Injectors not injecting!!!

[iamsam]

We were trying to get my brother-in-law's 1987 325e (that he got for free) to run today, and we put in a new fuel pump (cuz it needed one). The car has not been started for several years, and it is quite the restoration job.

Ok, here is the problem:

The car easily turns over, and it runs, but only if i am spraying starter fluid straight into the intake, but otherwise dies, i.e. there is no fuel coming out of the injectors. There IS fuel pressure in the fuel line going into the end of the fuel rail on the firewall side, cuz we pulled it off and fuel squirted out, and there is fuel in the fuel rail, because we pulled off the fuel pressure regulator and fuel squirted out of the rail, but the fuel line coming out of the regulator was dry, i.e., no fuel going through the regulator.

What can be wrong???? please help!!!!!


-Sam

btw here are some pics of the car i am talking about. (my bro-in-law got it for free)

[JAM]

clogged injectors? though i doubt they would all be clogged liek that....

did you pull the hose off before or after the fuel pressure regulator? it could be clogged/not working

[iamsam]

clogged injectors? though i doubt they would all be clogged liek that....

did you pull the hose off before or after the fuel pressure regulator? it could be clogged/not working

I doubt all six injectors are all clogged at once. I am thinking it has to be something else that controls the injectors.

i pulled the fuel pressure regulator (the little black cylinder thing) off of the fuel rail, and fuel squirted out of the rail. I also took the rubber hose off of the other end of the fuel pressure regulator, and it was bone dry. So no fuel going through the regulator. But i can't see how that can be the problem. Or can it??

[JAM]

I doubt all six injectors are all clogged at once. I am thinking it has to be something else that controls the injectors.

i pulled the fuel pressure regulator (the little black cylinder thing) off of the fuel rail, and fuel squirted out of the rail. I also took the rubber hose off of the other end of the fuel pressure regulator, and it was bone dry. So no fuel going through the regulator. But i can't see how that can be the problem. Or can it??

gee idk if there is no fuel going through the regulator i guess that wouldnt be a problem at all

WAT

[iamsam]

gee idk if there is no fuel going through the regulator i guess that wouldnt be a problem at all

WAT

yeah that's what i was thinking..... i was hoping someone would have had an experience like this and would be able to tell me right away what it was... i even downloaded a 1300 page E30 repair manual in pdf format, but no luck. Thank you anyway, i appreciate any input i can get.

[StereoInstaller1]

Hey there...IMO, the first thing to check AFTER checking fuel pressure is the timing pulse from the sensors on your bellhousing. No pulse = no squirt.

Go kick its ass.

Luke

[iamsam]

Hey there...IMO, the first thing to check AFTER checking fuel pressure is the timing pulse from the sensors on your bellhousing. No pulse = no squirt.

Go kick its ass.

Luke

ah! ok, there is fuel pressure, i know because i detached the fuel line on the firewall side and it sprayed everywhere, and about that timing pulse, how do i check it, and where is it more specifically?

Thank you so much for your help!!:up:

[jlevie]

That says essentially nothing about the fuel system. The only way to tell if it is working correctly is to check the pressure at the inlet to the fuel rail. The fact that you didn't see fuel flowing from the outlet of the FPR means that there isn't sufficient pressure or that the FPR is plugged. The former would explain why the engine won't run.

Get a gauge and see what the inlet pressure is.

[iamsam]

That says essentially nothing about the fuel system. The only way to tell if it is working correctly is to check the pressure at the inlet to the fuel rail. The fact that you didn't see fuel flowing from the outlet of the FPR means that there isn't sufficient pressure or that the FPR is plugged. The former would explain why the engine won't run.

Get a gauge and see what the inlet pressure is.

Hmmm.... because we did replace the fuel pump with something i got from ebay for $75. Is it possible that the fuel pump is not pumping hard enough to make enough pressure in the fuel rail?

[rs4pro3]

step 1- Check fuel rail pressure on the feed line going into the regulator, pull the fuel pump relay and jumper pins 30 to 87 to make the pump run with the car off. Pressure should be between 35.6 and 37 psi
And report back your pressure here

Step 2- if pressure checks out, check for 12-volts at the injectors them selves on the red/white wire

Step 3 if all that still checks out, then you'll want to test the speed and reference sensors.

I'd recommend picking up a bently or haynes manual as they cover all these tests.

[iamsam]

thank you!!! i will get on that!

[jlevie]

Step 3 if all that still checks out, then you'll want to test the speed and reference sensors.

It sounds like the engine has spark and that the fuel pump is running when cranking. In which case timing reference data is present at the DME.

I don't know whether this car's engine harness has the C191 connector or not, but if that connector is present a fault in it will take out the injectors.

[iamsam]

So what you guys are saying is that either:

1. The fuel pump is not adequate to make enough pressure in the fuel rail
2. Electrical problem in some wiring harness

is that right?

[rs4pro3]

Ya you either have some sort of fuel issue, Pump could be fine but the regulator could be bad. Or it could be an electrical issue. And no his car does not have the c191 plug as that is just on the 325i from 88 up.

[iamsam]

Ya you either have some sort of fuel issue, Pump could be fine but the regulator could be bad. Or it could be an electrical issue. And no his car does not have the c191 plug as that is just on the 325i from 88 up.

ok so you say that the FPR could be bad? hmm i have had someone tell me that before. But what i don't understand is how a bad FPR can cause fuel not to go through the injectors.