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Thread: 89 325ix starts then dies

  1. #1
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    89 325ix starts then dies

    So i try to start the car and it immediately dies. Listed below is everything i have done so far

    Okay so replaced a bunch of gaskets and sensors on the car trying to clear up a rough idle issue. I replaced intake manifold gaskets, throttle body gasket as well as the one on the side of the throttle body, all the vacuum lines for the brake booster and the check valve and the part that plugs into the intake elbow, timing belt and tensioner, camshaft seal, crankshaft seal, intermediate shaft seal, bitch pipe upper and lower orings, oil filter housing orings, i replaced fuel filter, injectors, fuel lines, cap rotor, plugs, wires, coil. Throttle body was cleaned as well as the ICV. I tested the resistance of the ICV and throttle position sensor and they both checked out. Any ideas?

  2. #2
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    Fuel pressure test

  3. #3
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    Fuel pressure test came up at 43 psi while cranking.

  4. #4
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    So i decided to pull everything back apart and check the timing marks at TDC while the crankshaft is perfect the camshaft marks are off by about 1/8th inch. What do i need to do to reset the timing? Sorry everyone im a first timer doing something like this. Can i just pop the belt back off and rotate the camshaft the tiny bit that i need to get the timing perfect?

  5. #5
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    Can you post a pic?

    From this angle?

    100_6672.jpg

    Take a straight edge and measure your distance of 1/8 inch...

    100_6679.jpg

    This may account for your rough running - but usually its a tooth off - not such a small amount as an 1/8 of an inch..

    If you do remove the belt and reset moving the camshaft a wee bit to the left or right -1/8in should be fine.

  6. #6
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    Yeah I got all that stuff straightened out with the timing, definitely no issues there.

    I also just done testing the AFM itself using the procedure that was posted by another member in this thread and the AFM itself checks out so a possibility of the wiring being bad between the connector for the AFM and the DME. Any procedure in testing this would be very helpful.....i wish i had a bentley manual.

    I just thought of something i tested the AFM with it connected in the car so it proves that the wiring is correct from the DME to the AFM

    I'm wondering if there is a problem with the DME
    Last edited by BMWBurnout875; 12-03-2018 at 05:33 AM.

  7. #7
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    An engine needs air, fuel, spark, and compression to run. If it's in time and you know you have fuel and spark but the engine won't run, your problem is likely an engine sensor, a compression issue, or a massive vacuum leak. It's probably not a compression issue because then it wouldn't start at all. Have you don't a smoke test?
    -Chris
    My e30 build thread/color change here

  8. #8
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    I have not done a smoke test, I replaced the intake manifold gaskets and everything in the intake to make sure I dont have any leaks

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWBurnout875 View Post
    I have not done a smoke test, I replaced the intake manifold gaskets and everything in the intake to make sure I dont have any leaks
    Might be worth checking the valve timing, but probably not the cause of your issue. Have you checked the crank position sensor? You might want to do a comp test, just to rule that out too.


  10. #10
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    CPS is definitely good, it's new and I double checked it with a quick test. I could do a compression test but idk what I would have done to mess with the compression but it's probably worth doing because it's not that hard and it just rules something else out.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWBurnout875 View Post
    CPS is definitely good, it's new and I double checked it with a quick test. I could do a compression test but idk what I would have done to mess with the compression but it's probably worth doing because it's not that hard and it just rules something else out.
    I would double check spark after that, visually check icv movement, and do a smoke test. Did the car run fine before? How quickly does the car die, does it fire a little and then stop or idle for a tiny bit an then stop? This is a great guide if there's anything here you haven't tried yet.


  12. #12
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    I did, I have spark on all 6 cyclinders and I have 40-45lbs of fuel pressure while cranking. The car had a slightly rough idle before but started up fine. The car doesnt actually run. It sounds like its going to run then dies if that makes any sense. I'm really starting to lean towards a DME problem

  13. #13
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    I have a Bentley manual so if you would like me to reference anything I can do that. Otherwise maybe check all of your wiring harness to make sure that nothing that was hanging by a thread is now disconnected or even worse pinched in between some thing when you replaced gaskets? Also make sure you have a good ground from the oil pan to the framerail of the car(or any other grounds for that matter. I’m trying to figure out if a condition could/may exist in which you are only getting voltage (or ground) to something (coil/dme/relays, etc) when the starter is engaged and is soon as you release the key it loses power/ground and dies out.
    Last edited by msservices; 12-04-2018 at 03:22 PM.

  14. #14
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    no one local can swap yours into theirs to test it and see if it works? I don't want to swap theirs into your car incase of a wiring or a short and theirs gets fried.

    when you open the oil cap, can you see the cam rolling when someone cranks the engine over? just wondering, I don't think that is the trouble, but just to rule out a broken timing belt
    No e30s again.

  15. #15
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    I checked the grounds and I replaced the timing belt in the list of everything I have done to the car. I dont know anyone local to me with one of these cars. Idk if the DME in an iX is specific to the iX or not. I will have to do some testing on the wiring harness to see if I have any shorts I just dont even know where to start.

  16. #16
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    Is there any possibility that when you replaced your plug wires a couple of them did not end up in the same positions on the distributor cap?

  17. #17
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    I triple checked all of that stuff. I got the Bavarian autosport ones and they were running good before I tore the engine down.

  18. #18
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    I am not sure how you were checking the fuel pressure but is it possible that you may have the supply and return lines reversed ?

  19. #19
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    That was one of the first things I checked because i replaced both of them in the engine bay so i thought i may have reversed them somehow. I used a fuel pressure guage on the main feed line to test the fuel pressure.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWBurnout875 View Post
    I checked the grounds and I replaced the timing belt in the list of everything I have done to the car. I dont know anyone local to me with one of these cars. Idk if the DME in an iX is specific to the iX or not. I will have to do some testing on the wiring harness to see if I have any shorts I just dont even know where to start.
    DME is not iX specific. Have you tried starter fluid to rule out a fuel issue completely?


  21. #21
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    Yeah it wont start on carb cleaner(highly combustable).

  22. #22
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    Is there any possibility that your catalytic converter is plugged? The only two ways to check that would be hooking up a vacuum gauge while you try to start/run it, or disconnecting the exhaust at the manifolds, or use a shop vac to reverse blow through the intake boot with the throttle open.
    Last edited by msservices; 12-04-2018 at 09:35 PM.

  23. #23
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    I thought about that being a possibility because well all know what it takes for a motor to run, air, fuel, spark compression but sometimes we forgot that you actually have to get rid of it somehow.

  24. #24
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    One thing that is throwing me off is that you listed everything that you have done to the car overall, but i do not see the specific things that you did leading up to the no start/run condition.

  25. #25
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    So I replaced the o rings for the bitch tube, intake manifold gaskets. I replaced the brake booster check valve and vacuum lines for it, I did the timing belt and tensioner, coolant temp sensor, valve cover gasket, throttle body gasket and an oil change using 20w-50 conventional oil

    But the reason why I have a lot of brand new stuff done before I did all the work listed above because I was chasing down a rough idle which appears to be cause by the oil dipstick guide tube and/or the brake booster because I have a leak brake master cylinder
    Last edited by BMWBurnout875; 12-05-2018 at 04:30 PM.

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