Can't get it started - EWS??

[Mike B.]

I just finished up the swap and I am unable to get the engine to fire.

I verified that I am getting power to the ECU. I am getting power to all of the relays. I jumpered the fuel pump relay to verify that the pump runs. I installed a test plug to verify that I have spark. The engine cranks and turns over with ease, but will not fire.

I installed new soft fuel lines. When looking at them from under the car at the point where they go from hard lines to soft lines, is the lower one supply and the upper one return? I thought I had labeled them properly when I removed the M20. Just want to make sure that the fuel is flowing in the right direction.

I have a silver labeled 413 DME, but the engine has an early build date (2/93) and it shouldn't have EWS, but who knows.

Do you get any fuel, spark or cranking if the ECU has EWS?

I'm pretty stumped right now because every thing indicated that this motor should start.

Any suggestions?? Anybody have a spare ECU in the Chicago area I could try?

[rede30]

make sure the crank position sensor is plugged in right, i have seen this be the culprit twice.

[Mike B.]

Its in place. Where is the connector located? The wire just disappears behind the radiator hoses and I can't see where it terminates.

[rede30]

i really dont know exactly where the connector is but the sensor is on the front of the engine. It is a hassle but that was the problem on my brothers e30 after his s50 swap. If i remember correctly there is a plug that is the same size as the cps so the two got switched.

[erik325i]

I have a silver labeled 413 DME, but the engine has an early build date (2/93) and it shouldn't have EWS, but who knows.

It's up the the ECU whether or not it has EWS. Since you have a silver label 413, you will need to eliminate the EWS in order to start the car.

Here is a link to the Turner EWS delete chip.

-Erik

[aeryk7]

^ +1 or sell your silver label 413 and get a red label the benefit of buying the chip is that you will have a performance chip that deletes ews

[rede30]

I have a red lable from a 95 m3 if you are interested.

[Mike B.]

I recall that someone here had a silver 413 that didn't have EWS (early build date M50tu), but if the consensus is that it does, I'll bite the bullet and get the chip.

[NickP]

I just finished up the swap and I am unable to get the engine to fire.


...
I installed a test plug to verify that I have spark. The engine cranks and turns over with ease, but will not fire.
...

Doesn't EWS disable spark?

[rede30]

without spark your engine will still crank.

[Mike B.]

I used a test plug and I get spark, so that is not affected by EWS.

I think EWS disables the injectors and once the car doesn't fire the ECU shuts down the fuel pump. "The EWS controls the signal from the key to the injection system. If the key doesn't match the stored code in the EWS brain the car will not start. "

This may be why I am getting positive tests on the relay (power) and fuel pump (runs with the relay jumpered) and no fuel smell from the exhaust manifolds after extended cranking.

[NickP]

I used a test plug and I get spark, so that is not affected by EWS.

I think EWS disables the injectors and once the car doesn't fire the ECU shuts down the fuel pump. "The EWS controls the signal from the key to the injection system. If the key doesn't match the stored code in the EWS brain the car will not start. "

This may be why I am getting positive tests on the relay (power) and fuel pump (runs with the relay jumpered) and no fuel smell from the exhaust manifolds after extended cranking.

Again I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure both the EWS 1 & 2 cut off both fuel and spark.

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/BMW_EWS.pdf

With the test spark plug are you seeing the plug fire several times / second?
I had a friend who had a starting issue after swapping an m42 into his euro e30 m40 car. His issue was that he had the return and delivery fuel lines crossed.

[NickP]

Just another quick thing to look at is to make sure the ground strap on the fuel / injector rail is hooked up.

[Mike B.]

I am getting good spark and there are no issues with the starter. The engine is cranking and turning over just fine.

All ground straps are in place. They are in excellent condition and I used a little dielectric grease on the contact points.

Where the fuel hard lines come off the body into the engine bay, is the supply on the top or the bottom? I know I have them right on the engine, so this location is the only place I may have screwed up.

[Mike B.]

The car just started 5 minutes ago!!

My problem was that the fuel lines were crossed on the engine. When I received the engine that is how the lines were set up, so when I ran new lines, I just followed what was there.

I reversed them, jumpered the relay to run the pump to remove any air that might be in the lines, turned the key and the car fired right up. It sounds real mean with the open S52 exhaust headers. Next stop, the muffler shop.

So what did I (we) learn? First, double check your fuel lines. Second, all silver labeled 413 ECU's don't have EWS!