Another boring "no start" thread.

[MPD47]

Normally I hate posting for technical help as I see it as an admission that I'm stumped (which I can proudly say rarely happens, usually it's just frustration). However, right now I can admit I am stumped.

Car WILL NOT start, turns over, has good spark on all 6 cylinders, has good compression on all 6 cylinders. Fuel pump will not turn on, fuel injectors do not fire. I can jump the fuel pump and turn it on manually and the injectors still do not fire. I'm not getting a ground signal from the DME. I've swapped the DME to another ('92 NV) car and it runs absolutely fine.

'92 M50NV swap, '89 325i Chassis.
Tested and confirmed x20/c101 connector is good
Tested and confirmed Bosch 402 DME
No connectors were pulled off during the swap other than the DME and MAF, checked for bent pins, NONE.
Ran a separate ground to the DME just to make sure that wasn't the issue.
Injectors do not fire
Fuel pump does not turn on (no signal to relay)

There must be something STUPID easy I've missed, but I'll admit I'm a bit stumped on this and would like a second opinion. Any help is appreciated.

[e30s52]

are you saying that the new dme will run the car. if thats the case why not just use that one?

[Mr.SWISS]

Got CEL?

[PiercedE30]

Do you have the "Code" function on your OBC?

[MPD47]

Zero CEL's. Flashes 1000 end code.

[MPD47]

are you saying that the new dme will run the car. if thats the case why not just use that one?

No, I've swapped ECU's with a known good one on my other '92 NV car and it runs fine. My point being there is something unique to this car I've missed.

[PiercedE30]

Check the OBC power control relay.

Is the ECU even getting power when you turn on the key?

[matt]

How sure are you that its sparking? Other than the presence of spark, it sounds like a bad crank position sensor. Or an EWS issue, but that's not it.

If you have a CEL with the key on and the engine off, the DME is getting power. If you don't have a CEL then, the ECU is not getting power, or has a software issue.

[Mr.SWISS]

How sure are you that its sparking? Other than the presence of spark, it sounds like a bad crank position sensor. Or an EWS issue, but that's not it.

If you have a CEL with the key on and the engine off, the DME is getting power. If you don't have a CEL then, the ECU is not getting power, or has a software issue.

Thanks Matt. That is what I meant by got CEL, which was my problem when I built my E30M50NV. Check you DME relay socket for power and trace it back to the juction over the battery tray. Also did you peel back the insulation to make sure you didn't hook a hot up to the shock tower? all the small wires are black, but only one is a ground. Find the brown wire.

[MPD47]

How sure are you that its sparking? Other than the presence of spark, it sounds like a bad crank position sensor. Or an EWS issue, but that's not it.

If you have a CEL with the key on and the engine off, the DME is getting power. If you don't have a CEL then, the ECU is not getting power, or has a software issue.

100% sure it has spark. I've checked each individual coil pack with several plugs, and in a separate car (that starts and runs). Having another running '92 makes it easy to swap parts and confirm. I've got a 1000 code and the stomp test works when keyed on and the car off. The ONLY ground wire in the bundle near the strut tower is the one that goes to the same wire bundle as the diagnostic plug IIRC. Correct me if I'm wrong?

[FredK]

Yes. That is the only ground wire in that bundle. The other goes to the positive power block.

[FredK]

The engine ground is hooked up, right? The fat cable that goes from the engine mount to the chassis?

[MPD47]

Yep, have multiple hooked up. One on each side of the engine, and one in the back from the firewall to the head.

[FredK]

Is the 89 325i a manual car?

[MPD47]

Yes sir. Originally m20 with getrag 5 speed.