martyyn 2 Report post Posted October 15, 2006 (edited) Right then. Ive read the recent thread about the 325 not starting and although I think I know what you were all talking about I have no idea what to do here. Up until this week she was starting and running sweetly. Slowly she began to struggle with idling, starting was still no porblem but twice she stalled when in traffic and then struggled to start. Today I went to start her and although she turns over and I can hear a 'click click click' as she is turning over she wont start. The is a slight whirring noise when the ignition is initially turn on, but I would say its less than half a second - is that the pump ? Ive pulled the relay out and reseated it, the contacts all 'look' ok. Ive pulled the cover off the dizzy (told you I was a n00b) as the dizzy itself appeared a little loose so I reseated that and with a little pressure applied she fired up. Struggled but at least stated. So I took a little drive and all was ok. I stopped at a local garage to turn around and she stalled again before Id even come to a stop. Again with a little pressure on the dizzy she started up but rough as guts. After a couple of seconds it settled down and then idled perfectly. Got home and again stalled before coming to a standstill and this time wont start. She is stranded at the bottom of the hill outside our place at the moment ! Any suggestions are more than welcome but please go easy. Im on the first rung as it were with e30's but am willing to learn which is why I got her in the first place :-) [edit] A common solution Im finding on the web is to give the fuel pump a tap to at least get it going again....where exactly is the fuel pump, I can find dozens of pictures of one taken apart but not one in the car ! [edit part 2] So Ive found the fuel pump and given it a tap bit no dice. When I remove and reseat the relay I can hear a whirring which I assume it means that its nothing from that end onwards....so can I assume that the fuel pump is not working ? Unfortunately I cant turn the ignition and listen to the pump on the other side of the car ! Edited October 15, 2006 by martyyn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OLLIE 26 Report post Posted October 15, 2006 i had problems like this and god it's a pain to pin point the cause! jump a wire from the + battery to the + of the coil to bypass the ignition, see if this helps. or jump a wire from the ignition fuse to the fuel pump fuse to bypass the relay and test whether the pump is working and no just the relay. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted October 15, 2006 If you can hear the pump (whirring noise) for the second or so when you turn the key on thens it's unlikely to be that at fault. Pump should start again when the engine is cranking. Need a second person to crank while you listen to it à take it you are talking pre facelift - with pump under car in front of left rear wheel? Alternatively take off fuel line at front of fuel rail (ign off), turn key on briefly & check that fuel flows Check for vacuum leak - air flow meter piping etc If car dosen't go at all also check spark - plug lead off, screwdriver into lead, (NOT near any fuel obviously) hold by insulated handle with the blade about 5mm away from metal on the engine - get someone to crank over, if there is spark then probably nothing to do with dissy. You may have a crook air flow meter (AFM) - hard to confirm that one yourself Also may have flooded it, If above diagnostics ok (fuel & spark) then try holding full trottle while cranking over - I assume it is cranking ok? Good luck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martyyn 2 Report post Posted October 15, 2006 (edited) Thanks for the suggestions fellas but I think Ive found the culprit, thanks to Ian (Hartage) who spotted the salient words in my initial post....'a little pressure on the dizzy cap and she fired up' Taking it off again and pulling the little cover off that was over the rotor gave me this.... It looks a little cooked to me and judging by what I found on the OEMparts website it might not even be the correct rotor arm. Its certainly a different shape and it also appears to not have a wide enough diameter as its only making contact on the base of the contact points and not the points themselves. So Ill get myself a new one and see how she goes tomorrow. Edited October 15, 2006 by martyyn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted October 15, 2006 That could be the biggest n00b error i've EVER made. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martyyn 2 Report post Posted October 15, 2006 Well I wasnt going to mention any names Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hartage 0 Report post Posted October 16, 2006 Hahahaha Skooled! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
