1985 325e no spark no fuel

[scalabroni97]

Hello, I have a 1985 325e that was previously sitting for about 5 years. Couple years ago, I replaced the spark plugs and fuel pump to get it out of storage and brought it home. It ran fine for a while but I've been away at college and it's been sitting for about a year. Recently I replaced the dash and carpet trying to get it looking good and now it won't start.

It does not get spark at the plugs or fuel while cranking so I'm assuming I messed something up behind dash. Unless something else went bad? Like crank position sensor I've read.

Can someone run me through what to check and in what order?

I'm only in town for the weekend and would like to get it running because it could be sitting for a while again.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[MrBurgundy]

check the wiring going to the dme since you're saying this happened after replacing the dash, but most of the time, no fuel/spark is the cps.

[scalabroni97]

Thanks for the reply.

The wiring all looks ok I guess I'll go about testing CPS.

[scalabroni97]

Can you tell me how exactly to check the CPS? I'm finding mixed results and am quite confused now. Am I looking for camshaft position sensor or crankshaft position sensor?

[scalabroni97]

Don't know if it matters but the battery is for sure bad. I've been jumping it to try and start it and it seems to be cranking pretty good. Too dark now but I'd like to get this thing running tomorrow if it takes all day.

[MrBurgundy]

Its a crankshaft position sensor in the bell housing. If you have a multimeter, you can do a resistance test. I forgot the correct resistance, you can look that up though. iirc its 540 ohms +/- 10%.

[Blackthorn]

Isnt the CPS on the vibration dampener on the crank? http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2877/1...bbb6ebd74f.jpg

[MrBurgundy]

On the "e" its on the driver's side of the bell housing. The "i" motor has it on the harmonic balancer.

[Blackthorn]

Ah gotcha.

[101]

On the "e" its on the driver's side of the bell housing. The "i" motor has it on the harmonic balancer.

^^^ and on the "e" motors there's two of them.

[e30onBBSs]

If it worked before you swapped the dash, and now it doesn't work, it's almost guaranteed you broke it. What happens when you turn the key? There are numerous super important pieces in/ behind the dash so depending on how the car responds to ignition on and starting you will be able to find it pretty fast.

I would check shit like the ignition switch and all that electrical stuff, the cluster and what have you. It's probably as simple as a disconnected switch or relay or module under there

[scalabroni97]

If it worked before you swapped the dash, and now it doesn't work, it's almost guaranteed you broke it. What happens when you turn the key? There are numerous super important pieces in/ behind the dash so depending on how the car responds to ignition on and starting you will be able to find it pretty fast.

I would check shit like the ignition switch and all that electrical stuff, the cluster and what have you. It's probably as simple as a disconnected switch or relay or module under there

I have the dash out again because I thought there would be something behind there that could keep it from starting, but I dont see anything of importance. There are a several ground wires grounding to the same place which look good. I have the ECU plugged in of course, and one other small box plugged in. No AC controls or radio or instrument cluster installed ATM. Anything that I'm overlooking that could keep the car from starting and getting spark in the interior?

[scalabroni97]

I know it has been a while since i have posted, I had given up on getting it to start. But the good news is my motivation to get the e30 running is back.

Here's what I have done the last few months that still have given me no spark and no start:

new ignition coil
new rotor + cleaned the cap
new crankshaft position sensor

I returned each item after I still didn't get any spark.

Again- the engine cranks and cranks, but does not fire. Still not getting any spark.

any help would be greatly appreciated, its hard to stay motivated when the problem is this elusive.

[e30sh]

Make sure C104 is pluged in. 3 wire rectangular plug right below the DME.

Manually jump the fuel pump to make sure it's not seized. Are you getting 12V at the coil?

[scalabroni97]

Make sure C104 is pluged in. 3 wire rectangular plug right below the DME.

Manually jump the fuel pump to make sure it's not seized. Are you getting 12V at the coil?

thanks for the quick reply. The fuel pump works (i jumped the fuel pump relay to pump the old gas out and put new gas in). I haven't checked the voltage at the coil, i just checked that it was getting power.

Tomorrow Ill head over to the car to check the c104 and the voltage at the coil, thanks.