530 Diesel can't start when it's between warm and cold - BMW Forum

Linhawk · 07-13-2008, 04:34 AM

I really hope that some one here can help me, because the local BMW dealer and I are out of ideas now :-(
I have a diesel 530 from 2000 (M57, E39), and when the engine is cold then it starts whit no problems at all, and the engine sound nice as it should. When it is warm, it starts whitout any problems too. But when I have benne driving, and I leave it for 2½-3 hours and the temperature is between warm and cold, the engine runs but it doesn't start. Sometimes I just have to leave it for 10 minnutes other times for 1½ hours, and then it starts rigth away again.
We have updatede the software on the engine control unit, and there are no failure save at the computer.we have changed a lot but nothing works, soem of the parts is:
Diesel pump (the one under the driver seat), Diesel pump relay, DDE relay. the sensor at the crank, the heatglower. I have tried to take of a lot of plugs for the air control unit, normally it can start with out these plugs on, and with out them it will normally just go in emergency program and it should start anyway, but when I have the periodic fail it will not start.

Please help I'm desperate.

Linhawk · 07-13-2008, 08:34 AM

Can it be the commonrail? Even though it can start when it is cold or warm, but not inbetween.

witeshark · 07-13-2008, 09:57 AM

My first guess after what you have done is a look at the injectors. Maybe at that temperature they are not misting the fuel rightly.

Linhawk · 07-13-2008, 12:42 PM

Thank you witeshark.
My idea is also that it must be something at the fuel system, that makes this failure. I haven't changed the injectors, but my idea was that maybee at least one of them couldn't make the right pressure. To try to se if my idea was right, I have squeezed the hose with return. My BMW dealer says that the use that trick to find out which one of the injectors that er bad (can give the right pressure). But i will sure try and have BMW to meassure the pressure. Have you heard about this faliure before?

witeshark · 07-13-2008, 12:52 PM

I have not, but then diesel cars are very rare here. What I know about diesels comes from boating engines.

darkhorse737 · 07-13-2008, 01:42 PM

it's not in the pressure, i'm afraid. Pressure remains constant hot, warm, or cold.

Given your circumstances, I have a gut feeling that your shut-off valve or mechanism is faulty. In diesel engines, if that valve sticks or binds, car just will not start.

Linhawk · 07-13-2008, 03:44 PM

Thank you darkhorse,
I will take a look at the valves tomorrow.

Linhawk · 07-14-2008, 08:59 AM

To day I have talked with one of the best Diesel compagny in my area, and they say that it might can be the injectors. He said that it's more complicated to day, because of the commonrail, so they say you can't say it isn't the injectors just because it can start when it is hot. But at the same time, they say that they are not sure. The bad thing is that because of holliday, they will first be able to take a close look at my car in about 4 weeks :-(
My car have been runing 330.000 km (app 215.000 miles). They told me that maybe the injectors was getting leak when it was cold, but again, it starts with no problems when it is totally cold.
Thank to both of you for the ideas :-)

denyo77 · 07-14-2008, 10:34 AM

wow...that's quite a mileage
I'll check with my dad... we've driven Diesel cars for about 10 years

Linhawk · 07-14-2008, 12:28 PM

Thank you denyo, hope that your dad have a good idea.
I have bought the car i Germany, but I have had it for 3 years now..

darkhorse737 · 07-14-2008, 03:46 PM

http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/3-s...lem-57870.html

the above post might give u some insight as well :-) the fellow has very similar problems to yours... and the electrical circuits and shutdown of the 3 & 5 series tds are similar

Linhawk · 07-30-2008, 01:34 PM

I have found the error, it was the cam sensor. If any of you are interested in this failure, you can read more about it here: www.BMWLand.co.uk - Where Power Meets Control - UK BMW Car chat site :: View topic - Intermittent starting problems 530D
Thank you everybody :-)

witeshark · 07-30-2008, 01:53 PM

Very glad to see this!

darkhorse737 · 07-30-2008, 02:45 PM

INTERESTING!!!... and although the solution sounds "strange" to me in more ways than one; i learned something new today from you.

TNX for the interaction. It is problems like these that i come across from you'se that add to my stock knowledge... for which I THANK YOU!

PHilDR · 04-21-2009, 06:06 AM

Guys,
I don't want to throw another spanner into the pot but I have just got my 2000 530d Sport back fromj the garage (not BWM as they are useless), my car would start fine when hot or 1st thing when cold but when the temperature gauge was just above the blue it would turn over but not fire up. I took it to BMW who said there was an intermittasnt fault on the Glow plugs and the Cam sensor and wouldn't look at it until they sorted that out 1st at a cost of £500 so I told them NO more of my business for you (just to put you in the picture they charged me £325 for an oil service)

. I found a local garage that would service my car for £165 and had a great can do attitude

so I left it with them for a couple of weeks for them to get stuck in. They tested everything and even took out the ECU and sent it to a specialist to test and it came back OK. Eventually after exhaustive testing they had another look at the ECU and found a cracked solder joint that hadn't been picked up by the specialist as when he had the ECU is was always COLD. It cost 2p worth of electricity to repair the cracked solder joint.

They spent a total of 15 hours trying to find and resolve the problem.

Total cost including oil service and new fuel pipe £545.

These guys will get my business from now on

Phil