Car wont start after timing belt.

[truekid]

History-
1984 BMW 325E LSD with 170ish on the car and 80k on M20 ( according to PO)

Bought the car from a guy in VA in Januaryish 2010. It started and ran, but had no belts except timing belt, so i just drove it for like 1/2 mile. Told me it needed major maintenance work. So I brought it home for about 600. I parked it for about 3 months before actually starting the work. So in those 3 months i removed the dash, all trunk stuff, and prettty much gutted the interior so i fix some of the rust on the floor pan. Recently (about 3 weeks ago), i started putting the belts and getting everything put on.
I did

- Timingbelt
- Waterpump
- Rebuilt shift linkage
- Changed diff/ trans fluid
- put in new belts
- New hoses
- and other little things.

So after all that was done, i wanted to just hear the engine run. Keep in mind that the dash is still removed along with the speedometer, OBC, and other swithchs and little things. But the main stuff to allow the engine to run are still connected (i hope, and think so). lol. I tired to fire, and nothing it cranks fine. But will not start. sprayed some starter spray in the intake, fired for about a second. and then died.

Then i tried to diagnose the problem. here is what i found

- No spark from the coil
- Fuel pump not turning on in the on position
- No power to the coil it self


Here is what i did
- Checked fuse 10, 11, 21 and replaced although they looked fine
- Check fuel relay, main relay, and other in series ( all working)
- Check for power from ignition switch in the on position for the coil (yup power)
- Crank position senser looked chewed up ( Replaced)
- Other sensor on bell housing reads 2 volts when cranking and shows ohms too (I hear thats right).
***Some on explain to me how to test the two sensors for these cars. ***
- Checked the 50a fuse in the trunk on the 6 guage wire goiing to the ecu ( i believe), looked fine, but still hard wired it to be sure
- Hard wired the fuel pumps ( both) both work fine

Some one told me the teeth on the flywheel might be messed up and giving an inaccurate reading at the CPS and the other piece on the other wheel near the flywheel might have fallen off. But it started before and the CPS is new and the other sensor is working afaik.

I dont know anymore. Looking for ideas. Im thinking I might have disconnected something important while removing the engine. I search alot but I already tried the stuff i found online. BTW my mechanical ability is about 3/10. Any ideas?

All help is appreaciated. thanks.

[blueapplesoda]

check ur fuel lines? did u mess with them? are they backwards?

afm plugged in?

if you have a 13btn OBC there is a black box with a green connector behind the driverside knee bolster. this black box is a ign lockout relay for the "code" button. If this relay is bad, your car will not start.

obc relay:


check your motor ground, alternator wires, cps wires.

[e30Matt]

If the car fired on starting fluid, you have spark, but no fuel. Check the CPS/swap it with a known good one, as the DME requires a signal that the engine is rotating to ground the fuel pump relay and give it power. Alternatively you can jumper the fuel pump relay slot to manually run it and try again.

Are you sure you installed the trigger wheel in the correct position on the crank hub? You should be able to see the punch mark on the hub through the smaller 7th hole in the ring of bolts on the trigger wheel. I've run into this problem after I fucked up and reinstalled one wrong one long tired night during a t-belt job.

[truekid]

check ur fuel lines? did u mess with them? are they backwards?

afm plugged in?

if you have a 13btn OBC there is a black box with a green connector behind the driverside knee bolster. this black box is a ign lockout relay for the "code" button. If this relay is bad, your car will not start.

obc relay:


check your motor ground, alternator wires, cps wires.

I tried to plug up my OBC today, and it wont power on when i crank or even turn it on position. Where is that black box exactly. Near the steering column?

I just replaced the CPS.

[truekid]

If the car fired on starting fluid, you have spark, but no fuel. Check the CPS/swap it with a known good one, as the DME requires a signal that the engine is rotating to ground the fuel pump relay and give it power. Alternatively you can jumper the fuel pump relay slot to manually run it and try again.

Are you sure you installed the trigger wheel in the correct position on the crank hub? You should be able to see the punch mark on the hub through the smaller 7th hole in the ring of bolts on the trigger wheel. I've run into this problem after I fucked up and reinstalled one wrong one long tired night during a t-belt job.

Firing on starter fluid, but I dont have any power to the coil, maybe i tested it wrong. Plus I dont have any sparks out of the coil or plugs, no fuel smell either.

I tried to jump the fuel pump but nothing, i didnt hear it run, so i thought I had a bad fuel pump, hard wired them and they run!.

What is the trigger wheel. I followed the pelican article step by step. Thanks.
Tried to hear the fuel pump on, when I jumped

[jlevie]

No power to the coil suggests a problem with the ignition switch, C101, or maybe the code relay. Try connecting the OBC and cluster and see if you get coil power with the ignition on.

The fuel pumps only run when the DME sees timing data from a rotating engine. So if you have no coil power you probably don't have the Start signal to the DME and thus it isn't running. Which would mean the pumps wouldn't run.

[truekid]

I tried connecting the OBC, but it wont power on. Tested the ignition switch, functions right, what is C101?

[jlevie]

I'm not sure if the OBC will work unless the cluster is connected. C101 is the connector on the firewall next to the fuse box.

I think you need to get the wiring diagrams for the car (http://wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm) and check trace from the ignition switch to the coil & DME

[e30Matt]

Also make sure the main relay is alright. I know you've checked it, but try swapping it with a known good one and make sure. Those things do some crazy shit. Luke posted a way to bypass it with a couple of jumper wires.

[truekid]

Hey guys ,Thanks for your post. I will be doing this first thing tom. I hope to post back with good news. I just wanna drive now. thanks.

[truekid]

Update. Finally spark. I got it to spark. I dont know what it was, but it sparks. I check the plug too, and there is spark. But it still wont start

I jumped the fuel pump too, i heard it run. I do smell fuel on all the new plugs.

So here is what i noticed. Cranking is now not as smooth. I will crank, die down for a second and crank again. Battery?

If i take the ignition coil wire it out cranks like a champ again. What gives.

[e30Matt]

Sure the timing is on? Maybe it jumped a tooth. Any weird popping sounds from the engine when it turns over?

[truekid]

no poping at all. just wont crank right when the coil is plugged up. It tends to slow down cranking and It pics up again. Some times it cranks fine for like 10seconds. and then slows down and pics up again and cranks fine for 5 seconds. etc etc. Its random.

[e30Matt]

Pull the covers off and check the timing marks just to make sure they're on. Something sounds fishy there.

[jlevie]

+1