help please, car does not start

[keystone]

Hi,
The car cranks, but does not start. Now the check engine light does not come on (other lights are on onthe dashboard). I cannot read the codes since no check engine light. peake does not read it either. i also got transprog now. It is acting crazy.
What could be wrong? What can I try? I switched the fuel pump relay with another same relay on the car, it did not help. I also changed the main relay from autozone, it did not help either.
Any suggestions?
my car is 95 525i.
Thanks

[bubba966]

The one time I had a '95 525 that would crank but not start it turned out to be a nasty vacuum leak because part #9 http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD63&mospid=47404&btnr=11_1124&hg=11&fg=40

had broken the retaining clip off and had come out of the intake manifold and caused a vacuum leak.

It's kind of a bitch to check unless you take the throttle body off. Once the TB is off you can see it directly below the TB in the intake manifold. And it's like a 1" diameter connector (from vague memory of it last year) so it's pretty easy to spot.

But when I did have this problem on this particular 525 it kept throwing a MAF code. Unfortunately didn't figure out it was a vac leak until after a used MAF had been obtained and tried as well as a new MAF. 3 weeks and over $500 of replacing things to find out it was a $6 vac hose connector. Oh, and that connector runs a large vac hose down to the ICV, in case you wanted to know what it did.

[glen-sj]

Another cause of crank but no start would be the Crank Position Sensor.

[keystone]

Thanks. I checked that area and it seems okay. I checked fusible link, it is okay. All the fuses, including under rear seat, is okay. When I put the ignition key to II, I don't hear any humming noise from the trunk, fuel pump area though.
The car was okay until last Monday morning. In the afternoon, it did not start. next day, on Tuesday morning started, and I brought the car to home. I turned off the ignition, and started again, and it was going. When I started again to put it in the garage, it started okay, but died and I pushed in the garage. Wednesday morning, it started okay twice , but did not drive, thinking it was okay. I checked the codes with peake, and got knock sensor, Cyl 4-6 (code 45). Ordered the knock sensor and got it, but did not installed, because it was very difficult to install without taking the intake manifold. I checked again with Peake, no codes. Then batter went bad, and tried to jump start, it did not work (it always cranked). I disconnected battery and charged it and connected back, but there was no check engine light at this time and started getting transprogram message on dashboard. The battery is still okay and I get cranking when I turn the key, but doesn't start.
I cannot see any bad wiring, disconnection. It is very frustrating as I cannot check engine light to stomp test.
Anything else, I should look at it before getting it towed to a mechanic?

[keystone]

Another cause of crank but no start would be the Crank Position Sensor.

It was changed about 18 months ago. Do you think it went bad again? Is there a way to check it without installing a new one to see if that is the case?

[whiskychaser]

You wont hear the fuel pump running with just the ignition on - it only runs when you crank or the engine is running. It does sound like fuel starvation as it ran and then died. Try jumpering the fuel pump relay-you dont even need the ignition on for that. You should hear the pump running and fuel coursing through the pipes. If you cant, make sure the fuse between the relay and pump is ok. Then check you have power and ground at the pump. If you do, your pump is probably goosed. If I got that far I would whip the pump out, re-connect and give it a slap. Pumps do stick and its only a quick test to see if you can 'make' it run. You would need a new one anyway but at least you found the fault. For ref, you should have 51psi of pressure with the engine off and a jumper in. I am assuming you have pulled out a plug, connected up and have a healthy spark.

[glen-sj]

Not likely if CPS was changed 18 months ago. You did say you ruled out the fuel pump relay. What about the fuel pump? Did you tried using the a jumper on the relay socket and see if there is voltage at the fuel pump harness? Follow the instruction in the Bentley manual for this. If there is voltage at the fuel pump harness - then it is a faulty fuel pump.

[keystone]

Thanks again, glen-sj, whiskychaser, and bubba966 for your responses. I just got it towed to a mechanic. I will post the result when I hear from the mechanic about the problem. It was very sad to see it on tow truck.
Thanks again.

[whiskychaser]

Thanks again, glen-sj, whiskychaser, and bubba966 for your responses. I just got it towed to a mechanic. I will post the result when I hear from the mechanic about the problem. It was very sad to see it on tow truck.
Thanks again.

I regret to say that I have been there. Please do not make my mistake and have it towed to your dad's house. If it breaks the concrete on the drive you thiis will add to your woes. You will never live it down. People who you thought were friends will make videos about it:(

[keystone]

Finally I got the result, which was something I would never figure it even though it was the most basic thing. It was the relay, but the two relays were switched somehow. There is no way I could have done the switch as I always pay very careful attention to what I take out and what I put back. I always pull one thing at at time in order to not to mix them up and I put back one, then I will check the other one. It seems like the case of vandalism, but I am not sure who would want to do that. Two relays were switched and there was no connection to start the car. Now I got the check engine light and car starts fine, of course after paying 2 hour-labor to the mechanic.
I was looking at Bentley manual where there is a picture of e-box and three relays are next to each other. My car has 2 relays next to each other, and the third one is separate in the e-box, on the corner of e-box. It would have helped a lot, probably, if it was the same set up as in the picture in Bentley manual.
My mechanic says the starter is probably going bad from all that cranking as I can hear weird sound starting the car.
Hopefully next time when I have another problem I will have more time to check things out as my school has just started this time, which did not leave me much time to look for the problem. It was very frustrating.
But thank you for your help.

[e34.535i.sport]

I regret to say that I have been there. Please do not make my mistake and have it towed to your dad's house. If it breaks the concrete on the drive you thiis will add to your woes. You will never live it down. People who you thought were friends will make videos about it:(

LOL! It's true, i've saw the evidence. :D