What do you guys think?

[92BMW318is]

Just bought this car for 650$
The car doesn't start. I'm going to have it towed to my house through AAA.
When i went to see it i found oil all over the engine. there was also coolant all over intake boot.  I checked the oil and there was no milky residue, so it seems there isnt coolant mixing with the oil. I checked to see if the engine will turn over and it did, there are 202k miles on the car.

underneath the car is clean, body is clean besides a little rust above passanger rear tire.  and on passanger side beside front tire

[92BMW318is]

[DesktopDave]

Looks like a decent car - good shape too.  And for $650 it really seems like a bargain!  200K+ isn't a big problem IMHO.  A little cleaning up and you should be good for another 200K, eh?

I'd check those cam & crank plugs - looks like someone's been at them a bit.  Be sure they're plugged in correctly and resistance is at spec.  Does the car have spark?

I'd also do a compression test - though it's unlikely, could be a slipped chain and/or bent valves.

Early e36's are also famous for flooded DMEs - the cowl drain plugs up with debris and the DME gets wet.  If the PO attempted to start the car with a wet DME it could have been damaged.  I've heard stories, can't say it's true or not - that cooking a dead DME in an oven at very low heat for a few hours (200-ish degrees) can bring a some back from the dead.

I don't think cars this early had the EWS system, that's another whole set of problems.  If it does have EWS I've heard you can short a wire to disable the EWS system.  E36's also had problems with the ignition barrel.

[92BMW318is]

My biggest worry is that it overheated. Coolant could be seen all over the intake. And the fluid in the radiator was extremely low. I'm thinking somthing is leaking coolant (hole in radiator) and it sprayed back on the engine. Then the car overheated and cooked the seals.(I hope this isnt the case) The guy told me the person he bought it from was driving and it just stoped working I tryed to get more detail but that's all he said.  Could be somthing as stupid as the fuel pump for all I know. The guy that originally owned it called the tow service and sold it to them I bought it from the tow service.  They said they didn't want to spend the money on trying to fix. It was listed as a parts car. But even if the engine is completely gone. I still own my red 92bmw318is. Which is the same year and model as the black one. I will probably end up swapping the motors if I can't get the black one in working condition. My red 318is is a rust bucket. She has golf ball sized holes in the floor boards. Not to mention the damage from hitting a pedestrian running into the street at 530 in the morning.

[romkasponka]

Pressure wash the engine and try tu run the engine and you will se is there any leaks from seals. Cylinder head cover gasket looks leaking. Try to fill radiator, bleed the system and you will see how much fluid was missing. One litter I think is not a problem.

Check everything what you can because it looks what nobody was taking care about this car. Looks like air intake system will be leaky, engine breather also looks like is not attached properly. All these things affect engine power. Clean connector which are wet because oil leak and so on..

[92BMW318is]

Is there anything else I should check while I'm at it, want to try to get it started tomorrow so I can drive it away from the dealer the have AAA come pick it up. Off the side of a street. Its like 60 miles away from my house.

I know these.
1. Check for spark
2.check fuel pump (would spraying some startingfliud make engime turn over)
3.see if dme is wet.
4.?
5.?

What parts should I take off my red 92 318is and put in the black one to help solve the problem

Sorry for grammar I'm on my cellphone and I'm at work:(

[DesktopDave]

I'd suggest a compression test, but that's a bitch on the side of the road.

I'd also test the crank sensor, and make sure you know which wire to splice to disable the EWS if that's the trouble.

If the head cracked the PO might have hydrolocked the engine trying to start it.  You'd likely see coolant in the oil if that was the problem though.

[DesktopDave]

I'd be checking the mess under the intake too - looks like they've been at those hoses as well.  I still think the cam & crank sensors don't look right.

You're right about the car though...if it's a good shell you can swap your motor and keep what's left of the red car for parts.

[92BMW318is]

Thanks Dave for the response, I checked my RED 318s cam & crank sensors and they appear to be the same configuration. I don't think they can be mixed up if I remember correctly when I replaced the starter on my Red 318is I unpluged the cam & crank sensor they would only plug into their mating wire. that was 2 years ago though, soo correct me if I'm wrong.

   Tomorrow I'm going to get up early and take of the C&C sensors off my red 318is, and put them on the black 318is, see if this fixes anything. I hope so. Thanks again Dave for the idea.

When I went to see the Black 318is I did try to start it, and it turned over  in first gear(did this on accident) it drove to car forward. then I tried in neutral and the engine turned over but wouldn't start. So I hope this will mean that there isn't anything locked up.

I did check the oil for a water/coolant mix. It was dark in the garage, but it did appear that there was no milky residue. *crossingfingers* will check again tomorrow.

The EWS I have read was only installed on all 93 models and up. here is a EWS.pdf it seems to be genuine.

  I'm going to do the stop test, I hope it doesn't read out the "its not fucking happening error code".

Told my boss about the car and the situation (I work in foundry had to request tomorrow off) he said that he thinks its probably the fuel pump. I was inclined to agree so I don't get fired.

   the only real reason I am worryed about getting the car to start tomorrow is because AAA will not pick up at a dealer/repair/towing business, from what I have been told by friends and read online. So I want to try to get it started and pull into a different parking lot like a gas station, then call AAA. So I dont get a refusal. I have though read about people getting AAA to tow a Frame of the a car(project car) to different locations, they say they just tell them My car wont run. which is I guess the truth. I thought that was funny.

Thanks again everyone, IF anyone can think of anything i should take off my RED 318is and put on the Black 318is, that would help possibly start the Black 318is it would be appreciated. Thanks again.

[DesktopDave]

No way I'd take the crank sensor off my e30...it runs under the A/C bracket so there's a lot of taking stuff apart and swearing involved.   I'd take a spare main relay and/or some jumper wires.  I might take a spare DME if I had a good one...but I wouldn't take my last one unless I knew the coils in the new car were good - bad coils will kill a DME pretty quickly.

Don't be surprised if a PO took out the CEL because it was on all the time.

I've had no trouble with AAA picking up a car if it was currently inspected and I had proof of ownership, even a pink slip.  I'll bet they won't do mechanic's shops though, that sounds right.  Like you said, just push it down the road a bit.  They'll get it back to your place.

[92BMW318is]

Here now didn't have a problem with AAA So they will be here soon only had to change out front tire. driver side door latch won't engage though for some reason

[92BMW318is]

Did a stomp test got a 1444 No Fault Codes stored... hmmm

[92BMW318is]

got it started it is running really ruff but can't hear any knocking and there is way to much oil in the car. going to drain some the oil. add some coolant. then change belts spark plugs clean ICV and put some Lucas fuel injector cleaner in the tank. found e-check papers saying emissions tests pasted.