1984 318i won't start

[shadowbethesda]

I am at my wits end with this car... So I replaced the transfer pump because the car was intermittently having hard (mainly cold) starts and intermittent rough idle... Sometimes not starting at all. The car seemed to run great last night. But this morning she seems to be acting the same way as before...
Symptoms:
Intermittent (more often than not) No start
Has Spark
Rough idle (when it is hard to start)
Buzzing coming from Fuel pressure regulator ( is that normal?)

New parts:
Cold start temp sensor
New fuel transfer pump

Help?

[E30_Pare]

May be your idle control valve. Does it not hold idle on start up? Is the power band rough when u step on the gas? May be your afm also. Try cleaning it with some carb cleaner & flap the door might be sticking. Maybe check your rotor it may have flipped 180*

[5Toes]

If you suspect your ICV, drill a hole in a dime and shove it in there... it helps

[E30_Pare]

Its a penny. I'm using that method right now absolutely hate it. No cold start & idle is horrible. Around 1100 rpm. Of course I could just make the hole smaller but it was supposed to be temporary...

[jeffnhiscars]

ICV's typically fail by staying open so shouldn't prevent it from starting. I suspect intake leaks especially if the symptoms change with temperature. It could also be timing related so check cap, rotor, wires, vacuum advance and timing.

[shadowbethesda]

I cleaned the maf sensor with maf cleaner... But no dice. Also one other possible symptom is the constant whirring of the inline fuel pump below the car. Is that normal?

Also no change in symptoms with temperature and the intake boot looks perfect. I will double check the cap and rotor but I believe that they are fine.

[cormier]

Those rotors used to break on me all the time, become loose on the mount. Check for any play

[jeffnhiscars]

Also one other possible symptom is the constant whirring of the inline fuel pump below the car. Is that normal?

Also no change in symptoms with temperature and the intake boot looks perfect. I will double check the cap and rotor but I believe that they are fine.

The inline pump should run constantly but if its making too much noise that could be a sign of a bad in tank pump causing the inline to work too hard.

By temp I meant engine not outside, since you suggest that the problem is worse at start up and not so bad once at OT (if I understand you corre0ctly). Some intake leaks get smaller or disappear once the engine heats up and there are way more places to leak than just the intake boot. Think smoke test

[shadowbethesda]

Those rotors used to break on me all the time, become loose on the mount. Check for any play

The rotor looks good. Although I can rotate it slightly on the distributor shaft which I believe is normal.

:(

[shadowbethesda]

The inline pump should run constantly but if its making too much noise that could be a sign of a bad in tank pump causing the inline to work too hard.

In tank pump is brand new (installed day before yesterday).

By temp I meant engine not outside, since you suggest that the problem is worse at start up and not so bad once at OT (if I understand you corre0ctly). Some intake leaks get smaller or disappear once the engine heats up and there are way more places to leak than just the intake boot. Think smoke test

The intake boot looks just fine. My starting difficulties are indiscriminate of the engine or environmental temperature being hot or cold.

[Jaxx_]

The rotor looks good. Although I can rotate it slightly on the distributor shaft which I believe is normal.

:(

you should be able to move it like 30 degrees against the vac advance spring.

I don't think it's your IACV. If it was you could hold the throttle open a little and it would fire no problem.

You need a few things for an engine to run properly: air, fuel, spark, timing.

How do the spark plugs look? Try to crank it over a few times and see if they are wet.

[cormier]

Im sure u would have mentioned it but No charging issues that you can tell? I had loose v belts on the m10 that caused headaches

[jlevie]

As jeffnhiscars suggested, a noisy high pressure pump is on that is having to work too hard or one that is failing. You've already replaced the transfer pump, so that shouldn't be a problem. Have you recently replaced the filter? You need to see what rail fuel pressure is when you experience the hard or no start condition. But I suspect the major issue is intake leaks. Have a smoke test run.