318i M10 Starting Issue

[boxerulez]

Hey guys.

My name is Vincent, I am from South Africa. Proud E30 owner, chrome bumpers.


I have recently joined after acquiring my 2door e30. As stated in subject:

1985 E30 318i M10
2door
Aqua in color
Beige interior
No modifications

This car has had an issue with starting for the past 5 years. It has never not started but it is not starting as it should.

When parked overnight upon starting it cranks over for about 8 to 10 seconds before running.
After driving and parking, anything under 10 minutes of park and it starts up straight away.
From there on the longer it parked, the longer it cranks.

When it cranks for a period I can smell fuel vapour after I pull away.

I have tested the cold start valve, it is operating.
I have replaced the Fuel Pressure Regulator with an OG Bosch part.
The Injectors are also spraying neat. No drops or other anomalies.
I have run Spanjaard injector cleaner for 6 cycles.

The only upside to this is that once in about 5 starts it will run instantly. Like absolutely nothing is wrong with the car.

Maybe worth mentioning, about 4 times since I have had the car the starter will just give a click, stall for a splitsecond and then carry on cranking over.

I have tried switching the ignition on for up to a minute before cranking with no joy.
I have tried starting the car with clutch engaged and with clutch disengaged, no change.
I have tried opening throttle while cranking, also no change.

Please I am calling on the E30 gurus and gods, please help me find my way to the perfect daily driver.


Many thanks in advance for your time and advice guys.

Vincent




Sent from my GT-P5200 using Tapatalk

[boxerulez]

Please can anybody give me some advice. I have been trolling all the forums and have not come across this same issue anywhere I need your assistance brothers.

Sent from my GT-P5200 using Tapatalk

[gettinscurvy]

This sounds similar to my issues, however mine starts 1 in every 10 attempts and dies very shortly thereafter. I hope someone comes forward with some assistance!

[boxerulez]

Well I have new ignition set. Coil rotor dizzycap plugs leads and a complete service tomorrow. Will update by sunday after testing it a few times. I am off to bed now. Midnight here.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[boxerulez]

Replaced plugs leads dizzy cap rotor all filters and fluids yesterday. Unplugged ecu and ignition while servicing.

First start after service fired up immediately. Consecutive starts all went perfectly. Drove around 50km to settle in water and oil levels.

Parked the car.

Went outside to start her this morning and same old problem back again.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[gettinscurvy]

Well shit. That sounds....unpromising...

[boxerulez]

Ok I have changed my train of thought... bear with me.

When this isht happens and the car eventually fires up there is a strong fuel odor.

Last night I unplugged the cold start valve and this morning she turned over for only 2 seconds before firing up.

1 of 2 things popped in my mind.

1. Cold start has been tested and it is spraying for the correct time. Could it be spraying too much during that time?

2. Something else is flooding the intake and coupled with the cold start squirt this stops the car for firing right up until it works some of that fuel out of the intake. (I noticed the past few days a puff of smoke when she fires up - dark grey smoke, not blue)

I have made sure that the coolant sensor connector is on tight and the Thermo Time and Sender switch has the BMW connectors so there is not much I can do to make them tighter.

Any input on this theory gentlemen?

[gettinscurvy]

Any subsequent attempts to start the car without the cold start?

For instance, I have attempted to start the car with it unplugged and random times throughout the day with the same result (firing right up)?

[boxerulez]

Its back to hard starting. Also noticed today at idle randomly every few seconds it pops at the exhaust end. Sheet of paper agains the pipe indicated that on each pop it sucks air from the exhaust.

Burnt valve?

Would a dodgy mechanic retard the timing and increase idle speed knowing this would mask the issue at hand?

I am feeling really despondent at the moment. Its like I opened pandoras box...



Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[boxerulez]

Could the timing marks on the flywheel be incorrect due to PO actions? I set the timing by ear and adjusted the idle and popping from the exhaust is completely gone. Alas after cooling and starting it is again cranking forever.

Considering taking this car to Kaz ( Local BMWechanic trained in the 80's ) Pretty much the most reputable BMW specialist in my city.

He quoyed me ZAR500 + tax for going over the motor and trying to diagnose it. Thats about $70 last time I checked exchange rates.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[TobyB]

Yeah, it's probably a good idea to do a compression (and then leakdown,
if compression shows problems) just to rule out problems with the internals.

You're not losing any coolant, are you?

If starting with the throttle wide open DOESN'T speed starting, that seems to
indicate it's not a leaky/overperforming injector. But I've gotten in the habit of having
the injectors cleaned and calibrated on any project I buy-
after 30 years, it's cheap insurance.

A professional diagnosis at this point's certainly not a bad idea, for that little coin.

At this point, if it was mine, I'd focus on making sure it has good, solid spark when
it's not starting. The pickup in the distributor is bulletproof- but it COULD still
fail. Likewise the ignition module. So I'd let it sit, and the next time it no- starts,
swap the primary (coil) lead onto an external spark plug, GROUND IT and see if you're
getting a nice fat blue spark. The fuel smell makes me think you might not be.

hth

t

[cgk_iii]

it seems as if everyone is having the same exact issues with these m10's but no one has really sourced the main problem. these little motors are very frustrating

[boxerulez]

Yeah, it's probably a good idea to do a compression (and then leakdown,
if compression shows problems) just to rule out problems with the internals.

You're not losing any coolant, are you?

If starting with the throttle wide open DOESN'T speed starting, that seems to
indicate it's not a leaky/overperforming injector. But I've gotten in the habit of having
the injectors cleaned and calibrated on any project I buy-
after 30 years, it's cheap insurance.

A professional diagnosis at this point's certainly not a bad idea, for that little coin.

At this point, if it was mine, I'd focus on making sure it has good, solid spark when
it's not starting. The pickup in the distributor is bulletproof- but it COULD still
fail. Likewise the ignition module. So I'd let it sit, and the next time it no- starts,
swap the primary (coil) lead onto an external spark plug, GROUND IT and see if you're
getting a nice fat blue spark. The fuel smell makes me think you might not be.

hth

t

So I had an opportunity to look under the hood today.

Spark on external plug wired from çoil is solid...
Throttle wide open makes no difference...

I am also working on my heater valve and I unplugged the two control unit plugs above the heater pipes to gain better access.

After connecting a temp bypass for the heater control valve I wanted to run the car warm to make sure I do not spring a leak in traffic tomorrow.

Cranked for about 10 seconds then i realised that I did not plug the ignition control back in.

Plugged it, turned over and took immediately.

Is it possible that the car has to build up compression or something before it takes? Or build up fuel pressure?

I do have a pressure tester gauge, where in the fuel line is the best place to test fuel pressure?
What is the procedure to test compression, i know to screw gauge into the plug hole obviously but how long do you crank over?

Another suspect is tthe starter motor turning over too slow? Will the speed of the starter crank affect the compression reading??

Sent from my GT-P5200 using Tapatalk

[thebutterson]

You could put a fuel pressure guage on the supply line and watch the pressure leak down rate. There is a value specified in the bentley manual. There's some sort of check valve that is supposed to prevent you from losing fuel pressure right away. If this is allowing pressure to bleed of too fast it would explain why it's hard to start in the morning and after it sits for a while. Doesn't explain the fuel smell though.

[boxerulez]

Waiting for cooldown now.

Compression 149 150 150 150

Fuelpressure is constant. Off the guage... used a cheap equus kit, pressure exceeds the guage by 50percent...builds up with ignition and stays constant even when running.

Removed ICV and soaked with Carb cleaner. Let it dry. Fitted again.

Proceeded to check timing with light.

Car started up first turn but was still popping at muffler.

Set timing. Adjusted idle by means of screw next to cold start injector on intake.

Popping is gone from muffler. Idle is 100percent smooth.

Test drove.

Ping under load, very very little however. Checked timing again, slight adjustment amd increased idle to 900rpm.

Still smooth idle and acceleration. No more ping. Still starting within 1 second of cranking at temperature.

As in start of post, letting her sit for a few hours now to test cold starting duration of cranking.

Lets hold thumbs!!!

Sent from my GT-P5200 using Tapatalk