FW: Update: E30 M3 won't start

[Mike Olsen <molsen3@xxxxxxx>]

Thanks to everyone who sent me tips last night.  You saved me a bunch of 
time and frustration.  The culprit was fouled spark plugs.  Sounds like a 
couple of M3's have had this problem before...now I know.

- -Mike

- -----Original Message-----
From:	Olsen, Mike (Morse TEC Ithaca)
Sent:	Tuesday, January 12, 1999 1:44 PM
To:	'bmw-digest@domain.elided'
Subject:	E30 M3 won't start

You've all probably heard this before, but any quick tips would be greatly 
appreciated:

'88 M3 ran fine Sunday.  Monday morning sounded like 2 cylinders ran for a 
few seconds, then it died.  Now you can crank forever and no attempt to 
catch by the engine.  I thought maybe frozen water in the fuel, but I 
warmed the car underside with lightbulbs (no heat in the garage) and 14 
hours later it turns over easier but still won't even try to catch.  I 
think I can smell some fuel after I crank for a bit so I'm leaning toward 
spark problems.

Any thoughts beyond checking for spark at the coil, plug wires, and plugs? 
 Tests for fuel flow?  Seems strange that it ran fine the day before...

Carless (she drives the 325i),

Mike Olsen
'88 M3
'88 325iC
#153374

------------------------------