E30 won't start - help please...

#1

Just got it back together after installing suspension, bushings, wheel bearings,
ss brake lines, tie rods, ets. All I have left to do to have it ready for a log book
inspection is electrical cutoff and fire supression. But a paint job is next on this
list.

Anyway, I installed a new fuel filter yesterday. When I lowered the car off of
jack stands it would not start. After trying to start it re-peatedly, I removed the
fuel line off of the outlet side of the fuel filter and I could hear pressurized air
escape with a psheewww sound. I left the line off and cranked the car and
no fuel came out so I don’t think I have any fuel pressue. I checked fuse
11 and it was good.

Any help troubleshooting is appreciated.

Steven

#2

from your description it’s not clear to me if the fuel pump is running - can you hear the ‘bzzzzzz’ sound? you will be able to hear this only for few seconds after you turn the ign on ( since the pump stops operating within few seconds since there is no signal that engine is running).

Also, what year is your car? (older cars had two pumps - one in tank ‘transfer’ pump’ and ‘main’ pump, newer have only one oustide the tank)

Igor

#3

It was the fuel pump relay. I swapped the fuel pump relay with the
O2 sensor relay and she fired right up.

For reference, on my '89 325 these relays are under a black snap on cover
and not under the clear cover where all the other fuses and relays are. There
are 3 relays under this cover and it is found on the drivers fender just in front
of clear cover for other fuses and relays. The O2 sensor relay and the Fuel
pump relay are the two relays under this cover that are identical.

thanks,
Steven

#4

Yes, the 2 orange ones are identical, one for the fuel pump, one for the O2 heater.The white one is for the ECU. If you don’t have a spare white one, you will have a bad day because the car will not start one day and you will go crazy mental trying to figure out why. Buy a new one and keep the old one for a spare…after all it is getting close to 20 years old

#5

nasaregistrar wrote:

This is what I did but get ready… Those cute little relays are not cheap.

Carter