Car won't start strange symptoms

[Court M3]

Posting for a friend here
Car 85 E30 320i

Symptoms needs to be jumpstarted, then has a rough idle until it's put in gear or try to give it gas and then it cuts off and has to be jumpstarted again
It was taken to a mechanic before that bypassed something with a dash mounted starter. Thinking it was the ignition control unit.
Same mechanic also put in wrong air filter and spark plug wires and used duct tape to repair a cracked intake bellows.
Thinking a tune up would be in order, but can't figure out the remote starter switch thing Any idea why it won't start after it's put in gear or when you try to give it gas

Any help appreciated, since it looks like that will be my weekday project for awhile

[James Crivellone]

dead battery and a bad alternator?

[Court M3]

Brand new battery, around 6 months old. The Alternator on the other hand is probably still the OEM unit it came with.

Is there a way to check the alternator?

[Sean]

Brand new battery, around 6 months old. The Alternator on the other hand is probably still the OEM unit it came with.

Is there a way to check the alternator?

Remove it, and take it to a place that could test the voltage it puts out (I'd say Schucks, Napa, etc...but you're not in the US). I'm not sure what places test alternators there.

[Court M3]

Aren't you parting out a car? :D Might need yours if you still have it

[clavinZERO]

fuel pump and fuses and relays all ok? mine just took a shit 2 cities away from where i live and i had to pop in a new pump in front of someones house. if it turns cranks and cranks it not the battery. check the AFM cable also, although it shud start without it, just rich as hell.

[Wes325]

That definately sounds like a fuel pump. I just replaced mine yesterday. Easy to do. You dont even have to drop the tank, just take out the back seat and carpeting and its right there.
________
girlfriends pics

[clavinZERO]

discon battery (-)
4 philips on the cover panel
remove 6" fuel hose between hard line and pump (PUT NEW ONE ON WHILE YOU ARE IN THERE)
4 8mm nuts on the level sender- pull it out, let it drop off a bit
twist fuel pump counterclockwise, remove, let drip
clean pump mounting surface on top of tank.
reverse.

[Court M3]

Will only turn or crank if it's jumpstarted. After that, as soon as you put it in gear it dies and has to be jumpstarted again. :(

[Sean]

Aren't you parting out a car? :D Might need yours if you still have it

Yeah, I am. School has been a major pain in the ass though, so I haven't gotten anything off the car. Hopefully this weekend, I'll start takin some small things off.

I was considering keeping the alternator, since it'd be nice to have down the road whenever mine goes out - ya know. :) I'd suggest looking at all the other possibilites though, and definately have the current alternator checked, so you know for sure if its that or not.

Definately try checking the fuel lines / pump and whatnot.

[Court M3]

Any other ideas? Haven't been able to work on the car since the inlaws are visiting from Japan