the one and only e30 s52 engine swap

AsparagusMike

KaiserRolls said:

What gauge and sensor did you end up buying?

Gauge is a vdo 310105

Sending unit is a vdo 323900 (0-250 degree)

SteelBlue

This thread makes me feel bad about my attempt at this swap.

Good work.

jc43089

AsparagusMike said:

Thank you for this! But, I think for now tell I can do some more research and make up my mind I'll be running with the original steering wheel.

Just so there's no confusion, the threads are actually a M12 x 1.5. The adapters I received yesterday did not come with that size threads (should have double checked before ordering). However, I did get the right one ordered from Auto Meter that should be here tomorrow.

Are you installing it where the TB heater nipple came from? I thought that was M12x1.5 and the sensors whether you have 1 or 2 are M14x1.5.

AsparagusMike

jc43089 said:

Are you installing it where the TB heater nipple came from? I thought that was M12x1.5 and the sensors whether you have 1 or 2 are M14x1.5.

All the threaded holes there are gonna be a M12 x 1.5.

AsparagusMike

Alright, I got me a problem.

Got everything thrown back together on the motor. Went to crank it over, nothin.

No crank just a couple clicks from the abs unit and a humming noise from the IAC valve.

So far I have been able to eliminate the starter and battery from the list of suspects.

Reason for this is because I pulled all the wires off the starter solenoid, pulled the battery from the car and hooked up jumper cables straight to the starter and grounded to the housing. Used the old screwdriver trick and was able to get the starter to spin the engine no problem.

After confirming this I threw everything back together.

Went ahead and pulled the engine ground off and cleaned both sides to confirm a good clean ground as well as all the wires hooked on to the battery cable mounting block in the engine bay and gave it another try, nothin.

Checked power coming to the starter from the main battery cable, got a good constant +12 volts.

Checked power coming to the small post from the ignition wire (black and yellow) while I had a friend turn the key over, +12 volts.

Flipped the relays around between the O2, fuel pump, and starter, nothin.

I'm stumped guys.

jc43089

Here is a link to the ETM. I assume most of the stuff is E30 wiring for the starter anyway. Here is a screenshot, there is no starter relay, if the black/yellow wire at the starter is getting 12V when the key is turned to the start position then there is a bad ground somewhere.

http://wedophones.com/Manuals/BMW/1991 BMW 318i - 318is - 318ic Electrical Troubleshooting Manual.pdf

B C

was the car an automatic
you started it with the key and same wiring configuration before, correct?

the couple times i couldnt get my car to crank I realized I had the C101 adapter disconnected... oops

straight6pwr

did you whisper some sweet nothings in her ear before just sticking the key in?

AsparagusMike

jc43089 said:

Here is a link to the ETM. I assume most of the stuff is E30 wiring for the starter anyway. Here is a screenshot, there is no starter relay, if the black/yellow wire at the starter is getting 12V when the key is turned to the start position then there is a bad ground somewhere.

http://wedophones.com/Manuals/BMW/1991 BMW 318i - 318is - 318ic Electrical Troubleshooting Manual.pdf

Thank you for this ^

I'll go ahead and check every ground on the car after work to confirm good clean connections.

snap said:

was the car an automatic

you started it with the key and same wiring configuration before, correct?

the couple times i couldnt get my car to crank I realized I had the C101 adapter disconnected... oops

The car was originally a manual.
I never changed any of the wiring up from the last time it ran. Although, nothing was hooked up through the dash for wiring when I started it the first time. Don't know why that would affect it from cranking over though.

C101 connector is hooked up and good to go lol.

AsparagusMike

Went through and inspected and cleaned every ground location, turned the key over... nofin.

pulled and tested each of the relays, they are all good.

couple pics of the grounds and wires I checked. I also checked the ground right next to the abs unit and the ground underneath the dash next to the steering colum

Not really sure what to do now

B C

Try jumpering pins 11 and 14 on the diagnostic connector with a piece of wire. Remember to have the car in neutral and the ignition switched on. Also note if pins 11 and 14 exist in tge connector, they may be bare (this is fine, just explains why jumpering them wouldnt work)

also try jiggling the key as you try cranking to jostle the ignition switch a little bit

jc43089

Does it crank if you use a jumper from the large red wire on the starter to the black/yellow wire? If it does then you know the grounds are all good. If it doesn't then there is a power or ground problem because you said the starter did work when you hooked power directly to it

Next test would be to set your meter to DC volts and put one lead on a body ground and one on the engine block while someone attempts to crank. If you see voltage it means that something isn't grounded, it could be the starter body to the transmission if things are painted, or the engine block to the mount arm that has the ground strap on it.

straight6pwr

try listing every bit of work you've done since the car was last started. this may narrow down what has changed, and may be causing the issue.

KaiserRolls

snap said:

Try jumpering pins 11 and 14 on the diagnostic connector with a piece of wire. Remember to have the car in neutral and the ignition switched on. Also note if pins 11 and 14 exist in tge connector, they may be bare (this is fine, just explains why jumpering them wouldnt work)

also try jiggling the key as you try cranking to jostle the ignition switch a little bit

My vote is ignition switch as well

jc43089

An earlier post he said he got 12V on the black/yellow wire at the starter, that comes from the ignition switch so it would seem to be working.

Jdesign

jc43089 said:

Does it crank if you use a jumper from the large red wire on the starter to the black/yellow wire? If it does then you know the grounds are all good. If it doesn't then there is a power or ground problem because you said the starter did work when you hooked power directly to it

Next test would be to set your meter to DC volts and put one lead on a body ground and one on the engine block while someone attempts to crank. If you see voltage it means that something isn't grounded, it could be the starter body to the transmission if things are painted, or the engine block to the mount arm that has the ground strap on it.

This. If its not cranking, the starter is bad and / or isnt getting power/signal . What is the voltage output at the starter when its OFF/START/RUN positions?

Boris3

Just to rule it out is the fusible link blown? Follow the small wire off the positive battery terminal, it's wrapped so you can't do a simple visible check. If blown no power to the main relay and ecu.

Any aftermarket alarm immobilizer or an issue with the OBC?

Some other ideas

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Engines_Troubleshoot

jc43089

If the fusible link is blown it will still crank. The ECU will be dead preventing a start though.

AsparagusMike

So once I got over to the shop later today I thought over what yall said and went back to start assessing the possibility of a bad ground issue as @jc43089 stated. I went over to the other garage and snagged the jumper cables from the shelf, hooked one clamp to the alternator mounting bracket and the other side to the front subframe mounting bolt. Hopped in the car... turned the key over to start and I was suddenly welcomed with the sweet sweet sound of the starter beginning to crank, hallelujah!!!

Jumped the fuel relay to get some fuel up to the fuel rail, hopped back in the car and she came to life once again.

This is where it gets very odd though. After I ran the motor for a few seconds I shut it off, pulled the jumper cables off and the car started right back up again. Wait, what? Did it just need some kind of encouragement? I shut the car off and started it 5 different times tonight with no issues. I suppose I will leave everything the way it is and further asses the problem if it decides to return.

Thank you to everyone for their helpful feedback!

Jdesign

AsparagusMike said:

So once I got over to the shop later today I thought over what yall said and went back to start assessing the possibility of a bad ground issue as @jc43089 stated. I went over to the other garage and snagged the jumper cables from the shelf, hooked one clamp to the alternator mounting bracket and the other side to the front subframe mounting bolt. Hopped in the car... turned the key over to start and I was suddenly welcomed with the sweet sweet sound of the starter beginning to crank, hallelujah!!!

Jumped the fuel relay to get some fuel up to the fuel rail, hopped back in the car and she came to life once again.

This is where it gets very odd though. After I ran the motor for a few seconds I shut it off, pulled the jumper cables off and the car started right back up again. Wait, what? Did it just need some kind of encouragement? I shut the car off and started it 5 different times tonight with no issues. I suppose I will leave everything the way it is and further asses the problem if it decides to return.

Thank you to everyone for their helpful feedback!

Thats really weird. Maybe you were just doing something strange last time. Battery terminals tight? Not turning the key all the way? LOLZ

Either way, that's great news!

WIBIMMERS

the one and only e30 s52 engine swap