fuel + spark is no start?!

[E36-italia]

After 2 years in storage and prepping for track duties the time has come to see if the old lady will come back to life..

the car has been dismantled completely and rebuild...
Today the engine is in, all hooked up and try to start it.. it turns over fine, it gets fuel (removed the fpr and fuel spilled out of the injector rail) and some spark.. i get a combustion from time to time, but not enough to get her running.

I thought that the fuel supply and return where mixed up, swapped them, tried again.. no change!

The sparkplugs are wet with fuel, cleaned them, tried to start again.. it combusted 3 times and then it died again.

Where to look now?!

specs of the car:
car is from 03/1994 = no ews
stock engine
only engine wireloom (race car)
no serpetine belt yet = no altenator drive yet.

[Tgoode318]

Things to look over.
1. Fuel tank empty/ very old fuel
2. battery discharged
3. terminals loose or corroded
4. air filter clogged
5. low cylinder compression
6. major mechanical failure (like a broken timing chain)
7. ignition components damp or damaged
8. fuel injection system fault
9. worn/faulty or incorrectly gaped spark plugs
10. Broken loose or disconnected wiring in ignition circuit
11. Ground strap broken missing or corroded.

[E36-italia]

1. 2year old fuel dumped out and filled the tank with 9liters of 98octane.
2. battery is charged
3. terminals are fixed
4. filter is clean
5. possible, but engine was running well before tear down
6.  possible, but engine was running well before tear down
7. will check
8. will check
9. will try new ones.
10. will check
11. is corroded, will make a new one. (but if it is bad, the startermotor won't turn fast/powerfull?!)

[Tgoode318]

Yes
 
Symptom: Starter motor turns engine slowly

1 battery discharged (Yours is ok)
2 Terminals loose or corroded (yours is ok)
3 ground strap broken or disconnect (Yours IS corroded!)
4 starter wiring loose (check if you suspect)
5 starter internal fault (check if you suspect)

Most likely you need to replace your ground strap and then check 7,8,9,10 as usually if you only had a corroded ground it will crank slowly but still start.

[E36-italia]

the engine ground strap insulation was gone, some corrosion on the wires.. but the replacement didn't change a thing.
I mixed up the ignition wires on the coil pack.. after sorting out it has 'some' life in the engine... but it appears to be drowning in fuel.
The car has fuel.. spark.. but not in the right amounts

The engine was standing still for the better part of 2 years.. maybe the injectors have 'dried up' and are no longer functioning.. just staying open.
Because after every try i can dry the plugs and blow the combustion chamber clean..

let see if can find some 2nd hand injectors for cheap (to test)