e36 non starter - pulsing relays!

Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:36 pm

Hi chaps,
My '99 323 won't start. Have a starter so EWS is good. Will try to hook up INPA later.
Just got out there with a meter, struggling to test for sparks without a trusty assistant, but have metered the following:

TPS - getting 5v
Fuel Pump - the black connector with the bigger cable (green/purple) which is I presume supply is not getting 12v, rather 12v is pulsing every couple of seconds
Coil - getting 12v

The fuel pump relay and the other green relay (DME relay perhaps?) in the back left corner of the fusebox are clicking/pulsing every couple of seconds too. Only metered the one nearest the front (DME relay???) but the pulse appears to be on the control/coil circuit not the output.
Any ideas what's causing this? Time to hit the ETM!
Cheers
Tim

Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:42 pm

Another thing I forgot to mention, AC compressor relay is clicking over every .5sec or so (much more frequently than the DME/fuel pump relay), causing the compressor to engage and disengage incessantly. Weird!
Just bridged output of fuel pump relay (30 and 87), fuel pump gets a solid 12v and works. Still won't start, *think* I couldn't hear the injectors ticking away though.
ECU looking more and more likely candidate...

Fri Jan 17, 2014 11:46 pm

Have you removed the dme from its housing behind the fusebox? Seen a few e36's with water ingress in there,especially with all the rain we've had.

Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:02 am

Shagged ECU mate

Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:01 pm

Yeah was my conclusion! Will try to have it out tonight. what's the best replacement to stick in? Been messaging a bloke on ebay about a non-EWS one or copying my flash, he seems pretty decent...

Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:34 pm

New HT leads required, maybe?

Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:07 pm

Jesus! It's like you've seen my car!