Very, Very disappointed in BMW thus far---91 318iS WON'T STA

[TurboMeTroy]

I bought the car three days ago...nothing but problems.
On the way home (after 2 hours of driving), alternator went out. I had to park it @ a hotel, come back the next and do an 'parking lot alternator swap'. Easy enough.

On the way home (another 1.5 hours), the gas guage starts waving at me, and rest on Full...gauge goes out. When I get home, I take out the back seat, check all the connections, check the float. All work fine.
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Rip out the dash cluster, and find the plug wasn't in all the way? At any rate, fixed.
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Next morning, I drive the car back to school (another 1.5 hours), problem free. Starting to lose my harsh feelings towards the car, developing a soft spot. Go to bed dreaming wild fantasies about AutoXing, and what I'm going to do first---wheels? Suspension? Exhaust upgrade? BMW Bliss.
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After doing some last minute homework before class, I go outside to start the car, and it barely sputters...like it fired once or twice, then just kept cranking...tried it again, nothing but cranking.

I want a divorce again.
---
I take out back seat , listen for fuel pump...don't hear buzzing sound.
Have my g/f turn it over while I look for this imaginary 'row of 3 relays between fuse panel and air box', cant find it, but while the ignition is put into acc. each time I can hear a clicking from the fuse panel, along with ABS unit clicking...

I was thinking fuel pump, but the fuel pump relay seems to be working---or not? which one is it? possibly FPR?

Haven't had time to take off fuel rails to see if gas is making it up there...

I don't know at this point, but I am really, really , REALLY pissed off @ the car right now.

So now, I have to take the Cabby to work, missed class, didn't turn in homework, car won't start, and I have a migraine THIIIIS big.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........

[PanamaE30]

Fuel pump.


I hear ya brother. Sometimes they'll have their unfair share of problems.. but fix that and you've got a pleasure ride for life.

[trent]

You bought a how many year old car and are complaning about PROBLEMS?

[parkerbink]

Mine is 14 years old, has 63k ( I have put 10k on since May) was literally owned by a little old lady (Mom) from new & has ocasional issues, hell my Dad bought a 0 mile Lincoln that had the ecu die on the freaking way home!!! Things made by man are subject to break.

The first month I had the car after 14 years of virtually no problems I had to replace the turn signal stalk, spark plug wires (ok I wanted to replace them) window regulator (after an asshole put a rock through the window & I fucked it up replacing the window) and the airfilter (No I wanted to replace that too)

I am about to replace the cruise control cabel, disks, control arms, tie rods & cabs (thanks TREEHOUSE!) but the car is going to be casi new!!!

I would suggest you take it easy, give yourself a break and fix things in order of severity & wait for the Wheel/tire/ suspension, engine upgrades. issues & old age are the reasons the previous owner most likely let it go.

[James Crivellone]

You bought a how many year old car and are complaning about PROBLEMS?

yeah no shit, if you don't want problems buy a fucking honda accord with a warranty

[PanamaE30]

Word..

I bought my car for $2600 from this columbian dude. I knew it was not in good shape.

In the first month I spent about $1100 fixing various things..

New discs, new pads, new masters and slaves, headlights, turn signals, new tie rods, new control arm bushings, new fuel pump, etc etc.

still lotta things to do. but I bought the car fully well knowing wtf i was getting into.

[grlaneriejr]

Make sure you have fuel going to the injectors, then check the fuel pump relay. If you look on the driver's side fenderwell under the hood, you will see a black cover. Lift this cover off and there are 3 relays in there.

If you hear a ticking, try slapping the relays. Mine did this, and it was something called the "crossover relay" that tells which fuel pump to work when. PRAY THAT THIS RELAY IS GOOD. It costs about $350.

Hope this helps.

[trent]

If you hear a ticking, try slapping the relays. Mine did this, and it was something called the "crossover relay" that tells which fuel pump to work when. PRAY THAT THIS RELAY IS GOOD. It costs about $350.

A fuel pump relay costs about $20. WHO THE FUCK SOLD YOU ONE FOR $350! LOL

[jblack]

if it helps...

I'm a native speaker of English...

I have never heard of the word "casi"

It is not in Dictionary.com.
It is not in Merriam-Webster.com
It is not in my home dictionary

I'm sure it's a word, just not in a language I speak ;)

[nickmp0wer]

did u get it fixed? i didnt read through it all but i think its very possible u messed up the connections to the fuel pump, i did the same thing. put a little bit of tin foil in the connector holes and see if it starts then. Also there is a wire that goes to the battery, a small one and check that too

[TurboMeTroy]

What the hell---this thread turned into a spanish/english arguemnt.
I know what the hell I was getting into. I own 3 DSMs, one of which is a drag car. (11.46@122mph GateCity Raceway)...that shit doesn't happen by accident....have many, many hours of tuning, wrenching, breaking, replacing, tweaking in that car, and several cars. My brother owns E.I.P. (Eaves Import Performance) Based in SE Iowa, w/ over 30 employees. We do a lot of work , for a lot of ppl.

I am confident I can figure this out relatively quickly. However, I came to the site because I needed it fixed immediately and thought someone may have encountered similar problems with their E30s.

No offense to anyone, but I knew 'what the fuck I was getting into'. Just thought some E30 owners/enthusiasts could spread some knowledge from personal experience. From about 20 posts, I see about 2 or 3 that contain usable information.

BMWs are made by some of the most intelligent people in the world (in my opinion)...so I suppose it would be a little naive to assume the same to be true for bmw owners.

I dont remember who posted it, but I will definitely try the 3 relays tomorrow, see what gives as far as that goes. Rewiring a fuel pump is nothing, I could rewire it myself and install another in-series relay.

Thanks again, and keep suggetions, locations of things in the engine bay coming. I appreciate the serious repsonses. After I get her going again, I won't be so pissy...
I have too many headaches as it is. (DSMs, school, work, wifey, music, various other projects...)

Turbo-Me-Troy

[Henna Red]

i will buy it for CHEAP!

[TurboMeTroy]

The BMW? No you won't. It's not for sale. Ever.

[Henna Red]

The BMW? No you won't. It's not for sale. Ever.

lets talk, how much??

[TurboMeTroy]

$5000