Need help ASAP, no crank S50

[rneedham1979]

Gents,

My E30 is currently being worked on at a local shop in Va Beach while I am deployed. My car has an S50 swap and was running before it was trailored to the shop. It was only trailored because a buddy removed my supercharger prior to dropping it off.

The shop has spent the last few months doing a bunch of work to the car, headers and exhaust, .140 head gasket, ported head, larger blower etc. Today I get these two emails.

First email:

"Hey Ryan, got the oil hoses on, went to change the oil, when the oil drain plug came out it had threads on the plug, DOH!, I had to helicoil it , should be fine from here on out, I wanted to turn the motor over to build up some oil pressure, charged the battery but the car will not turn over, I made sure the solenoid wire was attached and it was, the car has alarm leds on the doors, anyway this car has an ignition/starter cut out? let me know"

Second email:

"Ok. this car has an aftermarket engine harness or at least part of one, there is no battery power to the factory starter cable, there is a second cable that runs into the aftermarket harness and it is attatched to the starter also, it does have power until you try to jump the starter, then the power diisapears on both, a relay engages and the overun fan starts running and the dash lights light up like the ignition was in the run position but the key is in the off position. the oil light and the alt light are on at this point with the key off and out of the ignition?, then I put the key in, turn it to the run position, and the 2 lights on the dash go out and the overun fans shuts off????, if you ask me, something seems to be hooked up wrong, unless this aftermarket harness causes the electrical system to work differently than normal, I need to know how this thing is wired in to the factory harness, The starter looks brand new, any chance that was changed since you got the car?, there are 2 wires to the solenoid terminals also where there is normally only one, Scratching my head at this point."


[/SIZE][/FONT]

All I know is the car started and ran fine before. Anyone have any ideas? I was thinking maybe a ground wire or something stupid... I mean, the car is not going to re-wire itself. Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks!

[/FONT]

[BlackE30]

Hey Ryan,

I am going up to Racewerks tomorrow, I'll look at your grounds to double check. I'll also check with steve or whoever is working on the car and try and get some more info.

Jeff

[rneedham1979]

Jeff,

Thanks! It as to be something stupid like the solenoid wires are swapped or something.

[FredK]

That would be hard to do with an E36 harness, as the ring terminals are sized exactly to the post they are supposed to be on.

There have been three terminals on BMW starters since 1988, 30, 30h, and 50.

I am thinking there could be a dead cell on the battery from just sitting. That has definitely happened to me before.

[ed94r]

I mean this is the most anti-confrontational way possible, as I mean no ill will toward Raceworks or the few other really good BMW wrenches in-town.

Take it to Mike at Sports and Imports. He's moody, and sometimes brash, but he knows more about E30 swaps than almost anyone anywhere. He was one of the first to do it, and has done countless. If he can't get it to run, it will never run.

Ed

[rneedham1979]

Well It is not as simple as taking it somewhere else. These guys are solid. I m sure it is a simple mistake. I am confident they will get it sorted today. These guys have been great so far and I trust them completely.

[BlackE30]

Ryan, when do you get back?

We need to organize a local e30 meet and cruise.

[rneedham1979]

Not sure exactly. I will be home over the holidays though. Car is turning over now...

[gregslow318i]

tell them to pull the c101 and put 12v to port 18 on the motor side harness.

[rneedham1979]

Its running with the Nick G 42lb tune. Wont fire with the TRM 60lb tune. I guess I need to have him cut the 66 wire.

What is the c101?

[jrdeamicis]

Wow...

Has he ever seen these swaps before?

[rneedham1979]

HUH? Yes Racewerks has seen the swaps before. The harness is not a stock harness and it led to confusion. As mentioned the car is running with the Nick G tune but they have to mod or cut the immobilizer wire for the TRM tune.

Wow...

Has he ever seen these swaps before?

[jrdeamicis]

The positive battery wiring in the engine harness is pretty simple. It takes the B+ from the Lug terminal (pass firewall). That goes into the wiring box, does a splice with the extra B+ wire (e36 body power), along with the Starter + and does some other assorted shit. Down at the starter the extra wire is the unloader relay.

Just an FYI the car will crank as long as it is getting the proper signal through the C101 x20 adapter. No ecu, no problem. So I would rule out the tune. Along with EWS, because last time I check the EWS stopped spark. But don't hold me to that.

A quick continuity test from the B+ at the starter and the lug on the firewall will rule out funny wiring. Also the extra B+ wire usually is wrapped up or tied in with the B+ wire on the starter since the e30 uses its own wire out of the glove box to get B+

[rneedham1979]

Car is up and running with the TRM tune. The shop was using the Nick G encryption board with the new tune, hence the no start. they figured it out and all is well....

[evil_twin]

racewerks does good work. Very nice shop, very knowledgable guy. Sounds like it's missing a ground though, but it's also hard to diag. over a computer.