Engine Not running

Tiny
ONALO
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 BMW 525I
  • 2.5L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,124 MILES
My car will not start when cranked because I noticed the following:
(1) The spark plugs will not produce light when cranked.
(2) The pump fuse does not transmit current thereby making it unable to supply fuel. But when directed with other fuse line that has current, it pumps constantly without starting when cranked, since the spark plugs will not produce spark light.
(3) What could be responsible for the above failure?
Sunday, October 14th, 2018 AT 2:11 PM

31 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,602 POSTS
Hello,

This sounds like the crankshaft angle sensor is not working. Here is the location so you can change it out.

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
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Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 AT 10:55 AM
Tiny
ONALO
  • MEMBER
  • 32 POSTS
Thanks I sincerely appreciate it. In fact I have experienced this before and hope to repeat it again you have advised and get back to you as soon as I get it replaced.
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Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 AT 1:31 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,602 POSTS
Please do, I want to get it running for you.
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+1
Wednesday, October 17th, 2018 AT 9:37 AM
Tiny
ONALO
  • MEMBER
  • 32 POSTS
Ooh yeah. I will.
Thanks for your candid concern.
I remain appreciative.
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Wednesday, October 17th, 2018 AT 9:53 AM
Tiny
ONALO
  • MEMBER
  • 32 POSTS
Everything is okay now. Thanks a million.
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Thursday, October 10th, 2019 AT 8:20 AM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
You're welcome !
Please feel free to use us again in the future.

Danny-
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Thursday, October 10th, 2019 AT 5:54 PM
Tiny
DEE1975
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1990 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 225,357 MILES
That is was working good. Tried to start it one day an it would not do anything
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
If its not coming from the security system could be the starter, clutch switch, ignition switch, battery condition and connections
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DODGEMATTHEW72
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1990 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 177,000 MILES
I'm not getting any spark to the plugs.I changed the rotor, the coil, plugs, and wires. I'm getting power to the coil thats why I started to change everything one at a time. What could be wrong with this please help?
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Check and test the motronic control unit and engine speed/reference sensor
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DODGEMATTHEW72
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thank you for the advice will try and get back to ya in a day or so. Thank you help again for the
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Just standing in for Doc Hagerty as an assistant in BMW's he'll be in by the time you come back-Good Luck
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
525IGIVEUP
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 1990 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 19,800 MILES
Bought this car 5 years ago with 87k and I love it. I pound out a lot of miles for a living and it has been extremely tight until last winter. It does not want to start under 25-30 degrees and I hesitate to pump the foot feed on a fuel injected engine for fear of flooding it out.
BMW mech. Says there is no "cold weather start" sensor on this model - so that's apparently out even if I coud find it. Suggestions/identification of related parts appreciated.
Yesterday (10 degrees actual temp) I finally got it running by holding the foot feed halfway down and using jumper cables. It ran rough and I assumed that I had gotten a plug wet with too much fuel. I let it run for 20 minutes and shut it off for an hour. Once it starts it'll restart the rest of the day. It restarted just like clockwork but still ran rough - and I am showing a "low coolant temp" light that has never appeared in the last 110k. Coolant temp light on initial start not the restart.
HELP NEEDED - and don't worry about hurting my feelings. I never claimed to be a mechanic, but R&Ring parts doesn't scare me - as long as I know I have the right part in the first place; guessing with these things gets expensive in a hurry
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
IS this a case of it cranking at a normal speed and not starting?

OR is it turning over (cranking) slowly?
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
525IGIVEUP
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Normal speed
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Okay so a jumper cable will make no difference unless you run it down.

We need to find if this is a loss of spark or fuel first to get a direction to go in.

When it is cold, spray some ether or carb cleaner into the throttlebody and then crank it. Does it start?

If it does fire we are on track for a lack of fuel path.
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
525IGIVEUP
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
It's been in the single digits here for about a week and I have not messed with it since I last jumped it. The temps will be up next week and I will be more inclined to "play" mechanic. I am leaning toward a spark/fuel problem also and have the ether on hand to see what happens.
I let it run the other day for about 20 minutes because once it starts it will light the rest of the day. I changed out the plugs last year due to this same situation and it lit right up. I put in the high dollar multi-electrode plugs but that doesn't mean they're still all good. It ran really rough, but it ran the other day. I stopped there before I really screwed it up. I will pick up some new plugs in the event I have fouled out one or more by putting too much fuel in to try to start it.
I am by no means a mechanic but I have pulled and rebuilt motors before - but that was forty years ago. I am totally at a loss with the new fuel injection configurations (mechanical, electronic, combos). I may have a bad injector but I don't know how to test them or if I even can on my own. My economic situation has changed also with the "new" economy and that puts the BMW dealer out of the equation.
I will get back with you next week and probably make more sense by then. For now I really appreciate the moral support and having someone with some sense to point me in the right direction. We bought this car in '05 with 87k on it. I have put 110k on it with no problems, I do my own oil changes. Beyond that I have neglected what would be considered preventive maintenance because it has always ran strong and been really dependable. But it's been rode hard and put away wet once too often and it's time to pay the piper. I was planning to put some money into it this spring (run the valves, etc.) With a BMW mechanic on his own time when I lined one up with the friend I bought this from. I obviously didn't make it to spring. So let me get into some weather that isn't so brutal - no garage, and I will have more info/questions. Thanks again right now for just "being there".
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
VINNIE79
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1990 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 350,000 MILES
Can be driving normally down the road and be wipers come on by them self the car cut off and will not start for a long time this has happened many times right now the car will not start I will go back later to try it again
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
I would definitely get caught up on the maintenance first. Cap, rotor, wires, fuel filter for sure.

I would stay away from the multi-electroded plugs. Bosch split fires have created there share of problems.
I would go toward either NGK or Autolite myself.

Wouldn't be surprised if that alone got you back running.
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,136 POSTS
It sounds to me like id start by checking the wires in the steering column first as that's a common junction for both prolems. Id look for pinched wires or bare spots in the wire that might be touching metal
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Friday, October 18th, 2019 AT 3:39 PM (Merged)

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