e36 318Ti won't start

[ross_jsy]

I know it's e30 tech chat but since it's pretty much the same lump as an iS I figured it would get more attention here.

Car turns over, has a spark and fuel is getting to the rail. I'm assuming it will be the crank angle sensor but before I order a new one thought I would ask on here.

Would it be getting a spark if the crank sensor was gone? I'm assuming that feed is taken from the cam phase sensor.

Probably one for Mr Mooooore

Cheers

[jimmyspeed]

try removing the battery for a while to reset the ecu, mine always starts better after doing this.

other than that i know the m44 has both a cam and crankshaft sensor, and from what ive read it runs fine without the cam sensor but the crank is essential. I'm not sure if both are used for the coils to fire.

was there anything wrong with the engine previously ?

[ross_jsy]

Had no battery hooked up for months.

Story is my mate owned it for a couple years, fuel pump packed in so he replaced that but then just left it to sit for months as he is a lazy bastard, when he finished putting it back together it wouldn't start so my friend bought it off him today as a project car.

Used to run perfectly

[jimmyspeed]

if its been sitting the DME(ecu) could be wet, prior to that check the dme relay, its between the fuse box and battery ( the other relay is the fuel pump)

more here

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techart ... Repair.htm

[ross_jsy]

It's a 99 model so doubt it's going to be DME related but I shall have a look

[ross_jsy]

10 zone points to you sir, swapped the relay with the fog light relay and it fired straight up and ran like a champ for 10 minutes.

But now it's spluttering/won't idle or rev properly. Looks like I'll be stripping the DME tomorrow and checking for dry joints

[jimmyspeed]

good work, your half way there then !

mine had a sh1tty idle and slight misfire whilst driving, a scrapyard idle valve sorted that out - but i ever had a problems with revving it up - could be the maf ?

[ross_jsy]

Turned out the ICV hose was split, luckily I had a suitable spare knocking around so that cured the problem.

Definitely has a leak somewhere on the inlet side, idles a bit high (1100ish rpm when up to temp) and you can hear a slight hiss so I'll be spraying it down with some carb clean to dry and pin point the leak.

I'll try and borrow a good ICV, it seems to have an occasional misfire so wondering if that's the cause.

Did highlight another issue once I ran it up to temperature, heater isn't working

Ah well, it was cheap and my mate is chuffed that it's running

[jimmyspeed]

improving still, the e36 heater and fan are crap when fully operational

if you take the inlet off its worth cleaning the disc shaped crankcase breather which fill with oil. One other thing is check the top section of your airfilter case as theres this perishable foam similar to the e30 bonnet stuff. I ripped it all out as it was lining the hole inlet.