Hosed issues cleared up, now I have no spark.

[mharvey73]

OK, here is what I have and or do know:

I have a new starter, new crank sensor (Beck), new rubber parts (belts hoses, gaskets), new battery, and everything looks to be buttoned up right.

The car turns over well, I have fuel pressure, but no ignition spark.

I pull the connector at the coil and test the 12v input. I have voltage constant with the switch on.

I look at the coil and see hairline cracks down the side. So I check resistance, it still is good, however I don't necessarily trust it, because it is to the high side of tolerance per Bentley's. I will be doing COP swap in the future, but before I go further I want to test my DME somehow.

I make a jumper and land the grounds to simulate a coil being in place. The jumper has an indicator light in it. I tested my jumper and it is fine. I run my test light from 12v supply to each ignition coil tap and no light comes on with any of the four.

Now I am stumped. All other electrical that is tied into the car works including lights washers, HVAC, etc. I can't test some items becaue they aren't installed, but I have nothing that would stop the car from running left out of the system.

So I am thinking unloader relay, trouble with that is, just where the heck is it? It appears in my manual as being under the dash on the drivers side, but according to the manual, mine is supposed to be on a seperate block. I ahve relays under the dash, but no indication of which one is which.

Then I think what if the DME is shot like my testing indicates? Maybe my testing is wrong? If anyone thinks I need to check the DME in some other fashion let me know how and why.

I also think maybe I have lost synch or my EWS is flawed somehow? Are there any better indications to diagnose that issue?

I am grasping at straws and hopefully someone on the board can help.

Thanks in advance.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Year and make would help me help you.

Most likely not EWS or unloader since fuel pump is working (unless it is wired out of the DME control).

If fuel pump is wired to DME then EWS is working correct.

My internet guess is crank position sensor at this point, but fuel pump should not prime until the DME detects crank rotation...

Year and model will help me. I know EWS and DME systems very well on these cars

[mharvey73]

96 318ti, built in May of 96, cali edition. Has the M44 engine. Has OBD2 and EWS2. I don't believe it is the crank sensor, because it is new. I may do a resistance test to just make sure, but I also understand new doesnt automatically mean good. It has a new Beck and Arnley CPS, if you think that may be it.

I had the DME pulled a couple of weeks ago and found no water intrusion or burnt spots. The fuel system looks to be as the factory intended because when you pull either the fuse or the relay it will not work. It does prime though because there is pressure at the schrader and if you roll the engine without plugs you can smell the gas.

Just can't seem to get the DME to switch on and off the ignition coils. Please see the previous post for my testing methodology.

[mbradican]

I found this thread while doing some research. I did the continuity test he did from the coil pack connector to the DME. In my case I wasn't getting spark to #4. It was one of the transistors in the DME. I replaced it with a Bip373 and now it works. It seems strange that all four would go, but you might try the continuity test backwards into the DME from the coil connector. My coil pack melted in #4 area, so I think it fried the transistor.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ight=1271+coil

[mharvey73]

Unfortunately the link you have doesn't work but I can see where you are headed with this. You think that there could be a single point failure in the DME that would get all four resistors? I haven't disassembled the board yet to start checking back at that point.

I am starting to wonder if I have lost my alignment of the EWS and DME somehow. A couple of weeks ago I had it turning over with spark when I ran a compression check ( I had left a plug in on #1 wire just after testing to see if it was good).Other forum members say that I should be good there though because the fuel pump is driving.

This car hasn't ran in about 2-3 years. I got it for $800 and slowly have been trying to piece wether or not it would run. The man I bought it from said his uncle replaced the starter and that during that time it was disco'ed from the battery so long he just assumed the DME has lost it's synch or went bad.

So I have replaced the battery. I also found the uncle must've replaced the starter with a junkyard unit, because it was total crap inside, so it's been replaced too. I have replaced the fuel rail vac hoses and injectors (see a previous post on that folly).

The uncle must have used the block as a rest before installing the starter too, because the crank sensor was almost completely cut in two, so it was replaced.

I really hate the thought of re-opening the DME, but I will if I have to. I really really hate the thought of replacing the crank sensor so I better had test it too.

[mbradican]

Sorry for the bad link. This is what I got from that post:

I dont know if this is the correct way to test for signal from dme at the coil connector but i mirrored what the coil pack test was ex pin 2+ pin 1- on coil reads 7ohms and thats coil 1 in the pack etc so i tested the pack according to bentley and got
2+ 1- 7ohms coil 1
2+ 6- 7ohms coil 2
2+ 7- 7ohms coil 3
2+ 5- 7ohms coil 4
everything with coil checked out good. I then tested the coil pack connector using the same pin out as the coil with the old and new dme and got these results with the ignition off:

Old DME
2+ 1- 199.3 ohms coil 1
2+ 6- 8.42 ohms coil 2
2+ 7- 195.1 ohms coil 3
2+ 5- 199.3 ohms coil 4

New DME
2+ 1- 190.4 ohms coil 1
2+ 6- 186.9 ohms coil 2
2+ 7- 191.1 ohms coil 3
2+ 5- 199.3 ohms coil 4

I believe that test if correct shows that on the old DME this signal for coil 2 is shot (not working) however even with the new DME the car does not fire but i think its because of the EWS or whatever its called the key chip.

[mharvey73]

Okay, finally got around to conducting a resistance test at my coil pack connector and got even results across all four posts of 30-35 ohms. I really have no idea what this means. I am afraid that it means that my dme is bad. Only one thing left to do and that is to pull the rascal and look again for burn out symptoms.

I am trying to think of why this may have taken place and I remember that I did a compression test without the alternator landed. Does the esteemed board have an idea if this is what may cause this?

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

I have not reviewed all posts but here is how coils work. Each coil should have 12 volts constant. When the coil is grounded it charges the primary winding. When the DME wants to fire the coil it breaks the ground to the coil which causes the primary coils field to collapse which discharges into the secondary winding causing a high voltage discharge which is sent to the spark plug to spark across the gap.

No 12 volts constant no sparky. Make sure your ignition/coil fuses are not blown. The injectors are similar, 12 volts constant and the DME grounds the injector to make it fire.

This is not a DME or EWS issue if the injectors are firing. Also the CPS is good if your injectors are firing. Fuel pump will not come on either if the EWS is not alligned and happy.

If you use a LED test light you can check the ignition ground from DME to fire the coils. Only a LED light can flash quick enough to show the ignition ground break to fire the coils. You will see the LED light flicker as the DME breaks the ground to cause the coil to discharge.

Hope this helps

[mharvey73]

Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx

If you use a LED test light you can check the ignition ground from DME to fire the coils. Only a LED light can flash quick enough to show the ignition ground break to fire the coils. You will see the LED light flicker as the DME breaks the ground to cause the coil to discharge.

I had no idea only an LED was that fast. That is good to know and I appreciate the tip. Guess I have to find me a bulb for my light now. As soon as I am done I will post the results.

[mharvey73]

Okay,

Testing with an LED proved nothing, still no light. I went ahead and replaced the cam sensor as well. Still no spark. I thinnk I am looking at a dead DME or EWS2 or something to that effect. I do have one question though, is there anyone involved with this forum that can correctly troubleshoot and repair a 96 DME for a reasonable price?I am having a hard time believing I have lost my DME/EWS alignment, but if I have, what would be the causes and the symptoms?
I would hate that this car be a giant lump of spare parts.
Thanks in advance again.

[mharvey73]

Update for those who care... purchased a Peake tool for this car. Trouble codes read disco'd battery which I believe I have reset. Then there was an "h" then 30, then 37. WTF does that even mean? Nothing in the Peake manual mentions an "h",or 30, or 37. I am not good with binary and hexadecimal. Car still does nothing but crank, no spark, has fuel. I may be selling some new 318 parts soon. Any help is appreciated.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

I don't believe it is EWS or DME related. The EWS will not allow the starter to crank if the key chip is not registered and in the "roll". If you want to test this remove the key ring halo which is the black plastic ring on the ignition. This ring will pop out with some easy force. With it popped out insert the key and see if the car will crank. It should not crank since the key reader which is the black plastic circle won't have a key in it for EWS to check.

You need to use the DME that is alligned with the EWS unit. If you don't the DME's INS will not match and the DME will cut spark and fuel relay injctors. The fuel relay can be fooled with wiring but the spark and injection will not fire. A new DME needs to be alligned with the EWS or you will not get spark or fuel. Only one DME can be alligned with EWS at a time.

If you have fuel injection meaning you can see the injectors fire while cranking over but have no spark then you need to check for 12 volts at coil while cranking. If no voltage while cranking then unloader relay is bad or the small wire to the starter 12 volt while cranking is disconnected or broken or grounded.

It is pretty simple. fuel injected then compressed with a spark at the right time nets a running motor.

Also when checking 12 volts at the coil use a solid ground like chassis or motor ground strap.

This is all I got for you, sorry

[mharvey73]

Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx

I don't believe it is EWS or DME related.
If no voltage while cranking then unloader relay is bad or the small wire to the starter 12 volt while cranking is disconnected or broken or grounded.

That is what I am guessing as well, but I am having a hard time figuring where the unloader relay is vs. the hazard relay. In my car I have found the unloader relay mounted in the main relay box in the engine compartment and the hazard relay mounted under the dash. Both relays are black in color. Both relays fit in each other slots. The Bentley's I have shows that to be correct, but another 318ti manual I have shows that to be exactly reverse. Any guesses on that for a '96? Cause it appears the factory wasn't real consistent on placement.
Should I have a green unloader relay instead of black for this car too? Thanks for the help.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

My unloader is in the DME compartment

[mharvey73]

Lol, that would figure. Guess they just put them wherever. I am beginning to believe that the 318ti was a rush to market kind of thing.