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Thread: E30 won’t start again!

  1. #1
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    E30 won’t start again!

    Got my e30 325is running after a engine fire so I’m not a stranger to diagnosing an engine. Drove 40 miles home stopped at the store and the car won’t start when I came out. Battery is 12.5 volts so engine cranks
    Listened to the fuel injectors they’re firing
    Pulled spark plug and it’s sparking
    Jumped the fuel pump relay and you can hear it humming
    Swapped in a working ECU as well
    I feel like I’m missing something stupid thanks in advance

  2. #2
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    Because the fuel pump runs doesn't mean it's delivering fuel. Try spraying brake cleaner or carb cleaner or MAF cleaner into the intake hose.

    Perhaps the temp sensor is grossly misreading also? If, for instance, it's telling the DME that the engine is stone cold when it's hot, the DME will flood the engine. (Try starting with half throttle opening....no pumping)

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  3. #3
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    Dirt racer thanks for the reply I will try this after work today. Sounds like you think it something with the DME? I’m going to try the part throttle first then jump the relay while trying to start. It seems like it has to be electronic at this point car has ran fine for over a year now

  4. #4
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    Cranking normally or perhaps a bit too fast? If the latter when was the timing belt last changed.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  5. #5
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    ross thanks for the reply. it cranks normally.

  6. #6
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    323i E30 is online now ⅂!ʈө !ƨ l!ʞө ɐ ʇөlөbµouө
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    There's gas in the tank.......?
    I know that sounds silly and unhelpful, but a broken fuel gauge + parking at a slope.. Who knows.
    Happened to my father with his Volvo Amazon, ages ago... Had him puzzled for a bit.

    Some info, start at page 4: http://www.bavauto.com/newsletter/20...newsletter.pdf
    ^ true story



    D̶i̶b̶s̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶E̶2̶1̶

  7. #7
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    323 e30, that was my thought last night but I put a half gallon in and it was the same

  8. #8
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    Faulty alarm system maybe?
    "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." Alan K. Simpson.
    5spd E46 "3XX": 328i engine, 330i Intake and exhaust, CAI, 323i diff.

  9. #9
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    I got a fuel pressure gauge on it and it’s about 40 psi when cranking but still won’t start. I feel like this is something electrical?? I did have a damaged harness that runs next to the drivers door but the car ran after it was repaired. I have air, fuel and spark when cranking got to be missing something stupid???

    - - - Updated - - -

    Breeze, pretty sure the car doesn’t have an alarm.

  10. #10
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    There are actually FOUR things you need to start a car: Air, Fuel, Spark, and COMPRESSION.

    Now, I'm not really sure you've adequately confirmed fuel....because you've seen fuel pressure, but not fuel injector pulse. This is an unlikely distinction, if you have spark, but it IS a possibility. Try the spraying of MAF cleaner into the intake tube.

    You also need to know that IF you've been trying to start the car unsuccessfully, extensively, gasoline might have washed away all the compression. Dump a teaspoon of oil into each cylinder, remove the fuel pump fuse, and crank it for 10 seconds, let it rest 10 seconds, crank it for ten seconds, let it rest for a minute. Then have someone insert the fuse next time you're cranking the starter.

    NO, above I was not suggesting a DME problem, I was suggesting a DATA problem, from a faulty sensor. If you have (for instance) an unplugged or faulty coolant temp sensor, then the DME believes that it's 40 degrees below zero, and will deliver WAY more fuel than the engine can possibly use; flooding the engine, and causing loss of compression too.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cpressl View Post
    I got a fuel pressure gauge on it and it’s about 40 psi when cranking but still won’t start. I feel like this is something electrical?? I did have a damaged harness that runs next to the drivers door but the car ran after it was repaired. I have air, fuel and spark when cranking got to be missing something stupid???

    - - - Updated - - -

    Breeze, pretty sure the car doesn’t have an alarm.
    I'm not going to second guess Chris on what he said above (btw thanks for the detailed explanation on how to bring compressions back up), but I would just double check that harness while I'm at it, if I were you.
    "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." Alan K. Simpson.
    5spd E46 "3XX": 328i engine, 330i Intake and exhaust, CAI, 323i diff.

  12. #12
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    Chris,
    Thanks for the continued support.
    With pressure at the rail and listening to the injectors tick this would confirm fuel right? I want to eliminate all possibilities. I will check the compression tomorrow night but other than a bad sensor can you think of a reason why it would lose compression in the time I went inside sears and back?

  13. #13
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    That SHOULD, indeed, confirm that you have fuel delivery. As I said, if you've confirmed spark, it's very unlikely that you'd be missing injector pulse anyway.

    Is the engine even TRYING to fire? Spitting and farting? (How old is that timing belt?)

    Try this: unplug the fuel pump fuse, then crank 3 times, ten seconds each, with your foot flat on the floor (on the gas pedal). Then reinsert the fuse, hold the pedal down maybe 1/4 way, and crank the starter for ten seconds without moving your foot. Does it spit and try to fire then?

    I'm not saying it "lost compression" while you were inside Sears, but rather in one or more failed start attempts after you came out. If, for instance, a temp sensor happened to have come unplugged, and the engine was hot, but the DME thought it was 40 below zero, then the DME would have injected too much fuel immediately, which began the process, which continued to worsen each attempt. By the third attempt, THEN you would have lost compression.

    I am only playing this hunch because you have spark, air and correct fuel pressure with clicking injectors, and the car recently ran.

    Run the starter with no fuel delivery for a while. This won't restore compression (you usually need a squirt of oil in each cylinder to do that), but if it TRIES to fire when you finally run it out of fuel, that's your clue.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  14. #14
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    I checked the resistance on the blue coolant temp sensor, around 2000 ohms. I tried cranking without the fuel pump fuse to clear it out. Plugged it back it and nothing. Super frustrating, I’m going to remove the spark plugs and squirt a little oil in the cylinders

  15. #15
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    Finally got some time to work on the car. Pulled the spark plugs #1 had some carbon deposits but overall they looked good. After putting oil in the plug holes I cranked the engine over 5 times for 5 seconds each and nothing. At this point I’m ready to put the LS in it sitting in the corner of the garage

  16. #16
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    When the results don't make sense, I recheck the results.
    Are you sure you have spark AT THE PLUGS?
    What does the distributor rotor and cap look like?

    Might want to check cam timing, too.

    Certainly, the LS will be a helluvalot more fun, but it's a "bit" more work than making the old M20 run again/

    Is this thing spitting and farting like it WANTS to start, or nada?

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  17. #17
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    Chris
    I checked spark by grounding the plug on the intake so no issue there. By check the cam timing are you suggesting the timing belt snapped? I guess I could check this through the oil fill hole. As far as noises the first time i cranked it over she made a noise, possible cough but I’m not a doctor. After that nothing

  18. #18
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    No, you'd know if the t-belt actually snapped, because the engine would turn super-fast, because the cam wouldn't be turning. BUT, if the timing belt lost a few teeth, or jumped, because the tensioner was loose, the timing would be off between crankshaft and cam.

    You need to do a compression test. Also, check to make sure there's no squirrel in the air filter box. Then check that the AFM door moves freely. Have you tried to start it with the gas pedal half way down,(not pumping, just holding )

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  19. #19
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    I’ve tried the gas pedal open when cranking. I checked the air box, all good and the afm door moves. I will have check my compression tester but I think I’m going to need an adapter. I forgot to mention this before but when the car was running it would hit a false rev limit around 5200. This only happened on full throttle. Part throttle or sitting the driveway it goes up past 6500. Not sure if this helps

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