is blown in the trunk, however it should still crank. Unlikely that this is the problem)

Check for 12V at pin 16, it should be 12V when the key is in run and start. This is fed from fuse 26.

Check continuity from pin 19 to body ground. It should be grounded.

Check that out and let me know what you find.


Thank you so much.

Yes, i have a multi meter and am very well versed in how to use it.. ill check what you said this afternoon and let you know...

- - - Updated - - -

ill double check the engine ground. we forgot to unhook it pulling the old motor so it got a little bugggered up. When he first tried to start it the ground strap was unhooked, but he figured that out and hooked it up, that when it started.

vr6---
by pacman connector are you referring to the 20 pin under the hood?
jc43089
10-02-2018, 02:01 PM
Yea the "pacman" connector is the 20 pin diagnostic plug. Double check that ground strap for sure.
yardpro
10-02-2018, 04:40 PM
findings

got to the car a few min ago and the cheap voltage gauge/dual usb port my son installed read 12.5v.

INPA hooked up through the ODBII read 11.9v.

Hooked my truck up via jumper cable tot he battery and inpa reads 13.75.

battery reads same confirmed with mulitmeter.

checked the ground strap and althugh a little frayed its connected and pin 19 has contunity to the bolt where the ground strap attaches to the motormount.
also confirmed that 19 has continuity to the ground lug beside the pacman.


only showing 9.3 volts at pin 14, although it was hard to get a reading, meter kept jumping all around... was able to get a numbers to stabilize a few times, all at 9.33V.

No juice at all on 16 with key in run position.
Im alone and cant start the car and look at meter at the same time. so i cannot at this time verify the run position of the 16 pin
E36328Coupe
10-02-2018, 04:57 PM
OP you say "nothing" but don't actually describe if the engine spun over via starter and did not start or did not even operate the starter?

Also the jumpstart points in these cars are under the bonnet not at the battery. Try them

After that read fault codes, DME will tell you if it cannot start because EWS is telling it not to.

Follow the power and check earths with voltmeter end to end.

If you doubt the earth strap a jump lead from the vanos engine lifting bracket to a good earth point on the car will prove it
yardpro
10-02-2018, 05:18 PM
nothing meant that the starter would not spin.

ill try the jump posts under the hood also as well as the temp. grounding.

I read the DME and were are all the info according to INPA.
yardpro
10-02-2018, 05:22 PM
heres the rest

- - - Updated - - -

i just read how to jump the pins on the 20 pin to get into the body function of the dme via the OBDII port and impa... pretty neat.

so from looking at these, unless i misunderstand it appears that the EWS in NOT locking me out.. am i reading this info correctly?
E36328Coupe
10-02-2018, 05:23 PM
So have you tried to resync the EWS to the DME ISN?
yardpro
10-02-2018, 05:39 PM
you are the man....

so i now feel pretty STUPID... Low and behold it was the ground strap. I used a jumper cable from the lift point at the vanos to the ground lug near the 20pin.

Damn thing fired right up... I cant believe ive been chasing my tail like this.... all over a damn ground strap. I have a 928, so i get the ground issues...

Guess its a "should have had a V-8" moment.....

i was thinking a weak ground and the starter would engage but drag.... but nope... damn thing would do anything...


so the best part is that my sone had just pulled up and was walking inside the house when it fired up.... exhause is not connected tot he headers yet, so he heard it fire...

Kid came bursting out the back door and ran as fast as he could and literally jumped on me and tree frog hugged me...

Again thanks for the time from you guys,,
jc43089
10-03-2018, 08:29 AM
Great! An excellent ground is important. It takes a lot of current to crank the engine. Glad you found it. Any pics of the car?
E36328Coupe
10-03-2018, 01:21 PM
you are the man....I know ;)