Stranded, please help T/S electrical issue

[shellback]

Hi everyone,
I could really use some help today. My car will not start. It will turn but it will not start, as if I was not getting any fuel. The following details might help in trouble shooting:

-I went ahead and cleaned my battery, since the posts had a lot of corrosion. My intent was to clean the posts and add the little felt o-rings to the posts.
-I removed the negative (-) first, and cleaned around the affected area. I then reconnected the (-) cable back to the battery. I don’t know why folks, but I had the need to reconnect it and start the car just to make sure everything was fine.
-Well, I guess I had a feeling something was going to go wrong.
-I tried starting the car but it will not engage. The starter just kept turning and turning, but it was if it was not getting enough fuel.
-Now the interesting part is when the key is in the starting position, there is a relay (I believe it’s a relay) is clicking like crazy intermittently, more like a slow clicking, then buzzing, then slowly clicking again – to summarize, very erratic. I will insert a photo pointing towards the noise.
-I think I fornicated something up by disconnecting the battery. Now the car will not start.

[shellback]

According to the Bentley manual, those 3 relays (from forward to aft) are:

1) Fuel pump relay;
2) System (main) relay;
3) Oxygen sensor heater relay.

Maybe the FP relay is shot, but I do not have a BMW part number.
Can anyone please assit with part #. Couldn't find it on real oem.

[328iJunkie]

test for voltage at the fuel pump with the key in the on position

[delusion39]

Check the battery voltage when cranking, if it's dropping well below 12 volts, the battery is shot. Though if it's actually cranking, probably not the issue. Easy test though.

Try pressing the gas when cranking. If it fires and then dies, your ICV is screwed up. Happened to my car after sitting for a while once.

[downeaster1]

Crank Sensor
Same EXACT thing happend to me.
/thread

[shellback]

Thanks again for your help. I'll have to give the local stealer a call for these items and see if any of it will remedy:
- crank sensor - part number please?
- fuel pump relay
- fuse next to (+) battery cable

So you folks think by disconnecting the battery and then re-connecting it might have damaged any of these items?
I'll keep you updated. Thanks again.

[e21speed]

I had a crank sensor go bad on my other M3 (project car) while sitting in the garage. It ran fine w/o problems, then wouldn't start the next day. It would crank forever and did not set any codes. I tested it against the Bentley manual specs and determined it to be bad. Replacement fixed the car.

[shellback]

Thanks e21.
I called the local stealer in Corpus; they want $115, special order and arriving in ~ 4days….
Is this the going market price?
Again, thank you very much for your help.
-SB

[chebimmer]

Was the starter spinning and then "banging" to a stop?

My car has been doing this intermittenly of late. I was thinking it was a starter solenoid but my code reader gives the code for crank sensor.

[shellback]

Update:
I used the Peake R5 tool and test if it would give any codes. The first time it blinked “E”, which according to the manual is an error. I followed the instructions on how to deal with “E”, and was finally able to retrieve the codes.
The following codes came up:

16
0C
23
4F
44
37
15
18
17
16
35
16
O6
19
21
O5
3d
3e
32
45
By then I ran out of paper! I missed probably 2 more codes before it went back to Fc.
Christ that is a lot!

starter does its usual thing as normal. No strange sounds or clicking. It just turns but does not start.

[Balthazarr]

Update:
I used the Peake R5 tool and test if it would give any codes. The first time it blinked “E”, which according to the manual is an error. I followed the instructions on how to deal with “E”, and was finally able to retrieve the codes.
The following codes came up:

16
0C
23
4F
44
37
15
18
17
16
35
16
O6
19
21
O5
3d
3e
32
45
By then I ran out of paper! I missed probably 2 more codes before it went back to Fc.
Christ that is a lot!

starter does its usual thing as normal. No strange sounds or clicking. It just turns but does not start.

Have you removed the CS?
Try cleaning the tip and re-installing.
Better than just waiting for the new one to arrive.

With all those codes, it appears to be an ECU problem.
Check the compartment isn't wet.

[chebimmer]

Wow! That is a lot of codes. Did you look them all up?

So the starter spins as long as you hold the key there, or does it spin and then stop?
Is the engine turning too, or just the starter?

Balthazarr, is there a DIY for changing the Crank sensor? Or can you point me to where it is?

[Balthazarr]

Wow! That is a lot of codes. Did you look them all up?

So the starter spins as long as you hold the key there, or does it spin and then stop?
Is the engine turning too, or just the starter?

Balthazarr, is there a DIY for changing the Crank sensor? Or can you point me to where it is?

On yours, it's located at the rear of the block.
Shouldn't be too difficult to swap out.
I'd go to realoem.com to see blowup and check DIY library in the sticky for a DIY.
Bimmerdiy.com, iirc.

[shellback]

So the starter spins as long as you hold the key there, or does it spin and then stop?
Is the engine turning too, or just the starter?

Starter spins as long as the key is in and in the start position. Starter keeps going until I release. Engine is turning, but will not start.

UPDATE......Problem solved. Fuseable link cable was the culprit.

Fuse was ok, but the actual cable was corroded. I guess that's why the car had power but would not start. I guess that also explains the assortment of codes. After cleaning off the corroded section, I reconnected and she started right up. No codes, no nada.
Thank you to all for your support in trouble shooting.