Help!!!!!w

[Rob-b]

Help please!

My son has a 320d e46 2005 and won't start: please bear with me:

He did a run to Newcastle last week and the car was great, went to start it the next morning and wouldn't fire up. I've done some research already and we have checked:

Fuse in the engine bay right hand side under the black cover - ok (not sure what this one is)

Pump fuse no. 54 in the glove compartment - ok

All the relays seem to be clicking on and off behind the glove box - ok

getting a noise from the fuel pump under the rear seat - ok

Pump under the floor of the passenger seat beside the fuel filter - ok

Tried pushing some carb cleaner through the air filter to get it going in case it was loss of fuel pressure and although it fired for a few seconds didn't sort the problem and I didn't want to use too much of that stuff on the engine.

Questions:

Where is the cam sensor and how do I check it? have read this could be a problem but don't know why.

Could it be an immobiliser problem?

any help much appreciated.

When we get to the bottom of it I will post it.

Put a code reader on there and reads P3005 which is fuel low pressure I believe. I phoned our mechanic who services the car and he advised to start it with some EZ start or something and that would enable the fuel to get through and rest the pressure. When I did this the engine made a pinking sound and I didn't have the balls to keep the spray going, should I have?

thanks in advance.

[G4VHD]

Sounds like fuel pump (mechanical one in bay) or fuel pressure regulator on end of rail mate....hope fully the later.

Take a leak off pipe off the top of one of the injectors and see if fuel spurts out when you crank it over..

Post results here and we'll go from there

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

Does your fuel-rail have a valve at the front (same as a tyre-valve) ? If yes then press this in as you turn the engine over to expel air.

If not, there should be a manual pump on the up-lift filter housing or the diesel pump itself... Might need priming if you've let the tank get low.

Seems like a pressure issue like Gav says... Only other things could be the cut-off/stop-solenoid which is faulty or lost its connection or even a faulty injector or three !

Worse case scenario is crank/cam-sensor, diesel-pump seals or ECU issues (doubt it)...

Just some ideas matey ;)

[Rob-b]

Thanks so much guys, I am a real novice at this and my son is frantic he may need to take this to a dealer. I asked our usual mechanic to come out but wouldn't so end of relationship there after a good few years of giving him business.

GAVHD - is the leak off pipe obvious? I take if fuel comes out then it could be the fuel pressure regulator?

Jack Dabsy - He filled up in Edinburgh and did 120 miles before getting home, the car ran great all that weekend and before, weird it should just fail to start the next day, but thankfully it got him home. I will check for a fuel rail valve tomorrow and hope I can find the up lift pump if not.

Will post my findings tomorrow guys, thank you.

[Rob-b]

Well all hail to the Gav, I cracked an injector this morning, turned the engine and fuel was present, tightened it back up and she fired instantly, air, jeeesssuuusss what a relief.

Thanks also to Jack for the info, that would have been my next call.

Thanks folks really appreciate it and the son is overjoyed too.

Rob

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

Happy days ;)

[G4VHD]

Great stuff mate, well done

[Rob-b]

Well we were ok for a while. The car wouldn't start again in town last night so we did the same thing and she fired up and got home. Went to start it again this morning and again wouldn't start but there didn't appear to be as much if any fuel coming through, could this be the fuel pressure switch?

thanks

Rob

[G4VHD]

Is it running ok when it's running?

[Rob-b]

It seems to run great Gav. The son has been speaking to one of his apprentice pals who says it could be the fuel filter, he ran it down to the light when on a long journey last week , but when he filled it up proceeded to to do 120 miles. He tends to think that air could have got in, i'm not convinced. He also says we shouldn't crack the injectors as the pressure can go through concrete, but this was just a wee spurt if anything.

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

Deffo some air ingress in the lines (or, like you say, a faulty injector or twelve!)

[Rob-b]

Ok the latest, changed the fuel filter and it fired up, strange this. Now, the pre delivery pump at one stage wasn't working when jacked up and then it did when on the ground. It is quite vibratey to the touch and quite noisy, how is it suppose to sound?

thanks

Rob

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

Air?

[Rob-b]

Changed the pre delivery pump and the new one made a whole different sound to the rattly intermitant old one and again she fired up straight away and again this morning. I am confident job done this time, fingures crossed.

Nothing worse than an intermitant problem, makes the whole fault finding so much harder.

New, fuel filter, air filter (looked black so just changed it) and pre delivery pump, she should run nicely now.

[Rob-b]

All seems ok now thanks Gav and Jack, pre delivery pump it was. I have learnt that the tank pump hums quietly and the pre delivery pump pressurises the system then stops, A high buzzing noise then it fires up, sweet.

hope this helps someone else.