question???....s50 swap stuff

[JRKOUPE]

So I ve been tracking down a strange issue w/ the s50 car this season..


she'll just shut down w/ no warning,.. either at idle...or even at speed...


then she will be a no start..she cranks strong but wont turn over....no fuel..no spark.

Then she will start again, perhaps 10 mins later..or 3 days later.

2 new crank pos sensors were thrown at her.....she still exhibits the prob.

This all started after head was off for a HG/v.job......not really sure if its related.

The more we worked on her, the more I found out both the good and bad of how my swap was completed. I guess I wasn't smart enough to know when the swap was first done...lol

Let me ask:

where the harness enters the drivers compartment thru the firewall on its way to the dme......is there a grommet there?...my harness comes thru a large hole...no insulation, no nada..the wires are exposed to some nice sharp metal....not good. I guess we can fab something.....just wondering what is avail?


I brought the car to a bmw tech who reads the ETM for fun...........Im lost.

[Beau B]

I always ensure there is some type of insulation around wires if they are going through metal. I would put a grommet in there either a BMW one or universal one you can cut to size. Just my opinion..

[Slovik]

Sounds like a main relay to me, just plug a new one in, they are real cheap.

[JRKOUPE]

Sounds like a main relay to me, just plug a new one in, they are real cheap.

that was an easy option to pursue of course.......done......2x...

[berlow94]

I had a similar issue with my car at one point.
Turned out to be the plastic connector that plugs into the fuel pump wasn't making full contact.
Bent the contacts a tiny bit and haven't seen the problem since.
I'm sure your problem is something similar. When it doesn't start are you getting spark? fuel?

[JRKOUPE]

the no start issue causes:

NO FUEL/ NO SPARK...

[dude8383]

This might be silly, but I was reading a few days ago that E28's sometimes suffer from the same thing... Does your car have a 13 button OBC? Some have the code that prevents start up. I believe there's a relay that you have to bypass...

Were the CPS OE or non-factory?

[JRKOUPE]

D..wazzup.

My obc is nla...I took it out and run an aftermarket temp gauge,,,,,...

I m open to anything at this point...


...but the issue is such that she can run fine, like a drive of 4 hrs to the Glen......3 track sessions...then be a no start to get home......

or she will stall at a lite....then not restart....and when she stalls/dies , the tach just drops like a ton a bricks..

As mentioned, it all started after hg/V JOB..... but not sure if its all related.

cps were oe and non fact

[10Toes]

Sounds like it could be a bad DME, have you swapped it yet?

[JRKOUPE]

that was/is on my list to do.....to try a working dme......

but no we havent tried it yet.




let me ask.....

my s50 has ews....I run a Turner ews delete chip....

do all 95 s50 dme's run ews?........

[e30rapidic]

do all 95 s50 dme's run ews?........

no. mine has a red label 413

[JRKOUPE]

no. mine has a red label 413

I wasnt expecting that!..




what month of prod?...

[gkurey]

Check the main relay, check the big green ignition wire. Don't believe the voltmeter...you can get 12v but very little current. I eventually troubleshot my no-start with a test light. My trouble wire had voltage but wouldnt turn the test light on. Food for thought. Also, if your CEL is on when you key up power but don't actually start it, it means the DME is powered and responding correctly.

[JRKOUPE]

gkurey....et al...

so I had to go to a seminar for a few days........

I really wanted the car to get sorted so I left it w/ a retired bmw tech that loves the ETM type stuff like its porn....

I just get a vm that says........."got your car started, and it seems like its an ignition issue ..."....


lets see what he can nail down....

thanks to all....you guys rock...Ill keep us posted.

[gkurey]

Any more updates...did he say what it was? I was gonna post one more thing in case you hadn't gotten it yet. When I said trace the ignition wire, I mean go from the key cylinder to all the connectors that big fat green wire makes all the way to the engine harness!