No Start 1995 530i

[Walter Cruden <cruden@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The basics of no start are confirm fuel, confirm secondary spark, and
confirm spark timing.  I am new to the 1995 530i, so normally easy for
is harder the first time without very concrete instructions.

For folks as literal as I am, here is the secret to finding the fuel
pump relay and the engine control module relay in a 1995 530i.  They are
actually in the electronics box [aka E-box] where the motronic is, on
the right fender junction with the firewall.  If you look at the Bentley
book photos, you would think you pop the E-box cover and you would be
staring at them.  Image instead the relays dropped 3 inches lower in the
E-box and above the relays has been installed a mounting rail with
connector sockets and harnesses.  Change your angle and look under that
mounting rail and there are the relays!  After you unbolt the top rail,
you can now test your fuel pump by bridging the proper socket terminals
for the fuel pump relay.

Confirming secondary spark is not too obvious for those new to the coil
on sparkplug arrangement.  There is little room in the chamber
containing the coils, spark plug towers, and the wide guage
connections.  Hard to get my DIS lead clips on the fat insulators since
the clips are sized for normal secondary insulation diameters and don't
offset at a 90 degree angle to get past the coils.  I looked at the
square coils and saw lips on the sides nearest me.  So I tightened the
spring clips on a GM HEI secondary sensor, attached my scope and started
the engine.  The traditional secondary trace confirmed spark.  If anyone
knows the correct pickup sensor for these coils, I would like to know
details.

Confirming spark timing is relatively simple once you can get a
secondary trace.  Just use a dual channel scope and display #1 spark
plug and the TDC pulse.

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