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The other day I was replacing the brake master cylinder on my 1986 BMW. All went well, and the replacement seemed to work fine. The next day, I came out to a vehicle that had a bit of trouble starting, but started fine and drive fine. Next day comes along, and the vehicle refuses to start. After a few tries it starts, and starts back up after driving. Needless to say, it broke down partway through my drive, and wouldn’t restart. So, now I have an inoperable car. About two weeks prior to incident, I had a full tune up done with spark plugs, wires, rotor cap, button,timing belt, water pump, thermostat, and new vacuum lines. I checked the spark it is good, the compression was tested at the time of the change, and was very good(in the 150’s for all 6 cylinders). I also can get it running with carb cleaner momentarily. I can hear atleat one of the two fuel pumps, but I have not tested the pressure. My question: There is a rusted pulsation damper in the line, and I spilled brake fluid on the filter during the change, so, could that be the cause of the problem or could it be something else?
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you spilled brake fluid on the air filter of fuel filter?
If it runs off the carb spray.Then its fuel related. You may
have a clogged fuel filter. Remove the fuel filter and try to
blow through it. Also put the fuel line in a jar and have someone
crank the engine. the jar should fill fast.If it runs on a combustible spray like starting fluid or carb cleaner than you have a fuel supply issue. Next logical step would be to perform a couple quick checks. Disconnect the fuel supply line at the engine and route it to a container to catch fuel in. Crank the engine and observe if fuel is being delivered at a good rate. If not, diagnose fuel supply issue. If there is fuel flow, check the injectors by listening to them using a hard handled screwdriver. If you can’t hear them tick than figure out why the injectors are not being activated. If there is fuel flow and injectors are firing, it’s time for more serious diag and to install a fuel pressure gauge to determine delivery rate and pressure while cranking.
I hate guessing at parts, but it sounds a lot like a fuel pump issue. Insufficient power supply to pump or pump itself. If i was diagnosing the vehicle, that’s the direction i would choose to go in.
I spilled on the fuel filter. I replaced the fuel filter, and tested the flow…it gushed. Problem still persists. Could it be the fuel injection computer? Injectors?
Are the injectors being activated when cranking? Hard handled screwdriver – one end against an injector and the other against your ear. Crank engine. Do you hear clicking? If so, injectors are activating. If they are, check fuel pressure when cranking.
I could hear the injectors clicking. Although, I took the rusted pulsation damper off, and looked at the fuel flow again, but this time, it was a slow drip trickle right out of the second in-line fuel pump. Does this car have two filters? One after the first pump, and one after the second(which is the one I changed.)?
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