e46 does not want to start

junaid watson

New member
Hi guys just joined i need help urgently my e46 325i does not want to start,it crank's their is fuel pressure i thought it was the fuel filter and i change it but stil nothing can someone please offer advice:cry:
 

Ralf*

///Member
crank angle sensor ??
cam shaft angle sensor ??

this the same symptoms on my 2001 E39 530d, and the reason why I registered here as well.
Changed the cam shaft angle sensor....that was about 4 years ago...trouble free starting since then.
 

Pfw28

New member
Will need some more info, could be any number of things. Get your codes read, that'll most likely tell you the story. Good luck with it!
 

JacquesCI

New member
Check your main fuses. There is a couple of "Bolt on 50 to 40 amp" fuses on top of the normal fuse box behind a black plastic cover. I had one of them blown and had the same symtoms as what you are currently describing. You can't actually see when they are blown. One way is to bridge them one by one witn a piece of copper wire. You can then with each test try to start the car. As some of the others mentioned, there can be a lot of reasons why your car is doing this but you will have to start some where. There is also the possibility that your battery inside your car key is flat and that the EWS is not reading the key.

Good luck
 

junaid watson

New member
:thumbs:Thanks for your post much appreciated the thing is i do not know of anyone that can do a diagnostic on my BMW and was wondering if you knew anybody and what the cost would be for that person to come out to me.THANKS once more:bangdesk:
 

zaleonardz

Well-known member
On the right hand side, on the inside of the bonnet (left if your standing in front of the car)

There where the charging point (black with that flippy cappy thingy) where you connect too if you want to jump start it.

On that same housing, right there is a smaller power cable that runs up into that channel, over the engine to the other side to the into the electronics box in the corner.

Check on this thinner wire if it has 12v, if it does, its not a fuse issue.

My thinking is that it is the crank sensor, as cam sensor failure, even if both of them fail, the car should still start, run like a dog, but will start.

If the crank sensor has gone, it wont.

If you are sure that the DME has power as per my above suggestion, you can also check for spark.

You do this by putting the spark plug connected to the coil on your tounge and having somebody turn the key.

Please remember to film this and put it onto Youtube.

I am of course kidding about the tounge thing... but check for spark by putting the coil with a spark plug in it anywhere you can get a good grounding surface,

If you have fuel, and you have spark, and there is compression, she must run...

Please dont lick the sparkplug ?
 

P1000

///Member
zaleonardz@DentDocVPS said:
You do this by putting the spark plug connected to the coil on your tounge and having somebody turn the key.

Please remember to film this and put it onto Youtube.

I am of course kidding about the tounge thing... but check for spark by putting the coil with a spark plug in it anywhere you can get a good grounding surface,

If you have fuel, and you have spark, and there is compression, she must run...

Please dont lick the sparkplug ?

That made my day. Thanks for the entertainment, Leonard!
 

JacquesCI

New member
Unplug the MAF (mass airflow sensor). And try to start the car. If it starts the sensor might be dirty or faulty. The car can run without the MAF as the computer will just go to default settings mode. The MAF sensor is located on the thick rubber pipe leading from the air box to the throttle body (usually closer to the air box)
 

junaid watson

New member
Can anyone help i'm looking for someone to come and check out my beemer it still doesnt want to start need to have it diagnost before i can change crank or cam sensor does anyone know somebody in cape town i live in the pinelands area THANKS:argh:
 

Iceman007

Active member
Hi my parents stay in Thornton and I visit there alot. I got a diagnostic scanner and also carsoft on laptop. PM me and I can have a look for you. My first BMW was a e46 325i.

:thumbs:
 

junaid watson

New member
I would like to thank everyone who gave input much appreciate the help BIG thanks to ICEMAN who was so generous to come out and run the checks the error code we pick up was MAIN RELAY(switching delay)does anyone maybe know what that means and where the main relay is located.MANY THANKS once again:praise:
 
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