86 325e auto crank no start

[ethirdy]

Tried searching, didn't find much - probably because an early e 4 door auto is the least desireable e30 ;) aside from maybe an early 318i?

Anyways, I've replaced quite a few parts as general maintenance - my friend recently purchased the car to have as a dd, and needed it bulletproof in the reliability department. Timing belt/pump, spark plugs, t-stat, hoses, dist cap, rotor, spark plug wires...

The car has been dead nuts reliable except for when it sat for a few days when we first finished the work - same issue, left it overnight assuming my buddy's relentless attempts to get it running flooded the engine. He went back the next day and it fired right up, and he's driven it since (about a month ago) without issue.

A few days ago, he stopped in at a store, turned the car off, came back out, and it wouldn't start, and hasn't since.

Fuel is fine, but no spark at the coil. My thoughts are the sensors in the bell housing - though I'm unfamiliar if the auto trans has them too - pretty sure they do. Where do they route up to in the engine bay? How can I test them?

Anything else it might be?

[jlevie]

No spark is one of:

1) Timing reference sensors (bell housing mounted on this car)
2) Main relay
3) Coil
4) DME

[ethirdy]

I'm leaning on the sensors. Coil and dme as well as relays were all swapped with known good, still no spark. Guess that's all it really could be :) they're the same regardless of auto/manual right?

[jlevie]

I'm leaning on the sensors. Coil and dme as well as relays were all swapped with known good, still no spark. Guess that's all it really could be :) they're the same regardless of auto/manual right?

Yes.