E30 Zone

Wondering if anyone can lend a hand

Car wouldn't start this morning
Not even turn over

Checked all obvious things, jumped pins 11&14 on diag socket and it turned over no bother

So I checked the key switch was working I disconnects the cable on the steering column and when the key was turned I got 12v so that was fine

So if the starter is fine and there is power from the switch what can be wrong,
I looked in the glove box and found the black and yellow cable connected by spade connectors so I disconnected it and tested both sides, I confirmed it was the starter coil cable at one side but the other side has nothing on it
So I connected a jumper wire from the column and she turned over
There is fuel at the rail and it is sparking

Am I missing something here??

Any help apreciated
Cheers
Andy

Sounds like it could be related to your previous post a while back, re. a rough/fluctuating idle - perhaps the cause of that has got progressively worse, to the point it won't start.

First port of call with things like this is to check the engine to body earth strap, to ensure the engine block is soundly earthed to the bodywork/battery negative.

Assuming you have enough fresh fuel in the tank, and that you are getting sparks, try removing the intake boot to the throttle body and spraying in some brake/carb cleaner whilst cranking the engine over - it should fire up, and hopefully, keep running.

If it doesn't keep running, check/replace the fuel pump relay.

Also see the Zone troubleshooting guide:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... oubleshoot

Speedtouch wrote:Sounds like it could be related to your previous post a while back, re. a rough/fluctuating idle - perhaps the cause of that has got progressively worse, to the point it won't start.

?? car's not cranking.
If you checked for 12 volts from the ignition switch with a volt meter, then your results are meaningless, and the chances are the switch is at fault.
With the plug disconnected, take the side that goes to the car, use a short piece of wire to link the red wire to the green wire (cluster warning lights should come on), and then a second piece of wire to briefly link the red to the black/yellow. Car should start and run.