318is + OBDI M52 starts & runs great...but doesn't turn off

[Jszy25]

As I put the jumper box to the battery to start the engine, I noticed all the dash lights came on, without the key in the ignition...hmm

The engine fired up and ran great after the second try at cranking it. I was surprised how well it ran actually. I then bled the cooling system as it heated up, checked for leaks and everything else you typically do when starting it for the first time.

I then went to shut down the engine, but nothing happened when I removed the key from the ignition...the engine just kept running and idling. I had to pull the main relay or fuel pump, I forget, to shut it down. The dash lights stayed on until the battery was drained.

I had my pin-out harness checked over and all is well. Does anyone know what could be the issue?? Has this happened to anyone else?? Im kinda stumped and exhausted right now :loco:

[lolcantturn]

Your grounds are wrong. Check them all.

Check all the wiring, remember to pull back the boot on a connector. Brown is ground, red is positive, hook them all up the appropriate location and your car will run fine, I guarentee one of them is incorrect.

[justin_l_]

I know this is a different setup, but it's a similar problem.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=114762&highlight=shut

[Jszy25]

Everything with a connector is plugged in correctly. I pulled back all of the boots and checked the wiring when I was connecting them.

I am going to check my main relay to make sure it is working correctly and I am also going to triple check my ignition wiring in the harness is hooked up correctly.

Any other advice??

[sohc12vm20]

Same problem here.. I ended up grounding the e36 harness to what I thought was a ground but was power.. Once I grounded the harness correctly it was perfect. Hope this helps.

[lolcantturn]

Same problem here.. I ended up grounding the e36 harness to what I thought was a ground but was power.. Once I grounded the harness correctly it was perfect. Hope this helps.

This. I said to double check everything, this is DEFINITELY your problem and not anything else.

[Jszy25]

This. I said to double check everything, this is DEFINITELY your problem and not anything else.

Ok, i'll take your word for it and make sure its right. Thanks.

[Jszy25]

edit:

Never mind, I figured it out. I knew it wasn't a ground issue. I was getting constant power to the harness through the distro block on the firewall by the ecu.

I put a test light on the ignition wire and was it was constant hot. I removed a power wire from the block and everything started functioning correctly.

Now, I have to figure out if that wire is necessary (switched) for something in the car or if its not needed at all. In which case, I'll remove it.

[jahnaboi]

Wrong. You were wrong. You had the negative ground near the ecu connected to the positive terminal.

Hence a ground issue.

[Jszy25]

Wrong. You were wrong. You had the negative ground near the ecu connected to the positive terminal.

Hence a ground issue.

haha nope, you're wrong, very wrong. My grounds were all 100% fine.

If I done what you said, I've have a spark show. Maybe you've never seen that...ya know, touching positive and negative terminals together with juice going to them.

There was a power wire, I assume for a positive lug on the passenger side of the bay that was not needed. It was a thick red wire...red meaning a constant power wire.

I removed it from my harness completely and now the car runs perfectly. Thanks for the response though :)

[328ijunkie]

Wow.

[Jszy25]

Wow.

Care to elaborate or just "wow"?? Hah

[RobertK]

I put a test light on the ignition wire and was it was constant hot. I removed a GROUND wire from the block and everything started functioning correctly.

Fixed.

[Jszy25]

Haha you guys are thick...

So when did BMW start using red insulation for their ground wires?