Trying to start after sitting for months..

[atlantisvip]

Haven't posted in a while, I moved and had the car parked at a friends backyard for a while. Every now and then about once a month I would start it up after a few long turns. The last 2 months I didn't get to go mess with the car and it just sat. I stopped driving it cause after shutting off the car the ICV would stay on. It would stay "humming" and kill my battery over night. I had to disconnect the battery everywhere I went or risk being left with a dead battery. Anyway, it took me about 20 minutes to finally get the engine to somewhat turn on. I say that because it was shaking, stuttering and backfiring like crazy. I had to keep it revved just to keep it running. I restarted it a couple times, disconnected and reconnected the ECU and battery a few times as well and no change. It just seemed to get worse. It reminded me of when i had a bad valve cover gasket and the runners had filled with oil fouling up the coil packs but I pulled them and everything was clean, not even moisture. I did an oil change, new plugs and aluminum radiator before storing it so the plugs were just black from probably flooding it trying to start it. They cleaned up quick with a wire brush. I Don't know what to start throwing money at first for once.. Car has less than a 1/4 tank of gas, could it have gone bad? I remember seeing the results of 87 octane being put in another pre 5/92 build 92 325 and it looked just like mine is acting..

#help

[ed323i]

With regards to your original problem: You'll have to check the DME relay.. It probably stays in the "on" state all the time and feeds the DME, ICV, injectors, coils, etc.
Perhaps it's as simple as replacing it. Otherwise you'll have to check all wiring to the DME relay, which is a bit complex, as it's fed by the DME itself (ground signal).

The new, not starting problem, seems related to a really big vacuum leak, or bad fuel pressure (regulator), or dead fuel pump, or bad fuel like you say.

[Eric93se]

Yeah, get a big gas can and put premium gas in the car.

I've heard of ICV continuing to run but did not hear of the cause. Do some reading of what other have done to solve the problem. Have you had heavy rain showers? Is the car covered or garaged?

[ed323i]

Thought some more about the ICV staying on... If all the wiring is original and in good shape, then it has to be either the DME relay, or the DME itself.

About the current problem: After you put in the new gasoline, you can enable the fuel pump by bridging the 30 and 87 pins of the fuel pump relay.. Just let it run for a minute or so, such that all the old fuel is out of the fuel rail (injectors). Then try to start it. Good luck!

[jc43089]

If it has old gas because of not actually being driven then yea fill it up with fresh gas and jumper the relay socket like Ed suggested. If it still has more than a quarter tank of fuel I would remove the fuel hose from the front of the rail and extend it with some other tubing into a gas can and then run the pump until it's all out. Then reconnect the fuel line, add 5 gallons fresh gas and purge the system by running the pump the same way. You will hear the air bubbles purging from the rail and will be able to tell when it is good to go. That will rule out the fuel issue.

[redray1988]

I recently started up my car after sitting for 1.5 years, and it acted similar. I changed all the fluids, drained the gas (with a hose connected to the schrader valve on the front of the fuel rail, and shorting the pump), and manually rotated the engine with some oil on the valves, and when I started it up it ran really bad and died a couple times if I didn't keep it rev it up. It took about 5 minutes of just keeping it at like 2000 RPMs for it to finally idle properly, and now it starts and runs just like it did 1.5 years ago, minus the wrecked passenger side.

[atlantisvip]

Thanks for the advice. Been busy and barely got to check this. I'm likely going to get another DME and I'm gonna check the the little wires that run to the fuel injector connectors. Last night I remembered having an issue a while back due to a loose ground wire in there.

[Skunk]

Usually when I restart mine after months, I have vacuum leaks and the engine in the oil settles to the bottom, so the top is bone dry.

Pops a few codes, engine has trouble finding idle, lots of stumbling. Takes about 20 mins for it to come right. Then I go through the hoses to try and eliminate fault codes.