No Spark

Post Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:13 pm

Hi All,
Driving along engine just cut out. Had been getting rough when starting.
Car is a 1988 318i M40
There is a full tank of petrol.
Fuel pump and fuel relay both checked and are okay with petrol flowing.
Both coil and pulse sensor check out with a multimeter. Have tried another pulse sensor with no success.
No spark from the coil
Cambelt checked and is okay.
I am stumped and don't know what to do next.
Anyone with any ideas? Help !!!!!!!

Happy new year for tomorrow. <g>

Russ

Post Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:43 pm

The cam belt might of "jumped" a few teeth.
What about checking for a spark at the plugs, any joy ?

Post Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:45 pm

Here is an update.
Been browsing the forum.
Tried BrianMooooore's suggestion of

Connect a small ( 5W ) 12V lamp to the ignition coil + terminal and earth. Check it lights with ignition switch and stays lit while cranking.
Connect the lamp to the coil - terminal and earth and check that it flashes during cranking

When I connect to the + terminal and earth the fuel pump relay starts clicking but the bulb does not light. Nothing happens when cranking the engine.

Russ

Post Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:48 pm

Thanks kam-325i

No spark at the plugs so I have worked my way back to the coil with no joy.

Russ

Post Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:03 pm

RussDuk wrote:Here is an update.
Been browsing the forum.
Tried BrianMooooore's suggestion of
Connect a small ( 5W ) 12V lamp to the ignition coil + terminal and earth. Check it lights with ignition switch and stays lit while cranking.
Connect the lamp to the coil - terminal and earth and check that it flashes during cranking
When I connect to the + terminal and earth the fuel pump relay starts clicking but the bulb does not light. Nothing happens when cranking the engine.

Russ

Connect a wire from the battery + to the coil +, preferably incorporating a 15A fuse., and see if it starts, with or without the fuel relay bridged.

Post Mon Jan 02, 2006 12:57 pm

Brianmoooore you are a star!
Bridged the battery to the coil and the car started 1st time.

Of course it took me a few moments to figure out how to stop the car

.

I disconected the jumper wire and tried to start the engine again on the ignition and lo and behold it fired into life and has just done a 10ml test run!

I have no idea how or why it would start on the ignition now and not before.
Any comments Brianmoooore.

Thank you for your help and I hope everyone has a very Happy New Year.

The EZone (and Brianmoooore) rocks
Regards
Russ

Post Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:12 pm

The green suply wire to the coil comes directly from the ignition switch, across inside the car behind the dash, through the bulkhead, through the fusebox (not through a fuse), across the car again, and to the coil.
Usual cause of problems is the ignition switch itself or an immobilizer connected somewhere along this wire.
Factory connection for this is a white two pin connector in the loom above the glovebox. If no immobilizer is fitted, the connector will be fitted with a plug with a short loop of green wire.
The plug socket clipped to the steering column where this green wire goes through is worth a check as well I suppose.