| |
|
Date: 7-8-08 02:13
From: citizenchan 
Subject: Car died in a hard turn. Fuel supply problem? Help pls??  
|
|
|
stock 318i m10b18
Today, I was turning hard in a wide left turn through a light, and felt the engine lose power right after the apex of the turn. I was going roughly 35 - 40 mph. The car then died, and will not start.
Now that it's dead:
I can turn the engine over and it tries to start as though everything is normal, but it won't kick in/start, or try to bite.
Pressing the pedal seems to help a little bit - it alters the *sound* of the turning, but does not help it start any more.
I do not know if it has spark, but the wires are all connected on the coil, dizzy, etc.
I cannot smell any strong fuel smell, neither burnt nor unburnt.
The other day, I had the same issue with the car losing power in a turn, but it didn't die, and has driven 4 times since then. Today, I took the turn pretty hard, had the same issue, but this time it died and is not starting
My fuel pump usually makes an audible whirring noise when the car power is on, but not started. After the incident, it makes no noise.
My diagnosis is a lose connection somewhere in the fuel pump electrical supply. The fuel pump itself is connected, though, so I am thinking the disconect is at the fuel pump relay, or somewhere between.
Any thoughts? Anyone had this issue before? I could be way off about the fuel.
|
Date: 7-9-08 04:35
From: citizenchan
Subject: Re: Check the main relay & fuel pump relay--either can
|
|
|
PO set the pump up on an inline fuse and relay. All connections seem tight.
I am getting power to the fuel pump it looks like. Put my multimeter on 20 - Vdc and got 12.x. I'm a novice with electricity, being shocked a couple times doesn't make me an expert heh. So, this means that on a source up to 20 volts, I was getting 12 volts correct?
So, does it sound like a failing/whirring fuel pump would finally die right when the car was in a tight turn? That seems odd to me - why would the turn make the difference? I can see how inertia caused the fuel to move and possibly add or reduce the stress on the pump, but would that cause it to just go caput like that? I imagine it would still pump, just not strong enough.
I did have the issue once before, exact same thing with the car losing gas, except when I straightened out I got power back - that was just Monday, and I drove the car four times since, to have it die and stay dead yesterday.
What are your thoughts. Thanks for your help.
|
Date: 7-10-08 07:18
From: mike in Beavercreek, OH 
Subject: If you have +12v at the pump itself, then it's getting the
|
|
|
proper power, so either the pump has died, or its inlet is blocked by crud. In either event, you'll have to pull the pump to check.
E30 pumps (in my experience) are usually quiet until they're ready to fail, then they get noisy. Yours may have been stressed while cornering with a low fuel level, so it was sucking air and not getting cooled (in tank pumps are cooled by the fuel they are in), and it finally turned up its toes and died.
You're gonna have to bench test the pump and see if it works...
mike
_________________
'69 Nevada sunroof--"Wolfgang"--bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-- "Ludwig"--mine since '78
'87 eta E30 coupe--"Johannes"
+ Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette)...
and Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite
|
|
|
|
Forum Help
Forum Search
Register
Log in