E30 Fuel Pump question

My 1990 325i would not start after a trip to the local hardware store today.
I had the car towed home. The car starts and then shuts off almost
immediately. So.....I think it is the fuel pump because I do not hear any
noise from the gas tank when turning the key to the on position. Is there a
simple way to check if it is the fuel pump ? Is there something else that I
should be checking? Thanks for any replies.

--
Peter J. Alicea

"Peter J Alicea" > wrote
> My 1990 325i would not start after a trip to the local hardware store
> today. I had the car towed home. The car starts and then shuts off almost
> immediately. So.....I think it is the fuel pump because I do not hear any
> noise from the gas tank when turning the key to the on position. Is there
> a simple way to check if it is the fuel pump ? Is there something else
> that I should be checking? Thanks for any replies.

Fuel pump relay.
Crankshaft position sensor?

FloydR

In article >,
Peter J Alicea > wrote:
> My 1990 325i would not start after a trip to the local hardware store
> today. I had the car towed home. The car starts and then shuts off
> almost immediately. So.....I think it is the fuel pump because I do not
> hear any noise from the gas tank when turning the key to the on
> position. Is there a simple way to check if it is the fuel pump ?

The pump doesn't run continuously when the ignition is switched on - it
might flood the engine if an injector was leaking and otherwise would run
down the battery unecessarily. Not sure about your model, but some run for
a few seconds to pressurise the system - others just when you operate the
starter and of course when the engine fires.

Fuel pump and the main PI relays are always the first suspects, though.

--
*Husband and cat lost -- reward for cat

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Remove the lower portion of the back seat and the cover that the
fuel pump is under. Once you get to the fuel pump, unplug the two wire
connector from the top of the pump and connect a test light between
the connections on the harness. Try to start the car while observing
the light, if it lights up while the starter is turning, suspect the
pump, if not then the problem is elsewhere in the circuit. If it
lights up, disconnect the fuel hose from the pump and connect a long
hose to it. Put it in a large bottle and reconnect the harness. Try to
start the car again and see if fuel is pumped into the bottle. This
can be done with 12v from any source and does nothing more than verify
the pump is pumping. Good luck and please don't blow yourself up...

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:32:41 -0400, "Peter J Alicea"
> wrote:

>My 1990 325i would not start after a trip to the local hardware store today.
>I had the car towed home. The car starts and then shuts off almost
>immediately. So.....I think it is the fuel pump because I do not hear any
>noise from the gas tank when turning the key to the on position. Is there a
>simple way to check if it is the fuel pump ? Is there something else that I
>should be checking? Thanks for any replies.