Starting problem.

[jm3]

My car has been sitting for a while, so I wanted to take it out for a ride. I had to jump it to get it started. Everything was fine, ran great as always. I parked it for a couple of hours. When I went to leave, the battery was clearly weak, but it didn't even try to start. The AUX lights all came on, but to turn from the starter.

What I have tried:

I bought a new battery... no luck.

Checked the fuses, they are all fine.

I tried pop starting it... no luck.

I thought it might be the central locking, so i locked and unlocked it a bunch of times... no luck. (I have to use the valet key, as I misplaced mine a couple of weeks ago)

My friend brought over his Peake tool and it read, "Code 42, Firing Curcuit, Belt tensioner, rear middle". I have no idea where that leaves me. I tried looking the code up on unofficialbmw.dotcom but didn't see anything.

Any thoughts? I am thinking it has to be something stupid, as the car was running fine.

[jm3]

[Jeff98NY]

except mine was trying to start up pretty strong. Mine's been torn apart for months, but we think its the crank sensor. Just haven't put the new one in yet.
-------------

[jm3]

A friend said possibly the crank sensor for mine... but it sounds different from your issue.

[95DayVI]

There is a front mounted sensor, and a cam sensor as well. This sounds like it could be the front mounted sensor from the peake. Without real experience with these readers, one couldn't say for sure. Maybe tweak will have some opinion, I used to have his email but don't have it, prolly could find his business in yellow pages for whatever city in TX it is in._______
GC RTAB shims, RSMs, T/S Coilover with Koni DA f/SA R & 450#f/550#r Eibach ERS
Eyeball Arm CA mounts
Sunbelt CAMS w chip for 24# injectors, Euro MAF, Conforti/ITG CAI
96+ exhaust manifolds
Euro fLoAtErS, Ferodo DS2500
accessory UDPs
M roadster lever
All done in my garage

[jsubbi]

According to Peake's website, they have their own nomenclature since they display is so small so you have to look it up in their manual. You might want to get a full code reader for about $60 at Kragen (or wherever) that can display standard OBD2 codes.

I looked at the BMW OBD2 codes at http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/bmw/ just to see if there were any references to Firing Circuit or Belt Tensioner, but there were none.

If it's the crank sensor, it looks like it's buried at the right rear of the block (PN 12 14 1 744 492 on my '98). The cam sensor, however, is accessibly located on the front right side of the cylinder head behind the oil hose to the VANOS (PN 12 14 1 703 221 on my car). I know the cam sensors are common to go, but when mine failed on my 528i, I just received an error code and still had a running engine.

Do you know if it's getting gas? (maybe pull a spark plug after cranking to see) It could be your fuel pump, not uncommon to go before 100K miles. There's also a fuel pump relay (green one?) that only about $12.

Good luck!
John

[jm3]

But its not even cranking... at all.

[kevin72]

It sounds like your valet key worked at least once after replacing the battery, but perhaps the EWS module could be on its way out, coincidentally. Just a WAG. Good luck!


Kevro

[kevin72]

Kevro

[jsubbi]

I'd think it would have to be tied directly to the starter circuit (or the starter itself) as others have mentioned.

Starter circuit pdf

John

[Jeff98NY]

I got it running, now its instantly dying while im driving it.
Hopefully my yellow top is dead. and hopefully its under warranty and I'll go pick up a new one.
If not, im lighting it on fire.
-------------

[jsubbi]

If so, the idle control valve (IVC) may be stuck closed and need cleaning.

[Jeff98NY]

but it happened at 45 too. Freakiest thing, all of a sudden BAM, DEAD.
-------------