not starting

[bigbacon]

Went out to go somewhere,

turn key, engine starts and runs for maybe 2 or3 seconds and it dies.

I can turn the key and hear the sharter and everything go WHIRRR but car doesn't start.

Is there a way to listen for the fuel pump and see if that is the case?

Case was started like a week ago but I only moved it out of the garage and into the driveway and then back later on.

Doesn't have any of the bad battery characteristics, everything seems to be running in the car just fine.

[mgwatson48]

Does it end up starting after a few cranks? If so, mine does that still (after having my VANOS unit replaced at the stealership)

[bigbacon]

I tried cranking it maybe 4 or 5 more times (with a pause in between) and it hasn't changed.

I am going to try jumping it using a known good battery but I don't have a car to run that battery so its going to be iffy.

what does the Vanos have to do with the non start?

[bigbacon]

car has just under 1/2 tank and the gas that is in there is only 2 weeks old. car never gave me issues until just now.

Also, if I remove the battery from the Z4 to get is tested, do I need to worry about anything weird, like getting the dealer to unlock the radio or something stupid like that?

do i have to use a BMW battery or can I just get one from autozone/AAP/NAPA etc?

[donoman]

If you can crank the "sharter" then it's not your battery or your sharter.
If it starts and runs for a few seconds, you probably do not have a fuel pump issue.

Can you check for a vacuum leak anywhere? Perhaps a rodent ate a vacuum line?

Other thing you can try is to unplug your MAF sensor (it's right behind the airbox) and see if it can run. If that doesn't work, plug it back in. If it does work, buy a new sensor.

Did your car throw a "Service ENgine Soon" light? If so, that might help you find out what is going on. Post back here, we will get to the bottom of this.

[donoman]

Here is the location of the MAF sensor.

[donoman]

This may sound stupid but... how is your oil level?

[bigbacon]

oil level is fine. after that first random start. it doesn't start up at all anymore. the 2/3 second start was a one time deal.

I dont think there is a check engine light. Light is on when key is "on" after a cranking, the lgihts go out.

[bigbacon]

tried the maf sensor thing but no go either way. Is there an actual test that can be conducted on that sensor to know if it is really bad or not?

Also upload a video of what happens when I try to start it.

Looked at the battery also, it is a interstate 84mo but I have no idea how old it is.

[partlowr]

Sounds like an ignition coil packs. A friend of mine had one of his take a crap last summer and it started with symptoms like yours, difficult to start, would take a couple tries or sometimes never start and if it did the ilde was off. It is a $30(single unit) part if you can locate the one that is bad but we simply replaced all 6 of them(one per cylinder) for about $160. It is a pretty simple fix if you are slightly handy and have some common tools.


Here is a link if that turns out to be your problem

http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C...d%3Dproductads

[bigbacon]

Originally Posted by partlowr

Sounds like an ignition coil packs. A friend of mine had one of his take a crap last summer and it started with symptoms like yours, difficult to start, would take a couple tries or sometimes never start. It is a $30(single unit) part if you can locate the one that is bad but we simply replaced all 6 of them(one per cylinder) for about $160. It is a pretty simple fix if you are slightly handy and have some common tools.


Here is a link if that turns out to be your problem

http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C...d%3Dproductads

so if there is one bad one, the whole thing wont go? (I assume it would just run on less cylinders)

I have to look at that again because I did remove one the other day to look and see if my valve cover gasket was leaking at all. I did replace the plug right after I got the car so I at least have an idea of removing and adding these.

video of what is happening

voltage on battery is 11.57

[inTgr8r]

coil packs usually just make it run lumpy, unless a bunch of them are bad at the same time

[donoman]

That sounds weird but not like a bad battery or starter.

You said you unplugged your coils? Check that you plugged them back in securely.

If you unplugged the MAF and it didn't start, that's not the culprit. The car can run open-loop without an MAF in the system. So don't waste your time there.

[bigbacon]

I removed only 1 coil and I just checked it again and it seems fine.

when my wife gets home I will just try and jump start it anyway.

[partlowr]

Originally Posted by bigbacon

so if there is one bad one, the whole thing wont go? (I assume it would just run on less cylinders)

I have to look at that again because I did remove one the other day to look and see if my valve cover gasket was leaking at all. I did replace the plug right after I got the car so I at least have an idea of removing and adding these.

video of what is happening

voltage on battery is 11.57

It depends, usually it will run with one bad one or one unplugged, however when it happend to my friends car it appeared to be only one bad one but it made starting difficult at times and idle was a little rough. He just replaced all 6 becuase it was cheap and easy.

[bigbacon]

from my ear anyway. when I am cranking it, it really sounds like it wants to start but it just won't. It has that feel to it if that makes sense.

It almost just started again but it didn't

2003 with 3.0i if that matters at all.

[bigbacon]

i just tried jumping it, and it didn't start but it was sure trying, there was exhaust coming out of the tail end when I was done so it burning something.

[partlowr]

Originally Posted by bigbacon

i just tried jumping it, and it didn't start but it was sure trying, there was exhaust coming out of the tail end when I was done so it burning something.

Leave it alone! If it is getting fuel and no spark or there is a short you might be dumping fuel into a cylinder and if and when you get spark your motor could go BOOM! Pull out your plugs and sniff then and see if they are wet. If so pull all the plugs and let it sit then turn the motor and let it sit some more to try to evaporate some of the fuel. I have seen this happen before, there is a thread on an AMG website right now where this very same thing happend.

[bigbacon]

I took the battery to autozone just to have it checked out since it is free, they said it couldn't finish the test because it didn't have enough voltage and was low.

They are charging it so I'll find out tomorrow when I pick it back up. If not, guess car is getting towed into town and looked at.

I have a bnch of other stuff I was going to do to the car next month anyway so I guess it will get done sooner.

Guess I'll be getting my 88 MR2 back on the road earlier than expect also.

[mhughett]

Are you sure it is getting fuel? Can you hear the fuel pump running when the ignitiion is in position 2? Since you said it initially started for a couple seconds, it might have burned off the fuel in the lines, then ran out. If you can't hear the fuel pump running, my bet is on this.

[bigbacon]

i can't tell, where exactly is the pump? there is so much going on in the car when I turn the key I can't tell what is what, specially with the nav DVD drive trying to do its thing and the other random humming coming from the engine bay.

[partlowr]

Originally Posted by bigbacon

i can't tell, where exactly is the pump? there is so much going on in the car when I turn the key I can't tell what is what, specially with the nav DVD drive trying to do its thing and the other random humming coming from the engine bay.

Pump is in the gas tank. Difficult to get to.