1985 323i fuel pump relay

[2002jm]

So I have the rebuilt engine in but am not getting fuel; new pump but it is not priming when I turn the car over. I do have power to the Suspension & Unsprung relay socket. I jumped the 87and 30 with key on run; but not turning over the car. My question is: does the car have to be cranking for the pump to cycle when jumped from Suspension & Unsprung to # 87?
I have read that the pump should run with the jumped pins, and the key on.....however this is a 7 pin relay and not the normal e30 usa model with a main relay and fuel pump relay and O2 relay.....I don't even have an O2 in this car:).
Any help would be great.....trying to get it running before the weather changes this next Friday:).

[It's Soda Not Pop]

Check fuse No. 11 in the fuse panel under the hood. If the pump is aftermarket (as in a walbro or something)? If it is it will pop that 7.5 amp fuse. You need a 10 or a 15. Also the fuel pump does not prime when the key is turned over. Only when it's cranking does the pump come on.

[2002jm]

Thank you very much for your input. I was also thinking the relay has more than one area that has to be connected or jumped to make the fuel pump come on...guess I will find out today when I work on the car. I can't seem to find what all the 7 pins are doing in the relay:).
thanks, again soda.
jm

[2002jm]

ok, went out today and jumped pin 30 and 87b, the fuel pump came on and ran fine; but no fuel to the pressure regulator. I have a new filter and 6 gals of new fuel....might have a blockage between the fuel filter intake and the fuel pump. Tomorrow, I will go out and see if fuel is coming out of the fuel pump........any ideas?
thanks,
Also, should I assume my relay is shot? It is not clicking at all when I turn the key on...

[It's Soda Not Pop]

No worries.
Is the filter going the right direction? Sure the fuel lines aren't crossed. As in make sure the pump isn't pumping into the return line instead of the feed line. When I had my issue. My main relay had died (prior it was dying when it got hot). I thought it was my fuel pump. So I replaced it with a walbro. This wasn't my issue, but I had the pump laying around and I made a quick decision without digging into the issue. After replacing the pump my car started, then died again (main relay). So I borrowed a friend of mine's relay and again the car started. It ran for about 10 to 15 min. Then died again (FML). The next day my brother and I went out started checking for loose wires or anything that didn't look correct. He found the blown fuse. So I put in another fuse and the car started again. Then died when I tried to drive it. I went online and found out (unfortunately I don't remember where I got the info from) the this pump draws more current. And apparently BMW changed this fuse in the later years. So I swapped the 7.5 for a 15a fuse. After all of that, the car started and drove fine. Well almost. I had a alternator that was overcharging as well. I replaced that and all my other relays for good measure.
Do you have the 13 button OBC? if so that can cause a no start issue as well. It has a immobilizer in it.

[It's Soda Not Pop]

Also check your CPS. If the DME isn't getting timing data then it won't energize the relay if it can't see timing.

[e30davie]

323i dont have a CPS, they have a trigger in the distributor. The 323i is a different beast to the later cars. I have an australian delivered, Euro 323i. It uses distributor for spark, and a single pulse from the distributor goes to the ecu to batch fire fuel injectors. quite archaic compared to the motronic systems.

For what its worth my fuel pump never primed properly when i was using the original relay, it only ran while cranking and running. never figured out why. Tried a few different relays, no dice.

[2002jm]

323i dont have a CPS, they have a trigger in the distributor. The 323i is a different beast to the later cars. I have an australian delivered, Euro 323i. It uses distributor for spark, and a single pulse from the distributor goes to the ecu to batch fire fuel injectors. quite archaic compared to the motronic systems.

For what its worth my fuel pump never primed properly when i was using the original relay, it only ran while cranking and running. never figured out why. Tried a few different relays, no dice.

Thanks to everyone for all the good input!
Just for reference, my car is a 1985 e30 so it does have the cps. It is hard wired into the diagnostic port. Going to be a pain to replace the cps. I know the cps will keep the car from sparking, but if the pump is running would I not have fuel at the fuel rail.....unless it is blocked between the rail and the pump??
Also, I have the flat part of the filter at the top is that backwards? There was no arrow. The lines are correctly attached, since I only took off the feed and it goes to the bottom of the filter.
Any other ideas would be great.
thanks,

[ForcedFirebird]

That CPS is for diagnostics only, it doesn't send signal to the DME.

The 323 does NOT "prime", there's a "CPS" sensor in the distributor that may be bad (actually called a pulse generator). If you take the cap off, pull the rotor, there should be a plastic cap - if you lift that up there's a 6 prong reluctor on the distributor with a sensor reading it. If that sensor happens to be on one of those prongs when you turn the key, the pump will prime, but if the distributor isn't rotating then it shuts off - alternatively, if the key is turned on and the sensor is between teeth, then it won't "prime".. That sensor needs to see a pulse to keep the pump running all the time. Number 8 and 9. Not sure of the values offhand, but you should be able to set your multi-meter to AC and have some voltage while the engine is turning.

[2002jm]

Thanks for the information. I did see the 6 prong reluctor under the cover. I will see what is going on tomorrow; too much to do today. I am thinking I have a plugged line.
thanks,

[2002jm]

Hi: Just a follow up there is no plugged line. I hotwired the fuel pump and it ran and fuel came out the fpr. However, no start not even a little fire in the cylinders. Going to check for spark tomorrow. Just wondering; does the ecu have to be grounded to the frame; mine is laying on the front floor, but plugged in. Does the obc have to be plugged in? Mine is sitting on the dash? thanks, jm
also, I got another relay, and the pump does not pump unless I hotwire the fuel pump; even on cranking the fuel does not come through the fpr unless the pump is hotwired; pump is new, and works great.
jm

[2002jm]

ok, I confirmed 12 volts to coil and spark at number 1 plug? no pump unless I hotwire it?
thanks for any help,
jm

[2002jm]

Don't think my battery is turning the engine over fast enough; may have worn it down:)
jm

[2002jm]

Seems like the voltage from the relay back to the pump is too low.....will do further tests...any ideas out there? thanks, jm

[2002jm]

ok, got spark and was able to get the car started for about 5 sec on starter fluid. I am thinking I have a bad 7 pin fuel pump relay. The pump is not running unless I hotwire it.
jm