No Spark

[nsmoore]

Maybe someone can help me with this. I have an '85 325E and went to replace the water pump. In the process, I disconnected the battery and removed both the distrubutor cap and rotor. After installing the new water pump, I reconnected everything back up and the car wouldn't start. I was not getting any spark at all. Replaced both the ignition coil and the coil wire and I still am getting no spark at all. Any ideas?

[Speedy-325is]

maybe u turned the distributer cap/rotor and messed up the timing.........it should go on exactly haw u took it off.

[theratdude64]

whyd you take the cap and rotor off to change water pump used

[bad man working]

I'm from the UK and we didn't get the 325e so I don't know exactly want engine you've got but recheck what you did have a good look at the cap make sure the center carbon pick up inside the cap is still there and isn't stuck in it should be sprung loaded.

[nsmoore]

I appreciate the posts and will address them in reverse order.

1. To bad man working: I have inspected the distributor cap closely and it appears to be in good shape. The center carbon pick up is certainly functioning right. Also, I am testing for spark before the cap so it shouldn't matter. Thanks, though.

2. to theratdude64: I took off the cap and rotor because I was following an itemized set of instructions a friend had given me. I suppose that he thought it would be a bit easier to reach the water pump with the cap, rotor, and timing belt cover out of the way.

3. Speedy-325is: I don't exactly understand what you mean. The rotor only fits on one way. I put it on exactly as it came off (with the black plastic shroud on before it) and put the cap back on exactly how it came off. If yoiu explained a little more about how I could have messed up the timing, I would appreciate it.

Thanks to all three of you.

And the car still doesn't produce a spark so ... any other suggestions? With a strong batter, a new coil and a new coil wire, what else would cause a car to fail to produce a spark?

[theratdude64]

ahh i guess i dont know your engine well, just sounded really really odd to me

[legolas]

Originally posted by nsmoore@Nov 22 2004, 05:45 PM
Maybe someone can help me with this. I have an '85 325E and went to replace the water pump. In the process, I disconnected the battery and removed both the distrubutor cap and rotor. After installing the new water pump, I reconnected everything back up and the car wouldn't start. I was not getting any spark at all. Replaced both the ignition coil and the coil wire and I still am getting no spark at all. Any ideas?

[snapback]235440[/snapback]

first of all, check to see if your timing is off. to remove a water pump on a m20 engine requires the loosening of the timing belt. If that doesn't help, when you said you disconnected the battery, there is a posibility that the DME too a crap because of surging electricity. also check your main fuse and fusible link. the link is located i believe next to the battery, see if it's broken. check your connections as well. did you check your cap? check for good ground on the cap.

legolas

[KC Ron Carter]

Please note that the reference point pickup is on the flywheel.

There are two connectors on the aft end of the valve cover.

The cable with the white tie wrap connects to the gray connector.

If you get no tachometer movement the metal slug the sensors read is suspect.



Here is another diagram to provide a visual reference.



Later,

[nsmoore]

KC Ron Carter,

The reference sensor connection on the valve cover had come disconnected. Don't ask me how. Thanks much.

Nelson Moore