E39 530i intermittent non start

E39 530i intermittent non start

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lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Saturday 2nd March
quotequote all
Finally got round to getting an MOT on my e39 after it has sat on the drive for the last 2.5 years. Flew through the MOT but when I got to the garage it wouldn’t restart when the mechanic got in to put in on the ramp. Turned over strongly and had spark but couldn’t hear the fuel pump running.

Started after a few minutes and ran perfectly for the test and drive home. It then did the same thing a bit later when I went to start it- turned over but no start. Didn’t hear fuel pump prime.

I’ve just tried it again this evening and it started first time. So I think there’s a couple of possibilities. Fuel pump, fuel pump relay or crank sensor.

Does anyone know where the fuel pump relay is located in a 2003 530i? And what’s the best way to test the crank position sensor?

Annoying that now it’s finally legal to drive I can’t as I don’t know if it will start again at the other end of the journey!

Panamax

5,143 posts

42 months

Saturday 2nd March
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Have you checked the CCV?

lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Saturday 2nd March
quotequote all
Yea that’s all fine was done a few years ago. While it was off the road I changed the sump gasket, found and fixed some vacuum leaks and cleared out the dipstick tube (the double walled bit at the bottom), replaced the injector seals and the rubber intake pipes between the maf and throttle body so there’s definitely no issues on that side of things.

Reading up about it I’m convinced it’s the fuel pump. It ran when we sprayed some ether down the intake so it’s got spark when theres no fuel.

When I was driving it the engine felt spot on- idle was rock solid and it pulled nicely, no flat spots.

d_a_n1979

9,820 posts

80 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
Finally got round to getting an MOT on my e39 after it has sat on the drive for the last 2.5 years. Flew through the MOT but when I got to the garage it wouldn’t restart when the mechanic got in to put in on the ramp. Turned over strongly and had spark but couldn’t hear the fuel pump running.

Started after a few minutes and ran perfectly for the test and drive home. It then did the same thing a bit later when I went to start it- turned over but no start. Didn’t hear fuel pump prime.

I’ve just tried it again this evening and it started first time. So I think there’s a couple of possibilities. Fuel pump, fuel pump relay or crank sensor.

Does anyone know where the fuel pump relay is located in a 2003 530i? And what’s the best way to test the crank position sensor?

Annoying that now it’s finally legal to drive I can’t as I don’t know if it will start again at the other end of the journey!
More than likely cam/crank sensor Matt; change both with OEM BMW only ones, they're a sod at times and rarely throw codes. But non starting after the engines been running is generally one of those 2

But, it can be fuel pump as well. Can you hear that prime as it should when you turn the key in the ignition before starting the engine, when it's cold??

If the car starts fine when its cold then that to me is the sensors...

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Sunday 3rd March 11:43

lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Both cam sensors were replaced in my ownership with genuine bmw which cured a stumble coming off idle when hot.

Could hear the pump prime (subtle hum for a couple of seconds) when it started when cold.

It ran on starter fluid when it wouldn’t start at the garage which apparently they wont do when the crank sensor is playing up as the ecu won’t fire the ignition.

d_a_n1979

9,820 posts

80 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
Both cam sensors were replaced in my ownership with genuine bmw which cured a stumble coming off idle when hot.

Could hear the pump prime (subtle hum for a couple of seconds) when it started when cold.

It ran on starter fluid when it wouldn’t start at the garage which apparently they wont do when the crank sensor is playing up as the ecu won’t fire the ignition.
Sounds like the pumps doing what it needs to do...

It does sound like the sensors again I'm sorry to say; but of a sod if they're not that old!

Can't remember for the life of me who makes them either! It's either Siemens or VDO IIRC

I-am-the-reverend

963 posts

43 months

Sunday 3rd March
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Sounds like the fuel pump is dying. They don't like being stood - it's getting hot and trying to seize, sorting itself out when cold.

It's worse when the pump has been above the level of the fuel for so long.

fttm canada

3,880 posts

143 months

Sunday 3rd March
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As above , my money is on the pump .Had a similar issue on one of mine , easy fix iirc .

lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Did some research on part numbers so know what fuel pump I need. Thoughts on best brand to go for? I think the original was Peirburg who apparently don’t make them any more. Bosch?

Are autodoc reliable? Never used them but heard mixed reviews.

d_a_n1979

9,820 posts

80 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
Did some research on part numbers so know what fuel pump I need. Thoughts on best brand to go for? I think the original was Peirburg who apparently don’t make them any more. Bosch?

Are autodoc reliable? Never used them but heard mixed reviews.
Autodoc are fine; but it'll be a good week or so before you see it

You could always get a known 2nd hand one to ensure it is a fuel pump issues before laying out £££ for a brand new one; Simon and Nick that run Rotrip are a trusted reseller of parts:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266683589114?epid=16093...

Magneti Marelli are makes of OEM parts too: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304568280716?fits=Car+M...

lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Cheers will have a look

Aluminati

2,760 posts

66 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Green relay up under the glovebox. Check that first before spending silly money.

I-am-the-reverend

963 posts

43 months

Monday 4th March
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
Did some research on part numbers so know what fuel pump I need. Thoughts on best brand to go for? I think the original was Peirburg who apparently don’t make them any more. Bosch?

Are autodoc reliable? Never used them but heard mixed reviews.
'Secondhand' is the brand I'd choose. E39 pumps rarely fail so they aren't worth a lot.

d_a_n1979

9,820 posts

80 months

Monday 4th March
quotequote all
I-am-the-reverend said:
lufbramatt said:
Did some research on part numbers so know what fuel pump I need. Thoughts on best brand to go for? I think the original was Peirburg who apparently don’t make them any more. Bosch?

Are autodoc reliable? Never used them but heard mixed reviews.
'Secondhand' is the brand I'd choose. E39 pumps rarely fail so they aren't worth a lot.
Agree; that's why I linked to what RoTrip have to sell...

Drmarkf

23 posts

31 months

Wednesday 6th March
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Agree the suggestions above are likely, but also worth noting that after any vehicle has been sitting on a drive for that long the battery might well have suffered. Did you keep it charged?
I’ve had several odd issues caused by failing batteries on an E46 and an E39.

lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Wednesday 6th March
quotequote all
Battery is about 9 months old as I had intended to get it on the road last summer but ended up replacing the sump gasket and various other bits while I was there. It’s been kept charged up so I could shunt it around the drive when needed.

lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Sunday 10th March
quotequote all
So new development, all the lights decided to turn on this morning and not turn off unless I disconnected the battery. Presumably a LCM issue.

I gather replacement involves coding the mileage into the LCM but it has to be an LCM that has a lower mileage on it than the car? Which might be hard to find as mine has only got 98k miles on.

Any recommendations for repair places?

d_a_n1979

9,820 posts

80 months

Sunday 10th March
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
So new development, all the lights decided to turn on this morning and not turn off unless I disconnected the battery. Presumably a LCM issue.

I gather replacement involves coding the mileage into the LCM but it has to be an LCM that has a lower mileage on it than the car? Which might be hard to find as mine has only got 98k miles on.

Any recommendations for repair places?
My pal had issues with his E39 M5 LCM; sent it to these folk IIRC and they fixed it for him: https://www.clusterrepairsuk.co.uk/repair/model/bm...

His 530i he just removed it and cleaned the PCB, board & pins using this how to and didn't have any further issues in the 18 months he had it whilst rebuilding his M5: https://www.m5board.com/threads/fix-repair-misbeha...

Could be worth trying before you start to lay out more £££ for a full repair

lufbramatt

Original Poster:

5,439 posts

142 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
When I removed it there was no corrosion or water damage etc. all looked perfectly clean. Sent it to a guy in Harrogate who has a business called Autoelectron. Found a decent amount of positive feedback online for him fixing various different electronic modules and roof mechanisms for BMWs, Land rovers etc.

He repaired the module for £70 and had it sent back the same day.

d_a_n1979

9,820 posts

80 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
lufbramatt said:
When I removed it there was no corrosion or water damage etc. all looked perfectly clean. Sent it to a guy in Harrogate who has a business called Autoelectron. Found a decent amount of positive feedback online for him fixing various different electronic modules and roof mechanisms for BMWs, Land rovers etc.

He repaired the module for £70 and had it sent back the same day.
Are you all sorted now then?