Firstfives.org

here is a newbie question........ {maybe a dumb one, or maybe the reason I am getting it all wrong} when everybody says "cylinder #1" and "rotor should be pointing at #1" is that my #1 from this order: 153624 {as it is on the valve cover} or is it the Euro version 624153? OR is i...

No apologies necessary- I can use all the help I can get. I AM new at this! The order of the ignition leads are correct, and I have the rotor at TDC pointing to plug lead #1, the order is correct.... I am NOT however sure if I am on the correct TDC so looks like I will have to pull the valve cover o...

.... the saga continues even though I shouldn't be working on this car. I think the problem lies in the ignition system. I have noticed a weak orange spark, that is intermittent at best. Is there a way to bench test the coil ? I read in the manual 1.7 - 2.1 is the target resistance for the primary c...

Listed as #15 as "expendable" on the lamdba conversion FAQ EGR removal portion is a "speed switch". This is the aluminum box under the coolant tank mounted on the drivers side wheel well. most of the wires go to the unnecesary three vac control items. There is also a green wire, ...

....... still baffled. I don't think I need that speed switch after all and I don't think my 530i has a ignition control unit. So today I had some friends over, there is spark, I smell fuel. I tried everything I think, turning the distributor, making sure the firing order was correct, moving it 180 ...

-I put the points back in and still no start. -This time I'm not getting any spark from the coil. -Wires read fine to ignition coil, but I realize I need to check out the ICU. Problem is, I can't find it. Do they all look the same? Where is this box? {edit}{edit} I found what I thought was the ICU, ...

I'm in brooklyn, new york. I'm hoping once my new rotor and clip come in I can get the thing started. I noticed now that the makeshift paper clip distributor cap holder the prior owner had only worked well with the cap I replaced- it was filed down a bit so the paper clip was effective, but new cap ...

I will try it out. Somehow I now managed to crack my rotor-
Prior owner had a paper clip retaining the distributor cap,
I'm waiting for another clip in the mail, as well as a rotor....

so everything will have to wait

thanks for everybodys help, it is really appreciated!

fuel pump seems fine,
I checked the screen it looked clean but I cleaned it anyway.

Car started today, for a second, stumbled, and died.

I did also recently switch to the pertronix, but it started fine after that for atleast a minute.

I'm stumped.

okay, so I looked up in the BMW work manual how to test the switch---
everything reads zero like it should at the appropriate positions.

I will check fuel pump.

I opened it up and took a look at it. It looked clean, so I didn't mess with it. It is the older 530i single switch, I did not bother adjusting.. I have no idea how. Does it need adjusting after a throttle body adjustment? If not, I'd rather leave it alone because the car started up fine before. I h...

okay.... unfortunately i won't be able to work on the car for the next two weeks, a little dissapointed I couldn't get it running again. I can't understand what I may have done with the throttle body that would cause a no-start scenario. I'm starting to think that I did nothing, and that its just a ...

PS: since I've picked this car up, I've noticed something strange.
If I put a little pressure to the top of the AFM, the car seems to run a little different.

What gives?

so..... you were right on about the battery being dead. I'm not sure what I did to kill the power but it doesn't matter. I've got it started up again. Now it runs for about thirty seconds or so, stumbles and dies. I've given the idle screw on the throttle body a few turns both ways to no avail. I fo...

So, I adjusted the throttle body valve, per the FAQ instructions-

I didn't mess with the switch however because it did not look like the one in the Throttle body FAQ.

Now, I can hear the starter click but the car won't start.

............what did I do wrong?