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I bought my 2001 325ci last saturday, had low miles (98k), ran really well, looked nice, everything was checking out. It had zero issues. I decided to install an aftermarket headunit on Monday and after installing the radio I tried to start the car. It ran for literally 2 seconds and would die. It did this probably 3 more times, and now it will no longer even turn over. It just cranks. I thought the fuel pump might of just failed because when I tried to turn the key into the #2 position I never heard it. So the replacement pump arrived today, I installed and I'm still having the same issue. Listening really closely you can hear the new fuel pump working if your hovering right over it, but not from the driver seat. I've checked all the relays and fuses and everything seems to be fine. I'm at a loss. I've tried to reinstall the stock headunit, but no dice. Help?
Member
Help:
If you think your fuel pump and'or filter has died, open up the air elbow downstream of the MAF and shoot a teaspoon of gas in there. Then crank the engine. If it starts, maybe revs for a second or two and dies, you're not getting fuel and both pump and filter are suspect.
When you take out the pump, take out the filter, pour out the gas and try blow through it. A clean new dry filter will pass a good huff of air. An old wet clogged one will hardly pass air (or fuel) at all, leading to fuel starvation, or at best, only being able to run at low rpm.
Fuel filters are common maintenance items after your mileage.
Bosch pumps begin to intermittently fail around 100kmiles, I promise you. Filter might as well be changed then too.
Back to your problem: "it will not longer even turn over. It just cranks." is totally contradictory. YOU GOTTA say what you mean, in a way that we can interpret it. We are in some cases, thousands of miles away, and our only link is the internet, and the fact that we have faced the same or similar issues on the same or similar cars.
Being a car new to you, there's not assurance the battery is good. You may have drained the battery, so it no longer cranks, or cranks without enough juice to catch and run.
Anyway, I herewith invoke Mechanic's Rule: Your problem most likely lies where you last worked. You'll have to go over what you did, in the privacy of your own shed, and find what you did wrong.
Last edited by Honolulu; 04-19-2019 at 10:57 PM.
Charlie
Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to add value to these threads, either by pictures or by descriptions, so the next person with the same or similar problem stands on your shoulders.
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Ya my vote is battery.
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These threads are always hard to answer when the message says 'it will no longer even turn over. It just cranks.' -- 'turning over' and 'cranking' are the same thing. An engine cranks or turns over, then catches, then runs. So I'm guessing the issue is the engine doesn't catch, which suggests fuel or spark. Catching but stumbling (runs rough, briefly) would seem a more likely fuel indicator. Never catching leans towards absence of spark but really could be either.
But 'engine doesn't turn over' is always going to lead to battery suggestions. It's not clear to me though that's an accurate description.
Member
I don’t see any correlation between your aftermarket stereo install and your car not starting.
Member
……other than perhaps the doors were open with interior lights on for an extended period of time and probably some time with new head unit/amp on listening to new installation - drain on marginal battery.Originally Posted by RobertDenali
Look at fluid level in battery and to off if required. Test voltage, charge for several hours.
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Last edited by bluptgm3; 04-20-2019 at 03:50 PM.
Member
lol.
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