Please help! Still no spark!
Moderator: martauto
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JP1979
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 11:00 pm
Hi chaps... New to the e30 world but I have a 325i convertible
It wasn't sparking when I bought so I have removed immobiliser and I think successfully bypassed as I now have 12 volts at the coil... But no spark! I have tested and replaced coil so it's not this... Put a lead directly from the king pin to a plug and yet no spark!! I thought if I had power here and a coil which works I would have sorted it!! What am I missing??? Any help is gratefully received.... Thanks Justin
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Grrrmachine
- E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member

- Posts: 8043
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: Warsaw, Poland
Have you got fuel pumping when the engine cranks over? There are all sorts of ECU-based issues that can knock out the spark, and a big sign is that you lose fuel too.
For more info, check this:
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... oubleshoot
For more info, check this:
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... oubleshoot
'89 325i Touring | Touring Resto Thread | In-Dash Screen install
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JP1979
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 11:00 pm
Hi thanks.. Yes pretty sure I have wet plugs and also had a perished fuel pipe which broke under the pressure of the fuel.. Thanks anyhow.. Interesting read
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Grrrmachine
- E30 Zone Wiki / Team Member

- Posts: 8043
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:00 pm
- Location: Warsaw, Poland
If you're absolutely certain you've got fuel, you need to do the bulb test on the coil. Using a multimeter isn't good enough.
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... lb_On_Coil
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... lb_On_Coil
'89 325i Touring | Touring Resto Thread | In-Dash Screen install
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JP1979
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 11:00 pm
Would anyone know if this could be the crank sensor? Yes used test bulb also thanks again great link
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Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member

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It won't be the crank position sensor if you are absolutely sure the fuel pump runs. Otherwise it could well be.
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Billwill
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 363
- Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:00 pm
- Location: South Africa
As Brian said^^^
But...does your fuel pump run as soon as you turn on ignition?
It is not supposed to....the fuel pump relay only gets activated when the ECU picks up engine pulses.
Maybe when you re-wired everything after removing the immobilisor you enabled the fuel pump to run all the time and you do not in fact have crankshaft pulses at all.
Or maybe there is some part of the previous immobilisor that has not been re-wired in which is preventing spark.
Is your Main relay and your Fuel pump relay being activated when the engine turns over? Don't just look for +12 volts on the relay coil as it is the ground of the relay coil that gets switched to ground by the ECU when the engine turns over.
But...does your fuel pump run as soon as you turn on ignition?
It is not supposed to....the fuel pump relay only gets activated when the ECU picks up engine pulses.
Maybe when you re-wired everything after removing the immobilisor you enabled the fuel pump to run all the time and you do not in fact have crankshaft pulses at all.
Or maybe there is some part of the previous immobilisor that has not been re-wired in which is preventing spark.
Is your Main relay and your Fuel pump relay being activated when the engine turns over? Don't just look for +12 volts on the relay coil as it is the ground of the relay coil that gets switched to ground by the ECU when the engine turns over.
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JP1979
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 11:00 pm
Okay great thank you... im going to try and test this! cheers 
