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car won't start - stumped

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    car won't start - stumped

    Little background....1991 318is, with an e36 m42 engine in it, upgraded to m44 timing case, updated oil relief valve thingy. Car ran fine for 5 months, then one day it died on me driving home from work. I rolled it into a parking lot and then had it towed back to my garage.

    Diagnosed (what I thought I diagnosed) was the fuel pump relay was not getting a signal from the DME to turn the relay on to send power to the pump. Bought DME on ebay, hooked it up, relay works correctly, fuel pump turns on, and is pushing fuel, disconnecting the line after the fuel filter and sprayed into a bucket (also the spark plugs were pretty wet when I pulled them, more on that in a bit).

    Checked the resistance of the Crank Position Sensor, about 512 between pins 1 & 2. I then used an o-scope and back probed the pin @ the DME and was getting a sine wave pattern, maxing out around .5v. Was told it should be a square pattern around 2.5v when cranking, so I orded one on ebay (FACET brand), pins 1 & 2 now ohm out around 560.

    Car still won't start.

    I hooked up a spark plug tester to the first one, and it looked like it was getting spark. Pulled the plugs and aside from being wet with gas, as mentioned earlier, fuel is getting to the cylinders, they looked fine.

    What else can I check before I roll it off a cliff?

    I was thinking possible the ICV, but would that cause a no start issue? What about the camshaft position sensor, I've read it shouldnt stop the car from starting? Is there a way to test the spark plug wires or the coils? All fuses are intact, the fuel pump relay is "new", I grabbed it from a junked e46.

    I opened the valve cover, doesn't look like the chain skipped a tooth or anything, its semi-taught, there is a slight bit of deflection, and the cam square ends are parallel when cylinder 1 lobes are pointed up, TDC.

    I'm at a loss
    1991 318is ---230K - DD
    1991 318i ---- 308K - retired

    Originally posted by RickSloan
    so if you didnt get it like that did you glue fuzzy oil to the entire thing?

    #2
    Check your inline fuse off the battery. Could have blown for whatever reason. I can also sell you some wires and coils from my e30s m42 for cheap if you'd like to try them.

    Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
    '91 318is
    sigpic

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      #3
      Originally posted by sandrune View Post
      Check your inline fuse off the battery. Could have blown for whatever reason. I can also sell you some wires and coils from my e30s m42 for cheap if you'd like to try them.

      Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
      the fusible link? I didn't think there was a fuse on the main power cable?
      1991 318is ---230K - DD
      1991 318i ---- 308K - retired

      Originally posted by RickSloan
      so if you didnt get it like that did you glue fuzzy oil to the entire thing?

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by jrobie79 View Post
        the fusible link? I didn't think there was a fuse on the main power cable?
        Yeah the fuseable link on that smaller line. If it's bad your car won't start.

        Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
        '91 318is
        sigpic

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          #5
          damnit, I never even thought to check something so simple. I'll report back tomorrow
          1991 318is ---230K - DD
          1991 318i ---- 308K - retired

          Originally posted by RickSloan
          so if you didnt get it like that did you glue fuzzy oil to the entire thing?

          Comment


            #6
            You can use a jumper wire under the hood at the power block. That's what happened to me
            NASA
            BMWCCA member
            PCA member 25yrs




            1991 318IS slick top
            1997 M3 sedan
            2001 325CI DD

            “whoever turns the wheel the least, wins"

            Comment


              #7
              Actually I bought the car because the P.O. bought it from someone else and neither one could figure why it won't start
              NASA
              BMWCCA member
              PCA member 25yrs




              1991 318IS slick top
              1997 M3 sedan
              2001 325CI DD

              “whoever turns the wheel the least, wins"

              Comment


                #8
                $400 for a sunroof delete car
                Attached Files
                NASA
                BMWCCA member
                PCA member 25yrs




                1991 318IS slick top
                1997 M3 sedan
                2001 325CI DD

                “whoever turns the wheel the least, wins"

                Comment


                  #9
                  I didn't see any damage to the wrap around the fusible link, thats not saying much, maybe I'll just jump the two terminals like you did, that way it'll eliminate one more thing without throwing parts at it.

                  gonna take compression numbers tomorrow. I opened the valve cover again, timing chain didn't skip a tooth, still 15 links between arrows on the cam gears...It has to be something stupid at this point, maybe ill get some new wires and see what happens, then return them and do the COP conversion
                  1991 318is ---230K - DD
                  1991 318i ---- 308K - retired

                  Originally posted by RickSloan
                  so if you didnt get it like that did you glue fuzzy oil to the entire thing?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Little further development. Replaced fuel filter and injectors (while I had it opened I broke one of the electrical connectors removing it so I replaced all 4). I put in known working CPS, both. I took out a plug and grounded it to the body and verified white spark. Tested all coils and that l they were the same.

                    Fuel pump is getting 12 volts while cranking, new FPR so I know fuel is getting to rail. When I try to start it, it eventually floods, and the plugs come out wet (not 100% if they all do or just some, so maybe fuel isn't getting to all cylinders?!).

                    Timing is correct, chain hasn't skipped anything, everything wired correctly.. Continuity between DME and cps's, ICV, TPS, coils, and all but one pin on the AFM (gonna diagnose this a bit more, don't think this would cause a no start though?) Haven't checked continuity from DME to injectors yet, but the injector harness has continuity to all injectors from the 3 pin plug.

                    Any advice?
                    1991 318is ---230K - DD
                    1991 318i ---- 308K - retired

                    Originally posted by RickSloan
                    so if you didnt get it like that did you glue fuzzy oil to the entire thing?

                    Comment


                      #11
                      How does the crank damper look? When the rubber ring breaks down, the toothed part can slip causing incorrect spark/ injector timing.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by e30sh View Post
                        How does the crank damper look? When the rubber ring breaks down, the toothed part can slip causing incorrect spark/ injector timing.
                        are you referring to this piece:



                        it looks ok I guess, no noticeable deflection, of course thats just with my hand rocking it around some.
                        1991 318is ---230K - DD
                        1991 318i ---- 308K - retired

                        Originally posted by RickSloan
                        so if you didnt get it like that did you glue fuzzy oil to the entire thing?

                        Comment

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