......help

[JPStrniste]

background:
1990 e30 325i
auto converted to 5spd
m52 aluminum from 97 z3
converted to obd1 with red label 413 and 93 325is wiring
car hasn't seen the road in 1.5 yrs before swap
motor hadnt run in 2 yrs, but showed good maintenance report at bmw
Project Time: 1yr 2months and counting...


Okay,

back two months ago, I had help finishing the wiring on the motor and got the car running. It would run, not well, but would idle. I had a vacuum line i still needed to find a home for, and running open headers. there were still some finishing touches i had to do in order to "finish" the swap, BUT IT WOULD RUN....

i converted the m52 back to obd1 (the correct way) and still needed to get an alternator and a MAF sensor. I got a MAF sensor from a 95 m3 on bimmerforums and installed it. With the MAF, i also got a k&n filter to go with it. so i put these in together, started the car, it ran for about 45 seconds, then sounded like it choked itself out, and stalled. I have no exhaust, so there is no o2 sensor installed yet, but the car was running with no maf sensor and filter. I tried for about an hour to get it started again and got nowhere. I pulled the MAF sensor and filter back off. It would only turn over, never start, unless i shot some starter fluid into the throttle body, then it would run for about 3 sec, then die.

i've let the project sit until about 10 days ago. I had ordered new clutch master and slave cylinders for it, ordered a driveshaft and csb, ordered a new alternator and battery. I put all these in and then tried to start it again. Nothing. I drained about 75% of the fuel out of the tank, changed the fuel filter, filled the tank with an 8oz can of dry gas and 6 gallons of new 93 octane gas, tried to start it again for about an hour, and still got nothing. It would still fire if i shot some starter fuild into the throttle body (removed maf sensor first), but it wouldn't start and idle.

I'm trying to figure out a couple things to diagnose this issue. anyone have any ideas what it might be, or what i should check first? my last thought was the fuel pump, but that's $400 i don't want to spend if that's not def the problem. Then i was thinking it couldn't be the fuel pump, because while trying to start it, a couple times i would hit the gas pedal while turning it over, and i could smell fuel, like it was flooded.

any ideas or suggestions would be great.

thanks.

- Jason

[E30godz]

Sort of sounds like your fuel pump isn't working...or its not getting power....check relay or fuse.

[JPStrniste]

checked those today after i found the other recent thread on the "no start" problem. will check in more detail tomorrow.

[Jason89i]

#1, stop using that ether. it kills engines.
#2, get everything hooked up before you try to run it. much easier to diagnose.
#3, change your oil before you go drive it. a no start will dump fuel into the cylinder, not burn, leak past the rings into the oil. then break down your oil and you can kill main bearings.

simple check. with the car off, just pull the supply side of the fuel line. cover your eyes, check for built up pressure. or, better yet, install a fp inline gauge. $30 max.

cheers, jason

[FredK]

Um, this is probably unrelated to your starting problem, as it relates to the charging system, but how is the alternator hooked up? There should be a long cable from the starter that hooks up directly to a 8mm lug, and there's a wire with a ring on it that hooks up to the D+ lug on the alternator.

[JPStrniste]

Um, this is probably unrelated to your starting problem, as it relates to the charging system, but how is the alternator hooked up? There should be a long cable from the starter that hooks up directly to a 8mm lug, and there's a wire with a ring on it that hooks up to the D+ lug on the alternator.

fred,

I bought a new alternator from autozone (140amp) for a 93 325is, since that is where the wiring is from (the car, not autozone). I also bought a new red top optima battery. thanks again for the help. I owe you some beers for that day....

[JPStrniste]

#1, stop using that ether. it kills engines.
#2, get everything hooked up before you try to run it. much easier to diagnose.
#3, change your oil before you go drive it. a no start will dump fuel into the cylinder, not burn, leak past the rings into the oil. then break down your oil and you can kill main bearings.

simple check. with the car off, just pull the supply side of the fuel line. cover your eyes, check for built up pressure. or, better yet, install a fp inline gauge. $30 max.

cheers, jason

no more ether, got it.

I called the stealership today for new relays and the guy was being a pain in the ass, asking me for a vin, and not clearly answering questions that i had for him. I've got a bently at home for the car, so i'll go through and check which relay is the fuel pump relay and go from there.

I will also see if i can pick up an inline gauge for the fuel pressure. that's a good idea.

thanks for the help.

[Mossman]

Dude I'm impressed you've gotten this far but you really need to do some troubleshooting before you burn out your starter. If you were getting fuel but no ignition you'd know it, with open headers you'd be dumping raw fuel out and smell it. If it doesn't smell like gas and the plugs aren't drenched you definitely have a fuel problem, either fuel pump relay or fuel pump. Jump the fuel pump relay wires and see if the pump hums. If it doesn't get a test light or multimeter and see if the fuel pump is getting power. If you jump the relay and the car runs that's your problem, either ignition switch, wiring, or the relay itself. If you jump the relay and get no power at the pump then the problem is on the wiring on the other side of the relay. And finally if you get power at the pump but no humming its new pump time. It's not $400 either.

[JPStrniste]

UPDATE:

I changed the relay ($16). I am getting a humming and can feel slight vibrations on the fuel lines, so my fuel pump is working. I pulled one of the lines off and i do have pressure.

I haven't done it anymore since i started this thread, but the fact that the car would start for a few seconds on starter fluid, makes me think that i'm getting spark. Is this an incorrect assumption?

I just found it funny that once i hooked up the MAF sensor that it started to bog down and stalled out. since that moment, i haven't been able to get it started again. even after taking it off, putting it back on, disconnecting the battery, disconnecting the computer, ect, ect. I just can't get it running again. it turns over fine (no funny sounds like a bent valve or anything), it just wont fire.

any suggestions... please be gentle

[kroberts]

Is your MAF installed correctly? Is the flow arrow facing the right way. I dont know if it will create a no-start condition, but I know that a backwards MAF will make the car run like shit.

Just a thought.

[JPStrniste]

yeah, its facing the right way

just finished changing the plugs from platinum to copper plugs, but still didn't have any effect

[madjurgen]

clogged injectors maybe, take the rail off, then try and crank, see if theyre squirting.

[JPStrniste]

problem seems to be at the injectors. pulled the rail off and cranked it over. Nothing! no fuel flowing.

with the help of my roommate, we took off the fuel rail and pulled all the injectors out. cleaned the injectors the best we could and put everything back together and tried it again (just for sh*ts and giggles) still nothing.


so it seems like my problem is the injectors aren't firing.

for what its worth, i have a red label 413 ecu. I tried unplugging it and plugging it back it, but that didn't do anything.

anyone have ideas on what i should do now? How do I fix a "no injector pulse" problem?

[JPStrniste]

why aren't my injectors firing?


i tried searching and found a possibility of a bad ground. So i ran a wiring from one of the coils to the top of the strut tower (like someone else did) but it still didnt fire

[VacMan]

Wish I could help you, but it sounds like you've found the culprit. With the knowledge on this forum it's just a matter of time until your car is running like a top. :)

Bump!