Non-mini question BMW e36 help please?
Turbo Mini Forums

So... i brought a house few months back and a neighbor across the street had a 94 e36 318is sat on his drive and after introducing myself we got talking about the car and he brought it NEW but a few years ago his father in law gave them a newer car so he parked it up. By the end of the conversation he'd given me the car as he wanted to see something be done with it...

Anyways... trying to get it back to life and after the normal stuff its cranking, i have spark but it wont fire, it has coughed promisingly a couple times but thats it.. i believe it to be a fuel problem and have googled it and read pages of bimmer forums but i thought id ask here as you lot are alot clevvererer than most!

Thanks in advance!!!

Edited by D4VE on 7th Nov, 2018.

if it has the mechanical MAF, check the flap moves and check the fuel pumps pumping. very basic engines tbo supprised it isnt just running.

EDIT -- or the fuel is just old.

Edited by evolotion on 7th Nov, 2018.

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

Sniff of easystart is a useful diagnostic aid to be honest

Denis yeah im leaning towards the fuel pump is fobbared or the relay for it?

Fuel was bone dry and ive put fresh stuff in..

Tom yes but sadly im out and weirdly cant find any in my local store... they laughed n said how old school that is but i agree n would use it if i had it

brake clean works too.. its what I use, as its always to hand, almost never have easystart about. just make sure its not chlorinated (I believe chlorinated brake clean is illegal these days or certainly very uncommon) but check the label anyways.

fuel filters inline under the car and pumps in-tank pump relays under bonnet im sure google will furnish you with a layout of the relays.

the last thing if it isnt the obvious stuff is the EWS may be faulty, is unlikely but can happen. Depending on the version fitted to your car it could be easily bypassed(if it was e46 or newer youd be screwed but e36s are not so fancy), again google will turn up hits on how. but K.I.S.S get some spray in there then go over the fuel system

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

Are the e36 keys the same as the 46, recharged of an induction loop around the ignition? If the key battery is dead it might effectively be emobilised (fuel pump disabled from the ecu) as the chip isn’t being read.
I had a key that wouldn’t start my old E46, I sat it on my tooth brush charger for a couple of hours and Roberts your mother’s brother.
Might be bollocks but worth a thought.
Shane

Edited by shane on 7th Nov, 2018.

fuel pumps an easy one to check id take a look there, but you should be able to hear it with the ignition on without even getting the multi-meter out.

not a bad shout shane, I found on my 46 touring when the key went, it wouldnt even crank.

Good shout denis ill use some and try,

Yeah shane i had read that on some forums but the key ive been given is as basic as a mini one.. theres a chance its just a spare and he hasnt given me the main key? P.S 7 years you been hiding ya mini! Think its time u updated everyone on here with ur thread...

I would of thought so too oli but ive read that they are very quiet? Altho im hearing nowt so cant imagine them being THAT quiet! So i shall remove the pump and have a proper look... would like to see in the tank anyways

Edited by D4VE on 8th Nov, 2018.

If you’ve just got a “basic” key I’d guess that’s possibly your issue. If the previous owner can’t locate the master key your into a world of pain and expense getting another one from Coopers (they’re the worst main dealer I’ve dealt with). From memory it was £250 and a couple of days shipping from Germany, you’ll have to go over in person to order and again to collect the new key.
I think I still have the old diagnostics lead and software if your stuck and need it.

As for 7 years of hiding the mini, no one wants to see a build thread of it sitting on a lift in various stages of not getting finished. After an attempt at semiretirement I’d hope to of done more with it but sadly not.

Shane

the rechargeable keys were never used on E36's the E36s had keys with passive transponders, and the first generation EWS system.

I do think your overthinking things a bit here IMHO.

fuel pump / fuses / MAF / filter / temp sensor is where you need to start.

http://www.bmwe36blog.com/bmw-e36-keys.html shows the keys.

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

SO fuel pump made no noise at all on the bench.. santa delivered me a new one.. popped it in today and fired straight up! Original owner and myself are chuffed

Thought ive took the micky a little by having it but doing the work on his drive still n not taking it so thought fook it lets chuck it through an MOT to see what its like underneath n see what it needs..

Last MOT was 2008... it only went n sailed through!!!! My friend whos really into his e36's who has a turbo'd 500bhp one said its unbelieveable to of found one with no rust!

Im chuffed! Its insured now.. tax it from feb n have a lil fun! Cheers again for the advice etc guys

Edited by D4VE on 24th Jan, 2019.