car won't start. help please

[tilly]

hi all,
i'm new here so go easy on me.
yesterday i recieved my first bimmer. a white 318i touring. 1990. g reg.

well.. it started first time.. was well pleased.. and a few more times after that. then this moring when i was 'tinkering' i found a locking alarm box in the engine bay to the right side of the car in the opposite corner to the battery.
i put in the key and turned it on.. the alarm went off.. so i turned it off again with the key.
now the car won't start.. no spark to the plugs.
i looked on this forum for any help and i found brianmoores quick fix with the green wires.. now my problem is this..
the 2 pin socket with the 2 green wires coming out of it is already shorted with the small green loop of wire..

the car dosen't start with this disconnected either.
has anyone any pics of inside the glove box area?
i'd really like to just pull the plug off the alarm box, well i did actually and a couple of 16yr old wires that had corroded fell out of the connector. this may be my problem.


also can anyone tell me how to get the speedo clock working as it wasn't and hasn't been for about 1yr apparently.

cheers for ur help guys.

tony.

[Ant]

the alarm is almost defo cutting the feed to the coil, check for power to it with the ign ON, examine the underdash area with a torch, dont be afraid to cut anymore cable ties etc, anything non factory requires a good squint, and if you can clearly see what was done, ie green/black wire cut, evidence of crimping etc etc, the standard wiring is a tidy affair, so additions should be obvious.

as a temp bodge, assuming the above is true, you can rob an ign feed from the DME relay, and feed the coil from there.

HTH

[tilly]

ok .. now say that in real english..

DME?

tony.

[fowler]

tilly some pics would help with your probs
its probably a scorpion alarm
have some wiring diagram some where for one
will try and dig it out
oh where abouts are you ??

[Brianmoooore]

Take the panel off above the driver's legs and look at the wiring coming down from the ignition switch, especially the green wire.
Cowboy alarm installers often make the connection here.
Another place I've seen the connection made is actually at the ignition coil, with the green wire removed from the + terminal and joined to a wire running back to the alarm.
Quickest way to bypass is a wire from the battery + terminal to the + terminal of the ignition coil.

[tilly]

heres a few pics..






tony.

[Brianmoooore]

Can't really make out too much from the pics, other than several of those wires are not OE. Have spent many happy hours removing crap alarm (radio and phone) wiring from E30's.
Favourite place for the cowboys to take a permanent live from, and to connect to the indicators is at the hazard light switch connector.

[Brianmoooore]

Speedo problem is NOTHING to do with SI board batteries. Dud batteries cause many and varied problems, but do not affect the speedo.
90% of speedo problems are down to a broken wire near the electrical connector on the back of the diff under the back of the car. About 12" - 18" of the wire, complete with plug should be replaced, not repaired.

[tilly]

is the alarm OE?

and what about the clocks not working?
is there a write up on how to replace the batteries?

tony.

[cliffybabe]

is the alarm OE?

na mate after market, loks like a old skool cobra

[Zayyan]

Tilly

but is this car on bottletop wheels?

I think I've seen it at the petrol station at the Tring Road Tesco's and also in Cuddington (last Saturday)? Looks very clean if so.

[tilly]

bottletop wheels? what they look like? aah yes it has..

i wouldn't say it looks tidy though. it's rusting around the bottom of the front arches.. and rust spots all over it. the car hasn't moved since jan this yr apparently.

tony

[tilly]

ok.. so i took out the whole alarm..
the car started..
and now it won't start again..
theres no spark to the plugs..
does anyone live near me with a spare coil? or one i can test my car with??

tony.

[tilly]

anyone??

tony.

[Brianmoooore]

There's nothing wrong with the coil you have! It's probably just not getting power.
Turn the ignition on and connect a 12V lamp between the coil + terminal and the earth terminal on the top of the RH strut tower, and see if it lights.

[tilly]

i put a voltmeter across them and saw 3.0v.. from the +ive on the coil to the strut.

is that ok?

tony.

[Brianmoooore]

i put a voltmeter across them and saw 3.0v.. from the +ive on the coil to the strut.

is that ok?

tony.

Bulb is a better test than a meter, but there should be the full 12V+ on this terminal.
Hot wire it straight from the battery+ to the coil + as a check, and see if it starts.

[tilly]

it won't start with the batt+ and coil+ connected


tony.

[tilly]

any more ideas brian.??
Dizzy cap maybe?? how much are they and wheres the cheapest?

There is deffo fuel going in cos it stinks..
tony