Car wont start!!!!! HELP!!!!! And other problems.....

[KarlSpackler]

Well guys, I was installing my Stickley software, Ford 24# injectors, 3.5" HFM and intake along with some new NGK Iridium spark plugs. Problems.....

#1 Well, when I pulled the plugs, there was about 1" of oil in 3 of the 6 holes with the plugs. Is that a Bad valve cover gasket? Rings?

#2 The old spark plugs that I pulled had a sheen to them, so I smelled them and sure enough, they smelled like gas. When I installed the new spark plugs and the car would not start.... they too smelled like gas when I inspected them. Is the car flooding? What is causing this because everyother car I have ever worked on was not like this. But with my old plugs, the car started/ran fine.

#3 THE F'ING car wont start. I installed the injectors correctly and the chip. ONE THING THAT I FORGOT TO DO is unplug the battery before I messed with the ECU. I have been told in the past that it could fry the ECU by doing this... but I do not think this is the case in this instance.

#4 Well, I wanted to check everything, so I pulled the 24# injectors out and the tips of them were 100% dry. Now with them plugged in and me cranking the car, shouldnt they atleast be a little wet with fuel??

Anyway, I am really confused. Lots of things went wrong, my hands are beat up, and my back is EXCRUSIATING because of bending over.

If am going to go and re-install all of the stock parts tonight and see if that helps.

ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

obdI s52 btw.

[KarlSpackler]

Also, CSS Motorsports swears they sent me the correct non-ews chip.

[Matt P.]

The oil in the plug holes is prolly from a bad valve cover gasket, and could have damaged your coilpacks.

As far as there being a sheen of gas, sounds like no spark again.


I'm betting that you either fried your ECU, fried your chip with static or less likely the coils are bad but like you said only 3 of the holes had oil in them so you should have some sort of spark in the other 3 cylinders which again makes me think fried ECU or wrong/fried chip.


I say stop trying to crank the car, take out the new chip (with the battery disconnected), and put in the OLD one and see if it starts. If yes then the new chip is either the wrong one, or its fried. If that does nothing then borrow an ECU from a local bimmer buddy and see if that works.

[Matt P.]

oh, also consider the possibility that the sheen on the plugs is oil from the plug holes working its way on to the threads


but either way if your plugs smell like gasoline and the motor isnt starting then youre getting fuel and no spark....


OH YEAH, new revelation: if you're getting fuel then the ECU is working so I bet your chip is the culprit.... Then again you said the injectors are dry.. do they smell like gas or anything? I wouldnt recommend this but at this point I'd be so pissed off that I'd try firing the injectors in to a bag and see if theyre actually spraying to rule out a fuel problem

[KarlSpackler]

OH YEAH, new revelation: if you're getting fuel then the ECU is working so I bet your chip is the culprit.... Then again you said the injectors are dry.. do they smell like gas or anything? I wouldnt recommend this but at this point I'd be so pissed off that I'd try firing the injectors in to a bag and see if theyre actually spraying to rule out a fuel problem

Of course the injectors smell like gas. And the firing into the bag suggestion. I thought about it :D

I seriously think it is the chip that is the problem or I fried the ECU from not disconnecting the battery.

I am going to return everything to stock and go from there.

[wziggy101]

it's probably because your wheels are too sexy for your car, and the car resents you because of it

[Matt P.]

Of course the injectors smell like gas. And the firing into the bag suggestion. I thought about it :D

I seriously think it is the chip that is the problem or I fried the ECU from not disconnecting the battery.

I am going to return everything to stock and go from there.



Ten bucks says your ECU is fine but your chip is fried.


Just install the old chip with the new mods intact and see if the car starts.

[scabzzzz]

Yeah thats pretty good advice. Just do 1 thing at a time though
Do the injectors and start and run, then do the chip, start and run etc..

So that way you can rule out whats good and not.
Make sure you got new o rings of course on the injectors. Make sure the pump is cutting on when you put the key in on position 1.

[KarlSpackler]

Ten bucks says your ECU is fine but your chip is fried.


Just install the old chip with the new mods intact and see if the car starts.

I already tried that and it didnt start.

CSS motorsport said that neither the chip or ECU should fry as long as the car is turned off which it was. He told me to cut pin 66 wire.

[KarlSpackler]

Well guys, The car is back to how it was when it drove in there and IT STILL WONT START!!!!!

My spark plugs are DRENCHED in fuel each time I try and start the car.

Anyone have any ideas why? This could be fouling the plugs. Either that or maybe I need new coil packs???

[fsmtnbiker]

I don't know if OBD1 is the same, but my car has a plug at the end of the fuel rail at the front of the engine for the crank position sensor. If your car has this, make sure you remembered to plug it back in... Without a crank sensor signal, you won't be getting any spark.

[Matt P.]

did you remember connect the ground cable for the coil packs at the firewall side of the head?


Either you forgot to hook that up, or your ECU is fried.

[KarlSpackler]

I don't know if OBD1 is the same, but my car has a plug at the end of the fuel rail at the front of the engine for the crank position sensor. If your car has this, make sure you remembered to plug it back in... Without a crank sensor signal, you won't be getting any spark.

What does this look like??? I need to check that.

The ground cables are connected.

Guys, this is getting very frustrating. I have fuel... so the ECU is working but I have NO spark at all. I have tried starting it with 3 sets of plugs and nothing changed.

Is it a problem with my coil packs? Do I have an igniter chip that could have gone out???


ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS???

[gerry_miranda]

Last time this happened to me, I forgot to reconnect the ROUND connector that connected all the coils to the rest of the wiring harness.

[KarlSpackler]

Last time this happened to me, I forgot to reconnect the ROUND connector that connected all the coils to the rest of the wiring harness.

thank you, I will put that on the list

[KarlSpackler]

Bump To The Top....... I Need Answers

[GreenBeem93]

Did you forget to replace any fuses that you may have taken out for the install? Possible that any of them got damaged or blown?

Swap coils with a fellow E36, see if that is the issue...

[dcroghan]

not sure if this matters but when you pulled out the spark plugs did all of the oil run down into the cylinders?

Maybe just maybe it is ruining your spark?

[KarlSpackler]

Did you forget to replace any fuses that you may have taken out for the install? Possible that any of them got damaged or blown?

Swap coils with a fellow E36, see if that is the issue...

No fellow E36's around :( No blown fuses except for #7 which is for the windows etc...

not sure if this matters but when you pulled out the spark plugs did all of the oil run down into the cylinders?

Maybe just maybe it is ruining your spark?

Yes, but it shouldnt ruin spark. Maybe, I dunno.

[KarlSpackler]

:( :help

[SyN]

odd I hope you get this fixed, To me it def. makes it clear its an ignition problem, so u've got several diff plugs none of which seem to make a diff. next try new coils.... then go from there....?

[KarlSpackler]

odd I hope you get this fixed, To me it def. makes it clear its an ignition problem, so u've got several diff plugs none of which seem to make a diff. next try new coils.... then go from there....?

Thanks mang...

A list of things to check:

Crank Shaft Sensor
Coil Packs
ECU possibly?????

ANYTHING ELSE?

[Matt P.]

I'd just take it to get a diagnostic done @ a shop then replace the part myself.

No use in throwing parts at it and hoping you fix the problem by luck

[scabzzzz]

Sounds like grounds for the coil packs. Hard to believe all your spark plugs would be drenched with fuel because of every single coil pack being bad. Check crank shaft sensor. Sounds like its not sending signal to fire. Like the piston is coming back up but the sensor isnt telling the ECU. So its just spraying fuel. Probably going to need more spark plugs since their fouled.

[IronButt II]

Your plugs are probably still okay... just clean the oil off them. Get a shop-vac and a pencil sized attachment so you can stick it down in the plug hole... and try to suck out any oil that's down in there. Otherwise... once you find your real problem... they could potentially foul.

6 coil packs don't typically go bad, all at the same time... so put that on the bottom of your possibilities list. You're most likely missing a ground, or forgot to plug something back in. Also might want to make sure the chip is seated all the way. The ceramic body of the chip should sit all the way flat against the socket.

Ask me how I know...

Good luck!

[ZLUJ]

fuel pump ?

[Matt P.]

^He's getting fuel since his new injectors smell like fuel



There's a valid argument for crank sensor, but I dont see how the work done to the car could interfere with the crank sensor all of a sudden. Then again I've had bigger flukes happen under the hood.



I still say the ground for the coils isnt connected, or maybe the coilpacks between cylinders 3 and 4 werent put back together correctly with the copper base.


One thing is for certain, the car is getting fuel, but no spark; which means the ECU and the chip are functioning.



Check the grounds, make sure the coilapacks are installed correctly (It's easy to not connect coils 3 and 4 with the copper bases if you've had everything off) and if that doesnt fix the problem then just take it to a mechanic and have them plug the car in and run a diagnostic

[Matt P.]

any updates mang?