Old skool Hartge 26 e30 325i SE

Post Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:49 pm

Which wont start.

Car has fuel
Battery is new
Spark is good
Fuses 9,10,11,12,16 are good (all are good)
Fuel relay is clicking away
but i cannot smell any fuel either in the exhaust - that much cranking it should be flooded smelling of fuel.

I was about the get to checking the fuel pump when i noticed the skeleton of a rat just forward of the fuse box and a wire that was chewed and charred and basiclly cut loose.

Could this wire be the culprit for the fueling issue.

http://s987.photobucket.com/user/lumpyE ... sort=3&o=9

I trimmed the wire down ready to reconnect it only thing is both of the wires are red. here is a better picture of where they are located.

http://s987.photobucket.com/user/lumpyE ... sort=3&o=7

I tried connect them thinking worse case I will blow another fuse, so i connected them according to how the wire was twisted and how naturally the two wires lined up lol.

When i connected the battery the car tried to start so i pulled the battery. Ok so it must be the other way round. I Tried that and all the ignition lights went out, to be fair that could have been the battery not connected properly. I checked for any blown fuses and any burning smells lol - all good.

I think i will stop now and check in with E30zone

Also am i missing some relays.

Thanks for any help.

Cheers

Post Tue Nov 26, 2013 4:16 pm

Why would you pull the battery if it tried to start?

I would suggest removing the bellows to the throttle body and spraying some carb or brake cleaner down it while cranking it over.

Post Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:04 pm

Post Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:48 pm

Looks like an abs sensor wire, so should make absolutely no difference to whether the car will start or not.

Post Tue Nov 26, 2013 8:09 pm

Thanks Harry.

SpeedTouch - well i was in the boot attaching the battery and the keys to the ignition was in my pocket and the engine started cranking - even more worrying if that is a ABS sensor wire, How the **** was the car cranking with the keys in me pocket. might be something to do with code alarm that has a remote start.

Spraying engine start down there - I will try that tomorrow.

Cheers

Kaz

Post Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:01 pm

Very strange. Maybe your starter solenoid is faulty and sticking on. You could try giving it a clout with a hammer to see if that will free it off...

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:57 pm

Speedtouch wrote:Very strange. Maybe your starter solenoid is faulty and sticking on. You could try giving it a clout with a hammer to see if that will free it off...

Thanks dude....... but i think it might also have been related to the code alarm that has a remote start, that's knackered so we un wired it today just to take it out of the loop. i willl twat starter with hammer if it does it again.

Engine start sprayed into airbox she lit up first time, no.11 fuse popped again (7.5) which is for the fuel pump i believe.

So armed with the above info and whats just happened today it has to be a short at the fuel pump?? new pump? or can i fix it?

Cheers

Kaz

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:00 pm

Sounds like the pump may be sticking through lack of use - try giving it a clout with a hammer...

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:32 pm

PMSL dude is that going to be your answer to everthing "smack it with a hammer.

I take it that if it is sticking that would cause the fuse to burn out? correct?

Cheers

Kaz

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:35 pm

Well, it has worked for me with stuck pumps on Morris Minors and Land Rover Freelanders!

Yes, if the pump motor is stuck, it effectively shorts out the power supply to it, hence the blown fuse.

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 5:51 pm

7.5A fuse is working very close to it's limits,early E30 used a 15A fuse here.Same fuel pump as well...
Smacking the pump with a large heavy Birmingham spanner should really be a 'get you home' device.

I reckon a nice shiney new fuel pump is called for.

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 5:52 pm

It may well need removal and cleaning, if it's been left in a tank of old stale fuel for yonks...

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 6:38 pm

Will give that a spin, I need to get it started tomorrow as all the wheels are flat and i need to move it 5 feet it so i can get the bike out out for a spin.

I am pretty sure that the the fuel pump fuse @ 7.5 is correct.

Thanks

Kaz

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 6:50 pm

check your battery terminals, my car wouldn't start recently and it turned out the cable that leads from the positive battery terminal to the starter motor was badly corroded where the cable meets the terminal and was making a poor connection

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:25 pm

pac1982 wrote:check your battery terminals, my car wouldn't start recently and it turned out the cable that leads from the positive battery terminal to the starter motor was badly corroded where the cable meets the terminal and was making a poor connection

Thanks its all good. I couldnt wait till tomorrow so i check the power to the pump which is fine, i used an kawasaki indicator as a test light + load and the fuse didnt blow. cranked it for 10 seconds or so.

Decided to whip the fuel pump out fuel ines off wires diconnected and car batt. disconnected.

Thing is it wont come out - i have turned it twisted it and adjusted, manavoured, in out shake it all about. what have i gotta go and i have already tried to lever it out with a hammer.

http://s987.photobucket.com/user/lumpyE ... sort=3&o=0

Cheers

Kaz

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:34 pm

ahh bollox done it ................. cheers anyway lol

It is the pump, twatted it with a hammer many times

- going to get a new one tomorrow and install it hopefully she will fire.

Cheers

Kaz

Post Wed Nov 27, 2013 11:07 pm

Correct fuse for the pump is 7.5A. A 15A one was used on early cars with external pumps plus an in tank lift pump, but this was below BMW's usual design standards.
A 15A fuse will not operate correctly with the locked rotor current of a defective in tank pump, and damage would occur to the cables if it weren't for the fact that without a working pump the engine will soon stop and switch off the pump relay.
Bit late now, but I hope you removed the fuel level sender before removing the pump assembly. If you didn't, you'll now need a replacement one of those as well.

Post Thu Nov 28, 2013 4:07 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:Correct fuse for the pump is 7.5A. A 15A one was used on early cars with external pumps plus an in tank lift pump, but this was below BMW's usual design standards.
A 15A fuse will not operate correctly with the locked rotor current of a defective in tank pump, and damage would occur to the cables if it weren't for the fact that without a working pump the engine will soon stop and switch off the pump relay.
Bit late now, but I hope you removed the fuel level sender before removing the pump assembly. If you didn't, you'll now need a replacement one of those as well.

Thank you sir!! that was what i was after. I eventually figured it out last night and removed the sender and then removed the pump, which is was knackered anyway, I installed new one just now and she fired up in less than 2 seconds. Sounded sweet if i may say so myself

Just got the bits to service her will do that tomorrow. Then make a plan of attack.

Cheers

Kaz

Post Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:07 pm

Good for you.

Post Thu Nov 28, 2013 9:57 pm

Yeah cheers, i want to try and do as much of it as i can. With a bit of help hopefully i can get thru the mechanicals and interior and then let the professionals take over. Although i do not fancy having a go at the headliner.........

Cheers for all you help

Kaz

p.s. will probably keep thing thread going for everytime I need a steer

Post Thu Nov 28, 2013 10:01 pm

Indeed, it will be interesting to see how you get on with it. Looks like just a good wash and polish and a new front wing would get it looking a whole lot better...

Post Fri Nov 29, 2013 11:17 am

Speedtouch wrote:Indeed, it will be interesting to see how you get on with it. Looks like just a good wash and polish and a new front wing would get it looking a whole lot better...

Agreed, although the bonnet has been replaced with a poor fit and paint job, that will need strippping for sure, 1 new wing and the other needs body work as does the bonnet, boot lid is sitting incorrectly and leaks, probably just needs adjusting. little rust on the sun roof, front spoiler is missing the bottom lip and all the grills are cracked on the front. Apart from that its not that bad. I will probably go for a full re spray in the same colour.

Cheers

Kaz

Post Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:21 pm

Question,

The ABS sensor is it optical or a Hall sensor and does it matter which way round i connect these 4 wires (cheers Rat).

http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae36 ... 022e10.jpg

Thanks

Kaz

Post Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:41 pm

Hall sensor, I believe, that picks up on the toothed 'cog' on the hub.

Not sure if they're polarised, or like the CPS, just a coil of wire...

Post Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:02 pm

Hall sensor in an E30? That's a bit too technologically advanced for one of these! Just a coil of wire around a magnet, generating a voltage when the magnetic field is disturbed.
Only two wires that can be connected either way around.
Front sensors appear identical at first sight, but are handed. They won't work if fitted on the wrong side.

Post Sun Dec 01, 2013 4:42 pm

Pretty sure its a variable reluctance sensor or vr sensor the. Way round the wire go may we'll matter

Post Sun Dec 01, 2013 7:29 pm

The way to find out is measure the resistance of the wires leading to the sensor, then swap the wires around and measure again - if the resistance is the same both ways, then it's an unpolarised coil.

Post Sun Dec 01, 2013 8:53 pm

Thank you all for the tips, I will give it a go when i get back. Shooting off to check out another E30 tomorrow, hopefully it is what it says on the box and I can bring it home.

Cheers

Kaz

Post Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:19 pm

OK decision made, definitely going to restore the Hartge 26, i have had a chassis report from Birds and it is a genuine H26 and yes with the current chip it is 193 whp. plus the car has too many memories for me, so in for a penny!!!!

Its been parked up for a long time and some surface rust has appear on many spots, some in the engine bay and some underneath some inside.

I was thinking to use to rust inhibitor to slow it down while i get round to doing it. Is it worth it and is there anywhere i should not get rust inhibitor like rubber/plastics or will a little overspray be ok. Oh and some advice on a good product would be great.

I want to try and slow the rust down for the upcoming winter - car will be outside.

As always thanks for the advice.

Cheers

Kaz

Post Tue Jan 14, 2014 12:55 pm

Appreciated.

OK so the sunroof wont open i suspect that its just a bit clogged up from sitting. the back part opens fine, any suggestions for massaging it open - don't want to break it.

You can hear the motor whining as its trying to open the sun roof, if i do get it open what's best to lubricate it oil, wd40, grease?

Cheers

Kaz

Post Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:58 pm

No takers on the sunroof?

Cheers

Kaz

Post Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:02 pm

WD40 is OK, but only displaces water for 40 days, then it attracts it! I would use a silicone spray, such as Wurth, etc.

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

Post Sat Jan 25, 2014 4:02 pm

Thanks - i have seen that, but i cannot get mine open, want i want to know is should i give it a hand or is they a way of getting it out without having actually opened it.

Although now it would seem to strong arm it a little.

Cheers

Kaz

Post Sat Jan 25, 2014 4:12 pm

You could try gently pushing it from inside as you operate the switch. Perservere - it may well take several attempts...

Post Mon Jan 27, 2014 2:10 pm

I was sat in the car today messing around with the gearbox and just pushed the sunroof button for kicks and it opened lol didnt want to close with out a little help, but was ok. i guess it needs a little greasing.

I had already tried from the inside a couple days ago, maybe i loosened it up a bit.

Cheers

Kaz