M20 guys, how did you get it to start!?!?!

[Guest Anonymous]

I've been working on this for months!!! How did you get the damn thing to start?

I have power to ECU pins 18& 37, ground to pins 2, 14, 24, 26, I have power to +15 of coil, I have pin 1 of coil going to pin 1 of the diagnostic connector, I have all spark plugs in, I have the fuel pump going, but nothing!!

What should I do next? I'm seriously starting to have thoughts of putting the M10 back in so that I can at least drive the car...

[Guest Anonymous]

Will it fire on starting fluid? if so your ECU might be at fault.

[Guest Anonymous]

Was this a post 87/8 engine? Motronic 1.3? Ecu 173?

There were differences in the wiring depending on what year. Yours was an '87 engine, right?

matt

[Guest Anonymous]

Sorry, it's from an 89 325i.

None of the cooling system is hooked up at all. I just want to see it start for a few seconds. It does have the stock headers attached.

Does starting fluid work even if the spark plugs don't fire? Sorry if that's a dumb question.

[Guest Anonymous]

and assume that everything else is hooked up? I remember there were a few things that I left off the first time (ie, the plug that goes into the AFM), and the car doesn't start without them.

Do you know anyone with an e30 that you can park beside your car and start comparing whats plugged into what? That may be the easiest.

When you crank it, is there power getting the coil?

Matt

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/store/index.html

pull a plug and see if it is actually firing. or just use a spare plug and pull the #1 wire. no, starter fluid wont work without spark! unless you have a diesel, maybe...

-Rob

[Guest Anonymous]

But it is not firing. I had a spare plug in the first wire.

I made sure that they were all snug.

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

how would I tell for sure?

Here's something strange:

When I power up the ECU, it starts buzzing and so does the ICV (idle control valve, aka idle speed actuator). If I unplug the ICV, BOTH the ECU and the ICV stop buzzing.

Hmm.... ?

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/store/index.html

when you crank the motor, the test light should flicker on and off. If it does not flicker, then your ignition system has problems. try swapping iggy modules. if it does flicker then the coil is dead. try a different coil.

-Rob