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MYSTERY

 
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Henry



Joined: 03 Apr 2001
Posts: 2878
Location: NYC

PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 5:59 pm    Post subject: MYSTERY Reply with quote

(Posted this on the E-36 board as well)



Vehicle: '92 318is
Mileage: 215K

Problem: Started vehicle in morning. Vehicle sat for one hour. Attempted to start vehicle. Engine turns over and does not start. Try later in day same symptom. Car sits overnight. Do not attempt to start car in morning.

Car flat bedded to dealer. Yes, dealer. A good word for once. Here in
Santa Fe NM the service dept of dealer is fine, fair and responsible.

Car arrives at dealer. Service rep gets into car. IT STARTS. Continues to start. Vehicle been there since Monday and still continues to start.

Battery 5 yr. old. Tested OK.
Fuel Pump (Original) pressure tested OK
Fuses, Relay: Tests OK
Fault Codes: None Registered

Service rep to drive vehicle home tonight.
Will also assign someone to drive it tomorrow
(I told you it's a nice service dept)

Mystery: What is wrong with car/What could be wrong with car?

What should I do?
Replace battery?
Replace fuel pump?

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO ANYONE ON THIS BOARD???
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tncean



Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 1652
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Suspects; 1 Alternator (or the brushes/volt reg if like 325).
2 Battery 5 yrs is an old battery. Plates may be shorting/unshorting.
3 Relay replace if older than 5 yrs.
4 Fuel pump old ones often go out suddenly, even with ok line pressure. Not all whine before fail. Pump bearing/bushing intermittently siezing.

Any, or combination of above. If "flashing" dash lights occured just before, look at alty/batt, esp alty.
Suggest replace fuel pump, if original, just for peace of mind. See above as to why.

tncean
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Henry



Joined: 03 Apr 2001
Posts: 2878
Location: NYC

PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

YUP.

Thank you for the suggestions...A note to bring you up to date.

The service manager ran the car for 2 days. It was fine until Thursday. I get a call from him saying the vehicle was dead and he was at a local body shop. So the car stops for him as it does for me. And it stops at the right place...at a shop.

So...the diagnosis is fuel pump. Am also fitting a new relay and gas filter.

This should, as in should, fix it. Will know Wednesday.

PS...Will replace battery after I pay this amex bill...off to Sears!

PSPS...Am pricing starter. Am a realist. A year ago replaced radiator before failure. Did not want engine to melt down. The alternator is about 3/4 yrs old with about 50k or so on it. No alternator symptoms and expect same for a while.

Needed fuel pump to fail because I still have a mech brkdwn insur that I've carried since vehicle new. And this is a 250 deductible.

Anyway, could not take that chance with the radiator. That would have been out of hand meltdown and a write off of the vehicle. We do not want that.
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tncean



Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 1652
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.

PostPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

E30 starters are very robust, a bitch to change. Don't know E36.
Most starters will give you a few "warnings" before they go out of service. Hearing only a click when turning key on, then finally engaging after a few tries most common, I think. "Slow then ok" another heads up.
Sometimes a few firm blows with a hammer handle to starter body will get you a few more turns and get you to home or a shop. Same for wiper motor.

t
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Henry



Joined: 03 Apr 2001
Posts: 2878
Location: NYC

PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks...Looking forward to wed/thurs and return of vehicle. Till then I'm feeding my '88 Caprice Classic Wagon (aka The White Pueblo) w/Olds 307 V-8. A very nice engine indeed however thirsty.
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