Author Topic: Where are the sparks? (Read 2936 times)

jdirty · « **on:** October 03, 2011, 02:38:20 AM »

After replacing my cracked head with a new and prepped one, the car won't start and all i hear is just whirring while trying to jump start it. i checked the temp sensor, coolant sensor and cps. i have a bad feeling about the oil which i blame myself for being to impatient. for filling up the car with a tad bit more oil than it was supposed to be in my haste to finish it up last night. i'm a dumbass. an impatient one at that.

i wonder what the fuck is going on?! i already drained the oil. tried to jump start the car. nothing. just whirring noise. i smell fuel. i pulled the brand new plugs in fear of them being soiled for whatever reason, but they were clean i don't remember them being moist though.. i peeked into the spark plug holes to check the cylinder heads and i saw some fluid. i couldn't tell if it was oil or gas. i checked my new alternator ground cable if it was mounted properly and it was. i tried jump starting the car again. nothing. just whirring. could it be because the battery's almost dead? even with jumpstarting? i'm off to autozone to have them charge my battery overnight in hopes that will solve everything since fixing Bimmers in general.. so easy. *sarcasm*

thoughts? ideas?

keflaman · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2011, 07:14:15 AM »

What do you mean by "whirring"? I mean no disrespect, but from your description it almost sounds like the starter isn't engaging.

Is the engine turning over at all?

jdirty · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2011, 01:30:21 PM »

Quote from: keflaman;107142

What do you mean by "whirring"? I mean no disrespect, but from your description it almost sounds like the starter isn't engaging.

Is the engine turning over at all?

none taken. it's just that i don't really know how to describe the sound. but my dad who was with me stated that the car was cranking. i'll try to take a video later.

i came back from auto zone last night and the battery was charged but they advised me to get a new one because the condition of the battery failed the test and that it would more than likely die again soon. so i tried starting the car... bow! backfire. i checked the coils for spark and all of them did. no fault codes with the stomp test. i never touched the starter before the head cracked and after it was replaced.

would the new head being shaved to the tenths and having a 5* valve job cause timing issues? i didn't request for those specs but the guy who sold it to me already had it done but didn't end up rebuilding his m42 so he sold me the head. if i had the money i probably would've gotten the block too. shipping from NY though...

but yeah.. this morning the car made some backfire noise again. just one pop. but still won't start. i tried starting it while flooring the gas. but still nothing.

jdirty · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2011, 02:41:21 PM »

noob alert! found out plug wire 3 and 4 got mixed up an that my fpr hose was pinched betweent the upper and lower intake. off to get a replacement hose.

embarassing update:

figured it out. the sparks have been found, but not just firing right. this is not an electrical issue but a timing one because i believe i fucked up the camshafts. i messed my degrees that. fucking geometry math. ugh. instead of the intake and exhaust lobes being 45* facing each other it was more like 125* pointing downward at each other. fucking noob. oh well.

moral here is take your time, even if daylight is scarce hastiness leads to dumbfuckiness (most of the time).

another update:
the car runs now. huge duh moment right there. i just need bleed the car. because right now.. it went up 3/4 on the temp but no heat from heater? really? wtf. this im pretty sure i didnt touch anything. gonna look into the cooling syatem threads an what not.