$25 to the person who figures this out...

[mother_russia]

Here's the deal. If you figure out how to get my car running, you get $25 via paypal.

I'm an honest person, and I'm not going to cheat anyone out of their deserved reward. But, if I figure out the problem before anyone has the chance to post it on this thread, you lose.

I have an older thread(http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...=1#post3237251) with this same problem, but not many people seem to have any interest in helping me.. :dot:


My problem:
So my e30 is literally 95% put back together. It's a 1990 325i sedan with the a 1987 325i motor. Did a 5 speed conversion during the engine swap as well. Wires under the shifter are all connected correctly and the c143 under the dash is also disconnected. All I have to do is figure out why it's not getting a spark and put the interior panels back together.
The main problem I have right now, is the no spark issue. Giving the car enough juice, I try and turn it over, but it doesn't get a spark. But as SOON as the engine stops turning(when we turn ignition off), there is a spark.
I already changed out the coil, the cap and rotor, and the crank position sensor. Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

EDIT: When I got the car, it had a bad motor, with a great condition wire harness. I then got the 87 i motor and used the harness off of the bad motor.

[e30trooper]

cps?

[mother_russia]

cps?

Already got a new one. Installed it, and still nothing.

[e30trooper]

year? eta or i , swap? whats been done

[mother_russia]

year? eta or i , swap? whats been done

Just revised it.

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[Sagaris]

The first thing that comes to my mind is that the coil doesnt provide enough voltage to jump the gap until the starter motor is no longer drawing current. I would check/replace the coil wire connections, main coil wire, and the ignition coil itself

[jizo]

Try replacing battery.....I know it sounds stupid but....dont ask me how I think this might work. lol.

[fronton]

Try replacing battery.....I know it sounds stupid but....dont ask me how I think this might work. lol.

Do not replace the battery without first seeing it the battery is a problem. With the battery in, hook up jumper cables from another running car and try to start it. I don't think its the battery though if your starter is already cranking hard.

[jlevie]

If you had put the year/model info of your car and replacement engine in your original thread at the beginning the problem would have been solved by now. That could be important info.

Did you use the 87 engine harness? The body wiring of your 90 chassis isn't exactly compatible with the 87 engine harness and you need to use the 90 harness. Then use what follows as a trouble shooting procedure.


For the engine to run the following conditions must be met:

Power on DME pins:
27 Start Input
18 Un-switched Power input
37 Power Input from Main Relay

Ground on DME pins 2, 14, 19, 24

Timing data from the CPS on DME pins 47 & 48 from a rotating engine

To have spark power must be present at the coil positive and ground pulses
from the DME's pin 1 must reach the coil negative. Power to the coil is
controlled by the ignition switch via C101. When checking for spark, use the
output lead from the coil to eliminate the distributor, rotor and plug wires.

To have injector firing power must be present at each injector and ground
pulses from the DME's pin 16 (Bank1) and pin 17 (Bank2) must reach the
respective injector bank. Note that the injectors are wired as two banks of
three. With cylinder 1,3,5 being bank 1 and 2,4,6 being bank 2. Power to the
injectors is controlled by the main relay. Injector firing is best checked
with a noid light.

The fuel pump relay must have power on pin 86 (relay coil) from the main relay
output (pin 87) and power on pin 30. The DME will ground pin 85 to turn on the
relay and power the pump(s) via pin 87. Of the above, only the fuel pump power
is fused. So if the there's power at pin 87, but not at the pump, check fuse
11.

The main relay and DME pin 18 receive power from the smaller of the two wires
that connect to the battery's positive terminal. That wire incorporates an
in-line fuse. When the DME is presented with a start signal, it grounds the
main relay pin 85 and furnishes power to the fuel pump relay, injectors, and
DME.

Troubleshooting:

Disconnect the battery and the DME cable. Then:

1) Disconnect the coil negative and check continuity from that connector to
DME pin 1. Also verify that from DME pin 1 to ground is an open circuit.

2) Check the resistance across DME 47 & 48, which should be 500-560 ohms. If
the CPS is dismounted, the resistance can be seen to change from about 500 to
540-560 ohms when a ferrous object is brought to the face of the
sensor. Neither pin should be grounded.

3) Check for continuity from DME 36 to main relay 85 and from DME 3 to fuel
pump relay 85.

Reconnect the coil, remount the CPS (air gap should be 1mm), plug the
relays back in, reconnect the DME, and connect the battery. Then do the
following checks:

1) With the key off, verify that power is present at DME pin 18 and main relay
86 & 30.

2) With the key on, verify that power is present at DME pin 27 and pin
18. Power to pin 18 is from the main relay and there should be power to the
injectors and fuel pump relay.

3) With the key on, verify that no voltage is present at the DME grounds (2,
14, 19, 24).

4) Verify that power is present at the coil positive and at fuel pump relay
pin 30. Those get switched power from the ignition switch via C101.

The engine will start and run (if poorly) with only those connections to the
DME in place. The other signals from Cylinder ID, AFM, temp sensor, etc., are
necessary for proper operation. But they won't prevent the engine from firing.

IMPORTANT:

A power check means seeing a voltage within about a tenth of a volt of what
you measure across the battery terminals, which should be at least 12.6v on a
charged battery.

A continuity check means seeing less that 1 ohm of resistance.

An open circuit means seeing a resistance of at least 100k ohms.

A good quality auto-ranging digital multimeter will make these tests much
easier.

[2quikmotorwerks]

Ignition switch, sounds bad to me even tho engine cranks does not mean the switch is good. You might want to try another one

[Madhatter]

you can tell if its the switch by taking a single cable with aligator clips, clipping one end to the positive battery terminal and the other to +15 on the coil. It will bypass the ignition switch and module and provide the coil with constant power as long as you have it connected.

[Vtec?lol]

also make sure you used your 90' harness.
try swaping the ECU

[mother_russia]

The first thing that comes to my mind is that the coil doesnt provide enough voltage to jump the gap until the starter motor is no longer drawing current. I would check/replace the coil wire connections, main coil wire, and the ignition coil itself

We ran extra wiring from the coil to the battery to ensure that the coil is getting enough power. It's not the problem.

Try replacing battery.....I know it sounds stupid but....dont ask me how I think this might work. lol.

We had two batteries connected to the battery inside the car to make sure we got enough power.

If you have put the year/model info of your car and replacement engine in your original thread at the beginning the problem would have been solved by now. That could be important info.

Did you use the 87 engine harness? The body wiring of your 90 chassis isn't exactly compatible with the 87 engine harness and you need to use the 90 harness. Then use what follows as a trouble shooting procedure.


For the engine to run the following conditions must be met:

Power on DME pins:
27 Start Input
18 Un-switched Power input
37 Power Input from Main Relay

Ground on DME pins 2, 14, 19, 24

Timing data from the CPS on DME pins 47 & 48 from a rotating engine

To have spark power must be present at the coil positive and ground pulses
from the DME's pin 1 must reach the coil negative. Power to the coil is
controlled by the ignition switch via C101. When checking for spark, use the
output lead from the coil to eliminate the distributor, rotor and plug wires.

To have injector firing power must be present at each injector and ground
pulses from the DME's pin 16 (Bank1) and pin 17 (Bank2) must reach the
respective injector bank. Note that the injectors are wired as two banks of
three. With cylinder 1,3,5 being bank 1 and 2,4,6 being bank 2. Power to the
injectors is controlled by the main relay. Injector firing is best checked
with a noid light.

The fuel pump relay must have power on pin 86 (relay coil) from the main relay
output (pin 87) and power on pin 30. The DME will ground pin 85 to turn on the
relay and power the pump(s) via pin 87. Of the above, only the fuel pump power
is fused. So if the there's power at pin 87, but not at the pump, check fuse
11.

The main relay and DME pin 18 receive power from the smaller of the two wires
that connect to the battery's positive terminal. That wire incorporates an
in-line fuse. When the DME is presented with a start signal, it grounds the
main relay pin 85 and furnishes power to the fuel pump relay, injectors, and
DME.

Troubleshooting:

Disconnect the battery and the DME cable. Then:

1) Disconnect the coil negative and check continuity from that connector to
DME pin 1. Also verify that from DME pin 1 to ground is an open circuit.

2) Check the resistance across DME 47 & 48, which should be 500-560 ohms. If
the CPS is dismounted, the resistance can be seen to change from about 500 to
540-560 ohms when a ferrous object is brought to the face of the
sensor. Neither pin should be grounded.

3) Check for continuity from DME 36 to main relay 85 and from DME 3 to fuel
pump relay 85.

Reconnect the coil, remount the CPS (air gap should be 1mm), plug the
relays back in, reconnect the DME, and connect the battery. Then do the
following checks:

1) With the key off, verify that power is present at DME pin 18 and main relay
86 & 30.

2) With the key on, verify that power is present at DME pin 27 and pin
18. Power to pin 18 is from the main relay and there should be power to the
injectors and fuel pump relay.

3) With the key on, verify that no voltage is present at the DME grounds (2,
14, 19, 24).

4) Verify that power is present at the coil positive and at fuel pump relay
pin 30. Those get switched power from the ignition switch via C101.

The engine will start and run (if poorly) with only those connections to the
DME in place. The other signals from Cylinder ID, AFM, temp sensor, etc., are
necessary for proper operation. But they won't prevent the engine from firing.

IMPORTANT:

A power check means seeing a voltage within about a tenth of a volt of what
you measure across the battery terminals, which should be at least 12.6v on a
charged battery.

A continuity check means seeing less that 1 ohm of resistance.

An open circuit means seeing a resistance of at least 100k ohms.

A good quality auto-ranging digital multimeter will make these tests much
easier.

When I got my car, it didn't have the original engine. The guy who I got the car from, told me that original engine was having problems so he swapped it out. So when I got the car, it already had its second engine. I'm not sure where he got the second motor, or what car came off of. But the wire harness that came inside the car, is what I'm using right now.

Ignition switch, sounds bad to me even tho engine cranks does not mean the switch is good. You might want to try another one

We checked the ignition and it seems just fine.

you can tell if its the switch by taking a single cable with aligator clips, clipping one end to the positive battery terminal and the other to +15 on the coil. It will bypass the ignition switch and module and provide the coil with constant power as long as you have it connected.

Wait, what switch are you talking about...?

also make sure you used your 90' harness.
try swaping the ECU

The car came with the 90 harness. I didn't touch it.

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[jlevie]

Since you got the car with the 87 engine already in it, how can you say that it has the 90 engine harness? Is there a round connector underneath the intake manifold between the engine harness and injector connections? If there isn't the harness is from an 87 car.

[mbonanni]

Idk much about swap or wiring, but I am going with the harness.

Try a 1987 wiring harness, or recheck the wiring.

I am doing an e to i swap and I have a 1987 325, in order for me to hae a direct swap I must use a 1987 wiring harness, and if I wante to use one from a different year some wires need to be spliced. Make sure all the correct wires are spliced, or try a 1987 wiring harness if you can?

Not sure.

Goodluck