S50 swap won't start

[IWannaBMW]

I can't offer much help but did you check the ground that bolts to the motor mount? or in that are

[Old Red E30]

The small board that the chip sits on is the copy protection for the software ... most aftermarket chips have it, stock do not.

I donno ... I still think it's the EWS ... to be sure I would try a red label 413 or a 506 with a stock 95 chip.

Not sure this will help but I had the same problems you are having when I swapped in a S52. I removed the small board and installed a new chip w/o the copy protection and the car fired up. It seems the earlier released chips had this the newer ones do not. Worth a try.

[dallas02E39]

*Update*
So we got the fuel pump working, can now hear it, and we do have fuel on the rail, confirmed but loosening one end of the rail and there is pressure with fuel. We checked and the coils are getting ignition when I turn on the key. Checked the coils and they are good. No fuel is getting into the cylinders so I swapped a know good fuel rail with injectors but still no good. So I just have to figure out what is stopping the injectors from triggering but I am not real sure where to look from Bentley diagrams. We have ohmed out and checked with a known good crank sensor. Any new ideas would be great. Thanks.
Getting close....

[ScotcH]

So the fuel pump is being turned on by DME? That's a good sign. it means the DME thinks it's all good. There is a ground for the injectors that attached right at the vanos ... you have that hooked up?

How do you know the fuel is not getting to cylinders? You need to crank for a LONG time on a totally dry car ... like 30-60 sec of solid cranking.

[Fair]

Did you cut DME pin 66 (7 on the X22 connector?). It does sound like the EWS.

I read this all over Bimmerforums, and tried this on a Silver label E36 DME, and it didn't fix anything. The issue did indeed turn out to be an EWS issue - a bad chip in the ignition key. A new key + re-synched DME/EWS and it fired right up.

So just to be sure...pin 66 is identified as Anti-theft in the Bentley diagram. Where would you cut it at exactly? The big connector to the DME is fairly well sealed. I am a little unsure of where/what the X22 connector is. I really appreciate the help.

You would cut the wire just aft of that big round connector, under the round rubber boot. There's plenty of exposed wire there. Then when you figure out that wasn't the problem you can re-solder it back together easily, like I did.

[JamesM3M5]

Bad key? That's a tough one to diagnose without a scan tool that will communicate with the EWS. Good catch!

Had one a couple years back - customer had two keys on the same ring, and the second key was close enough to the EWS antenna that it picked up both keys and wouldn't start. That was weird.

[dallas02E39]

Should not be a key problem. Jay at Bimmerworld pointed out one issue I had which was that I was using a Vanos harness (came with S50) and connecting it (car is a non vanos 1992) to an early car harness which means that pin 7 on the main engine harness connector by the fue box is empty which becomes pin 66 at the ECU (EWS power). In addition if you look at one of the early posts on this (#3 ?) it shows the chip in the ECU which is a EWS delete. I am fairly certain that with the engine able to crank over, fuel pumps working and getting to the fuel rail and voltage getting to the coils when the key is turned on it is not an EWS issue. So, I think that the only missing step is getting the injectors to fire. If I crank the car over for 10-15 seconds there is no fuel smell at all, even smelling directely at the tail pipe. In addition when I pulled the fuel rail the injectors were dry right after craning on it and I know there would be some residual evidence. How can I get the injector fire step to happen? Gottas get this running...racing season is getting closer.

[Mike S]

I'd get a fuel pressure gauge on it to ensure the pump is fully operational. You could also go with an adjustable fuel pressure regulator that has a gauge on it.

Mike

[Fair]

I'd get a fuel pressure gauge on it to ensure the pump is fully operational. You could also go with an adjustable fuel pressure regulator that has a gauge on it.

Mike

Dave is bringing the car by my shop this weekend for some steel flares to cover his 18x10s/285mm combo (all the rolling in the world isn't clearing these tires), so we'll throw a FP gauge on it and check some other things. Its so close to starting... its got to be something stupid. It ran just 2 weeks ago with the old motor/DME, and nothing else has changed.



If we figure it out I'm sure Dave will post what the issue was here. We'll post pics of the steel flare install in the old E36 flare thread. Gotta look at my E46's fenders next, which barely clear 265's on the same 10" wheels...

[Mike S]

Dave is bringing the car by my shop this weekend for some steel flares to cover his 18x10s/285mm combo (all the rolling in the world isn't clearing these tires)

If you want some links to photos of that work being done, just let me know. I think I bookmarked 'em here somewhere...

[UltimateM]

I've seen the crank sensor plug swapped with the idle control valve plug, you'll get no RPM signal though, you should be able to check if you have an RPM signal when you crank the car with a generic scan tool. Just a suggestion.

[Fair]

I've seen the crank sensor plug swapped with the idle control valve plug, you'll get no RPM signal though, you should be able to check if you have an RPM signal when you crank the car with a generic scan tool. Just a suggestion.

Good idea. Dave is in Houston all week but I'm sure he'll try it when he gets back - I think he'd sacrifice a chicken to get it running, at this point.



After about 4 solid days of working on the car we got the flares done, and Dave towed "Goldmember" back to his place. It was a TON of work - flares are such fun. But it looks good, and now it can be run at a much lower ride height than before (it is still jacked up like a 4x4, which we did to clear the 285s under rolled & hammered fenders, from before).

With a curb weight of 2300 pounds, S50 power, and 285 R1s it should scoot around the track fairly well.

[ghjeng]

Hey Guys,

Did this ever get solved? I have exactly the same issues on an M50 single vanos swap into an e30.

How did you get the fuel pump to prime?

Thanks

[ScotcH]

Hey Guys,

Did this ever get solved? I have exactly the same issues on an M50 single vanos swap into an e30.

How did you get the fuel pump to prime?

Thanks

Did you read this 8 year old thread? I'm sure they did get it fixed … it was their EWS in this case.

[ghjeng]

Did you read this 8 year old thread? I'm sure they did get it fixed … it was their EWS in this case.

Hahaha, yes, I read an 8-yr old post... I'm desperate

I appreciate your reply... but the last opinion above on the EWS (Post #32) was that EWS was not the problem.

I didn't see anything conclusive, so was just following up...

Thanks again

[ScotcH]

Hahaha, yes, I read an 8-yr old post... I'm desperate

I appreciate your reply... but the last opinion above on the EWS (Post #32) was that EWS was not the problem.

I didn't see anything conclusive, so was just following up...

Thanks again

So you have a red label 413 DME? That one is easy to disable EWS. The silver label is much harder (unless it's a 506, that same as a 413 red label). Does the Fuel pump prime at all? If now, probably EWS (or other wiring related). If it DOES prime, but car won't start, it could be your crank signal. Need more details about your car to help