Help! car won't start


#1

I tried to start the e30 the other day and it was damn cold. The car had been starting somewhat slowly for a while (dying battery) and on this last try, it cranked very slowly, tried to fire up but then died. Tried to start again but seemed like the battery was not up to the job. I replaced the battery, and now the car won’t start. It cranks just fine, but won’t fire up. I checked all fuses (look ok). I swapped the coil with a known good one. I checked the fuel pump operation and fuel pump relay. Spark seems a little weak, I pulled first plug wire and used a platinum plug from another e30, and grounded it to the valve cover, and spark seems small and yellow. All distributor parts and plugs are new, wires are original. Any thoughts on what could have happened from one day to the next with a weak battery start?

Thanks e30 gurus.

Kevin


#2

If you have spark and normal fuel pressure I’d suspect intake leaks that are leaning out the mixture enough to cause a failure to start in the cold.