1983 320i takes starting fluid to start after a day

[Zarloff]

My 320i sat around for a bit while I was waiting on some cooling parts. It ran and started fine prior but has since needed starting fluid to start it, after, it'll run fine and start if I walk into a store but if it sits overnight, it won't start without the help of starting fluid. I think its the internal, low pressure pump. I hear a pump work for a second after after cranking but not one prior. Even working the throttle doesn't work. Is it the low pressure pump or should I look somewhere else?

[Bill5Star]

There's more experienced posters here than me, but I've always heard to start from the back of the car. In tank pump, external pump, fuel filter, accumulator. If all those are old, you may want to start replacing them, then you can just concentrate under the hood. I replaced all except accumulator which either works or it doesn't. If you search there's a ton of info on all this stuff. Good luck.

[DavidF]

Cold start valve? Pull it and see if it sprays when cranking cold. If no, then we can help you troubleshoot that system.

I believe if it runs after starting, and restarts fine when warm, then the fuel pump(s) and accumulator may be fine. The car should start, when cold, with a bad accumulator. If the main fuel pump is dead, the car should not run at all. The car may act fine with a failed aux. (in tank) pump. The aux. pump does not run with key in on position (maybe once in great while, it will).

[Zarloff]

I pulled the csv. It looks original to the car but not in terrible shape. Tried cranking it and no fuel came spurting out. It's tied to the time temp sensor? Should I look at replacing the csv or the sensor?

[DavidF]

Apply/remove 12v directly to the CSV and listen for it clicking. If you don't hear it clicking, it is probably faulty. I believe a bad diode relay (I think it is located next to the fuel pump relay, if your car has one) will cause the CSV to not activate as would a bad thermo time switch (TTS). You can jump across the TTS to take that out of the equation.

[320iAman]

Cold Start Valve is tied into the Start Circuit when you hit the starter fuel should come out the CSV. Pull the rotor put the distributor cap back on and put the csv into a baggie with rubber band hit the starter once or twice and then check the baggie if any fuel is in the plastic bag, if no csv should on your list of item to get.

You can test it another way like what was said, pull it and connect to wires to it from the battery plus post and one negative and release one and put back on and release should here a click, alligator clamps are good here to clamp to the pins in csv with bare wires on the opposite ends one touching one pole of the battery and other intermittently touching the other pole-listen for a "clicks" the csv is a solenoid that opens and closes via starter current the csv has one wire spliced to the start wire # 50.

Randy

[DavidF]

…both the CSV and TTS gets power from the starting circuit (ie terminal 50 reference above). However, the TTS controls the CVS circuit to ground. So, faulty TTS, then no ground to the CSV.