328 reconstruction-starting question

We have found a front clip from an 89---328---GTS and the 89 GTB will be restored soon. I plan on posting reconstruction pictures as they are available. The new owner has contracted my time for 2 day only so I will post the work completed within this time. I have one question please. The car will start but the fuel pump shuts down right after the key is clicked from the start position---and the car shuts down in 4 to 6 seconds after loosing fuel pressure. All the relays and fuses are good. The front end is still off but I can not see anything critical to fuel pump control damaged. Is there any type of crash shut off on the car? Ideas on where to look other than the standard "to do" list? Thanks for all you help.

Kirk
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Kirk!! You are really doing it! Good luck to you man. Please keep us posted on your progress. Sorry, I don't know much about the FI system during starting.

Dave
PS: you may make me eat my words on whether this "rebuild" project is financially feasible...

 

Kirk -- The easiet 1st test IMO is to remove the fuel pump relay and put a male-to-male jumper connecting the 30 female terminal to the 87 female terminal of the relay socket (use a decent size wire for the jumper -- it's about 10A). This will run the fuel pump manually (even with the ignition key off), then try starting the engine and see if it will run.

If it does run OK, double check that relays r, u, and s are OK -- especially check that when unplugged that the resistance between terminal #30 and terminal #87a of relay s by itself is low (not more than a few ohms).

If all that seems OK, another thing to check is that the "safety switch on the airflow meter" is functioning properly. In the vertical connector ("w") on the LH side of the fuse/relay panel, the wire in the second from top position should be a violet/white (ZB) color. If you measure the voltage between this ZB wire terminal (everything plugged in like normal) and ground you should measure the following conditions:

1. key "on", but engine not running = 0V (or not more than a few tenths of a volt)

2. key "on, and engine running = +12V

Just some places to start...
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Check the fuse box, the connectors are a pinch type, if they are too wide not making good contact they will heat up and expand and you will lose your connection.

When it shuts off the ign is still on and buzzing? If so your ign switch is okay.

Check for a short or frayed wire also near the fuel pumps.

 

Guys, I think he has an automatic fuel pump shut off that is activated when the car is hit hard. It keeps from pumping fuel all over a wreck. I have no idea where it is on a 328; that's the info I think he needs. Mine is at the pump itself.

Ken

 

Hi I don't often make a contribution to this site, from a technical advice point of view, mainly becouse others seem to be more proficient than my self.
on this I had the precice same problem with my 88 328 euro with the car in precisley the same condition as this car after a medium to high front end impact.
the resolution for me was to remove the air filter cover and gently press down on the K jet air flow meter plate. it had become stuck after a long time of none use(don't press the plate for long with the ignition on as it will pump a lot of unbernt fuel in to the motor) on dont run the engine for more than a few seconds with no water in the water jackets.
I hope this works for you and after all it is an easy thing to try before you get in to the electronics.
all the best

 

None shows on the wiring diagram. And an inertial cutoff wouldn't let it start at all.

The r and s relays operate in a "safe" mode already: When the key is in "start" there's power to the fuel pump relay. When the key is in "on", there's only power to the fuel pump relay if the airflow meter switch is grounded (air flowing). If the engine stalls, the AFM returns to rest, and the fuel pump is cut off, until you hit the starter again.

I wonder how many people drove themselves nuts trying to push start a 328.

 

There should be a fuel safety switch built into the fuel distributor that shuts the fuel pump off if the car is upside down. It has a blue connector on the end. Disconnect this connector and see if the car runs. The air flow metering plate is a precision fit, and it might have become disloged just enough to keep the plate from moving down enough at idle to trigger the safety switch.

Also, there are two relays in the fuel pump circuit. There is the main one that powers the pump. There is a second one that is only triggered when the fuel safety switch above is ungrounded and the key is in the run position. The main one gets power directly from the ignition switch when it is in the start position, but gets power through the second relay when the key is in the run position. The first one is obviously working since the car will start, but the second one may be bad since it quits when the key is released.