car wont start

[Ceeker]

[B]ok, after rebuilding the head I put everything back as it is supposed to be unless I reversed something. threw a charged battery in and the car cranks but no start. Not even an attempt at starting..

I have not changed anything on the car pertaining to relays etc. I also didn't disturb anything in that manner. Grounds are hooked up. I don't see any fuses blown.

What I've checked for far:

Power to car - ground fixed
Power to coil - tested with multimeter
Fuel delivery is good - changed relay to be certain - smell raw fuel in the in throttle body.
Swapped dme
swapped CPS
all fuses checked out fine

new rotor, cap, wires.
Switched the CPS and coil pickup numerous times.

I STILL HAVE NO SPARK!

[ttrousdell]

getting fuel? spark? All sensors hooked up properly? CPS? fuel lines switched?

[Ceeker]

getting fuel? spark? All sensors hooked up properly? CPS? fuel lines switched?

the CPS is the same one I took out from the car - which was working.
As far as lines - I have an 87 so there is a short line and a long one which goes to the back of the fuel rail. those are hooked up properly.

I didn't check for spark or fuel yet.

all sensors are hooked up.

now after winding the battery down and replacing it with another charged battery I get nothing..All dash lights come on but not even a click from the solenoid.

[ttrousdell]

CPS- I doubt the sensor itself is the fault. Im sure you left it on the engine during the swap. More likely the connectors for the cps and ignition wire pulse sensor are switched. I'd double check that because that will definitely cause a no start.

Fuel lines- the line that comes from the fuel filter (fuel filter is under car by rear diverside wheel well) is the supply. The easiest way is to turn the key and see which line fuel gushes out of. Remember the lineout of the FPR is return and line to rail is supply.

Your new battery is prob dead or not supplying enough cranking amps.

[Ceeker]

CPS- I doubt the sensor itself is the fault. Im sure you left it on the engine during the swap. More likely the connectors for the cps and ignition wire pulse sensor are switched. I'd double check that because that will definitely cause a no start.

Fuel lines- the line that comes from the fuel filter (fuel filter is under car by rear diverside wheel well) is the supply. The easiest way is to turn the key and see which line fuel gushes out of. Remember the lineout of the FPR is return and line to rail is supply.

Your new battery is prob dead or not supplying enough cranking
amps.

I did remove the CPS because I tore everything down to the block. Front cover seals. I put the same one back in.

I will get a better power supply I guess to make sure I have enough crank.

thank you for your time - appreciated. Ernie

[bmwcalvin]

Did you set up your timing right??? Check the tdc.. If that's all good then:

First thing I would do is bypass the fuel relay by jumping a wire where the relay plugs in. Unplug the hose to the fuel pressure regulator and see if gas is going through it and if you hear the fuel pump turn on. Then you know your fuel system is good.

Next I would pull out a spark plug and crank on it and see if you get spark. If you don't have any spark I would test your ignition.

If everything else is good replace the CPS.

Get a volt meter to test out your ohms on everything, cause that will tell you if it's bad or not... There are schematics for that on here somewhere...

[scottinAZ]

Just swap the plugs on the CPS and the Pulse sensor. they are right next to each other, and IDENTICAL. if the car started before you did the work, its likely something you did on reassembly.

[Ceeker]

Update:

I managed to get a good ground so the car turns over. I am not entirely sure why the ground from the oil pan to the body isn't good. My guess, possibly all the paint I put on the engine.lol. I cleaned the contact points well on both the body and pan but it still doesn't work. Again, it was fine prior too. I will just run a ground from the valve cover nut to the terminal.

I have power, I have fuel - the lines are in the right place.
I still don't have spark.
I swapped the CPS out and put a tester in. I also swapped the plugs for the CPS and coil impulse sensor. Still no start.

I didn't change the coil as it was working before dissassembly

I know the sedans and coupes have a 50amp inline fuse which can blow. that happened to my coupe before. Does the cabrio come with one?

what else could be the problem?

[bmwstudent]

check the cps adjustment, if its not close enough to the impulse wheel it will not pickup and signal engine rotation to the dme, which in turn will not turn on the fuel pump or trigger the fuel injectors. check your bentley for the spec

[Ceeker]

check the cps adjustment, if its not close enough to the impulse wheel it will not pickup and signal engine rotation to the dme, which in turn will not turn on the fuel pump or trigger the fuel injectors. check your bentley for the spec

will paint on the harmonic balancer affect the pickup from the CPS.

it is not possible to adjust the CPS as it has a bracket which is held to the block and an allen bolt which hold the CPS to the bracket both are fixed position.

I have good ground so engine cranks.

I have voltage going to the coil.

I swapped out the coil lead to the distributor thinking maybe the lead was bad. Still no spark.

I removed a plug to double check for spark with the CPS and Pickup plugs swapped both ways. - still no spark.

tested all fuses - all good.

I am also getting plenty of fuel - 3 relays were swapped out.

I changed the DME in the summer

So what can be left to be faulty? if the CPS worked before I took the engine apart -why isn't it working now?

thanks for all your input but I am still stumped.

[bmwcalvin]

What shape are the Distributor rotor and cap in? Are you sure you plugged all the spark plug wires in the right order??

[Ceeker]

I put brand new cap rotor and wires in. But I am going to inspect the CPS to see if I get voltage from it. Also will remove the cap as someone else suggested a faulty rotor.
I can't believe new shit can do this..lol
I will recheck the order of the wires to make sure... thx.

[FLG]

Pull one of the spark plug wires from the cap, have someone crank it and hold it enough off of its post to be able to see inside (but not too far) and if spark is good it will be blue and jump the gap. if you get nothing remove the coil wire from the cap and see how that is, again if nothing than its time to recheck sensors and fuses.

[Ceeker]

Pull one of the spark plug wires from the cap, have someone crank it and hold it enough off of its post to be able to see inside (but not too far) and if spark is good it will be blue and jump the gap. if you get nothing remove the coil wire from the cap and see how that is, again if nothing than its time to recheck sensors and fuses.

Been there done it. :-) fuses are good; sensors? well I'll be checking the CPS today for voltage. thanks..

going to also swap out the dme just for shits and giggles at this point in the game.

I did the pedal test for the fault codes and Got 1444 - no fault codes found. how accurate is this testing?

[Kershaw]

do you have power at the coil?