[Bossmandave]

Hello all, I don't know if I'm in the right spot or whatever but here we go:

I have scavenged every inch of the interwebs to try and find some sort of fix but I can't really find any scenario that matches up to mine to give me a path to take. Long story maybe short:
Just bought this car with a no start, no crank condition.
140k miles. Car shut off while driving and would not start back up.
Car was looked at by 3 different people. 1 said it needs a new engine, 2 said they had no idea.
Looks too clean to need an engine, and I put my truck on it to get power to the computer to scan it and it showed cam issues. Does need a valve cover gasket though.

Cleaned cam sensors and now the car doesn't show a single code.

Put a new battery in, now it cranks, but it is rough as hell. Nothing is clanging around or anything, just sounds like the starter is struggling a little fighting compression and whatnot.

Noooow,
I have fuel. Tested at the rail while cranking and while testing spark I can smell it really strong.

I have spark, well, sort of. if I just pull a plug out you can see spark, when I ground the threads to the block, nothing. Not sure what that is about...

Starter fluid was used (alot more than I'd like to admit) just to see if anything will happen at all. Reaching for a sputter or anything. Still nothing.

Compression seems good because of the starter struggling. I haven't actually tested. I figure compression can't poop out on all 6 pistons to cause it to not start. But idk....

Have not wanted to pull the valve covers to check the eccentric shaft sensor but that's about the only thing left I can think to check but I haven't found anything that says it won't start with that sensor messing up. Just run like crap so again, idk...

Cleaned a few other sensors, still nothing... I'm at the end of my knowledge so now I am turning to the interwebs to ask the question...

PS. I do have INPA on a laptop and looked at what I could and everything looks good from what I can tell but I am not an expert with it either...

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

[bkwld]

If you have codes for cam issues, then its cheap enough to replace the cam position sensor.
I had similar symptoms recently but had codes for multiple misfires in my instances. Turned out to be maf sensor. You can simply test this by unplug the power to it try starting the car and run it.

[Bossmandave]

That was one of the first things that I tried. It doesn't change any behavior. Doesn't throw a code for it being unplugged either. Since I cleaned the cam sensors and cleared the codes associated, it hasn't shown any codes since.

[Bossmandave]

UPDATE:
So for some reason, I was having a retard moment. I thought I checked the cam sensors when in fact I cleaned the VANOS senor thingys (technical term). Strange that cleaning them led to the cam codes going away but oh well. I will change those guys out tomorrow and see what happens...

[Bossmandave]

Update:
Replaced the Cam sensors and she sounds like she wants to start but I believe it is flooded. I will be working on that tomorrow afternoon. I read something about an oil bottle top of oil per cylinder? I am going to research that and try it out.

[lowrydr310]

I'm interested in hearing the outcome!

Make sure you have a battery that's fully charged with all this extended cranking you're doing.

Also, despite being a M3 forum link, the same concept applies:

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1444544

Check your ground straps, and check all the electrical connections to the starter.

[Bossmandave]

I haven't checked that strap, mainly because I didn't know it existed lol.
Buuut, it is no longer an issue with turning over, it is actually really smooth now. I figured out that the terminals on the battery cables were loose. Still a no start condition. The only thing I haven't checked is the eccentric shaft sensor, which I haven't wanted to check because I don't want to pull the entire valve cover off if I do not have to. But I think that is my next step although it should start whether the sensor is good or bad. From what I understand, if it is bad, the car will run like crap.
It needs a valve cover gasket either way but still...

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by Bossmandave

I haven't checked that strap, mainly because I didn't know it existed lol.
Buuut, it is no longer an issue with turning over, it is actually really smooth now. I figured out that the terminals on the battery cables were loose. Still a no start condition. The only thing I haven't checked is the eccentric shaft sensor, which I haven't wanted to check because I don't want to pull the entire valve cover off if I do not have to. But I think that is my next step although it should start whether the sensor is good or bad. From what I understand, if it is bad, the car will run like crap.
It needs a valve cover gasket either way but still...

I'm pretty sure a faulty sensor would throw a code.

[Bossmandave]

Yea, I know but I am not pulling anything off of the computer. I am using INPA too. There is a small chance that I am goofing it up but I do not think so, it seems pretty intuitive after translating from German. I could not get the English pack to work so I guess I am learning German lol
Last time I scanned it I reset all of the adaptations but it didn't help. Didn't expect it to but figured why not.

[lab_rat]

I agree with the thoughts on the ESS...definitely replace when doing the valve cover gasket, since it needs replacement anyway.

Also check the crankshaft sensor - the symptoms seem similar to it being a possible culprit as well.

[Bossmandave]

Been there done that as well. I'm sitting in the car now getting frustrated again.
I replaced the cam sensors thinking why not even though the car is not showing codes for it and nothing.
The car is still not showing any codes except for the ones associated with me unplugging/plugging the battery between sessions.
I have no idea what to do with it now. I feel that I am a pretty decent mechanic and I handled my prior e46 with ease but this one is being a real pain in the ass. Physically nothing looks bad and it cranks just fine. Electronically, it should fire right up, unless I am missing something.
Is there a chance the ECU (or some other computing unit) could be dead and giving false positives??

[Bossmandave]

New development I suppose.
Saw somewhere about the EKP module. Figured I'd take a peek even though I have fuel at the injectors and looking at them on the computer everything looks good. Although now that I think about it I do not think that pressure is a readout, or I missed it in the german lol
Anyways, found a 62A8 fault for implausable signal of value.
Checked voltage in INPA and at the pump, everything looks good. I can turn the pump on and off in the software so I can hear it pumping away...
Back to square one. kind of...

[Bossmandave]

Replaced crank sensor a little bit ago... No change. Didnt hook the computer up to it because it got dark and a little too cold for me... I'm suspecting no codes though.

Can no oil/dead water pump cause a no start with no codes?

[Bossmandave]

This thread is looking like a lost cause but, could it be possible that I am not getting air?
Not considering the codes that would show, could the flaps in the intake plenum be closed all at once broken or accident and not let enough air through?

Doesn't make too much sense because I am pretty sure I've seen diagrams where there is no way to cutoff air to the engine but I'm trying to think outside of the box since this car is beyond most considering the responses I've gotten on this thread...

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by Bossmandave

This thread is looking like a lost cause but, could it be possible that I am not getting air?
Not considering the codes that would show, could the flaps in the intake plenum be closed all at once broken or accident and not let enough air through?

Doesn't make too much sense because I am pretty sure I've seen diagrams where there is no way to cutoff air to the engine but I'm trying to think outside of the box since this car is beyond most considering the responses I've gotten on this thread...

Originally Posted by Bossmandave

This thread is looking like a lost cause but, could it be possible that I am not getting air?
Not considering the codes that would show, could the flaps in the intake plenum be closed all at once broken or accident and not let enough air through?

Doesn't make too much sense because I am pretty sure I've seen diagrams where there is no way to cutoff air to the engine but I'm trying to think outside of the box since this car is beyond most considering the responses I've gotten on this thread...

Have you pulled an injector to see if it's delivering fuel while cranking ?

Next try a spark plug

If it's got fuel, compression and spark it's going to try.

[Bossmandave]

Thank you for the reply,

I have not specifically pulled an injector to see but I can smell fuel when I start with a plug pulled. I am going to check rail pressure on my next few days off and see what's up there.

Am I correct in thinking that it turns over so it is not dead right?
Dead as in it will never run again?

I know I am being dumb at this point and overlooking something really simple, I just haven't found it yet...

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by Bossmandave

Thank you for the reply,

I have not specifically pulled an injector to see but I can smell fuel when I start with a plug pulled. I am going to check rail pressure on my next few days off and see what's up there.

Am I correct in thinking that it turns over so it is not dead right?
Dead as in it will never run again?

I know I am being dumb at this point and overlooking something really simple, I just haven't found it yet...

You bought the car dead so you have now history to help you.


Sounds like you have fuel but you have not confirmed Spark or compression yet. With the plug grounded it should create a spark. No spark, no run. Just can't think of a reason why you would not get spark on six independent coils, without a fault code.

Have you pulled all of the plugs? What do they look like?

Can you barrow a compression gauge?

[Bossmandave]

So I have actually grounded a couple of the plugs and it's weird. when they are not grounded, they spark. When they are grounded, no spark that I could tell. It was getting late when I checked though so maybe I goofed it up. I can retest tomorrow. Either way, no codes...
They do not look the best but do not indicate an issue. They just have alot of miles on them.

Compression is one of the few things I haven't tested. Supposedly it cut off while driving and would not start back up. Which is where I am now.
I think even with crappy compression on a couple of cylinders, it would fire and run like ass at least.

[Bossmandave]

Here we go again...

New development sort of...
Got back to the basics and pulled all of the plugs and cleaned them with some brake cleaner. Poured a cap full of oil down each cylinder and BAM! She runs! JK. Not a running girl yet... Although! She spit and sputtered a bit but it was REALLY rough sounding. It ran off of starter fluid the 1st time I tried starting for like 5 seconds but died quick. Sounds a lot rougher after that start, still basically no codes. The only codes I could get are attached. I also uploaded a video to youtube so that you all can see/hear what it sounds like...
I know the screenshot cuts off part of the list but everything out of the window that you can see is okay. I checked all modules that I can and these are the only issues that are found.

[Bossmandave]

Soo... Still not running.
I think the starter may be at fault now. Now I cannot get this car to crank over hardly at all. Even on a jump from my Dodge diesel hooked to the battery or the jump points up front. To begin with it would turn over pretty consistently without too much issue, but now, after a few weeks of troubleshooting, it doesn't want to turn over at all really. Everything power is fine until you press the power button. Then everything starts to flicker and whatnot until the starter stops trying.
I press the start button and it may try and turn over a bit (maybe 2 rotations?) and then it half ass clicks like the battery is dead. I can't really do any other testing if I can't get it to turn over.
I have 12 volts to the starter with the key on or not. I can kind of get the the relay point to test when it is being started but with it not cranking at all it doesn't really give my meter any time to register it.
Figure I will do the starter and that'll give me a chance to clean the intake out and after that I will do the valve cover and check out that eccentric shaft sensor.
I have hope still because it ran for a few seconds after i cleaned the plugs and whatnot.

[Mantraxalos]

Any update on your 325i? If you have a BMW scanner it should have an error code for the starter.

[Bossmandave]

Update? Meh...

I have INPA. It shows no codes.

The "progress" on the car is now it won't even attempt to start. As soon as I press the start button all of the lights on the dash/radio freak out until I can get the key out. Not even a click from the starter though.

I did recently get a new battery for it because the old one was DEAD and that was part of my issue before. It is the same battery that I registered to the car before but now the issue I believe is the starter. No codes though.
I feel as if the car is getting worse the more I troubleshoot...