4.8is Cranks over but engine won't start

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by upallnight

The youtube video guy had the same error code, but he had a no crank no start situation.

I was just joking...

On a side note I need to get Progman and the other software installed and functional... Carly BMW is great and super convenient but lacks some key things I would like to have.

[Astrok]

I am following this post with great interest. I am chasing a 4.8 crank no start but I have narrowed my down to fuel delivery. Pump or no power to pump I feel lucky based on the rat hole you are in

[X5Ghost]

Originally Posted by Astrok

I am following this post with great interest. I am chasing a 4.8 crank no start but I have narrowed my down to fuel delivery. Pump or no power to pump I feel lucky based on the rat hole you are in

Consider yourself lucky if that is the case. That's an easy diagnosis and fix.

Sorry for the delayed updates. I am waiting for the GT1 software to arrive. I will definitely post an update if progress is made. I know this definitely will help others.

There has been already tons of info and suggestions to check as leads in the thread and for that, I thank all who contributed.

[Astrok]

I just fixed my 2005 X5 4.8 crank no start with bad fuel pump. But in the interest of sharing mine did not have any reading on the tach did not move at all it may depend on year but that is not a good test for crank sensor

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by jfoj

If the tach is not moving, then most likely a crank sensor which will cause the fuel pump not to run beyond the prime function and the injectors and coils will not trigger/fire.

This is a video the tach on a E46 330 cranking for reference - https://www.dropbox.com/s/k7tmin8qek...4_056.mp4?dl=0

As for an OBDII App, HIGHLY suggest OBDFusion, its cheaper than Torque and properly supports Wideband O2 sensors.

This is just a comment for this tach-bounce test. I'm not keeping track of all the different directions this thread is following.

Background: my '01 3.0 failed to start. Cranked, but no start. Turns out for me it was the fuel pump, confirmed bad, but not replaced yet. In the quick, pre-troubleshooting research, I came across this thread.

The tach bounce CPS failure test seemed like a good and easy one, BUT! ...

unlike the E46 tach shown in that video, which clearly measures from zero on up, the tach on my E53 seems to start at around 200 RPM. I.e., there's a 1 for 1000, a tick mark for apparently 500, then about 3/5 of that distance lower is the unmarked beginning tick, which I will assume to mean 200 RPM.

When I did this test on my car, the tach did not move at all. But I noticed this feature of my tach and (apparently correctly) concluded that the test is not valid for my car. If it had bounced past 200RPM, it would have registered and exonerated the CPS, but no motion (as I saw) did NOT indicate a bad CPS.

So I continued with regular troubleshooting - charged battery, listened for fuel pump at fuel filler (silent), checked fuel pressure on the fuel rail (zero), pulled up the rear seat and checked applied voltage at the fuel pump (12V for a couple of seconds when the key goes to ON = OK, so DME, electrical is all OK), checked fuel pump resistance = 70 kOhms = YIKES, applied 12V from spare battery directly to fuel pump ... Nothing ==> OE Pierburg Fuel pump is bad at 174k miles.

BTW, the Pierburg pump has a "USA" stamp in it and the part number 7.22013.07 on it (no trailing .0). Looks like I'll be paying around $180-$200 for a Pierburg replacement 7.22013.57, which cross-matches to the original one.

[X5Ghost]

Ok folks, let's see if we can help others. First of all, sorry for the delay as I was sourcing parts that are not easy to find for 4.8is but can be easily sourced for 3.0 and 4.4 models. Let me summarize the issue and solution:

Car cranks but won't start. I'll let you read all previous posts in this thread to discover all possible rabbits holes one can go thru. The day before the issue, I had replaced a damaged hood. Then drove the car one trip before running into the starting issue the next morning. What happened was the passenger windshield sprayer hose was not reconnected securely to the new hood nozzle. Later it became undone and leaked fluid all over the firewall were the DME module was. I never suspected it damaged the DME but since the GT1 was telling me that the EWS isn't able to communicate with the DME, I tried the sync or alignment procedure between the two which didn't work. I decided to physically inspect the DME and connections to see why the EWS couldn't communicate. It turned out there was windshield washer fluid somehow got into the box and made the trip up the DME wire bundle damaging the DME socket and pins connection. DME appeared fine when I opened it to inspect the inside of it.

Since one can't just replace the DME as it is part of the car's anti theft system with EWS codes burned into the DME memory, I needed to find a 4.8is donor car and buy the EWS, DME, ignition cylinder, ignition transponder, and keys to put into my X. That was easily said and and done than trying to find the parts from one rare 4.8is model cars.

Finally, a member here had an eBay auction with the needed parts and I bought and installed them today. I turned the ignition to start, cranked the car over, and waaallaaah, it started.

Key take away: double check your sprayer hoses connections to make sure no preventable leak will occur causing damage to expensive computer modules in the box against the firewall on the passenger side. If hoses are old or brittle, get them replaced. Also, make sure the firewall top trim is on securely. It wouldn't hurt to silicone the DME and the other modules box cover onto the box housing or even just were the cables run thru. I think I might do that.

I want to thank all of you who contributed with valid ideas and troubleshooting steps as all could have been possible. Special thanks to Junkycosmos for making a trip to my house with his GT1 to help me diagnose the fault codes, a true fellow X'fer.

Thanks!

[jfoj]

Make sure the problem was actually windshield washer fluid from the outside of the DME and not antifreeze that wicked up the wiring harness from the thermostat heater or coolant temperature sensors. This is not an unusual situation with many BMW models. If the problem was engine coolant, you better fix this NOW otherwise the problem will reoccur.

Maybe I am missing something, but shouldn't the DME connectors be very well sealed from any exterior moisture or fluids?

[Junkycosmos]

X5Ghost,
What a write up. So glad to hear you got your X running! Bet you missed the purr of that v8. Just in time too with winter really starting now. Post back any codes you get suck on and let us know how the test drive goes.

J