E30 not starting

[Gotheschu 1]

Tried to start it too move it into the garage.

see here what its doing =( right before christmas and new years and sadly my track debut haha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EItzHbVbfL0

I am a complete idiot so i don't know where the fuel line is so I can't check that without some guidance. Its getting a spark, and there is alot of fuel in it.

Any ideas =(

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

if there is definately spark, then there is either no fuel and/or no compression and/or no air. if nothings changed on the engine compression wont be te issue. does the engine suk through the airbox? if so then its fuel

also, does your car have a nissan starter motor in it? doesnt sound like any e30 ive seen or driven, it does sound like my dads offroader though lol (Nissan powered Suzuki SJ)

[hybrid 1044]

Are you 100% sure it has spark ?

Sounds like the blade fuse to the ECU has popped.

from the battery you will see two power cables, a large one and a smaller one, the small one is where the ECU fuse surge fuse is. Remove the plastic capping and have a look for a heat shrunk 'fat' section .. in there is a flat blade fuse ... bridge it with some simlar gauge wire and try again.

This power is a separate line to the ECU.

I replaced mine with a circuit breaker as below

[hotwire 352]

Jack:

Does it have spark at the plug leads?

Does the fuel pump momentarily prime when you first turn the key on before cranking?

Fuel lines run along the L/H side to the front - quite obvious. One is return - via the pressure regulator diaphram at the front of the engine. The other comes from the filter & connects to the rail - disconnect this & see if fuel flows when cranking.

If both are good (& you have done nothing else since last running) my bet is that it's flooded - remove the plugs & check if wet - if so - thorougly dry, disconnect spark, crank the engine at wide open throttle for several seconds, refit the plugs & start - hopefully:-

[Gotheschu 1]

yea 100% sure its got spark.

Im starting to think its the fuel pump just a bit weird if goes that instantly. like 1 hour ago ( at the time ) it was fine started first time. park it for 2 hours, then nothing.

right before xmas haha so everyones off on holiday =)

[Phatputer 3]

I had similar when my fuel pump relay was going / gone

Would turn over fine but just wasn't getting fuel

Mine died while driving along and left me stranded on the side of the road till a mate came along and worked out the issue, bridged the relay and got it home, swapped it out and never had a problem since.

[huff3r 347]

I had similar when my fuel pump relay was going / gone

Would turn over fine but just wasn't getting fuel

Mine died while driving along and left me stranded on the side of the road till a mate came along and worked out the issue, bridged the relay and got it home, swapped it out and never had a problem since.

Same thing happened to me last friday. Diagnosis is easy, as hotwire said, does the fuel pump prime when you first turn the key on? Should be a little 1/2 second electric motor type sound, as it pressurises the fuel lines ready to start up. If your not hearing it then you have fuel pump/relay/fuse issues.

[Nobimmer 694]

Just pull the fuel line off and crank it. If fuel comes out then it's not that. Easy.

[Gotheschu 1]

Just pull the fuel line off and crank it. If fuel comes out then it's not that. Easy.

dumb question but where exactly is the fuel line in idiots terms.

( how do I check the rely? )

Edited December 23, 2010 by Gotheschu

[Phatputer 3]

Not entirely a silly question, until you have swapped your fuel lines they can be rather deceptive

There are two fuel lines that are in the engine, both located on the fuel rail which the injectors plug into.

One runs up under the intake manifold, the other off the end of the fuel rail.

Can't remember which one was which in regards to which was the fuel line and which was the return line, just follow it up from the fuel filter.

[Gotheschu 1]

nothing what so ever when i turn the key.... we tried yesterday if any of another e30's relays and fuses would work ( fuel related ones ) with no luck.

Edited December 23, 2010 by Gotheschu

[huff3r 347]

nothing what so ever when i turn the key.... we tried yesterday to seeing if any of another e30's relays and fuses would work ( fuel related ones ) with no luck.

Including the large one under a seperate cover near the airbox? Thats the one that died for me. Well if its not that, then I'm pretty sure its the fuel line nearest the firewall that is the fuel, and the one closest to the front of the motor is the return... So maybe try removing that and crank it.. watch what happens.

[Gotheschu 1]

Including the large one under a seperate cover near the airbox? Thats the one that died for me.

No we didn't check that one. Just went and took it out then in again with no luck but can't really be sure without a multimeter or another E30 to take the fuse out of. =)

[Forrest 35]

Check you havn't knocked the ignition switch off/come loose (opposite side where the key goes in) when you were installing the dash. Ign switch turns the fuel pump on etc. Find and swap over the fuel pump relay with another one in the fuse box, there are others sitting there that work in the same slot.

And look at this http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....showtopic=27120

Edited December 23, 2010 by Brams

[Matty104 0]

One of mine did that when i stoped to get gas on the way to work a few weeks ago.

Seemed to be the pump relay in the engine bay right next to the air box. pop the cover off and it will be the relay that has a fat red wire going to it, either swap that with another one, or try bridging pin 30 and 87 iirc and that should put constant power to the pump so you can test it.

P.S , by Bridging i mean put a wire in the slot for those pins then push the relay back in with the wire still in there, so your electrics still work.

Edited December 24, 2010 by Matty104

[Gotheschu 1]

holy sh*t just did my first mechanically smart thing with this car.

I thought if its the big ass fuel pump relay thats faulty then if I take it out and try start it, it should make the same sound.

So I took it out and tried starting it and it does the exact same thing it did with the relay in it.

So is it the relay? You guys agree?

[Gotheschu 1]

heres a vid of it starting with the relay in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uDHcVvNjr4

and heres a vid of it starting without the relay in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su8ofWwS4Nk

[huff3r 347]

The easiest way to tell is to borrow a relay. Anyone around with an E30 you can ask for help? Fortunately for me I have an entire spare car at home, but it isnt so easy without that. It wont start without that relay regardless as it runs several other things too.

[Silver Fox 43]

First off, take the plate off behind the driver's seat and listen to hear if the fuel pump goes when you turn the key, if not, take the plug off at the tank and check if you are getting 12 volts across the 2 wires when you turn the key. If you have 12 volts and the pump's not working then the pump's stuffed.

Next, if you don't have 12 volts at the pump the problem lies between the key and the pump, so, either the power's not getting to the relay, or it's not going thru the relay. Then, check you have power at the fuel relay, pin 30 and ground should be 12 volts, if not, you have a problem between the battery and the relay. Then check pins 85 - and 86 +, when you turn the key should give you 12 volts, if not, you have a problem between the key and the relay. If both these are working, use a short piece of wire and jump pins 30 and 87, this should turn the fuel pump on, if it doesn't, check for voltage at the pump again, you may have a break in the wires going back to the pump, although this is unlikely.

Hope this helps.

[3series 0]

Just checked the fuel relay in my car, ran pretty up and down with it compared to my other one but worked. Admittedly they were different part numbers.

Edited December 24, 2010 by bmw3

[Gotheschu 1]

First off, take the plate off behind the driver's seat and listen to hear if the fuel pump goes when you turn the key, if not, take the plug off at the tank and check if you are getting 12 volts across the 2 wires when you turn the key. If you have 12 volts and the pump's not working then the pump's stuffed.

Next, if you don't have 12 volts at the pump the problem lies between the key and the pump, so, either the power's not getting to the relay, or it's not going thru the relay. Then, check you have power at the fuel relay, pin 30 and ground should be 12 volts, if not, you have a problem between the battery and the relay. Then check pins 85 - and 86 +, when you turn the key should give you 12 volts, if not, you have a problem between the key and the relay. If both these are working, use a short piece of wire and jump pins 30 and 87, this should turn the fuel pump on, if it doesn't, check for voltage at the pump again, you may have a break in the wires going back to the pump, although this is unlikely.

Hope this helps.

wow..... do i need a multimeter for this?

otherwise my mind is blank on all that. haha fck im useless.

but yea as andy said I put my relay in his race car and it didn't healthy at all. Compared to his relay....

Edited December 24, 2010 by Gotheschu

[3series 0]

to be fair it did start first time, sounded a little rough compared to when I started on my fuel pump relay but it worked.

Edited December 24, 2010 by bmw3

[Phatputer 3]

So you have stolen his relay to test??

[hotwire 352]

Jack, it sounds as if you are going around in circles here. As per my PM's with you last night - phone me to get a diagnosis procedure

[Gotheschu 1]

Jack, it sounds as if you are going around in circles here. As per my PM's with you last night - phone me to get a diagnosis procedure

am i grant? Dont really wanna ring you during xmas cause im useless with this and you'll get really fustrated. Box of beers if anyone wants to come have a look after xmas or whenever ill come drop off/pick up save fuel haha. Will ring you for sure grant just let me know when works for YOU. Thanks again mate