Guess what? Yep. It wont start.

[dubseven]

The setup:

E30 1986 325ES
S50, OBD1
WAR Chip
eBay headers
Self-made Adapter

Car will crank, and sputter/backfire, but wont catch. Anyone with some pointers on what to check? I tried swapping cam and crank sensors just to make sure they werent backwards, checked the ground strap from engine arm to chassis, etc.

Ideas? Anyone?

[Jand3rson]

Start going back through your pinouts and double check your wiring work. Any work you did yourself is what you check first.

[dubseven]

I have checked it, but I will check it again. However, everything going through the C101 would create a no start condition, not an almost-firing condition, wouldnt it?

[MattM]

fuel problem... check your relay(and related wiring), and make sure your lines are hooked up correctly. feed goes to the FRONT of the engine, return comes out by the firewall

[dubseven]

Checked fuel lines twice, and had two E36 gurus with me checking...... (Roland H. and BMWChubbs/critter)

[surebimmer]

Make sure the hose from the idle valve to the intake didn't pop out on a backfire. This would cause a large vacuum leak and the car would die. Happened to me on my first start of my swap years ago.

[dubseven]

We checked that too, but I will check again in the AM.

[r4esh]

Bad MAF ? Try disconnecting it, then turning key, and see what happens.

[7pilot]

sounds like you may have clogged or stuck injectors.

m

[dubseven]

Bad MAF ? Try disconnecting it, then turning key, and see what happens.

Tried that, no dice

sounds like you may have clogged or stuck injectors.

m

Came from a car that ran just fine.

[MattM]

pull the fuel rail off, and see if all the injectors are firing fuel.

[SamE30e]

pull the fuel rail off, and see if all the injectors are firing fuel.

Bad idea. Very messy.

Screw driver and listen. You'll hear them click.

[Philo]

Maybe the injector rail ground isn't getting a good connection? Any videos?

[dubseven]

Crank sensor OHMd out fine, cam sensor not so much. Trying to track one down now.

[Mr.SWISS]

Bad idea. Very messy.

Screw driver and listen. You'll hear them click.

And how many times have you personally tried this?


I have done this when I had bought a 944 back in 98 that sat for a few years. Entire fuel system was gummed up so I replaced pump filter and it wouldn't start. I was 17 and worked at a Firestone in Plano and the techs that were helping me were trying to start it with carb cleaner and damned near torched my engine compartment helping me

Luckily not damage was done just the solvent burned a moment I put it out in less than a minute. Well they all thought is was pretty funny and talked mad shit about my german turd in comparison with ol merican muscle.

Next day pulled injectors out and noticed one barely squiting, Set them all in a cap of carb cleaner over night tip down carb cleaner just above the cap line. Next day used a valve stem to compress needles and 3 were stuck shut. Plugged into rail and cranked, had 4 pretty streams. Installed and car ran butter smooth for the first time in years. And the 17 yo tire monkey became the designated euro dude.