Ignition or fuel problem

[xWeenuSx]

I am new to the forums and would like to thankyou for any help you can offer. I have a 1994 325IS that has stopped cranking for some weird reason. I drove this car regularly for about a year and parked it for about 2 mounths because I had 2 weels that were damaged by a pothole. I tried starting the car and the battery was dead. I charged the battery and the car would turn over but not fire up. I know these cars are particular about batteries and voltage so I took the battery out of the car and had it tested. Checked out OK. Tried to crank, again it would only turn over but not fire up. I can smell gas comming out of the exhaust so i'm pretty sure its not the fuel pump. Just to make sure I looked under the hood at the fuse block for the ignition fuse and fuel pump fuse but couldn't find them. Not sure if i'm just over looking them or is there any other fuse block locations on these cars? I also tried using my spair key and that didn't work either. Any help would be greatly appricieated.

Thanks,
David

[drivinfaster]

i always try to start with the basics, battery (check), fuel pressure, and spark delivery. then go from there with cam and crank sensor checks. do you have a dvom?? that would help out (a power graphing meter will be more usefull, though) for sensor checks.

if fuel pressure checks ok, and there is power to the coils, then your suspects are going to be the inputs that tell the dme when to fire the injectors and coils, or the dme itself. without actually being there myself, it is rather difficult to guess simply on symptom, so checl the other 2 steps and go from there.

drivinfaster

[stephenslyman]

id still say battery.... id hate to recommend buyin a new battery but if you got an amigo to let you jump off his car while its running. try it.

not sure how long gas lasts but sometimes water condensation can occur in the gas tank. which i know for sure affects alot of things.

if you topped up the gas with some fresh gas and keep the jump leads connected to a running car battery and then keep turning it over stepping on the gas pedal.

[xWeenuSx]

Thanks for the help guys. So far still can't figure out what is wrong with it. I used a can of starter fluid and the car will crank and run for a few seconds so now I am leaning more twords the fuel pump. I guess I will drop the tank and have the pump tested. Anyone have any insight on dropping the gas tank. 1994 325is

Thanks again,
David

[fireforgedxtian]

IIRC, you don't need to drop the tank to get to the fuel pump. Look under your back seat...

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Fuel-Pump/E36-Fuel-Pump.htm