540I Wont Start No Codes

**BlownN54Twins** · 10-17-2020, 05:03 PM

New to the e39 group, picked up a nice 540 Msport about 6 months ago. I have loved every second driving it, definitely a different experience coming from a 3 series.

The past couple weeks I have been tackling the timing chain guide job, and yesterday after work was finally the day she was going to breath to life. Or so I thought.

Since oil had been out of the engine for a couple days, I disconnected fuel pump fuses and cranked in order to build oil pressure and all that jazz. Plugged the fuses back in, took a sip of beer for good luck, and cranked it. She turned for a couple times while fuel pressure built back up, and then came to life. I heard a lot of rattle coming from timing chains upon initial start up, panicked and killed it. Opened up valve covers just to verify nothing was damaged, chain is under tension, and everything looked good. Now she wont even try to start.

I figured I might have flooded the engine with gas, since I cut it off the moment it started. So I pulled the fuel pump fuses, gave it WOT, and cranked it. It sounds like its about to start, can hear engine pick up in rpm, and I swear I heard combustion happening a couple times. So I plug fuel pump fuses back in, and nothing. Motor just turns with the starter. No build up in rpm, no combustion, no nothing. At this point I'm thinking their has to be a code, so I plug up my laptop, open INPA, and behold. No codes. I know it getting gas, as I pulled a plug and it reeked of gas. I know it's getting spark as I tested on the same plug. Let it sit over night, tried to crank it first thing this morning with no luck.

So now I'm stumped. If I had a code, I'd be able to diagnose it myself but I can't figure out what it could be.

**JimLev** · 10-17-2020, 07:16 PM

Welcome to the forum B N T.
So if you have fuel and spark and it’s timed correctly it should start.
Without more info I’d guess it isn’t timed correctly.
Did you watch any videos on how to time it correctly?

**BlownN54Twins** · 10-18-2020, 08:38 AM

Yes, I followed this post to a T.
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/876903

I will double check timing however, as that what I was thinking it might be. If crank is at OT, then both sets of A and E cams should have their respective lobes with cylinder numbers pointing straight up, right?

**JimLev** · 10-18-2020, 09:13 AM

The rear of the cams with the A&E marks will be up but the lobes aren’t.
Watch these two videos.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...a-540tu-engine

Other things to check.
Did you make sure the inner section of the vanos was turned all the way CCW before torquing the bolt?
The crank flange has an alignment pin that fits into the back side or the harmonic balancer, did you align them?

**BlownN54Twins** · 10-18-2020, 02:38 PM

Will watch when I get home and will double check everything. Thinking about it now I can't remember if I turned vanos CCW before torquing down, so that's probably what it is. Crank flange and balance are lined up with pin I know for a fact.

Will update when I get around to wrenching on it, thank you !