HELP!!! TI WONT START! NOT A FUEL PUMP ISSUE!!

[thefredster93]

my 1996 318ti does not start!!! my dad said it had to be the fuel pump...i ordered one right away with 2 day shipping. We took the old fuel pump out and tested it one last time and it was working!!!....The car will not start. The battery is new. for about 2 weeks my check engine light kept coming on and we put the obd on and it said it needed a camshaft position sensor but My dad refuses to admit that's the problem...he says it is a ignition switch problem....HAS ANYBODY HERE HAD THIS PROBLEM?? i need my car running ASAP!

[Mr.Squeelerz]

Cam sensor issues are common and your code would indicate a valid starting point. I've gone through the same process, replacing the sensor.

[thefredster93]

Originally Posted by Mr.Squeelerz

Cam sensor issues are common and your code would indicate a valid starting point. I've gone through the same process, replacing the sensor.

So do i just buy a new camshaft sensor?

[Mr.Squeelerz]

That would be my suggestion.

Why does your dad assume otherwise?

[thefredster93]

Originally Posted by Mr.Squeelerz

That would be my suggestion.

Why does your dad assume otherwise?

Not sure, he said if it was the camshaft position sensor, the car wouldn't crank at all, but sometimes it in fact does not but other times it does. I find that a bit fishy because the check engine light would be on at certain times then would off, then back on later on in time. It was doing this for about 3 weeks...as if the sensor was working, then not working....maybe related to it cranking and not cranking at certain times? not sure...... When i turn the key, just the lights come on. But sometimes it does crank but refuses to start period....He was determined it was the fuel pump...but it was working when tested. Do you know the location of the camshaft sensor?

[thefredster93]

He also says that when the key is in the on position, he does not hear the humming noise associated with an electric fuel pump indicating it is sending fuel to the injectors

[Mr.Squeelerz]

Please look at this article.

Figure 2 shows the Ti location of the sensor.

[JustinH]

It's not advisable to just throw parts at the car. It would cost less in the end to have it diagnosed by a professional. If you can't diag it yourself save some cash and have a pro diag it. People here cannot possibly diag a no start over the computer without some degree of guessing.

If you want to diag it yourself get the following:
1. Fuel pressure gauge
2. Multimeter
3. Wiring diagram
4. Car Knowledge

Learn to use these 4 tools and you will be golden.

[thefredster93]

are camshaft positioning sensors known to cause cars to refuse to turn on?

[ti cali ed]

Ok, so the fuel pump should kick on for about a second when you turn the key as soon as it builds pressure at the fuel rail it will kick off till it needs more fuel. The samshaft position sensor will cause the car to not have spark as it uses this signal to know when to give spark. However the car should always turn over with the starter just may not start. Not turning over is a starter, ground, or battery issue. Sometimes bad key switch. Most times the scan tool is pretty good about telling a person what is wrong. However it's not fool proof. The sensor could be bad, the sensor could be only partly pluged in, the wires to the sensor could be bad. You could have a bad battery and creating a low votage condition to the sensor when you turn the key. Hope this helps , good luck.

[JustinH]

Originally Posted by ti cali ed

The samshaft position sensor will cause the car to not have spark as it uses this signal to know when to give spark.

This is incorrect. The crank sensor will cause no spark, not the cam sensor. The original poster has not said if the car has spark and no fuel, or fuel and no spark. The guessing game is pointless without this information.

You need to remove a spark plug wire from a plug and put a spark tester on it, or just touch it to the valve cover while cranking the car. If spark is seen you need to investigate why there is no fuel.

If you have no spark there then you need to check the primary voltage going to the coil pack and then go from there. Guessing at other things is going to hurt your bank account, so start by checking these things.

Please also check the most basic =battery voltage.

[thefredster93]

Is there anyway to test the camshaft sensor? Volt meter or something?

[JustinH]

Yeah but you'll need a scope. Please re-read the post above and take those steps.

You have a code for it so it is likely failing, it plays into the injectors firing, so you need to verify if you have no fuel or no spark.

[ti cali ed]

Oops, cam, crank small differance. You're right not enough info. I'm going to make one last stab in the dark and ask if the muffle belt as ever been changed? If you don't change it every so often you'll never make 1.1 gigawatts and it won't matter if you hit 88 mph or not. At least that's how it worked on the DMC products.

[thefredster93]

Originally Posted by JustinH

Yeah but you'll need a scope. Please re-read the post above and take those steps.

You have a code for it so it is likely failing, it plays into the injectors firing, so you need to verify if you have no fuel or no spark.

At first it would crank but not start...now just the lights on the dashboard...nothing else...no effort to turn on