Car stalls and doesn't want to start.

[trackjunkie21]

Well the car is having a weird problem, occasionally it just stalls out no matter the circumstances and does not want to start back up. At times I can here the pump turning on and it seems as if it's getting no spark, but most of the time it just cuts everything all together. I wiggle the fusebox a bit and all of a sudden all the relays click and the car starts. This is very weird since I already replaced the damn fusebox once and that was a huge PITA. All main relays are brand new and I'm starting to get very frustrated with this because I seem to be going nowhere fast. Any help?

[samiam3356]

Sounds like a loose connection. Had this issue when I forgot to tighten down the ground on my battery. Took a mintute to figure out because I was expecting something harder to figure out.

[trackjunkie21]

Seems logical, but in the fusebox can be causing me to lose power for spark and fuel? I know I'm getting power to the fuel pump.

[lolcantturn]

I guarantee it's something simple.
Wiggling the fusebox means you could be tugging a bit on the fusebox 12V wire that runs to the hot power block in the engine bay, which could be enough to wiggle a loose connection to the DME. Check the powerblock. I had a similar problem where my starter didn't work and i kind of wiggled the fuse box and then it worked, but when i wiggled the fuse box it tugged on the fusebox 12V wire which tugged just enough on the powerblock to give power back to my starter.

[trackjunkie21]

I guarantee it's something simple.
Wiggling the fusebox means you could be tugging a bit on the fusebox 12V wire that runs to the hot power block in the engine bay, which could be enough to wiggle a loose connection to the DME. Check the powerblock. I had a similar problem where my starter didn't work and i kind of wiggled the fuse box and then it worked, but when i wiggled the fuse box it tugged on the fusebox 12V wire which tugged just enough on the powerblock to give power back to my starter.

checked, powerblock is good and secure.

[DaveSmed]

... but most of the time it just cuts everything all together....

When it does this, does it affect things inside the car as well? If so check that the allen bolt under K4 and K8 is tight.

[jrdeamicis]

Have you tried just cleaning the contacts on the relays. Measure for 12V @ PIN 30 OR PIN 86 on the relays.

[trackjunkie21]

When it does this, does it affect things inside the car as well? If so check that the allen bolt under K4 and K8 is tight.

This does not happen, although I did check the allen bolt and it was nice and snug.

Have you tried just cleaning the contacts on the relays. Measure for 12V @ PIN 30 OR PIN 86 on the relays.

Will try that when it happens again. Car is running fine now but probably not for long.

[trackjunkie21]

update: car died yesterday(wish I took a video) when I tried cranking, the CEL light would flash. Then I pulled the hod release and it started, wtf is this shit.

[scottinAZ]

check your relays. Mine did the same freaking thing until I replaced the three relays attached to the harness. finicky bastards they are

[trackjunkie21]

check your relays. Mine did the same freaking thing until I replaced the three relays attached to the harness. finicky bastards they are

These are all brand new relays, bought last year, that's the funny part

[scottinAZ]

These are all brand new relays, bought last year, that's the funny part

check the connectors for loose/bent contacts then. If the problem persists, swap in your old relays, new ones should be good to go, but it isnt unheard of for them to fail. Had this problem on my M20, swapped relays, good to go, did M50 swap, and got the old relay back in the mix by mistake, Right back to screwing up. replaced relays again, so far so good.... fickle things they are

[trackjunkie21]

made sure, they are all good.

[M-power1989]

i had a similar problem turned out to be my rotor and distributor cap but it was a 1989 525i

[trackjunkie21]

none of that business on my m50.