Re: HELP E28 535iS NO START **Rob

["Rob Levinson" <always_coca-cola@xxxxxxx>]

>From: "Brandt, Chris" <Chris.Brandt@domain.elided>
>Subject: HELP E28 535iS NO START

>OK good people here is a real BMW related true to form digest type
question.
>I apologize in advance for the lack of ERAM, Racial, or Bubba slamming
>content. I will save the Rob/Helen slam for after cuz Rob's the guy most
>likely to solve the problem :)

        There's nothing like being put on the spot, huh?  ;-)



>The car 1988 535iS (automatic)
>The time line:
>Car sits for 6 weeks, cold wet weather (Pacific Northwest).
>Battery is dead- Jump start/Charge. After jump car cranks/starts. Runs
>really rough for a few minutes, stalls when put into gear. Car is even
>tougher to restart, will not idle at all.
>Some related info. Car has 1/2 tank of fuel. Dry gas added to account for
>condensation. Fuel relay jumpered to allow cranking for longer than 8 sec.

    A few ideas.

First, a question - if the answer is "yes", then there's a very specific
reason.  At any time, either the last time you shut the car off or the first
time you recently tried to start it, did you hear a loud "bang" or "pop"?
If so, there's an elbow connector going into the plastic intake tube (right
before the intake manifold) that popped out... that will create a "false
air" condition that will result in your car's symptoms.

Otherwise...

1) Cold start valve or idle control valve... if you can get it to keep
running by holding down the gas for a little while so the car warms up, does
it run?  If so, it's probably one of those.

2) The AFM may be gummed up from sitting.  Clean it out with some carb
cleaner, see if that helps.

3) The cap and rotor may have gotten oxidized from sitting so long... it's
sort of easy to replace, just a pain working with the three small bolts and
removing the fan and shroud.  New cap and rotor cost about $60-$80 depending
on brand.

4) Possibly fouled gas or water in the gas, you need to run what is in the
fuel lines through... that means you have to either get it running or
disconnect the ignition and the fuel line right before the fuel pressure
regulator and run the bad stuff out into a bucket.

5) Coolant temp sensors (located on fitting on the front of the engine)...
if they are bad, they could be fooling the DME into thinking the car is
warm, so no cold-enrichment.

6) Remove all the spark plug leads from the distributor and each cylinder
(one at a time, of course!) and put in some dielectric grease... the
contacts may be oxidized.

Those are the most likely culprits.  As you said the car will sort of start
and run, get it to keep running by giving it some gas... it may clean out
whatever is fouling it.


>This is my pre M5 E28 which I sold to the BOSS.....Will make major points
>here.

    Yikes!  You're a brave man.  ;-)


>P.S. I can't resist a comment on Helen/Rob. I have never seen either one in
>person, but if the car is as clean as it looks in pictures and is cared for
>by somebody who has the obvious knowledge of these cars that Rob does. It
is
>worth what he wants for it. I would consider trading my M5 for that car and
>would not sell my M5 for anything even close to $14K. (I would want more
not
>less....for the Kilbort school of math grads)

    Awww... compared to that other offer I got of two Shih-tzus and a '97
Accord, I think you could pay me with the M5 and a Cocker Spaniel.   ;-)


- - Rob Levinson
'85 535i Turbo for sale (or trade for a litter of Standard Poodles, the TVR
of dogs):
www.bubbaclub.com/4sale.htm

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