328 hard to start

My 1987 328 is very hard to start recently. The starter cranks seemingly forever before it fires up. I ran the fuel pump test using the key on and injector body wiring unplugged and the fuel pump activates.

Are there other tests?

Thanks.

 

Did it start fairly easy with the wiring unplug (pump running)?

 

Check the battery cold voltage.

 

Check the fuel pump connectors behind the fuse block and the ones behind the passenger floor board- you could have a connector melting - then check connections in the trunk passengers side


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Push down the air vane, and spray some starting fluid in the FD before starting next time. If she starts right away, you've got a fuel problem. If she still won't fire with the starting fluid, you've got an ignition problem.

 

Now that is some practical and simple advice.

 

I'm having a very similar issue - I've tried listening for my fuel pump but unless it's really subtle/quiet, I'm not hearing it. Can someone explain this "key on and injector body wiring unplugged" in a bit of detail - I've only had the car a day and am still learning my way around it. Where/what exactly is this injector body wiring?

 

Ok - I found the instructions, and with the blue plug disconnected I definitely hear the pump, otherwise I cannot hear it at all. Thoughts?

 

Are the spark plugs new? The plug gaps widen with wear and can give a hard start. Ignition wires, distributor cap and rotors recent? They are expensive and often not changed as frequently as in a regular car? Fuel filter? Always best to rule out the simple things before going deeper.

 

I only received the car Wednesday, and the most recent service records I have found are from 2015, so I'm presuming they're not new. I'm trying to get hold of Brian Crall and I'll see if I can take it in to him.

 

Is it only hard to start when hot/warm? If so, this sounds like a bad accumulator.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/replacing-fuel-accumulator.437641/#post-142986971

Craig

 

It's really hard or you have to be really lucky shooting in the dark with the CIS system. When there is such a problem, you need to go back to basics with the CIS.

1. Check system pressure using a CIS pressure test kit. Fuel pump manually jumped on
2. Check cold control pressure
3. Check cold start injector
4. Check for spark at the ignition wires (all of them) using a spark plug and grounding it against a ground point

One of those things will reveal itself to be the main issue and then you can chase it down further. This is assuming that your engine is in good health and compression is fine.

 

Well, now it's making a liar of me. Started up relatively easily this morning, but I had to crank for about 10 seconds to start it once it was warm - nothing like the minutes it took me yesterday though.

 

Much of that is sounding outside the scope of what I can do myself - I've booked it in with Brian to take a look at it. There's several other things I want checked out on it also so I'll get him to tackle all of that.

 

Then you will want to look at the warm control pressure. And if you are taking to Brial Crall, then you are in very good hands.

 

I’ve had similar problems with intermittent hard-starting. Before you get too deep into the fuel injection and ignition systems take a good hard look at the electrical connections going in and out of the circuit board in the passenger foot-well...this is one of the 328’s achille’s heels.

Alan
N.J.

 

My '88 3.2 Mondial was doing the same thing. I replaced the fuse and relay for the start up fuel pump circuit and fixed the problem. i posted the problem and solution in the Mondial section.
Alden