URGENT: Help, car won't start
 

Ok, so what happened was that yesterday night on my way home, the check engine light lit up. The car is still running great. When I got home, I wanna restart the car to see if the CEL is still on. I turned off the car and then started it again. The car fired up, but rev is very low, like 2-3k rpm. Then it stalled. Tried again a few more times, same thing. Anybody know what are some likely causes. I'm gonna tow it to the mechanic but just wanna see if there's anything I can do.

It's a 2003 330xi.

Thanks

fuel pump

Scan the car with CarSoft first, it will tell you what's going on.

"Tried a few more times" probably do more harm than good.

^yea, i was thinking about that, that's why i stop trying.

I switched to husky a couple months ago. I hope it's not the ethanol

Every gas station in BC has ethanol now. It can't be that unless their tank was flooded with water. Probably your fuel pump.

fuel filter first, drive around the block a few times and see if it dies. if it does then the pump is dead as well.

a few bottles of nos should do it.

http://www.nacd.net/images/foodsilverweb.jpg




















for those that don't get the reference:
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226570

By the time you do that, chances are the pump will be shot as well. Since the OP doesn't seem to know how to diagnose, let alone fix it, he should just read the instruction manual for instructions on how to transport (since it has X drive).. then call up one of the shops that specializes in BMW.. BCBimmer.com has a good list of locals.

Car is OBDII, can you put it into diagnostic mode and find out what the CEL is for?

I know for Honda's and GM's you can jump 2 pins on the OBDII port and get the codes.

I'm gonna guess vacuum leak

damn bmw fail. not so luxurious now is it?

Yes that's why I suggested the OP to use Carsoft. It is a OBD2 that is specifically for BMW, much like VAGCOM is for VW. It can measure fuel flow etc.

true, but re-reading the OP, I don't think he has a shot fuel pump as that would've been causing errors for a while instead of just shitting the bed one day (unless BMW is getting uber fancy somehow). Try pulling the code and go from there, it might just be something stupid.

Pulled it. It's the fuel pump. Towed to the mechanic and when he took out the fuel filter, it's clogged with black shit. The pump ate itself up before dying. He told me there has been shortage of fuel pumps lately for the 3 series. He fixed quite a few lately. So for those 3 series owners out there, if u have the same problem, fuel pump is a likely culprit.
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There isn't a shortage of oem fuel pumps.....

how much it set you back ?

I concur. No shortage.

no way this is true. He was just trolling.

close to 800. The pump itself is 500
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just replace it yourself, i replaced mine on my 92' nissan nx a while back, was quite simple actually. not sure if the bmw would be as easy tho.

It doesn't look hard at all. I saw my mechanic did it. He removed the seat, then opened the cover and pulled it. There is a special tool and open the lid. He said most ppl would just put a hammer to it and force it open. But seriously, if I didn't see him do it infront of me, I wouldn't dare to tackle it. I dun wanna screw up and pay even more.
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