Car wont start after sitting for about a year

[drfloss]

Specs- 97 or 98 318ti auto

Bought it as a project car to do a manual swap. Car had been sitting for about 11 months cuz its my project car, but all of a sudden the county doesnt like cars without tags. Anyways i decided to move it into the garage and when i start the car it tries to start. The engine spins with a few fires in between. To me it sounds like a half-ass cylinder fire, i say half fire because i can see white smoke from the exhaust so there is definitely a fire. Mind you its not the blown head gasket white smoke. Also the starter spins freely momentarily.

What i did before i started the car-
-Put marvel mystery oil in the cylinders for about 2 days cuz i didnt want to scour the cyl.
-got new battery

Then after my failed attempt at starting car-

-Drained as much fuel as i could from the pipe by fuel filter side using a pump (had the light on so wasnt much) about 6 quarts ~1.5gals...very stupid way dont ask me how i this worked!!
-then added premium gas with lucas injector cleaner

-----started the car and samething happens as mentioned above.

-Changed spark plugs just in case

-----started the car and nothing again

-Next i checked for fuel pump which only works when u crank the car, did this first with a volt meter then physically had the pump out and had the hose connected and pointing in a container. And pump is running here.
-Went as far as taking the injectors out and cleaning them using this technique and they were dirty but by the end they were squirting cleanly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aT4S1lIBAY

-----started the car and nothing again and keeps doing the half-ass cylinder fire.


Questions-
What is going on?

After reading other threads, and following their steps still didnt help. I have a feeling there is an electrical issue. I read that perhaps the ews or dme(btw is dme=ecu?) not synced?? i dont know how to sync them. And also onething that is coming to mind that can be a problem is that when i unlock the car using the remote the used to chirp and flash lights. Lately its not chirping or flashing and on top of this my door locks never worked since i had the car so i cant confirm if it did unlock or not.

Excuse a rookie with his mistakes dear elders and all.

[drfloss]

btw when i removed the hose from the fuel pump the gas went flying all over the place. same thing when i removed the lines by the injectors...good thing i had them covered both the times

[drfloss]

I forgot to mention that before i changed the plugs i did put started fluid in the plugs directly and then started the car. Did the same after i changed to new plugs and used freshly bought starter fluid. I dont know but the more i think it sounds like something was stopping the car from starting. As in a computer.

[drfloss]

comeon guys anything? No one?

[drfloss]

Today i took out the ecu by the battery and there was no water like some other people mentioned.

[M-technik-3]

What size battery? I know Florida is warm but if you can run down a new battery. Suggestion is to put a set of jumpers connected to a running car and have the idle over 1500rpm so the alternator is charging.

Then attempt to start it. I might have missed it but did you remove the fuel filter? or change it? Have you checked to see if you are getting spark at the leads.

Also an extremely common NO start is a Bad grounding wire from engine to the body under the passenger side engine mount. This is more common than most think. I have had this three times. Even wrote it on my white board " Check Engine Grounds"

[drfloss]

thanks mtechnik. I did not change the fuel filter but just drained it of old gas.

Ok so i sanded the ground under the passenger mount cleaned it as well as the one by the battery. Then had a car idle at 2000rpm with jumper cables connected and still the car wont start.

[drfloss]

Onething I have to check is the spark at the leads. I didnt check this because the car puffed some smoke stating spark at the plugs.

What are the symptoms if ews does not talk with ecu/dme?

[M-technik-3]

Are there any vacuum lines not connected? or a hole in the line from the air filter to the throttle body?

Not thinking it's EWS yet but could be.

[drfloss]

Ok I remember seeing a surface scaled vacuum line but it still had its elasticity. But I think I will check more thoroughly. Also any particular one I shud look for besides the hole by tb?

I'm at work atm but I will chk tomorrow.

[drfloss]

The vacuum lines are intact. One is kind of frayed but it is still stretchy and is holding its grip.

[performanceisland]

I would make sure you battery is charged and have it load tested to see if its putting out good cca, or put in a good new one.

then i would check for fuel delivery, sitting that long with old gas could have clogged the fuel filter, or just change it.

Check for spark, and fuel delivery to engine, if you have both check compression.

[drfloss]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

Are there any vacuum lines not connected? or a hole in the line from the air filter to the throttle body?

Not thinking it's EWS yet but could be.

Sorry got busy with work and mechanic coming to see the car(i will mention what i found). But what i noticed that hose that connects to the fuel injectors from air box was slightly loose but that didnt make any difference when i tried again. Also there are no holes in the pipes from air box to tb.

[drfloss]

Originally Posted by performanceisland

I would make sure you battery is charged and have it load tested to see if its putting out good cca, or put in a good new one.

then i would check for fuel delivery, sitting that long with old gas could have clogged the fuel filter, or just change it.

Check for spark, and fuel delivery to engine, if you have both check compression.

The battery is good because its refurbished from advance auto and from the sound of it cranking the car for the umpteenth time the past week its still strong. its 880CCA, which is more than enuff. I didnt change the fuel filter because there was enuff pressure at the fuel rail, although i didnt check it with a meter but when i pressed the pin fuel shot all over with hissing sort of noise.

[drfloss]

So after exhausting all the routes i decided to call a mechanic...worst choice of mechanic cuz he was all about the money. When i say that i really mean it. Idiot was gonna charge me $50 for just plug in a computer that i can rent from autozone for free. This includes just looking at engine bay and say what HE thinks MIGHT be the problem. Theres more to it but im gonna pass cuz thats different street.

Anyways onething that he did manage to point out that there was water in the obd2 connecter under the steering wheel. I checked the ecu for water and its dry. After drying that dash with a blower for 30 mins he put a few tablespoons of gas in the tb after removing the air box and unplugging the MAF and tried to crank it. The car fired, popped abit more than last time. But never started. Mechanic gave up saying we will be chasing our tails all day on this and left. Now after putting everything back i tried starting just for the heck and same as usual...one-two pops and then no start.