E30 Build Thread

Patiently awaiting Df and his knowledge.

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Originally Posted by FenderBender

Patiently awaiting Df and his knowledge.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Bimmer App

k, seriously...









ok, for real this time....


without going back and re-reading the pages, this thing will not idle or accelerate on its own.

ran better with the return line pinched off.

this indicates fuel related.

the fuel pressure dropping like a rock when shut down indicates a faulty check valve if the return line is pinched off.

fpr would not cause this issue. at least not that i am aware of.


how do the plugs look now??

did you take a vacuum reading??

you *could* have a restriction in the exhaust. a quick and easy wayo to check would be to remove the o2. if it runs better then suspect a restricted exhaust, most likely the substrate in the cat. or pieces of said substrate in the muffler...(no, won;t affect the fuel pressure dropping off like in the vid...)

so i'd check that.

i'd also get a fuel pump that doesn't have a fault check valve.



better now??




df

Originally Posted by FenderBender

Steal! I'd buy it!


But Ken, what's wrong with mine??

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99% sure it's the fuel pump and/or FPR. Low fuel pressure would account for every one of your symptoms.

...and, dang, I want that '90 sedan. I couldn't afford it if it was $5 let alone $500. I'll betcha it was underwater during Isaac. I'd still take it.

I'm try to get a vacuum gauge.

Just ordered a full fuel assembly from rock auto, 110 bucks. Returning the fuel pump itself for 80 something.

Crossing fingers!

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Sorry for the absense, been crazy busy lately.


Update, installed whole fuel assembly, check pump is working, no leaks.


Still low pressure. According to my service manual if you clamp the return line and the pressure jumps, the FPR is no good. I swapped between the new and old, both do the same thing. It looks like they let wayyyy to much fuel out when I leave the return line off to just watch.


Going to return the new one and get another brand.

Got another regulator, seems to have correct pressure now, not sure though. Still does the "let's nit start after I'm semi warm"deal.

Remember, I have a new coolant temp sensor and it will not run with it plugged in.

Thoughts?

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Holy hell. This car sounds like a nightmare.

Matt, this car sucks. You should leave a flaming bag of dog poop on the front step of whoever sold it you's house.

EDIT: I had a Ford taurus that had the 2.9 with a dizzy and when it got "warm" it would stop running and cease to start, after months of it just shutting off in random places i found that the cam/crank sensor in the dizzy housing went bad and I replaced it with a junkyard dizzy and it solved all my woes. I'm not saying that it's your problem, but the sensors, all the sensors are worth looking into.

Lot, not the answers I was looking for, but ok guys!


I did get pair of front black sport seats and rear black seats for $150 for this thing.

Now you understand why they sold it so cheap...
I keep thinking "he's got it this time!" Then nope. Just kidding.
Time to part out?

did you read my edit matt?

Originally Posted by Kdoherty

Matt, this car sucks. You should leave a flaming bag of dog poop on the front step of whoever sold it you's house.

EDIT: I had a Ford taurus that had the 2.9 with a dizzy and when it got "warm" it would stop running and cease to start, after months of it just shutting off in random places i found that the cam/crank sensor in the dizzy housing went bad and I replaced it with a junkyard dizzy and it solved all my woes. I'm not saying that it's your problem, but the sensors, all the sensors are worth looking into.

Df said something about the crank or cam sensor. Yours was located in the distributor?

Originally Posted by TheFinanceGuy

Now you understand why they sold it so cheap...
I keep thinking "he's got it this time!" Then nope. Just kidding.
Time to part out?

Nah, I am not giving up until it blows up or runs!

Originally Posted by FenderBender

Df said something about the crank or cam sensor. Yours was located in the distributor?



Nah, I am not giving up until it blows up or runs!

on the Ford it was in the tube underneath the rotator. used a classic stator and reluctor style sensor, the BMW is probably not as stupid and has its own external sensors.

iirc the crank sensor is at the front of the engine.




df

DF, do you think it could be a crank or cam sensor issue?

not if it's a low fuel issue.

what was the fuel pressure spec/reading??

does it actually run when the return line is pinched off??

if it still stumbles, then what i suggest is check the fuel pressure and see if it drops off when the stumbling occurs. if not, then you may have a different issue.

then i would check the crank and throttle position sensors.



df

I'd have to try again because it wouldn't start.

The spec is 43 key on, which is now around 42. The spec is the same running but it read around 38, but the issue was high. Didn't get a chance to clamp the line.

What about the coolant temp sensor? Wierd huh?

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Actual when it stumbles and is barely running the fuel pressure is higher.

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ok. not thinking coolant sensor as it should not be warm enough to be in closed loop.

if it is running poorer with higher fuel pressure, then i would suspect that either you are geting waaay too much fuel in the injector pulse, or the atomization is not sufficient, or the dme is holding the injectors open too long (either by mistake or by faulty input)


i would verify there is no other way that fuel is getting to the combustion chamber (charcoal canister), and see if you can get the injector pulse measured. a power graphing meter would be needed, as a regular dvom will not be able to display this info.

not sure what the spec is, but a few milliseconds is pretty much all that is needed.



if it were a coolant sensor, i would expect a difference in running with the circuit jumped out.



df

Alright, it's running by itself, fuel pressure still seems low though


Sorry it is a long video, but hopefully it will give you guys some insight to the problems.


Also, didn't realize I sounded so douchey on video....yikes.






Cliffs:

Dies with coolant temp sensor plugged in

Dies when I smack or move the computer around

Revs up, but not smoothly with AFM plugged in

Barely revs up with AFM unplugged

Fuel pressure 36ish psi

Fuel pressure rises with throttle

Just went back out and she fired right up .

Maybe I'll try a new cap rotor and wires tomorrow. I also need to solder the 02 sensor wire back on since it disintegrated.

I also used a jumper wire on the coolant temp sensor wire and it killed the engine just like if I plugged it in. Strange.

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well fuel pressure looks much better. and it should increase when reving the throttle, that's normal.

sounds like you need the valvs adjusted....or put oil in it...


have you looked at the wiring diagram to see what else the coolant temp sensor may be in series with?? or shares a common ground with??

it does seem to be running much better now, though.



df

She has oil! Lol

I may do the valves, never done that before though.

Shouldn't the temp sensor just go straight to the ecu? Maybe I should measure resistance from the sensor to the ecu? Other ideas?

Think I may just need a little tune up to get it to stop missing?

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what i suggest is get the thing warm, then do the first set of valves for proper lash.

then, let it cool overnight and remeasure the cold spec. then set the rest of the valves to that. and write that spec down if it is not available on the interwebs somewhere.

use an old piece of coathanger to adjust the roller. (if they're like m20's)

there is also a way to jump the starter through the diagnostic connector, but i forget what pin it is. we would use a testlight. it's been forever and then some since i have adjusted valves on these things, so i simply do not remember.


cold spec here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=302542

df

Valve adjustment can effect how it runs that significantly? Sorry valve noob here. I'll have to look up the diy.

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