Engine cuts out when turning right.

[sgtskid]

I have a 91 325 i 5-speed 220K+ (odo didnt work for a long time)

Yesterday on my way home from work it was driving great until I was literally about 4-5 turns from my house. Going around a right hand curve it cut out on me, as soon as the car was straight the engine picked right back up like nothing happened. I thought maybe it was a fluke until it happened on every single right hand corner the rest of the way home. Straight aways - okay, left corners - okay, hard acceleration -okay, right hand corners - cuts out. This morning I went to get into it to go to work and it wouldn't start....turns over but won't fire.

Reading around, I am thinking the fuel pump is gone out and is not siphoning gas from the left side of the tank. But, before I tear into I just want to get a second opinion from you guys. Tank is about 3/4 full.

[shiboujin]

you sure the tank is 3/4 full? Sometimes the sensor thingies die. I don't see how right turns would make it starve. Worth a shot since upgrade pumps are fairly cheap.

[jlevie]

If the tank is 3/4 full, it won't be fuel starvation from sloshing. That is enough fuel in the tank that there will always be fuel around the pump. This has the feeling of some sort of electrical problem.

[sgtskid]

I'm positive the tank is full I just filled it up Monday.

I will play with it some more when I get home. This morning when it wouldnt start I didn't have time to mess with it since I needed to be at work. I just grabbed my back up beater and drove it.

[shiboujin]

I'd search for connectors being half unplugged. Get some dieletric grease and grease everything with a connector lol.

[LJ851]

Because Nascar

[110stx]

Check the ground cable that runs from the passenger side motor mount to the frame.

I'll just bet it's loose.

[shiboujin]

If that ground strap is off or badly corroded, the motor won't even turn over. It isn't the cause. I bet you $50.

[sgtskid]

Man I hope it's not an electrical gremlin. I can wrench all day long but if I have to bust out the OHM meter I get lost in a hurry.

[LJ851]

Hook up a fuel pressure gauge to determine fuel or spark.

[sgtskid]

I was going to pull a plug off when I get home and check for spark. Then check fuel pump relay and fuel. Just for curiosity I might hit it with just a shot of ether to see if she will fire. That should tell me pretty quick if its fuel or fire related

[Gregs///M]

If that ground strap is off or badly corroded, the motor won't even turn over. It isn't the cause. I bet you $50.

Most engine related electrical problems can be attributed to the Engine Ground cable. I would check this cable before anything else. Contact points need to be clean and bolted down very securely. Cable should not be corroded, greasy, or rusty.

[shiboujin]

If the ground strap isn't right, the car won't even turn over. I don't see how hard that is to get.

[UserError]

Had a similar problem, if your battery's trunk mounted and not secured properly, then the smaller wire that goes to the main relay could be broken. Find the break, fix it, and secure the battery properly. Also, the ground strap is the least likely possibility, considering that the starter circuit relies VERY heavily on the ground strap. If it's cranking, then the ground strap is good.

[sgtskid]

If the ground strap isn't right, the car won't even turn over. I don't see how hard that is to get.

Agreed...I think sometimes people only seem to skim through posts and not fully read them. Otherwise they might see that the car turns over just fine but is not starting.....

Anyhow, I did some poking when I got home from work, i.e. removed back seat and gained access to the fuel pump. I unplugged the pump and had my wife try and start it while I checked for voltage at the two pin plug. It had 12v when she cranked it....this is leading to believe more that the pump just took a catastrophic dump.