HELP NO START ISSUE!

[Brendan Loghides]

Looking for some major help with my z3. I am unable to get the car started after swapping an s52 into the chassis as well as a manual swap. The car was a 1.9 auto before. I have gotten a new ecu, ews, key chip, and ews antenna for the ignition cylinder all matching wired up in the car. The car had an aftermarket alarm system that I have 100% removed as well as reconnected the wires under the steering column that they spliced into. The neutral safety switch has been pinned together with a wire at the shifter (green and blue and black and brown). I have tried 3 ecu’s total, 1 being the original ecu to the s52, one being an ecu tuned by rk tunes to delete all the ews system, and misc other tuning items, and I have the ecu that I purchased that is mentioned above. The car was able to crank way back when before I messed with any of the alarm system or ews functions. Now the car won’t even crank. I am at a loss and do not know what to do. I’ve had this car since November of 17 and I have seen it behind 4 tow trucks from shop to shop (my “shop”). Does anyone know what the problem could be? I am almost ready to buy a stand-alone, but that I feel wouldn’t solve the issue mainly because I cannot find anyone selling a stand-alone for the s52 only the s/m50 so I would need the obd1 harness and whatever other sensors required as well (already have the m50 intake mani). Anything will help, the main problem I was having when the car was cranking is the fuel pump wouldn’t turn on or wouldn’t be receiving a signal to turn on, we pulled it out and put power to it and it does function. Seriously at a loss here. Please anyone help!

 

[andyglym]

@Lee

 

[Lee]

I would go back to basics. You’ve changed so much stuff.

Do you get a fuel pump prime noise when you turn the ignition on? If not your immobiliser is still kicking in. Do you get any dash lights? I’ve done 3 engine swaps now and the only thing I change is the ECU, I buy an EWS delete Ecu then they always fire first turn of the key.

 

[mrscalex]

The EWS has 2 significant outputs:

1. Releasing 12v to the starter via an internal relay
2. Hand-shaking with the DME to tell it security is satisfied (check with transponder in key essentially) and it can release 12v to the ignition system.

By deleting the EWS you remove the necessity for output (2). But have you ensured that the starter is permanently supplied with 12v?

 

[Brendan Loghides]

Fuel pump will not prime, and I just want to delete it at this point

 

[mrscalex]

Fuel pump will not prime, and I just want to delete it at this point

I presume you mean delete the EWS rather than fuel pump? You mentioned the starter wasn't turning. How does 12v get fed to the starter when you've removed the relay (EWS) that is the gateway to supplying it? You'd surely need to change the wiring? I haven't done an EWS delete before but that's how the EWS works - maybe I'm missing something. @Lee would have to say as he has done this.

 

[Brendan Loghides]

Yes, delete the ews. Obviously keep the fuel pump. I have not removed the relay for the ews at this point. I can just haven’t. Will that help?

 

[mrscalex]

Yes, delete the ews. Obviously keep the fuel pump. I have not removed the relay for the ews at this point. I can just haven’t. Will that help?

I don't know how an EWS delete works in terms of keeping the relay (in the EWS) working and sending 12v to the starter. My point is if it 'cripples' the EWS then what is sending the 12v to the starter?

 

[Brendan Loghides]

I don't know how an EWS delete works in terms of keeping the relay (in the EWS) working and sending 12v to the starter. My point is if it 'cripples' the EWS then what is sending the 12v to the starter?

Wouldn’t the power wire send 12v straight to the starter? It was cranking but no longer is

 

[mrscalex]

Wouldn’t the power wire send 12v straight to the starter? It was cranking but no longer is

No the EWS is an intelligent relay and switches the 12v to the starter.

 

[Brendan Loghides]

No the EWS is an intelligent relay and switches the 12v to the starter.

Than what is my solution

 

[mrscalex]

Than what is my solution

@Lee has already told you what to do - go back to basics. I’m just adding some of the theory that may allow you to understand.

You need to understand the basics of how a Z3 fires up, the potential consequences of the modifications you’ve made and apply some basic fault finding around the components you may have impacted and which are responsible for attempting to run the engine.

The golden rule in a factory setup is if the car won’t crank the problem is no further forward than the EWS as that is entirely responsible for supplying the starter. So either the EWS is malfunctioning, not happy with security checks or it’s something very basic like a stuck starter or flat battery.

If the car cranks but won’t start then the EWS has passed the baton and you move up to the point of the DME which is responsible for releasing the engine’s ignition circuit.

Playing with this stuff as you have who knows. So you go back to basics. You can’t really expect to have the solution itself identified for you. The advice you are going to get is check basics - x, y, z.

You’ve either got 12v at the starter or you haven’t. Put a meter on it. If you’ve got 12v then your starter must be jammed. If you haven’t got 12v find out why not. What is supplying the starter when the EWS is bypassed as that’s its job.

Get a circuit diagram and understand what is in the way of the fuel pump that could block or fail to release the supply.

What error codes have you got? This would help too. When you are reverting to an EWS factory setup have you for instance just got a rolling codes issue as the EWS and DME aren’t sync’d?