E30 won't start.

[Rouvld]

*****Let me just say that sometimes when I go to start my e30 it will require me to give it some gas while cranking, so I'll press the accelerator pedal and she'll start right up. This happens after I've driven he for a bit, park her, the go to start her back up after letting her sit for like 30 min.****

So today I went to go start my car and at first she didn't turn over, so when I go to start her again I give her a little has and she starts up. As soon as I put her in gear and drive about 5 feet she just sputtered out and died. So I again try to crank her while giver her gas but she would start. I tried to start her one more time after that but she didn't start at all. I will say that in the begining of the crank it sounds like it wants to turnover but it doesn't and after that it's just cranking. What do you guys think it is? I'm thinking it might be my fuel pump but IDK. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[rcsoundn1]

We need more details on the engine, 4cyl, 6cyl etc, mileage, recent maintenance, to better help you

[Rouvld]

We need more details on the engine, 4cyl, 6cyl etc, mileage, recent maintenance, to better help you

6cyl, 150k, oil change withing the last 1k miles.

[zig553]

Possible it could be the Crank position sensor. Or the throttle body could be clogged as its not opening enough for idle? Which is why it starts while holding the gas pedal. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

[Rouvld]

OP here.

So I just thought I'd update the thread just incase someone is having the same problem now or in there future the can go through the thread and see what it was. So I had the car towed to the shop, and spoke with my mechanic (he's a bmw MASTER mechanic and really really knows his stuff) so he asked me what the problem was and I told him that it wouldn't start but when I go to crank it within the first second of cranking it it sounds like it wants to turn over but it doesn't and after that it's just cranking. He asked if it was my timing belt but I told him no (I hope not lol) and I tell him i think it's either my fuel pump or fuel rail. So we go to the car and he try's to turn it over and confirms that it's not my timing belt. He asked if I'd "beat on it yet" I thought he was talking about cranking it with my foot on the gas and I told him yeah but I didn't want to do it to much because I didn't want to flood the engine. He said no not that. Mind you, my car is stripped, no bumpers, trim, back seats, center console etc (because of restoration) the only thing in my car is the dash, steering wheel and, front seats. So any way he proceeds to crank the car while knocking on the bare rear bench in the car. There is a black circle on the rear bench behind the passengers seat, that's what he hit twice. Low and behold after turning the key and hitting this spot the car started right up. I remember reading of someone saying they hit their gas tank, but I didn't know where the gas tank was, or better yet where to hit it on the rear bench. In the post I read the person wasn't specific on the spot or even if it was inside or outside of the car. So that's why I felt the need to write this post as a follow up to my problem and on the specifics of where the spot is to tap, and what was causing the problem, which was my fuel pump.

[steve68]

That's how you get a GM truck running with a bad fuel pump, you beat the gas tank with a rubber hammer,

just a little trick to get the pump un stuck

[kway]

Lol. Somewhat related, we have an e46 "fuel pump paddle" at the shop. It's a piece of an oak pallet that happened to be just about the right size to get a good slap on the bottom of an e46 fuel tank with the car on the ground.

I'd say half the no start e46s that get towed in these days are bum fuel pumps; they're just all getting to that age, apparently. Saves us the trouble of pushing them into the shop or changing pumps out in the yard.

[anabolice30]

I had this problem exactly with my Audi. It is most likely the coolant temperature sensor or crank position sensor. P I'd replace crank position first.

[shadowbethesda]

DME relay and main fuel pump relay.... Just went though this a month ago.

[rcsoundn1]

he says it was his Fuel pump.

[shadowbethesda]

And that's what I get for not reading ;)