Lee Parkes' E30 Alpina B10.

[staley_turbo]

quite funny, good idea!

[Bristol_Jer]

Nice idea!

[Rav335uk]

You taking a video too Lee

[leeparkes]

You taking a video too Lee

Lol, not a bad idea

[leeparkes]

[youtube][/youtube]

You need the sound on.

Now, im no auto electrician but that dont look quite right, took a good few revolutions before it started sparking (apart from one at the begining) is this normal?

What about the pattern? ie, can any of you see any plugs 'missing'?

[Rav335uk]

Have you changed the coil over for a good one??

[leeparkes]

I did test the coil with a multimeter and it came out ok.

[Speedtouch]

You're right, it doesn't look as strong as it should be, and I couldn't make out if all six are firing. Also, what's the firing order on these?

[leeparkes]

No idea what the firing order is Maurice, i used an old dizzy cap to work out which terminal was which in a clockwise order.

[Rav335uk]

Change the coil

[leeparkes]

No idea what the firing order is Maurice, i used an old dizzy cap to work out which terminal was which in a clockwise order.

Like this



Ive no idea on the coil, i tested it with a multimeter and it was fine, can anything else go wrong with the coil?

[johnl320]

Thats a hell of delay from initial turning over to actual sparks, apart from like you say the initial one. If it was mine I would be checking every electrical connection associated with the igntion system especial around the crank sensor and its wiring, the coil and its wiring and all ecu, dme and earth connections.

[leeparkes]

After watching the video over and over again all 6 do fire but it actually take about 5 revolutions before it starts sparking

Now i only know basic electrics ie i can measure voltage and resistance at terminals etc.
Crank pos sensors resistance is within spec when cold but raised when warm (apparently its normal) shook and twisted the wire with the multimeter on but no change in resistance.

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ight=crank

Ive tested CPS resistance at the ECU plug and was the same, there's another terminal on the CPS plug, whats that for?

Im getting 12 volts at the coil terminals and the coil was tested for resistance, all fine.

Is there a Brian Moooore on M30 engines out there I bloody need one

[leeparkes]

Well ive been at it again today, removed the rad to give me some more room (which took about an hour to get off ) must sort the bolts out before it goes back in.

Anyway nothing has come to light and everything seems normal

Got to put it all back together now, this is how i left it.

[DanThe]

Try the same test again with the plugs on the plate but with a different ECU, the ECU tells the coil when to fire on these so the delay IMO is something to do with the ECU/coil/crank sensor

[walinsky]

... or the DME relay

[leeparkes]

... or the loom.

Havent touched the car today but Dan youve got me thinking, if the ECU is a dud will the Eprom chip be ok, ie can these get damaged? Maurice do you know anything on this?
Apparently these were re-mapped by Alpina.

[Speedtouch]

The chip should be OK. Potentially, they can be damaged, or suffer degradation over time, but it's a rare event; see this article:
http://my.ais.net/~xtreme/SF/Bit-Rot/

It will indeed probably have been reprogrammed by Alpina. I can supply an upgrade chip for the M30B35 if required, in the unlikely event that yours is faulty.

I doubt if the ECU is dud, but it's certainly worth trying a spare if you can.

The chip can be used in any later six-pot ECU, e.g., 172/173/179/380/381, etc., although the 179 is the correct one for a later M30B35.

[e30topless]

thats some delay on the spark and definatly worth following up, but an ingenious idea for testing !

these old ECU's can suffer badly from dry joints, i have a few good know one's should you need one to try?

whats the condition of the cps ? is it in the bracket nice and tight ?

[leeparkes]

Thanks for the kind offer Steve i may take you up on it

CPS is in spec and religiously gapped to the toothed wheel @ 0.90mm.

[leeparkes]

Right, the car is all back together but the problem is still there

Cleaned every plug on the loom with contact cleaner with no joy.

these old ECU's can suffer badly from dry joints, i have a few good know one's should you need one to try?

Pm on its way.

[leeparkes]

Come on Steve

[Rav335uk]

Lee, if he don't come good, I have one you could try mate.

[e30topless]

PM replied Lee, sorry for any delay

[leeparkes]

Right ive tried 3 ECU's on this now, the original Alpina one, my original M30 one and this morning tried a 380 from an M20 with my eprom (tried both standard and Alpina chip) but it hasnt made a blind bit of difference.

Now i noticed something this morning, at the scrapyard i relieved a touring of its headlight wash wipe kit and tested it on my own car. When testing the washers i noticed that near my washer jets fluid was pissing out of one of the pipes. When the bonnet is shut its pissing all over the loom at the bulkhead. When i say pissing i mean its as much what hits the windscreen.

One other thing ive noticed is when i unplug the ICV it seems to smooth the idle out and there's no hesitation when reving, idle sits at around 900rpm (which supposed to be normal with this donk) tested ICV and re-cleaned it out with carb cleaner but still the same.

I fookin hate electrics

Im going to try an source another loom now because really there's nothing else to test. How rare are M30 manual looms nowadays?

[leeparkes]

I remember folk back in the day using M20 looms with minor mods (anyone remember what the mods are?) im sure i have an M20 loom up the shed somewhere.

Can an auto loom be used easily?

[E30SPORTMAD]

I remember folk back in the day using M20 looms with minor mods (anyone remember what the mods are?) im sure i have an M20 loom up the shed somewhere.

Can an auto loom be used easily?

I have 2 M20 325 looms here Lee and a M30 auto loom and can get a couple M30 man looms if need be? only thing is there not that cheap anymore

[leeparkes]

I saw you have an M30 auto loom for sale is it from an E34/32?

From what i remember the TPS plug is different on the auto but not sure if a manual TPS can be bodged onto it.

Ill get back to you buddy asap.

[E30SPORTMAD]

I saw you have an M30 auto loom for sale is it from an E34/32?

From what i remember the TPS plug is different on the auto but not sure if a manual TPS can be bodged onto it.

Ill get back to you buddy asap.

The M30 auto is from a E32 with electronic Throttle body so may be hard to splice it up, i reckon u cud build 1 if u had a M30 man loom beside it as there is alot of spare wires in the auto loom? will try get u a good price for a man loom in the mean time,

[leeparkes]

Ahh, i remember now, i think ill pass on it then

Yes keep your ears open for manual loom, thanks!

[E30SPORTMAD]

No problem your better off getting the correct part to plug and play again, will keep you posted when this other man gets back to me,

[leeparkes]

Is it the guy in NI, on 5forum call skoda?

[E30SPORTMAD]

Is it the guy in NI, on 5forum call skoda?

No not him, thats who i was telling you about a wile back he has an E34 M30 manual but not breaking it just yet, this other man is from Lincolnshire,

[leeparkes]

Work your magic on him then mate

[E30SPORTMAD]

Will try my best have sent him a message but no reply yet,am off to bed now catching early morning ferry to Stranraer so need some sleep have a long days driving ahead of then,