US '85 280i questions need help

[hansen12]

Car doesn't start but cranks over properly. Where is safety module located? Ignition coil gets energy when ignition switch is on but loses energy when I try to crank it over. Fuel pump works,coil is good,distributor pick-up tested fine, is this controled by the ECU or what other component would be shutting it down? Auxilary air device and warm up regulator both get energy during cranking. Before problem started car was driving fine for a half hour but died at a red light.
Need help
Rick Hansen
[e-mail]
cheers

[taimar78]

Rick,
This may not help, but have you checked the wiring on the fuel pump? This happened to my 83 Tasmin some years ago and we ended up parallel-wiring from the pump to the front of the car and that fixed it. The same thing happened to a club member in the midwest this summer.
Just a thought.
Marshall

[jeff m]

hansen12 said:

Car doesn't start but cranks over properly. Where is safety module located? Ignition coil gets energy when ignition switch is on but loses energy when I try to crank it over.

The safty module is in the pasenger footwell, it's a bluish colour.

But I think your problem is more likely to be a loose wire or connection in the ignition circuit.
With the ignition on you are getting 12v at the coil.
So from the ignition sw to the coil is ok.
Whilst cranking the 12v to the coil is supplied via the solonoid thus bypassing the ballast resister. This seems to be the wire that is faulty.
Possibly a black yellow.
Check on the solonoid for a black yellow, then look at the two wires on your coil, if one is black yellow check continuity. (also should 12v when sol is op)

You could also check the connections on the "black box" front left corner of car in the nose, in theory it should not cause this symptom but it depends how the physical wiring is done.

Post again if you need further help.