1995 540i won't start

Originally Posted by rv6rick

I still have a bit of hope that the CPS will be the fix but it has deminised since the possibility of a misprint in the manual.

I kind of know how you feel. I thought I was going to have to junk my E36 before I finally got the DME swap done (EWS and all that crap ya`know).

Just so you will know, that link I provided is actually from Bentley, so yeah, it was an actual misprint I know this has tripped a lot of people up.

Wish I lived near you. I'd come over and add a second set of eyeballs on it. I still hope you get it figured out. I'd hate to see you just give it away. It just about has to be something simple everyone is missing if only because of the fact that it occurred after the car sat for a week.

I'm seriously feeling for you rv6rick, altho RR doesn't think I belong on this thread we are going thru the same exact thing...today we upped it to removing the valve covers and checking crank. spark etc with marks (timing lite at the coil, stroke on timing chain) and TDC is within 6% so we are no longer thinking the timing jumped or that there are any elect timing issues. In addition all exhaust and intake has been checked for blockage...nada (took the O2 sensors out just in case). One thing of possible note is that there doesn't seem to be any strong intake...barely managing 2-3" at the intake manifold after the throttle.

We had been thinking an initial low compression reading (the first day we were problem solving) was due to what appeared to be cylinder wash...took plugs out, a squirt of oil, and compression rose nicely to 160ish. But now all that seems left that hasn't been asked and answered definitively is a persistant/re-occurring low compression. Is it cylinder wash causing the low compr or is low compr the actual problem? I hope you do get to check your compression before ditching your car sure like to know what your's is reading.

We'd had a row of cold nights prior to this issue and I hadn't driven the car for 36 hours. It's being suggested to me that this could be rings. I would have thought I would have felt more performance issues as the rings were breaking down but we're wondering if with such a small volume (3.0 L) combined with cold, if all 8 cylinders could go bad at once...? Seems unlikely (to me) but we too are at wits end and are grasping at straws.

We're doing more tomorrow on compression...I'll let you know what happens.

Edited to clarify: when I say breaking down all at once I mean becoming ineffective, suddenly and all 8 at once, without rough performance prior to. This car has 213K loving miles on it so I expect a lot of wear but again thought I would have had a heads up performance wise before she just put it down for good! Only issue I've really notices is that she's gotten a bit slower on the git up and go...she used to sit back on her haunches then take off, now she thinks about it a sec and slowly gets on with it...sorta like me as I age!

Thanks for the heads up and more detail on yours.

So yours was running fine one day and just died (almost) the next day same as mine correct?

Did you check your Crank Position Sensor?

You've read the possible (probable) mistake in the manual for the OHM reading on my 540i but either way I should know this for sure tonight assuming my part arrives at Auto Zone today.

I can NOT believe that my car was perfectly fine then the compressions on all 8 cylinders took a dive one day after the car sat in a heated garage for a week, but what do I know?

Rick in Ohio

Originally Posted by pkquest

I'm seriously feeling for you rv6rick, altho RR doesn't think I belong on this thread we are going thru the same exact thing...today we upped it to removing the valve covers and checking crank. spark etc with marks (timing lite at the coil, stroke on timing chain) and TDC is within 6% so we are no longer thinking the timing jumped or that there are any elect timing issues. In addition all exhaust and intake has been checked for blockage...nada (took the O2 sensors out just in case). One thing of possible note is that there doesn't seem to be any strong intake...barely managing 2-3" at the intake manifold after the throttle.

We had been thinking an initial low compression reading (the first day we were problem solving) was due to what appeared to be cylinder wash...took plugs out, a squirt of oil, and compression rose nicely to 160ish. But now all that seems left that hasn't been asked and answered definitively is a persistant/re-occurring low compression. Is it cylinder wash causing the low compr or is low compr the actual problem? I hope you do get to check your compression before ditching your car sure like to know what your's is reading.

We'd had a row of cold nights prior to this issue and I hadn't driven the car for 36 hours. It's being suggested to me that this could be rings. I would have thought I would have felt more performance issues as the rings were breaking down but we're wondering if with such a small volume (3.0 L) combined with cold, if all 8 cylinders could go bad at once...? Seems unlikely (to me) but we too are at wits end and are grasping at straws.

We're doing more tomorrow on compression...I'll let you know what happens.

Edited to clarify: when I say breaking down all at once I mean becoming ineffective, suddenly and all 8 at once, without rough performance prior to. This car has 213K loving miles on it so I expect a lot of wear but again thought I would have had a heads up performance wise before she just put it down for good! Only issue I've really notices is that she's gotten a bit slower on the git up and go...she used to sit back on her haunches then take off, now she thinks about it a sec and slowly gets on with it...sorta like me as I age!

Originally Posted by rv6rick

I can NOT believe that my car was perfectly fine then the compressions on all 8 cylinders took a dive one day after the car sat in a heated garage for a week, but what do I know?

Rick in Ohio

You will lose compression when you wash the cylinder walls with gas. That is why it was suggested you squirt a few drops of oil down the plug holes before cranking.

This is what I have been getting at. It still may just be flooded. Cold temps, washed cylinders, wet plugs in combination will give you exactly the symptoms you have.

Have you checked the engine temp sensor? I am not entirely familiar with your engine but if the sensor is bad, reading cold, it could contribute to excess fuel being delivered when it shouldn't be.

Well, we have the first hopeful news since last thursday...with the valve covers off, oil was put in to seal rings and propane and ether was used for fuel and...wait for it, YES...she rumbled to life for a few seconds (had to quick stop because no valve covers and oil started flying!). Now the new gaskets and the valve covers will be replaced and we'll see what happens. I'm not going to get too excited yet but this is the first time she's started AT ALL!

cross fingers...this evening I'll report back.
I'll keep fingers crossed for you also Rick that you sensor works for you.

Originally Posted by pkquest

Well, we have the first hopeful news since last thursday...with the valve covers off, oil was put in to seal rings and propane and ether was used for fuel and...wait for it, YES...she rumbled to life for a few seconds (had to quick stop because no valve covers and oil started flying!). Now the new gaskets and the valve covers will be replaced and we'll see what happens. I'm not going to get too excited yet but this is the first time she's started AT ALL!

cross fingers...this evening I'll report back.
I'll keep fingers crossed for you also Rick that you sensor works for you.

I'm going to be honest and preface this with saying I havent read the first 100+ posts...

That being said. It sounds like it just ran on propane and ether... That means that the fuel delivery ssytem is the issue. Have you checked all those components? FP replay? fuel pump? Injectors? Regulator? Fuel Itself?

Originally Posted by Monsignor

I'm going to be honest and preface this with saying I havent read the first 100+ posts...

That being said. It sounds like it just ran on propane and ether... That means that the fuel delivery ssytem is the issue. Have you checked all those components? FP replay? fuel pump? Injectors? Regulator? Fuel Itself?

What happened in the first 100 posts was making sure (over and over again) that fuel was being injected. Fuel pressure was within spec in the rail, and wet plugs was another symptom.

That is why I have been saying that I think it was just flooded

Originally Posted by snowsled7

What happened in the first 100 posts was making sure (over and over again) that fuel was being injected. Fuel pressure was within spec in the rail, and wet plugs was another symptom.

That is why I have been saying that I think it was just flooded

Thanks. Then disregard what I said lol. Must be some M60 specific issue that I just don't know

Originally Posted by Monsignor

Thanks. Then disregard what I said lol. Must be some M60 specific issue that I just don't know

It really is a bit of a mystery and I am no M60 expert myself...

PKQUEST,

Respectfully, Please do me a favor and start a NEW THREAD about your engine as I do not want to mix your car with my car on this thread. I was OK with it in the beginning and even saw some benefit but now I'm seeing posts about YOUR CAR and that is confusing people and NOT helping me. I know I even replied to your posts here but now I realize this was a mistake.

Respectfully I ask this, and glad you are getting somewhere my friend :^)

Thanks very much :^).

Back to business.

Rick in Ohio

OK back to my car and the original post.

I put in my NEW Crank Position Sensor tonight. First I checked the OHMs and it read 570 ohm. Right then I knew that it wasn't going to work but I put it in anyway.

Cranked the car and no change, it just cranks like it did before.

Just for kicks I pulled all 4 plugs on the passenger side and lined them all up in their indivual coils. I grounded all the plugs and had my wife crank the engine. It was like a pretty little Christmas tree with all the little spark plugs just sparking away repetitiously and sequentially. So all is good there with NO QUESTIONS......and about the 10th time I verified but this was the first time I did MULTIPLE plugs.

NEW STUFF: While the plugs were out I held my barbecue lighter right down in the plug hole with the fuel pump fuse IN (first time this way). I figured I wanted to see what was going on and I got a real EYE OPENER..........when that cylinder came up on the compression stroke it sounded like a cannon went off in my garage and shot a flame out 4 feet long.....MAN 'O MAN do these things have POWER!!

So, even though I checked my fuel pressure and rail and all that stuff before this was another way to verify I have fuel.

It's either some kind of timing issue (like Steve suggested with the Woodruff key) or.....something is wrong with my AIR. I'm thinking that it will blow a hole in the garage wall when the fuel lights OUTSIDE of the cylinder with ambient air so why won't it light INSIDE of the cylinder.

This takes me back to the Crankcase vent. By the way I was WRONG when I said the pic (Photo was in post #85) of the intake was DRY as I was looking at it on my phone. When I looked at the pic I posted here I could see the reflection of the vent at the back of manifold on the pool of oil way at the back of the manifold.

I wonder if my air is getting contaminated with oil inside of the manifold and isn't letting the fuel burn inside of the cylinders????

I'm going to pull the intake and clean it all up and replace the valve.

Comments are MOST WELCOME. Even comments like "boy oh boy Rick you sure are a dope" will be greatly appreciated.

Rick in Ohio

This is very odd. I wonder if something short circuited in the dme. The M60 are not known to break a timing chain, the M62 do have a problem with the guides going bad. Sorry I know I'm not much help. Also bimmerforums.com has a lot more members with experience with M60b40. It couldn't hurt to see what they have to say.

Hey Rick. I would think that if enough oil was getting into any of the combustion chambers to prevent proper combustion, then that thing would have been smoking like a mosquito fogger before it quit running. Plus, with all of the cranking that you have done, I would think that it would have either cleared out, or you would have seen oil (perhaps mixed with the gas mist that you observed).

Anyway, it certainly will not hurt to pull the manifold and clean all of that up. Take a real good look at the intake ports on each head while you are in there.

I'm beginning to think that you need to name your car Enigma

Agreed.....about 75k miles ago the CCV went bad and it smoked so bad it wasn't even funny.

ALL......I pulled the fuel rail and I removed the intake manifold tonight. Things I discovered:

1-I found a black plug that 'was' connected to the 90 deg nipple on the back of the intake manifold. This is the one I mention before that I couldn't find. Will intall a new cap/plug when I put it back together.

2-I broke apart the CCV on the back of the manifold on purpose so I could see the diaphram on the inside. Last time (75k) miles ago it was torn but this time it was in pretty good shape. But the o-ring on the connecting tube underneath was leaking pretty good and making a mess.

3-There are 2 cables on each side of the engine that plug into the wiring boxes above the fuel rail (by the plastic valve covers) and run UNDER the intake manifold. They are shielded wires and each one connects to a stud with an insulator on it right by where the heads meet the block under the intake manifold. What are these for or what do they do?

4-The intake was cleaner than I thought and that was actually dirty raw fuel (not oil) laying in the back of the intake manifold (in the pic that I posted).

5-I pulled the injectors and they are a little dirty around the outside but the little pins where the fuel squirts out are nice and clean.

That's about it....basically I found NOTHING that would cause the engine to NOT run.

I'm reluctant to even order the CCV because when I put it back together it still isn't going to run. This will move toward figuring out how to check the timing of the engine and verify that's it all OK.

I am disgusted with this car and I just want it gone. What a waste of time and money for a car that's worth 500 bucks. It's after 1am and I have to work at my real job in a few hours.

Comments welcome.

Rick in Ohio

Originally Posted by BMR_LVR

Hey Rick. I would think that if enough oil was getting into any of the combustion chambers to prevent proper combustion, then that thing would have been smoking like a mosquito fogger before it quit running. Plus, with all of the cranking that you have done, I would think that it would have either cleared out, or you would have seen oil (perhaps mixed with the gas mist that you observed).

Anyway, it certainly will not hurt to pull the manifold and clean all of that up. Take a real good look at the intake ports on each head while you are in there.

I'm beginning to think that you need to name your care Enigma

I can see the chains and the gears (sprockets?) inside of the oil filler cap on the right side of the engine and they are intact and they turn when cranking. That tells me that something is turning and moving the cam on the side but what else?

Rick in Ohio

Originally Posted by M540FELLA

This is very odd. I wonder if something short circuited in the dme. The M60 are not known to break a timing chain, the M62 do have a problem with the guides going bad. Sorry I know I'm not much help. Also bimmerforums.com has a lot more members with experience with M60b40. It couldn't hurt to see what they have to say.

I just finished reading the whole thread and have hopes for you! I too have a 1995 540. About a year and a half ago, I had issues with it running when it was cold. I replaced nearly every part associated with the fuel/ignition system to no avail. I spent hours on the web reading every BMW forum I could find until I stumbled across a guy in England with the same issues. A BMW tech told him the harmonic balancer is bad. The rubber between the hub and the trigger wheel has deteriorated just enough to throw the timing off. I replaced mine with a $50 used Ebay one and it has been running great since! I sure hope this helps as it was killing me not being able to find the cause of your no-start.

Interesting because mine runs like a real dog until it's warmed up then it runs fine. I thought it had something to do with the coolant temp sensors.

But, why would it run OK then not start after sitting for a week?

Rick in Ohio

Originally Posted by TemporarySanity

I just finished reading the whole thread and have hopes for you! I too have a 1995 540. About a year and a half ago, I had issues with it running when it was cold. I replaced nearly every part associated with the fuel/ignition system to no avail. I spent hours on the web reading every BMW forum I could find until I stumbled across a guy in England with the same issues. A BMW tech told him the harmonic balancer is bad. The rubber between the hub and the trigger wheel has deteriorated just enough to throw the timing off. I replaced mine with a $50 used Ebay one and it has been running great since! I sure hope this helps as it was killing me not being able to find the cause of your no-start.

After taking a close examination at your photo in your #85 post, there isnt anywhere near enough oil or $hit in there to make the air uncombustable in your cylinder. Air wouldnt be your issue. Even with getting "oily" air into the combustion chamber, an ignition that you describe would make very quite work of igniting the oil also, which, i dont think needs to be stated, is flammable.

Also, M540Fella, I agree with the timing chain guides being an issue in these motors as the timing system is remarkably complex, labrynths of chains and whatnot, but Rick in Ohio would definitely hear those plastic slides rattling around all those chains if they were broken.

My vote goes to Temporary Sanity.

• He has had this experience
• He has fixed it
• His propposed solution hasnt been addressed yet in OPs car
• OP states that he has seen symptoms similar to this problem caused before the car took a $hit.

It is entirely possible that the last time it ran, it ruined that rubber bit enough to not fire back over. Anytime there is a no start issue, something had to hapen to change. Battery doesnt have the power it did, yesterday. CPS doesnt give the resistance it did yesterday. FP fuse wasnt blown yesterday. coil pack was strong enough yesterday. etc. In this case, i believe the harmonic balacer's rubber ring/bushing was good enough to fire "yesterday"

Sounds like TempSan is on to something there. That goes right along with my theory about the timing being buggered at the crankshaft area, albeit not the woodruff key though.

As for it sitting for a week and then happening, perhaps the rubber finally fatigued enough that the first time you tried to crank it after it sat for a week, the balancer slipped just enough to throw the timing off to the point it will no longer run.

If you can score a used one, perhaps you can get her running again. I hope so.

Edit: You just got in seconds before me Joe

Originally Posted by BMR_LVR

Edit: You just got in seconds before me Joe

LOL i noticed that.

Joe: 1 Steve: 0

haha, all in good jest

Mine had issues running when it was cold for a while before it wouldn't start at all. The rubber has dried and hardened. Once the engine gets up to operating temperature, the rubber would soften enough to hold timing and then run fine. Eventually the trigger wheel slips enough to throw the timing off and it will no longer start. I hardly could see the difference between the old balancer and the replacement one so you not be able to tell if yours is bad. If you try, you may be able to turn your trigger wheel, even if it's just a little bit, then replace it. My bet is on the balancer since I went through all the same symptoms, diagnostics, and unnecessary parts till I discovered that. It's the only thing left that makes sense. Don't give up on the old girl just yet!

Originally Posted by Monsignor

LOL i noticed that.

Joe: 1 Steve: 0

haha, all in good jest

Yeah, I'll get you next time

Originally Posted by Monsignor

LOL i noticed that.

Joe: 1 Steve: 0

haha, all in good jest

Hahahaha that's some funny stuff , you guys always put a smile on this old face LOL

Sent from my Desire HD using Bimmer App

Are your injectors firing? They could be faulty or incredibly clogged, you should try taking them off the car and give them a good cleaning. This can be done by sending them to a shop, but that's expensive, so I did it at my house. It's quite easy actually.

You'll need:
-A full can of your favorite spray carb cleaner (full because of the higher pressure)
-A syringe that fits over your injectors (I used a 10ml one I found laying around the house)
-Electrical tape (if the syringe is bigger than your injectors)
-Motor oil (to make a good seal)
-Alligator clips and wires
-Momentary push button
-Battery (suggest 12V but I used 2 9Vs that came to 16V)

Here's a picture of what my setup looked like. I already had everything I needed but if you had to buy it all it'd probably run you around $20. You can find tutorial videos for this easily on Youtube. Best of luck!

Originally Posted by Microtesties

Are your injectors firing? They could be faulty or incredibly clogged, you should try taking them off the car and give them a good cleaning. This can be done by sending them to a shop, but that's expensive, so I did it at my house. It's quite easy actually.

You'll need:
-A full can of your favorite spray carb cleaner (full because of the higher pressure)
-A syringe that fits over your injectors (I used a 10ml one I found laying around the house)
-Electrical tape (if the syringe is bigger than your injectors)
-Motor oil (to make a good seal)
-Alligator clips and wires
-Momentary push button
-Battery (suggest 12V but I used 2 9Vs that came to 16V)

Here's a picture of what my setup looked like. I already had everything I needed but if you had to buy it all it'd probably run you around $20. You can find tutorial videos for this easily on Youtube. Best of luck!

That is fantasically ghetto. did it work?