e36 325i non vanos will not start! need help!!

[jasonj]

Hi i brought a 325i se non vanos on h reg couple weeks later overheated as headgasket blew in corner so lost all water along the road i replaced my head gasket myself although i didnt have timing tool set all seamed well got job done started first time but when i reved the car a horrible noise started to come in from 2000rpm and got louder the more i accelerated. i had several mechanics listen to it (im not mechanic just a have a go hero lol) but each mechanic said it sounded like either a dry chain or tensioner and possibly sound would go away when oil circulates either way i drove for a day all good other than noise but after 50miles i knew it wernt goin away so i visited local bmw specialist and asked thier opinion the first mechanic said tensioner or chain but then another mechanic interupted and garunteed the timing slighty out and that was problem to noise so sure he lent me the tool to set it right so on my way home with tool and feeling happy i stopped for red light as i stopped engine died nether to start again. also no bad symptoms just died so up to yet ive tried the following.....

i set timing properly with timing tool making sure cyclinder1 was tdc and the tdc marks on cams where facing up.

i compression tested car every cyclinder is 200<210psi.

i checked i had spark to each coil and plug

i got electrical tester and checked each injector and fuel pumps all were powering up

also checked inlet manifold for cracks etc.. found nothing wrong

every time i try start it it turnes over sucking through inlet every 20seconds or so it will backfire through inlet then suck again but it will start every couple of turns but dies straight back off after 3/4 seconds also when it does start ive tried reving it but no response like my throttle wernt even connected i really dont know what to try next any help will be much appreciated thanks j

[Lord Vader]

I'm sorry but that was horrible to read. I think I counted one period. Please break it up in future.

You seem to be having an interesting problem. What oil are you running? How is your oil pump? Have you checked and cleaned your ICV lately?

[jasonj]

Hi sorry bout my write up been messy just didn't want to miss anything out.
I am currently using granville10w40 semi synthetic (advised by garage as 146k on clock)-and oil seems to be circulating around head is thier anyway to check if oil pump is working correctly?

Also i have nether cleaned icv as wernt sure if it was ok to clean but it was loose the plastic holder was broke so I cable tied it down. also from day one of owning car it nether idled good used to slightly rev up and down but the rev gauge didn't move.
Thank you for your help j

[jasonj]

Hi sorry bout my write up been messy just didn't want to miss anything out.
I am currently using granville10w40 semi synthetic (advised by garage as 146k on clock)-and oil seems to be circulating around head is thier anyway to check if oil pump is working correctly?

Also i have nether cleaned icv as wernt sure if it was ok to clean but it was loose the plastic holder was broke so I cable tied it down. also from day one of owning car it nether idled good used to slightly rev up and down but the rev gauge didn't move.
Thank you for your help j

[Lord Vader]

Granville? Never heard of that oil. Different oils have dofferent viscous ratings and a 40 weight oil may be too thick. The head is the last part of the engine that gets oil. Of the oil is too thick then it may have trouble getting too the top. I recomended switching to a BMW approved oil and see of that helps the noise go away. German Castrol 0w-30 and Mobil 1 0w-40 are approved oils. The Mobil 1 40 weight oil is actually a thinner weight oil and more like a 30 weight oil.

When my ICV went the car wouldn't idle. It would start but would die right away if I didn't give it throttle.

[jasonj]

thanks for that vader i will change my oil to recommended also you said your car would only stay started when u reved it. mine will start after couple of turns but when i accelerate it does nothing what so ever just dies as if i nether pressed accelerator.

the occasional backfire into inlet thats confussing me backfires when it wants to. could suck for from air filter for 10 seconds then backfire once and then probably wouldnt backfire for another 20<30seconds

im sorry if this makes no sense to you becuase it dont to me

[Lord Vader]

What gra of gas are you running? The owners manual states 89 AKI octane is the minimum. Most people I know run 91. A few people have reported odd issues from low quality gas.

Also give this a read, it should help explain a few things:
The OFFICIAL bogging, hesitating, no acceleration from idle thread - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum

[jasonj]

hi thanks il have a read through that all i ever use is 95 unleaded and if they got none i will use 97 v-power just cant work out why it was driving then died and nether started again the car is down my moms house as was closest from were it broke down il pop down and record a video of the car turning over so u can see and hear exactly whats what and post on here thanks j

[Lord Vader]

That should help. Just remember. Every internal combustion engine needs four things:

Air
Fuel
Spark
Compression

We need to find which one your missing and correct it. You already said compression is good. And you have spark.

[jasonj]

thanks i pulled off my fuel lines from bottom of inlet and turned ignition on and fuel pumped out.

how do i check fuel pressure?

also i completely removed air filter and cleaned the mesh on the maf. air is being sucked through but like say every so often it backfires tries pushing hand from maf.

i seem to be getting all the key things i need as u stated above. just as if they not working at correct time. is it possible there could be a problem with the ecu or would that show obvious problems

[Lord Vader]

If that's the case, did you check all your vacuum lines? Even the one under tge manifold? Maybe you have a vacuum leak and don't know it yet.