Help! Crank no start, not fuel, no codes!

Any way I could know if it's the starter?

If it's cranking, it's not the starter.

That crank sensors yelling your name pretty loud about now, lol.

Please just check your crank sensor for crying out loud.

Originally Posted by Stinger9

Now that's the kind of stuff I want to learn but wouldn't know where to go to find it. Where did you know that from? And is that true to all drive by wire cars, or just BMW's?

Man, this is 80's technology!! Goes all the way back to throttle body injection. Was done to mimic carbureted cars from the old days.

I believe all cars support this, typically once the throttle is above 75% during cranking "clear flood mode" should be enabled. The only exception that I can think of is if a TPS is way off and cannot see more than 75% throttle position.

Originally Posted by jfoj

Man, this is 80's technology!!

I skipped the 80's!

How do I "just check my crank sensor". Unless i'm mistaken, it's on the bell housing, very difficult to reach. If there is a way to troubleshoot and test it i'm all for it, just haven't heard of a way...Thanks in advance.

best way to check is to pull codes

pic of sensor located under the starter motor.
starter motor removed here for clarity.
nasty to get to.

Originally Posted by properollin

UPDATED! I really appreciate any input on this!

cranking good, but not starting. New fuel pump, new battery, tested 2 keys so its not the key.

For the last year there were times when my car would not even crank over, seemingly at random. I realized that if I unhook the battery and let it sit for a few minutes, then reattach battery, and turn the key, it will restart. Sometimes I had to wait longer than others, but never longer than 20 minutes. This was very rare so I never really messed with finding out the prob.

Jump ahead to a couple weeks ago when I posted this below:

A couple days prior to not starting it would crank a few times, and after a while eventually start. Then one morning dead, swapped the fuel pump, and verified fuel at the injector rail. I've now tested the coils, which all test .08.

Any other possible culprits besides crankshaft sensor?

I finally take the car to the stealer, who didn't have any codes or clue as to what the prob. was. They say they replaced fuse 67 for the immobilizer, and mentioned something about maybe one of my keys needing replaced (although both will start the car now). They were as confused as me but it was starting so I took it back (and paid them 180). The next day parked on a flat spot my car was doing the same thing, cranking but no start. I let it sit, didn't disconnect the battery or anything, and in about 20 min, cranked and it fired up.

No problems for a few days now untill today. I was parked on a steep incline, facing up the hill, and my car was totally dead, no lights, no crank. I was confused. i put car in nuetral and repositioned so I was facing downhill to jump start, but halfway through my turn, my dash came alive, I cranked, and it started.

I would appreciate any advice so that I don't get stranded somewhere, and since the stealer is confused too, I don't know what to do next!

Thanks for any advice!
D

In rereading, I'm struck by this 'it worked when you repositioned yourself facing downhill.'

Prior you had no lights, no cranking...then everything comes to life.

So...check battery connection...make sure the battery is tightly clamped and pull up on the clamps to check. Check where the bst is connected...some screw on terminal...haven't done anything with it myself, but others have had issues with it getting loose.

I'm thinking of things affected by change in position...electric connection to battery seems not unlikely.

I wouldn't go on randomly trying to help you, but this is sweeps week at Fanatics, and I can't let Mango get more votes than me...I know I'm much nicer, even if he seems to actually know stuff!

So...it's not crank sensor or any other sensor...because you have no codes.

What would lead to your issue without throwing codes...very significant.

I like the loose connection somewhere now--grounds, bst, clamp on battery terminal.

Also, this immobilizer? If you have an AM device, or an alarm, then there's a tilt sensor, isn't there, so alarm goes off is someone is towing your car...something like that? Maybe a motion sensor? Maybe part of that is wonky...and the dealer was thinking it too, otherwise why play with another fuse (if I read you right). You wrote that like they replaced a fuse just because...not because it was blown. They were thinking that...but if 'they' though replacing a good fuse with another would fix anything, I don't know.

Read up on immobilizer issues...if you have an alarm, maybe some part of the system thinks it's locked...maybe your key is going bad (does happen...and that it happened to you with both keys, doesn't prove it's not the keys)...order a replacement key (not valet), so you have a known reliable chip (maybe? I don't know if the chip fails intermittently, but think ews system does get bugs at times...a number here have needed new ones.

A few thoughts...and if any help, either vote for me or post pic of Marisa...my usual fee!

thanks for the input! How do I vote for you?