no spark, no fuel

[brendan320i]

hey all, im new to this forum and new to bmw's. i just bought a 320i and have a few problems with it. it has no ignition tumbler so i have to turn the ignition switch with a flat screwdriver to get it to turn over. when it does turn over i get no spark and i do not hear the fuel pump. i know it could be a million things but where should i start? ingition switch, ignition control module, coil, dizzy?

[e21-Mark]

Fuses. E21 fuses get damp and corrode. Spin them in their holders and make sure there's a good connection. I think fuel pump is bottom left?? Once all the fuses are clean, contacts good and battery well charged, try starting again.

[brendan320i]

yeah tried that, i took all the fuses out and put them back in, turns over fine but theres no spark.

[e21-Mark]

Fuel pump is under rear of car. Is it buzzing with ignition on? Take of fuel pipe and see if fuel is getting through? What model is it? 320 injection or carb?

[brendan320i]

its injected, but atm fuel isnt my biggest issue i can figure that out after. i cant figure out why theres no spark..

[e21-Mark]

Have you checked there's a live feed to your coil? Checked the coil itself? Checked the leads? Make sure all the earths are clean too. Also, make sure your battery is 100% fully charged and the terminals are clean & tight.

[brendan320i]

checked them all, is there a way to bypass tyhe ignition control module to rule that out?

[e21-Mark]

No, you'll need to replace it. If everything else has been done it does sound the likely culprit.

[brendan320i]

awesome, i just got this car, i drove past it every day while it just sat there. so i had to do soemthing about it. the interior is a bit rough, it appears to be some sort of sport package? it has alloy wheels, recaro seats and a spoiler(that someone stole) . im gonna start replacing all the ignition components that tend to fail. they all seem fairly priced.

[e21-Mark]

E21's hate sitting around. In fact, all BMW's of the era hate it. The damp and lack of use kill items like the module. When you do start driving it, keep an eye on clutch cylinders, brake cylinders etc, as the rubber seals will often start leaking if they've been idle for any length of time prior to being used again. The best way to keep an e21 reliable is to keep using it.

[brendan320i]

yeah i can tell, more so than a volkswagen.. there is this odd looking socket coming up by the intake manifold. to the untrained eye looks like a diagnostic port. there is nothing that remotely looks like it plugs into it, ill have to take a pic to help me explain,. but whatever goes in it is missing, if it isnt a diag port. its round with a bunch of holes in it, but only 5 or 6 have contacts in it.

[brendan320i]

would a faulty ignition control module cause no fuel and spark? the p.o had a bill from a shop that said they got it running but it ran like sh!t and had no power.. now theres nothing at all. ive ruled out the coil, dist cap+rotor, leads, grounds, fuses, still think its either the icu, or the ignition switch. has anyone ever had these symptoms?

[brendan320i]

ttt..urgent

[brendan320i]

anybody anybody

[tommi_e21]

think you need an auto electrician,