Re: 325e no start

[Louie Rendek <ljr7@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Scott,

Been off the digest for a while, but just saw your message.  You should get
the Bentley manual for around $40.  It has a whole chapter on the ignition
of the 325's.

Anyways, you need to check for a spark.  I didn't see your other messages
you posted, to see if you checked for this.  If there is not spark, then
the car will not start.  A no spark condition can be caused by a few things:

main relay bad
ignition coil bad
plug wires bad
crank level sensor bad
reference speed sensor bad (it is next to the crank level sensor)
faulty DME

There is no ignition control unit on these cars after 1986 I think.  The
iginition control unit is built into the main Motronic control unit.  When
my car died and wouldn't start one day, I went through and did the whole
Bentley manual ignition chapter test procedures and found that everything
was o.k. (there is no easy way to test the DME).  So I figured that the DME
was probably faulty.  Replaced this with a used one, and my car started
right up.

If you are getting a spark, then I am sorry for this long message!  I
didn't have time to go back and read the old ones, only the last few that
have come my way.  Good luck.  Email me with more questions if you have
them.  I am not keeping up with the digest these days reliably.  I have
been through the no spark thing and it was frustrating, but the next time
it will be easy to figure out.

Louie Rendek
1987 325e 133k miles
BMWCCA #144328
Case Western Reserve Univ.
PhD candidate; Chemistry Dept.
email:  ljr7@domain.elided

------------------------------