 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | | | |  |  |  |  01-19-2007, 09:15 PM | #1 | | Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 57 |  Electrical Issue - Car wont start!
My car wont start! Here is the story. I did an oil change the other day. When i was finished i took the car for a test drive, about 1 mile, and brought it home. Everything was fine. I reset the oil lights and left the car untouched for the next 24 hours. The next day the car wont start. It turns over just fine and i have spark (tested). Im pretty sure that the engine is not getting fuel.
I think the issue is either a bad fuel pump or bad realy. I contacted pelicanparts.com and their reply was "Its probably something simple. Bring it to BMW". Im not too satisfied with that. I would prefer to do it myself than admit defeat.
Here are the facts. Im able to get power to the fuse box. But when i touch the fuse with a test light I get nothing. When i touch the positive wire at the fuel pump the i get electricity but only when im cranking the car. All other times - nothing. I tried to replace the relay yesterday with a new one but I dont have a diagram showing which relay to replace. There are 2 relays that match the new one that i bought and neither worked. I also tried to send power to the fuel pump bypassing the fusebox just to see if it would turn on and got nothing. But that may be because i did not do it properly.
Im pretty much out of ideas. Any thought would be really appreciated. |  |  | | 01-19-2007, 09:34 PM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 890 |
The fuel pump only gets power when your cranking, and then constantly once the engine fires up. I would suggest pulling the hose off the fuel filter and cracking the car to make sure the fuel pump is operating. Just because its getting power doesn't mean the system is being properly pressurized.
How do you know you've got spark?
Did you reset your service lights with the Peake tool? __________________
SOLD!!! 1999 332ti //M Sport Titanium Silver
M3 S52 3.2 I-6 Engine, M3 Clutch w/ ti Getrag Trans, Z3 3.15 LSD medium case diff and half shafts, OEM Hatch Spoiler, Eurosport HP Underdrive Pulleys, FDM, 17" DS1 rims, M3 Front Struts & Springs, M3 Instrument Cluster, 3-spoke //M steering wheel with tri-color stitching, SSK, CCFL Angels in Depo projectors with 5k HIDs | | | | | 01-19-2007, 11:05 PM | #4 | | Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 57 |
I pulled out one of the spark plug wires and stuck a metal rod in it. When i cranked the car, i saw the spark arc between the rod and a grounded nut.
I dont know the manufacturer of the tool ofhand. but i've had this tool since 96 and have used it numerous times w/o fail. The tool is all black w/ a single toggle switch and a button. It only resets oil and inspection (i have never seen an inspection indicator go of in 11 years).
I think i will give the fuel line test a shot. I'll be away this weekend but will try it the following weekend.
If the system is not being pressurized does that mean its the pump? I feel like im leaning towards the pump being the problem. | | | | | 01-20-2007, 12:01 AM | #5 | | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 | 
Hmmm this sounds strange. Did you mess with anything else while doing the oil change? Possibly disconnect something? I only ask because whenever I'm under the hood, I'm always tinkering with things. I like to take things off and clean them. Check all of the fuses themselves? Try using the reset tool again? Check the oil level? But then again, you were able to drive it after the oil change. How did it run? Your reset tool might have shorted something out, but I doubt it. There's numerous things that can affect the fuel delivery. Perhaps the traction control valve (ASC) after the MAF? I'd check the fuel filter itself while you're at it. Use a screwdriver or something to plug the line when you remove the filter and see if you can blow through it. Good luck, let us know what the problem was when you figure this thing out. This can be a very helpful thread. Check all of the connections on the coil and plugs. Sometimes it only takes one to be loose and the thing will just crank untill the battery dies. Hows the battery itself? Are you getting enough juice to deliver a powerful crank? | | | | | 01-20-2007, 08:22 AM | #6 | | Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 57 |
I too like to tinker a bit but this time i was pretty much all business. The car ran fine. Started instantly (as usual). I tested all the fuses - ok and i did try the reset tool again also. I think the reset tool did something cause that was the only thing i did once i shut the car off. I suppose it is possible that i broke the fuel pump with the last start. Campaiar said in a previous post that "the fuel pump only gets power when your cranking, and then constantly once the engine fires up". I had a feeling something like that was true. The top of the fuel pump has 2 separate power inputs. Maybe i fried the starter portion of the pump but the constant still works? Does that sound crazy??? I plan on replacing the fuel filter. Have to get one first. BTW, the battery is perfect. About 1 year old (got 9+ years on the original battery). Cranks like a champ  | | | | | 01-20-2007, 08:24 AM | #7 | | Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 57 |
What is MAF? | | | | | 01-20-2007, 10:54 PM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 382 |
Quote: Originally Posted by jccaruso  What is MAF? | mass airflow sensor.... its the one on top of the air intake i think...... | | | | | 01-20-2007, 11:27 PM | #9 | | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 |
Quote: Originally Posted by jccaruso What is MAF? | Quote: Originally Posted by 318iS mass airflow sensor....
its the one on top of the air intake i think...... | Nope, try again.  Part#1 in this diagram is the MAF but I don't think it's the problem.  The Valve that I was talking about is part #9 SECONDARY THROTTLE HOUSING TUBE ASC and #11 THROTTLE VALVE SWITCH. However in your case, I'm not really sure what it could be without actually getting my hands dirty. | | | | | 01-20-2007, 11:37 PM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 382 |
Quote: Originally Posted by cooljess76 Nope, try again. Part#1 in this diagram is the MAF but I don't think it's the problem. The Valve that I was talking about is part #9 SECONDARY THROTTLE HOUSING TUBE ASC and #11 THROTTLE VALVE SWITCH. However in your case, I'm not really sure what it could be without actually getting my hands dirty. | ahh you see over where i live we call that part I(no.1) an Air Mass Meter..... | | | | | 01-21-2007, 10:36 PM | #11 | | Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 258 |
MAF is not AFM. They do the same thing but they operate on two completely different principles. __________________  | | | | | 01-22-2007, 05:21 PM | #12 | | Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 57 |
FYI. Im away visiting family this week but im reading all the posts. I'll be sure to follow up on these ideas when i get home.
Thanks All.
AFM - Airflow meter?
Still learning my acronyms. | | | | | 02-06-2007, 10:18 PM | #13 | | Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 57 | It's Finally Fixed
Thanks for all the ideas. I got the car running again. After an exhaustive (and exhausting) search, I had a bad fuel pump. In case someone else has a similar problem here are the things I checked to determine where the problem was. Symptoms: car cranks easily, wont start. Battery is fine and engine is getting spark. 1. Check the fuse box. The fuse was intact. Tested the top of the fuse while cranking the car. I was getting power but only when cranking! Dead all other times. The dead all other times part really threw me! 2. Check the fuel pump. Remove the rear seat and pad. The fuel pump is under the cover on the right side of the car (passenger side). Test ground and test power (again while cranking). Both good. 3. Pulled off line to fuel filter. Very briefly cranked car - Nothing. Therefore, bad fuel pump. Here is an excellent article on how to replace the fuel pump. I would definitely recommend the part about having lots of fresh air. Otherwise, not too difficult. It actually took me longer to put my car back together that to do the pump. (I really tore my car apart!) http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...-Fuel-Pump.htm Hope this helps... -jcc | | | | | 02-20-2007, 03:06 AM | #14 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: TX Posts: 140 |
I just finished making this repair following your checklist. Removing the black plastic ring was a major pain in the ass. To anyone that might be replacing a fuel pump -- this ring unscrews, make sure you are tapping it to the left rather than prying it upward (this was not specified in the Pelican article). If the ring doesn't free up at first, just keep tapping gently.. | | | | |
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