.... And after all that, I still have a warm start issue :(

[doogie]

OK....... I've had a warm start issue for ages - come out first thing in the morning, turn the key, starts first time. If I drive it to take the wee man to school or leave it idling in the drive while I'm messing around bleeding the cooling system (or god forbid, I stall it.... done that more times than I'd care to admit to!) if I switch the engine off, I can't start it again for about 10 to 15 minutes. After that, it goes fine.

I can't tell what rpm I've got as the rev counter in the cluster doesn't work (changed a nicad in it, but probably need to do capacitors too :()

I've changed the temp sensor (blue top), which led me to have loss of coolant and bleeding issues, which resulted in me changing the water pump (and a lot of swearing!!!)

Should I be looking at the temp sensor cable to the ECU, or something completely different?

Cheers

[E34-520iSE]

Hi Doogie, I have exactly the same car and had the very same problem early last year, when driving home from Whitby. I stopped to go in a shop, came out, started the car, turned but wouldn't start! The problem was caused by the brown-topped temperature sensor. That one lets the ECU know the engine temp, the other one works the dash temp sensor. I got another sensor from a guy on ebay, put it in, and the problem was sorted!




OK....... I've had a warm start issue for ages - come out first thing in the morning, turn the key, starts first time. If I drive it to take the wee man to school or leave it idling in the drive while I'm messing around bleeding the cooling system (or god forbid, I stall it.... done that more times than I'd care to admit to!) if I switch the engine off, I can't start it again for about 10 to 15 minutes. After that, it goes fine.

I can't tell what rpm I've got as the rev counter in the cluster doesn't work (changed a nicad in it, but probably need to do capacitors too :()

I've changed the temp sensor (blue top), which led me to have loss of coolant and bleeding issues, which resulted in me changing the water pump (and a lot of swearing!!!)

Should I be looking at the temp sensor cable to the ECU, or something completely different?

Cheers

[doogie]

Hi Doogie, I have exactly the same car and had the very same problem early last year, when driving home from Whitby. I stopped to go in a shop, came out, started the car, turned but wouldn't start! The problem was caused by the brown-topped temperature sensor. That one lets the ECU know the engine temp, the other one works the dash temp sensor. I got another sensor from a guy on ebay, put it in, and the problem was sorted!

Bollox... I could swear I read (in Bentley!) it was the blue topped one not the brown topped one, which is why i replaced that..... I'll have a poke and maybe get a new brown one at GSF on my way home.

Cheers

[E34-520iSE]

Yeah, when mine was doing the warm-no start trick I also changed the blue one, and had no luck. Let me know how you get on when you replace the brown one!

Regards,

Shaun

[doogie]

Got a replacement at GSF at lunch time - (this one has a black top but I've heard other people say they got a black top one when replacing the brown top) - will fit it tonight before going home. (and macgyver my rad bleed screw!)

[Bill R.]

temp sensor. I would suspect a fuel pump check valve problem or a crank position sensor being loose or misadjusted.







Got a replacement at GSF at lunch time - (this one has a black top but I've heard other people say they got a black top one when replacing the brown top) - will fit it tonight before going home. (and macgyver my rad bleed screw!)

[doogie]

Hmmm.... I've replaced both blue and brown sensors now and I still have the warm start issue (although it seems a little better, although that could just be the cold weather!)

Time to start looking at other reasons, such as fuel pump check valve and cps as per Bill's suggestions.

[E34-520iSE]

Sorry to hear that never cured it. What's your ignition leads like? I replaced mine last month and noticed a big difference, my car purrs when idling now! As Bill says, your crank sensor may have moved or be failing, there is a way to check it using a multimeter on ohms. I checked mine when I built my engine 18 months ago with this method. though I can't remember the exact procedure now. I wonder if you have a vacuum leak somewhere, though that would cause a general rough running whether hot or cold. Anyway, I hope you get it sorted soon! Shaun

[jiminEcricket]

OK....... I've had a warm start issue for ages - come out first thing in the morning, turn the key, starts first time. If I drive it to take the wee man to school or leave it idling in the drive while I'm messing around bleeding the cooling system (or god forbid, I stall it.... done that more times than I'd care to admit to!) if I switch the engine off, I can't start it again for about 10 to 15 minutes. After that, it goes fine.

I can't tell what rpm I've got as the rev counter in the cluster doesn't work (changed a nicad in it, but probably need to do capacitors too :()

I've changed the temp sensor (blue top), which led me to have loss of coolant and bleeding issues, which resulted in me changing the water pump (and a lot of swearing!!!)

Should I be looking at the temp sensor cable to the ECU, or something completely different?

Cheers

this may not help, but at work i had an 86, 325e that had exactly the same problem, changed the fuel press. regulator to fix it. when it won't start, pull off the vacuum line going to the regulator. crank the motor while having someone look for fuel coming out of the regulator nipple( mine was spraying a little) if fuel comes out the diaphram is torn , replace the regulator. hope this helps :)