1987 325i Automatic Crank no Start

[jniuk]

Hey everyone. Wish my first post wasnt a crank no start, but i've literally been hunting down this issue for 6 months....
What happened:
I put my 1987 EARLY MODEL 325i cabriolet in 'storage' over the winter, and accidentally leaved the battery plugged in, and wasn't able to siphon the fuel out. In April, I took it out, and when I went to start it, the battery died. I jumped it with a battery, heard it crawl really poorly to life, but it ran. I put some fuel injector cleaner inside the fuel tank (which i now know is useless i've heard), and drove it around town. After about 30 minutes of letting it idle, and 30 minutes of driving, it completely died on me while driving. Revs/Speedo dropped, lights died, battery started clicking when I would crank the car. I found I have no spark, and after hunting on TONS of forums, I replaced the OBC relay box, and finally got spark, tested by resting all 6 plugs on the valve cover - noted 6 strong white sparks. After cranking the plugs smell like fuel, and every once and awhile while cranking I get a single spurt of what I believe to be ignition.

I have since replaced:
- Battery
- Timing Belts + Component Belts
- Distributor Rotor + Cap
- Spark Plugs
- Ignition Coil
- Ignition Wires
- Fuel Filter
- Gaskets on Intake Manifold
- OBC Relay Box
- ECU
- Cleaned and rebuilt fuel injectors with a 9v battery, carb cleaner, manually opening them by giving power through 9v battery.
- CPS with one off of RockAuto (Walker Products)
- Feed fuel line going to fuel rail
- Breather Hose

I have tested:
- Fuel Pressure right before fuel rail (~100psi)
- Compression (~130psi)
- Jumping White (DME?) relay and fuel pump relay, I can fuel pump buzzing + it smells like fuel when cranking.
- Took off fuel line that DOESNT have fuel pressure regulator connecting to fuel rail, fuel came spilling out
- I am getting strong spark on all 6 plugs, have videos of someone needs
- REDID timing, and got even more bang on, seemed old timing was off by ¾ a tooth. This was done by taking belt off cam gear, cranking backwards, putting back on cam gear, cranking forward.
- Sprayed Starter fluid in the intake boot and the opening of the intake manifold (little metal triangle looking connection on the back), and re-sealing it and cranking.
- Blue Temp Sensor is at 1200 Ohms, which is lower than the bentley, but tried running with it unplugged, and still wouldn't run.

I have NOT tested:
- TESTED! Compression: I've heard you can lose compression by flooding the head by cranking too much, hoping to check compression later this week. If I dont have compression, is the engine toast? I read you can pour oil down the cylinder? does the head need to come off?
- TESTED Fuel pressure with gauge: I have seen fuel in the rail, when I take off the feed line, but have not tested with gauge. I cleaned the fuel injectors.
- Smoke Test for vacuum leaks

I'm so lost. Anyone able to help me?
I can attach videos and photos if necessary.

[82eye]

sounds like your alternator gave out and you killed the battery cranking.

[jniuk]

Even though I replaced the battery? Im just confused - would the bad alternator still give me the crank no start with spark, interior lights coming on, and everything else like i mentioned? Is there a test for the alternator?

[82eye]

Even though I replaced the battery? Im just confused - would the bad alternator still give me the crank no start with spark, interior lights coming on, and everything else like i mentioned? Is there a test for the alternator?

for a short period and then you'll get nothing. the starter will click but the battery won't have enough to fire the car. you can use a multimeter to test it.

[jniuk]

I can consistently crank the engine for as long as I want. Ill check the alternator today - if its not that, any other ideas? I also just want to make it clear, that the engine cranks are healthy - in my head if there was no battery or alternator it wouldnt crank at all?

[82eye]

I can consistently crank the engine for as long as I want. Ill check the alternator today - if its not that, any other ideas? I also just want to make it clear, that the engine cranks are healthy - in my head if there was no battery or alternator it wouldnt crank at all?

if you get consistent cranking with no start then follow the diagnostic steps outlined here to troubleshoot :
Diagnostics, tips, & tricks by Jim Levie (E30 Jedi Master) - R3VLimited Forums

it's easier to point to that resource than go through each one. track back from that thread for other diagnostics as well.

[jniuk]

I have ~100 PSI right before fuel rail, I tested injectors are working with a 9v battery, and they click when there is a connection. I also have ~125 PSI of compression in the cylinders. Cant figure out why if there is fuel, spark, and compression, there is no start. Wont start on starting fluid. Utterly lost. There is a (noticeably) weaker spark on plug 6. Maybe its a CPS, Blue Sensor or DME problem. Quick question, are the fuel injector and spark plugs 1 through 6 from the hood to the firewall? Im worried I might have plugged them in wrong if they are different.

[82eye]

uh oh lol.
the cylinders are numbered 1 through 6 front to back, rad to firewall. you can't mess the injector order up, but it's not that hard to screw the dist wires around.
firing order is standard 1-5-3-6-2-4. the dist is numbered. it's not hard to plug the dist wires incorrect. i use my own diagram to plug them from the passenger side. most show a front view instead.

edit: a lot of distributor caps are numbered, but not all are. check the manual to get it correct if it isn't. test your wires to make sure you know which belong to each cyl and label them if they aren't already as well. my last wire set wasn't labeled.

[jniuk]

Mine are labelled, and i took photos of the old wires and their locations. Im positive they're on correct too. I've cross-referenced other diagrams. Im so utterly lost. Is this fuel pressure to much? Right before the fuel rail on the feed side, I was measuring ~100 psi. Ive seen people say 45, but not sure if thats after the FPR. What else could it be?

[82eye]

Mine are labelled, and i took photos of the old wires and their locations. Im positive they're on correct too. I've cross-referenced other diagrams. Im so utterly lost. Is this fuel pressure to much? Right before the fuel rail on the feed side, I was measuring ~100 psi. Ive seen people say 45, but not sure if thats after the FPR. What else could it be?

yeah that's way too high. to measure the pressure tee a gauge in at the feed line, not off the fpr.

[jniuk]

Thats what I did, T gauge right before the fuel rail, measured 100PSI. if thats too much, what can i do? I haven't checked anything past the fuel rail.

[82eye]

Thats what I did, T gauge right before the fuel rail, measured 100PSI. if thats too much, what can i do? I haven't checked anything past the fuel rail.

fpr is either bad or the return line is plugged. solve for that first i guess. it's not the root of the no start though.

[jniuk]

Replaced both, and blue temp sensor. Still no dice. Any ideas? Im truly at a loss right now. Maybe a clogged cat? While cranking it almost sounds like a backfire noise, but it does one sput every 10 seconds of cranking.