95 525i: Will not start (will run on ether/starting fluid)

[carcollector]

HELP,
I have a 95 525i that will not start, but will start and run (briefly of course) with a little shot of starting fluid.
I have:
changed fuel pump
jumped main fuel pump relay
bridged DME relay
changed crank sensor
added more fuel(plenty of fuel when swapped pump)
checked the fuses
check the plugs(dry)
checked compression(good)
swapped battery

I "DID" find a vacum hose to a diaphram(regulator?) split at the rear end of the fuel rail, but I cut the bad part off and reconnected, still nothing

I cannot believe it is the fuel filter, but I haven't changed that(yet)
Do not know where regulator is but heard there are problems with the plugs under manifold. I do not know "how" to check the regulator on this car...I do not see where to check the fuel rails for pressure without taking a rubber hose-clamped line off...

It will start and run briefly(seconds) and die if I let it sit a couple days and the battery is reconnected after days

It acts like it wants to start, but....

I REALLY WANT TO DRIVE MY CAR, PLEASE HELP!

[Kai]

If you say it will start briefly and then stop after a couple of days...maybe the alternator is pulling from the batter pretty bad. I might have that tested just to see, that is probably not the only problem but it could be contributing to it.

[carcollector]

But it "will" start with starting fluid.... and have had jumper cables hooked up to it due to all the cranking so do not think draw is issue

Is ther a fuel cutoff switch for accidents, it did get smacked in the rear slightly prior to the no start

[Kai]

Oh, I thought you said in the end of your post that after it starts it wont anymore in a few days if you leave the battery connected.

[carcollector]

Actually, I thought altenator first too - thats why I changed battery and hooked up cables... I think the random start after sitting was a fluke

I just disconnected fuel line at rail and although there was fuel in the rail, I get No fuel from hose when I try to crank or jump the relay...

I have hooked up the now "extra" pump assembly to the pigtail in the trunk and it works

Could it be as simple as a Fuel FILTER??? Do I need a special tool?

Why would pump work but no fuel to rail ?

I assume front of engine hose is from pump and rear hose of rail is return after regulator, right?

[DonJ]

I read a post on either this forum or another forum where someone had accidentally crossed their fuel lines when they put a new fuel pump in. . . . .

[carcollector]

NO, The second to last thing I did was replace pump.

I saw that thread too... but the lines had been in same place for years before this problem occurred. After installing new pump assembly I have same problem. I plugged the old one in, jumped pump relay and realized I just wasted money on new pump when the old one blew what gas was in it's prime all over me - worked fine.

I have checked both lines for fuel at both ends of rail and although there was fuel in the rail, it is not "pumping" it or no pressure with lines off completely... The fuel in rail was Not under any high pressure and just trickled out of the front hose when I removed that one

I haven't checked to see if with hose/hoses in trunk at pump OFF if it is pumping because I do not want gas all over my trunk... I guess I am going to rig something up so it will pump into a bucket outside the trunk next.

What about the filter? does it take a special tool?

The parts store has the filter but cannot tell me if it takes a special/certain tool or if it is on with hose clamps or what(????????????)

[DonJ]

You asked about fuel cutoff switch after accidents. There is a crash control module on the E34's. It is a relay that unlocks the doors and shuts off fuel pump (at least that is what I read somewhere). It should be in the front e-box under the hood. But you also said that you hooked up your old pump to the pigtail and it worked.

The following link contains wiring diagrams and the layout of the e-box.
http://shark.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e34/e34_92.pdf
Page 19 has the front e-box layout.

The Bentley manual also shows how to do the pressure test and electrical tests for the fuel pump and wiring.

But the filter would be an inexpensive thing to replace. I don't know if you need special tools. The picture I saw od one had it connected with hose clamps. You might need new clamps when you replace it. You could probably disconnect the hose at the filter and then fire it up and see if it is pumping gas - that way you wont get fuel in your trunk.

[carcollector]

Wow, thanks DonJ for the wiring manual - I will pass it along if needed

I only checked power with the other pump while fuel-pump relay was jumped
will check it again with relay actually in

It does look like only hose clamps on filter, but will jack it up and try that tommorrow - It seems to be the only thing that would obstruct any flow to the rail(?)

I hope that is the case... appears to be a little more simpler than a Porsche

I mean, from the sending-unit to the rail, the only thing I see is the filter. No electric valves, selenoids, regulators, diaphrams, switches, distribution blocks or secondary fuel pump(right?)

If the problem "is" the filter, I won't know whether to be happy or mad!

[DonJ]

If it is the filter - happy or mad - either way I'm sure there will be a feeling of relief - lol.

On your car there could be a pressure regulator. It regulates the pressure from the pump to the intake and it sends fuel back to the tank when the desired amount of pressure has been obtained. Basically it is just a diaphragm valve. Again, the 5 series Bentley Manual explains how to test this as well.

When you replaced the pump - did you look inside the tank to ensure there was nothing that could plug anything up?

[carcollector]

OK, so I remove the fuel filter and had to blow really, really hard (saw stars before my eyes and cheeks hurt) to get fuel to come out that was trapped... It must have been pretty clogged and saturated. The prior owner said he had changed it recently, but - bracket bolt was rusted so bad it broke, and it sure looked like the original to me(german writing): went out and got a filter and blew through it (like night and day)...

I jumped fuel relay with no filter and had No flow with pump assembly I had installed (used out of a running car, supposedly) I re-installed original pump and fuel flowed good. So I put filter in, and it fired right up!

I could not get it to flow with filter out by cranking and having key ON without jumping relay until I fired it up "jumped" first... I wonder why?

However, I was able to rev it and it idled good, but it died before I could close everything up to drive it around the block. I got it started with a shot of ether again and it ran then faded out. I took line off at rail, gas but not pumping. I took line off at pump in trunk, and nothing.... just some fuel in line

I let it cool down while there was a thunderstorm. This time I heard pump prime with relay installed (I think it was) and again it fired up and I was able to hold it at 2200rpms for about 2or3 minutes before it started starving for fuel again and died. When I removed hose at pump in trunk, it had some pressure built up, but I jumped relay, pulled assembly out and plugged it in, and nothing.

I "Haven't" check relay pins for constant power yet due to rain. I still am wondering if I should re-install new crank sensor or take it back and get my $80, and put it towards new pump.

My guess is it needs a "NEW" pump. With the vacum line damaged at regulator and clogged filter the original must have burned up, and will shut down when it gets hot/warm...

I mean, it ran good but... it did seem like the starter didn't disengage the last time I got it started(?)

I guess the moral of the story is change your fuel filter regularly, and don't let girls drive your BMW... If I had been driving it the days before it finally died I would have noticed "something" going on, I am sure... Also, the girl lost the original fuel cap and there is some goofy cap she bought at autozone that looks like it belongs on my 68 corvette - I am sure she didn't say anything about any problems so she wouldn't lose her free-ride

Would a bad filter, vacum off (split) at regulator, the wrong gas cap and cheap gas cause fuel pump failure???????

and why did my starter not disengage??low voltage???(I had disconnected cables at that point, but I thought I heard something the first time like the starter not disengaging)

AND: how the hell do you get the pump assembly to snap back in place on both sides?????? I cam having big problems with that, and the gas is eating my flesh just trying.

There are some "new" pumps on ebay for under $80, does anyone know where to get one at that price from a parts store or parts wholsaler that I could trust to honor some kind of warranty????

[DonJ]

There are plenty of on-line places to buy pumps from.
PelicanParts.com, AutoHausAZ.com, usautoparts.net

They all seem to be reputable and have a good return policy.

But for a fuel pump, if it is defective and needs to be returned and it has already been in the fuel tank. . . . hmmm? What kind of hassles will you run in to trying to return it? Let alone the time it takes to return it and get another shipped out.

It seems like it might be just as easy to use a local store - but that's just my thoguhts.

[carcollector]

well, a pump at Autozone/Advance/Carquest runs about $270. A pump on ebay.com cost $60.00-$100.00.

There is no way I am going to pay $200 extra after tax. I'm a single parent.

especially after I heard my starter not disengaging(?)which could be more$$$

I will try pelican first, otherwise it looks like ebay (carparts4less.com etc.)

[carcollector]

On ebay, there is one through "carparts4less"(cannot find web site) for only
$65.45+$12.69shipping !!!!!!!!!!!

Link to ebay item:

Fuel Pump BMW E34 525 530 540 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 E32:eBay Motors (item 260441640384 end time Aug-04-09 18:30:00 PDT)


Pelican was as crazy as NAPA (270-300+)

That ebay pump comes with plastic cage and pick-up screen (ready to go)

So, why should I pay $200 more???? can't trust the Bosch pumps either, or it wouldn't have been so easy to change from the factory.
And with my experience with Porsche bosch pumps vs. ebay, there is NO difference or down-side or poor performance. And never had a ebay pump go bad in any of my Porsches.....

So, I am doing the right thing on ebay, obvously - Right?

[DonJ]

Let us know how it works out.

I might be needing a fuel pump also.
I have seen the Ebay ones but wasn't sure if they would perform OK and I like I mentioned earlier, I wasn't sure how the return process would go if it was defective.

Thanks and good luck!