Vehicle: 2k E320, 2001 BMW 330i Sport , 1999 ES3000
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 11
Please help!! car is stalling- is it CPS or Fuel pump Relay?
I have a 2000 E320 with 86K miles, I was driving back form the Bronx and the car stalled on me at a red light. No check engine light or any warning at all . I tried to start the car many times but it didn't, It kept cranking but would no start. It finally started after about 30 minutes, but only drove a little bit then stalled again, it happened about 4 times in the bronx and finally the fifth time i drove 40 miles back to long island without incident. The car drove perfect, no hesitation or engine surge or anything. It stalled again the next day while idling and once while driving. It cranks fine so i know that the battery is fine and all the accessories work fine even when the engine if off. I tried searching on the forum and most posts seem to suggest its the CPS (Crankshaft Position Sensor) or a bad Fuel Pump Relay. The post with bad CPS suggest rought idling and surge on highway while driving, yet i don't notice any rough idling or surges. Is there a way to find out if it is the CPS or the fuel pump relay or maybe a something else?
Thank you in advance for your input.
more then likely the crank position sensor is at fault. I would try that at first. with your situation, sounds as if the sensor goes open circuit once the car has gotten to operating temp. that is usually how they go.
Sounds really like CPS.
Bad part is that there is no easy way to test CPS by the owner and the only way to find out is to replace it. I replaced CPS on my wife truck, thanks to this forum advice only to find later the the culprit was the fuel pump.
easy way to test fuel system is to find the tire-style valve on the fuel railing on the top of the engine and press it (safety glasses) while somebody else is cranking the engine. With fuel pressure on, the next to do is definitely CPS.
Vehicle: 2k E320, 2001 BMW 330i Sport , 1999 ES3000
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 11
Thanks for your input guys--It is really appreciated. I have ordered the CPS and waitinf for it to come it in.
Kajtek1, should fuel be coming out as the engine is cranking. The engine had just turned on, so i turned it off and tried to start it again and it wouldn't--so i did the test you had suggested with the valve. When i pressed on the valve even without the engine cranking, fuel came out with a little bit of pressure--so I had someone crank the engine while i was holding down the valve--nothing, no fuel came out. i tried this about 4 times and no fuel pressure and the engine just kept cranking and did not start. Am i doing the test correctly?
Thank you for ur help
Thanks for your input guys--It is really appreciated. I have ordered the CPS and waitinf for it to come it in.
Kajtek1, should fuel be coming out as the engine is cranking. The engine had just turned on, so i turned it off and tried to start it again and it wouldn't--so i did the test you had suggested with the valve. When i pressed on the valve even without the engine cranking, fuel came out with a little bit of pressure--so I had someone crank the engine while i was holding down the valve--nothing, no fuel came out. i tried this about 4 times and no fuel pressure and the engine just kept cranking and did not start. Am i doing the test correctly?
Thank you for ur help
Generally speaking if the ECU isn't getting the right signals it won't process other commands, such as providing fuel. Whether the pump will activate and pressurize the system I don't know; perhaps Kaj does.
Your symptoms certainly fit those of a faulty CPS; rarely would a fuel pump work and then quit and then work enough to let you drive 40 miles.
Good luck, post back and let us know the result.
Greg
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Thanks for your input guys--It is really appreciated. I have ordered the CPS and waitinf for it to come it in.
Kajtek1, should fuel be coming out as the engine is cranking. The engine had just turned on, so i turned it off and tried to start it again and it wouldn't--so i did the test you had suggested with the valve. When i pressed on the valve even without the engine cranking, fuel came out with a little bit of pressure--so I had someone crank the engine while i was holding down the valve--nothing, no fuel came out. i tried this about 4 times and no fuel pressure and the engine just kept cranking and did not start. Am i doing the test correctly?
Thank you for ur help
That really sound like fuel pump problem at this point.
You should have good fuel pressure in the rail, when the engine is cranking.
The fuel you could have at the beginning might be the remaining pressure from the time the engine was still running and once that went, you have absolute zero.
If you feel like continuing on your own, next step wold be locate fuel pump fuse and determinate if there is current going to the pump. I did that job on ML, so can't give you specific location of fuse on your model.
At this point I would classify the job more like advanced DIY, or professional.
Vehicle: 2k E320, 2001 BMW 330i Sport , 1999 ES3000
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kajtek1
That really sound like fuel pump problem at this point.
You should have good fuel pressure in the rail, when the engine is cranking.
The fuel you could have at the beginning might be the remaining pressure from the time the engine was still running and once that went, you have absolute zero.
If you feel like continuing on your own, next step wold be locate fuel pump fuse and determinate if there is current going to the pump. I did that job on ML, so can't give you specific location of fuse on your model.
At this point I would classify the job more like advanced DIY, or professional.
Thanks for the reply...and thanks to the forum and your help, I feel confident enough to continue on my own. I will give the fuel pump fuse a try. from the diagrams i saw, its supposed to be fuse #6 which i think is under the rear seat. Will checking the fuse help in determining if the fuel pump relay is having the problem or the fuel pump itselt. Also, is the fuel pump and fuel pump relay replacement a DIY if i am somewhat mechanically inclined or is that something i should leave for the dealer? Thank you everyone for your replies and encouragement.
Will checking the fuse help in determining if the fuel pump relay is having the problem or the fuel pump itselt. Also, is the fuel pump and fuel pump relay replacement a DIY if i am somewhat mechanically inclined or is that something i should leave for the dealer? Thank you everyone for your replies and encouragement.
You might try to confirm that with diagram, but the fuse is behind the relay. Meaning if there is power at the "going" side of the fuse, the relay and control system is OK. The relay usually close for 1 second when you turn ignition on and then stays closed when you crank the engine.
Than you can disconnect the wire from the fuse and check the circuit. Open circuit means burned pump, or broken wire. I went all the way to replacing the pump on ML, what meant working with open gasoline tank. Something I would not suggest to unexperienced people.
. I tried to start the car many times but it didn't, It kept cranking but would no start. It finally started after about 30 minutes, but only drove a little bit then stalled again, it happened about 4 times in the bronx and finally the fifth time i drove 40 miles back to long island without incident. The car drove perfect, no hesitation or engine surge or anything. It stalled again the next day while idling and once while driving. It cranks fine so i know that the battery is fine and all the accessories work fine even when the engine if off. I tried searching on the forum and most posts seem to suggest its the CPS (Crankshaft Position Sensor) or a bad Fuel Pump Relay. The post with bad CPS suggest rought idling and surge on highway while driving, yet i don't notice any rough idling or surges. Is there a way to find out if it is the CPS or the fuel pump relay or maybe a something else?
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