Car won't start... again! 🙄

[Cyant1fical]

Don't know why I bother sometimes...
M40b18

Basically same kind of problem as before if anyone has read my previous post... fuel pump connectors were iffy but I chopped them and put new blocks on so they're wired straight on rather than the circle black terminals attached to the fuel pump the wires are *green & brown* now they're all fine car and I can hear the tiniest click when I turn the key, was working great, for about 2 weeks I think it is then today it decides to be a see you next Tuesday.... now I've checked the engine and fuel is getting in and I'm getting no spark though, the spark plugs themselves are brand new and I always take a spare one in my tool kit to check the spark as I say rather than taking one out of the engine if I haven't got the bulky socket set... relays and fuses are fine and when I turn the key the engine makes a click which I think is the start motor engaging before I actually turn the car on... no ideas but it'll be nice if someone can point me in the right direction thanks... Cyan

[DanThe]

Starter clicks but does not turn? That will be a problem with the starter itself or the electrical circuit that controls it

[Speedtouch]

Battery too flat to turn the engine over, perhaps? Try giving the starter motor a clout with a mallet, or jump-start the car by rolling it down a hill and letting the clutch out in 2nd gear with the ignition on.

[Cyant1fical]

I'm not entirely sure what's going on with it, the battery is flat as a pancake now, needs a good charge, the engine itself cranks but just doesn't want to turn over, makes no sense... it's something like this;

[Speedtouch]

Sounds like you need to check the fuel pump and DME relays, and associated fuses.

[Cyant1fical]

The relays and fuses are fine and strangely I think the fuel pump is fine, fuel is getting through and I heard a little click when I turned the ignition to on which I'm imagining is the fuel about to flow? I'm gonna change the fuel pump soon anyway as it does look quite old hmm... I can't do anything at the minute though as my car battery is flat! a‘Ž

[mark_i]

the noise you want to hear is the sound of the fuel pump running as you crank the engine.

Get your battery charged and lift the rear bench to remove the black fuel pump cover .

[Cyant1fical]

Update

The car has started... I charged the battery for a little bit, I'm going to replace this as I'm suspicious of this anyway and I'm suspicious of the fuel pump as well so that's another job as well! Gonna run it up and down the street a few times to see how it goes and I shall let everyone know a˜a

Cyan

[Cyant1fical]

I removed the seat and cover and everything can hear the fuel pump whizzing away in the back so I generally think it's the battery not giving enough power so we have no spark

Cyan

[Cyant1fical]

Another update

Car has just died on me in the street, all I can think is new fuel pump and battery hmm

Cyan a™a

[Speedtouch]

The relays and fuses are fine and strangely I think the fuel pump is fine, fuel is getting through and I heard a little click when I turned the ignition to on ...

The click will probably be the DME relay and/or fuel pump relay.

Just because it clicks doesn't necessarily mean its switching contacts aren't pitted and worn, so try replacing that before going to all the expense of fitting other more costly new parts such as fuel pump, etc.

[Cyant1fical]

I'll order some in a second then. I did think this tbh, I have checked the ignition coil and the primary only read 0.1 and the secondary was just over 5000, I did test this with the battery off though, which is strange as the battery once it was back on wouldn't start if that was the case though would it?

Cyan

[Speedtouch]

Yes, it is common for the primary (LT) coil to be a very low impedance compared to the secondary (HT) - this is how step-up transformers work!

[Cyant1fical]

I was just unsure as the primary was meant to run between 0.4 & 2.0 ohms, so I'm ordering tonight a new crankshaft sensor as they're relatively cheap and easy to install, I'm going to buy a new battery next week and do you have any idea where I can get the relays from? I can't seem to find them anywhere.

Cyan

[Speedtouch]

Try the local BMW dealer! Alternatively, you can use second-hand ones available from traders on here or E-bay, but you take your chances, of course...

You could even try swapping the relays around, if they have the same terminal layout.

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Relays

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

[Cyant1fical]

So I've ordered; crank shaft sensor, blue temp sensor and a brand new relay from Bosch Germany for the fuel relay, I managed to get that from eBay for £6 and I'd rather pay that than messing about test all my other relays which tbh I have a few laying round and tbh I'm not entirely sure how to test them tbh, I've been googleing how to test with multimeter but all of them hook up to he battery and unless I'm being dumb I'm not entirely sure a˜‚a˜‚

Cyan

[Cyant1fical]

Still no further forward a™„
Tried to change the crankshaft sensor but the bolt is rounded so I can't unscrew it now *sigh* it's going in to the unit this week coming and I'm going to plug it in and diagnose the engine on the computer properly to see what and where I'm at with it, it's just getting me down as the weather is nice and I just want to drive it a™a I'm just meed to run until I make the engine swap! If anyone else has any ideas I would like to know...

We're getting spark and fuel, I do have a feeling the car battery is f***ed so I'm gonna find a bigger and better one although I did try a battery off my other car and that's only about 5 months old now so not sure...