The Infamous No Fuel - No Spark

[88E30M50]

My car lives as well :)

More info to come when I verify a few more things...

I believe my problem had to do with corrosion of connectors. DOH!

All right, I'm officially jealous right now. I'd run out and try to start mine now, seeing that the gods of M50 swaps are smileing, but I have no cam or crank sensors installed. Those should be here on Friday. I'll let you know what happens then. Wish me luck.

[mattdk318i]

All right, I'm officially jealous right now. I'd run out and try to start mine now, seeing that the gods of M50 swaps are smileing, but I have no cam or crank sensors installed. Those should be here on Friday. I'll let you know what happens then. Wish me luck.

good luck man

[Jason89i]

Well that ended up being the problem, Robert disconnected that wire and the engine fired right up. So for anyone else doing an m50 swap into a pre 88 e30, do not send 12-volt to pin 7 of the e36 x20 plug.

glad to hear its fixed. ive seen this on more than one occasion. now get that thing on the road and burn some rubber.

now for those who actually use the "search" function........

never send power to x20p7. the e36 chassis uses x20p7 as a start imobilizer. early obd1 cars used a blk/vio wire that the obc controlled the start imobilizer, then in 95 the wire changed to grn. function remained start imobilizer. (even with an ews delete chip this will imobilize the car.) later, x20p7 was used as part of the ews2 system.

cheers, jason

[SpecM]

congrats, take her for a spin!

[416stroker]

Congrats on getting this thin running

[RobertK]

Right now I'm stuck in chemo treatment thinking of all the stuff I have left to do to get her on the road. Hopefully tomorrow I can muster enough energy to finish it off.

[Bimmer335is]

My car isn't starting either, It worked the other day... i've checked my wiring a ton of times, gone over countless threads, on trying to figure out what is wrong... my wiring is fine. I'm going to try and see if my ecm will work on my neighbors '95 m3, and also my main relay.

I've tested the main relay plug and its not getting power at 30 or 86 but with ignition on it gets power to 30 and 85. If its not either the ecm or the main relay' I think i may need a new wiring harness.

I've checked the cps and it read 530 ohms, and its brand new from when i rebuilt the motor. I have used the motor before in an '87 325is for about 70 miles then i put it in this '88 325 and have drivin it another 150 miles. It wasn't idleing before, but found out i had a vacuum leak and the maf was on backwards... then it still didn't want to start, i wiggled some of the wiring and it started working again, started and idled beautifully, but everynow and then it seamed like it wanted to fall off and die at an idle when i drove it for the 150 miles.

the other day i get up to start it and it doesn't want to fire, i wiggle the wiring again after an hour of trying to get it to start by changing relays and wiggling the c101 x20 plug, it started. i drive it down the street but forgot my cell, so i turn around and it drops off and dies on me on the side of the road. I towed it back home.

Its not getting fuel or spark now, and i havent a clue as to why, maybe its my harness? bad connection? Any ideas? I'll be checking the main relay and ECM in the next day or so and let everyone know what I come up with.

[Bimmer335is]

well found out my computer was fried, but not before spending a lot of money on a new camshaft sensor, R5 code reader, and a new wiring harness. And now I just spent more money on a new computer. SWEEEET!!!

[RobertK]

That is why I always insist on hearing the engine run before I swap it into another car.

Too much work to hope the engine and its components are ok.

[Bimmer335is]

Thats just it, it ran just fine for a day. And before swapping it, it ran just fine in the wrecked car.

[1990m3]

Thats just it, it ran just fine for a day. And before swapping it, it ran just fine in the wrecked car.

I had a similar problem a few years ago. Turns out Bimmerworld sold me a chip that didn't work properly. After testing various chips, ECUs, and other parts I narrowed it down, they told me I was wrong, and it has started everyday since I asked to have them swap my chip out for a new one.

They didn't send me the EWS delete chip, told me to clip a wire instead and everything would be fine. Not the case.

Food for thought...

[SwiftE30]

glad to hear its fixed. ive seen this on more than one occasion. now get that thing on the road and burn some rubber.

now for those who actually use the "search" function........

never send power to x20p7. the e36 chassis uses x20p7 as a start imobilizer. early obd1 cars used a blk/vio wire that the obc controlled the start imobilizer, then in 95 the wire changed to grn. function remained start imobilizer. (even with an ews delete chip this will imobilize the car.) later, x20p7 was used as part of the ews2 system.

cheers, jason

so IIRC pulling this pin 7 on a 95+ harness would work? i am having the same problem but my car is an 89 vert with an obd1 s52 swap. harness is from a 95 325is.

[SwiftE30]

bringing this thread back from the dead....

What ended up being the problem?

[RobertK]

bringing this thread back from the dead....

What ended up being the problem?

Originally Posted by Jason89i View Post
i just looked over your x20/c101 adapter. pull e36 x20 p7. (e30/e36 immobilization does not work well together.)
cheers, jason

Well that ended up being the problem, Robert disconnected that wire and the engine fired right up. So for anyone else doing an m50 swap into a pre 88 e30, do not send 12-volt to pin 7 of the e36 x20 plug.