BMW 330i E46 won't start - Fuel? Help!

[ifxbee]

Hi! I bought a 330i e46 -01 automatic a few days ago and it ran great. Really great. Now, four days later it won't start anymore after I filled up the tank. Today it started several times without any issues and it ran amazing. The car turns over as it should and everything is fine but it won't start. It starts when using starter gas but dies when it's all used up. What do you think? Fuelpump? Fuelpump relay? Anyone know how I troubleshoot correctly? Any ideas? All help is appreciated. Thanks.

[MarcoZandrini]

Sounds like a fuel delivery issue. Try swapping the fuel pump relay with the horn relay. Both are mounted on the relay panel above the fuse panel. If that doesn’t work then the fuel pump has died. However, there’s an easy way to check the fuel pump:
- remove the rear seat cushion
- place your ear next to the metal cover on the passenger side of the car
- have someone turn the key to the run position
Yiu should hear the pump prime. Be advised that the engine computer (DME in BMWspeak) will prime the pump only once or twice when you turn the key to the run position. So you’ve got to listen tge first time. Also, the DME will provide 12VDC ONLY when the DME receives timing data from the crankshaft position sensor. If you hear no sound from the pump get under the car and rap on the bottom of the tank with a piece of wood. This may cause the pump to run for a short period of time.

Buy a Siemens/VDO pump only. This is the pump brand that the factory installed in the car. Also, replace the fuel filter with either a Mahle or a Keyser brand filter. Both supplied filters to BMW. The filter is located under the car, under the driver’s seat on the frame rail. It’s behind a betel cover.

[Raddee]

This might be too obvious, but.. you did fill it with the correct type of fuel, right?