1999 Z3 Won’t Start After Stalling

[Aforsha]

Everything ran great on a 1999 2.3 Z3 That I just purchased last week until I was trying to find the sweet spot in the clutch to be a little more smooth while shift gears. I’ve not driven a standard in about 20 years. I was in reverse and barely moving and stalled the car. Now it won’t start at all. Still had power and the starter would crank but it wouldn’t turn over. No big jolt or anything when it stalled. It was barely moving. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Aforsha

[MarcoZandrini]

You are having a crank but no start condition. Am I correct? The first step in diagnosing a problem is to scan the engine computer (DME in BMWspeak) for codes. The Service Engine Soon light is on only when an emissions related code is present. How many miles on the car? It could be the fuel pump and/or fuel filter. The pump is located in the tank. Have you checked the fuse for the fuel pump? When you turn the ignition to run but not start can you hear a sound like an electric motor rotating from the area behind the seats. There’s a test valve on the fuel rail (a metal tube that supplies gas to the fuel injectors) on the top of the engine. See item 18 in the link; it’s the cap for the valve. The fuel pressure has to be at least 50psi at all engine speeds and loads.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=13_1743

[bmwdirtracer]

My good friend Marco is of course correct - you should scan the computers with a good BMW specific scan tool.

That said, I've consulted my crystal ball....and it agrees with Marco's hunch that you've got a fuel issue. Most likely causes:
1) Car out of gas.
2) Engine is flooded.
3) Engine not receiving fuel because the fuel pump died.

After making sure that you have gas in the car, I'd recommend doing a "flood clear", just to rule out the potential free fix before driving yourself nuts with testing.

To do this, open the hood, pop the lid off the fuse box (rear driver's side of engine bay), and remove fuse #18, the fuel pump fuse.
Then get in the car, and put your right foot flat to the floor on the gas pedal. Do NOT pump it.
With foot on the pedal, crank the starter for ten seconds, then let it rest for ten seconds or more..
Put your foot flat on the gas again, and repeat the starter cranking for another ten seconds, or until it starts. (Fingers crossed)
You can repeat this one more time, before being able to say that the engine is definitely not flooded.
Then put the fuse back in the #18 hole (make sure the fuse is okay), and without touching the gas pedal, crank the starter for ten seconds or until it fires and starts.
If the engine hasn't fired in this exercise, you may be sure it isn't flooded.

[jclausen]

Check fuel pressure I pull a car into the shop to check the oil and then just like that the fuel pump died

[Aforsha]

I don’t have a computer scanner so I took the car to my trusted mechanic. He said that his scanner picked up that a sensor that detected engine RPM was not working. He said that would prevent the engine from starting. He ordered a new sensor and wiring harness. We will see if that fixes the issue.

[Aforsha]

Ok, here's the final verdict. DME EWS was out. I had to take it to BMW and have them reset it. I guess that's like an anti-theft system so it would not allow the car to start. The service manager said that it's not often but sometimes it does happen where the computer has an issue and it loses the sync with the keys and the security system.

[MarcoZandrini]

Well, this is something we all, especially me, can learn from. Glad you got it fixed.