Help,no Spark

[denn34]

used 86 325e with no spark,any ideas?

[jrhaile]

spark plugs?

[denn34]

Originally posted by jrhaile@Jan 30 2005, 03:13 PM
spark plugs?

[snapback]282464[/snapback]

got brand new bosch platinums,any other ideas?

[Kowalski]

Originally posted by denn34+Jan 30 2005, 12:30 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(denn34 @ Jan 30 2005, 12:30 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-jrhaile@Jan 30 2005, 03:13 PM
spark plugs?*

[snapback]282464[/snapback]

got brand new bosch platinums,any other ideas?

[snapback]282476[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]

when was the last time your replaced your wires? and are they falling appart? and check your distibutor pull the cap off and there is a little metal contact that spins arround and sends spark to each plug, it wears down over time and you get no spark... so this is probably your problem if you'v done the wires and plugs.

[emericadna7]

i have this problem too. how would you check if the distribiator cap is gone?
my mechanic....well my dad's mechanic, says its the ECU. i have a hard time believing it though

[Kowalski]

Originally posted by emericadna7@Jan 30 2005, 05:11 PM
i have this problem too. how would you check if the distribiator cap is gone?
my mechanic....well my dad's mechanic, says its the ECU. i have a hard time believing it though

[snapback]282692[/snapback]

well if it looks worn down, or if you can see that it can't touch the sides when its rotating it means that its not making a connection, your supposed to replace those things fairley regularly anyways like eveery 80 thousand or somthing like that.

[emericadna7]

so you think its a better chance that its that and not the ecu?

[Kowalski]

Originally posted by emericadna7@Jan 30 2005, 06:22 PM
so you think its a better chance that its that and not the ecu?

[snapback]282742[/snapback]

seems more likley to happen, an ecu doesn't just all of a sudden crap out unless water gets in it, or it gets shorted out, or a bad chip. but the bad chip would only happen if you changed the chip or its happend since you go the car, and the other 2 i believe it wouldn't work at all if that happend. plus this is cheaper to do, and im willing to bed it needs to be done anyways, go to a performance parts store and get an excelle one or somthing like that, it iwll be cheaper and better then the bmw one.

[denn34]

Originally posted by Kowalski+Jan 31 2005, 09:27 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kowalski @ Jan 31 2005, 09:27 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-emericadna7@Jan 30 2005, 06:22 PM
so you think its a better chance that its that and not the ecu?

[snapback]282742[/snapback]

seems more likley to happen, an ecu doesn't just all of a sudden crap out unless water gets in it, or it gets shorted out, or a bad chip. but the bad chip would only happen if you changed the chip or its happend since you go the car, and the other 2 i believe it wouldn't work at all if that happend. plus this is cheaper to do, and im willing to bed it needs to be done anyways, go to a performance parts store and get an excelle one or somthing like that, it iwll be cheaper and better then the bmw one.

[snapback]283576[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]
thanks for the help,i'll try that

[denn34]

a also got a lot of snow on the floor of the car,which melted,and now i get a lot of condensation inside on my windshield.do you think the computer may have gotten damp,and is shorting out?

[e30fanm3]

If the main relay is original, replace it first. If that doesnt solve it it needed to be replaced anyway

[Kowalski]

shouldn't be shorting out just from condensation unless there is a whole hell of a lot of condensation in there.... and how was snow getting on the floor? thats not right! unless its just the tracked in stuff anyways give the relays a wirl and replace all your fuses with new ones if they're still the originals, they corrode and become unable to conduct as much electricity.

[87bimmer]

Originally posted by denn34@Feb 1 2005, 06:10 AM
a also got a lot of snow on the floor of the car,which melted,and now i get a lot of condensation inside on my windshield.do you think the computer may have gotten damp,and is shorting out?

[snapback]283954[/snapback]

Hey, i just had the same problem- thought it was the distibutor/rotor or ECU, and did tons of tests on both. It ended up being the Coil.

Test to see if you're getting spark from the coil to the distibutor, and if not, take the coil out, attach an aligator clip to the center electrode (pin 4), put hte other end of the aligator clip close enough to ground (or the neg. terminal of the battery you are using to test this with), and then intermittently put 12V across the electrodes (pins 1 and 15). There should be a spark from the end of the aligator clip to ground when you break the 12v connection.

hope this helps. If you think it's still your ECU, i just bought one that I am not going to use (i have an '87 325e). I got it for just over $70 if you're looking for one.

[Kowalski]

Originally posted by 87bimmer+Feb 2 2005, 12:34 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(87bimmer @ Feb 2 2005, 12:34 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-denn34@Feb 1 2005, 06:10 AM
a also got a lot of snow on the floor of the car,which melted,and now i get a lot of condensation inside on my windshield.do you think the computer may have gotten damp,and is shorting out?

[snapback]283954[/snapback]

Hey, i just had the same problem- thought it was the distibutor/rotor or ECU, and did tons of tests on both. It ended up being the Coil.

Test to see if you're getting spark from the coil to the distibutor, and if not, take the coil out, attach an aligator clip to the center electrode (pin 4), put hte other end of the aligator clip close enough to ground (or the neg. terminal of the battery you are using to test this with), and then intermittently put 12V across the electrodes (pins 1 and 15). There should be a spark from the end of the aligator clip to ground when you break the 12v connection.

hope this helps. If you think it's still your ECU, i just bought one that I am not going to use (i have an '87 325e). I got it for just over $70 if you're looking for one.

[snapback]284714[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]

i know its not spark, its somthing with gas and vacume, i just pulled off some vacume lines, and i have a gassy smelling brown goup in the bottom of the line that comes off the valve cover and goes into a 90 degree turn and the coolant runs through it on the same 90 degree bend pipe to cool the air, where the 90 is there is gas and goup i duno what it all is... anyways i think my diapram on my regulater is toast.

[blkbmr325is]

Happened to my 325is and it really blew my mund for 3 weeks until i realized that theres a magnetic crank sensor on the front crank pulley. If this is bad, it will not tell the ecu when to send spark....u might try this...i think i paid $90 thru bavauto.
good luck!