Car died while driving. Won't start back up..

Kalv

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Jul 27, 2021
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Hi guys, I drive a 2009 BMW e92 335i single turbo 6MT, custom tuned on 20psi pump gas.

Car has actually been running amazing for the last year on single turbo really no issues, and I also daily it.

Was driving home two days ago on the highway then all of a sudden the car went into limp mode and then shut off. I had a battery light so I thought that could've been it, so I tried jumping the car and no luck. I towed it home, replaced a broken fuse and the master relay (since I got codes for the DME : Master relay). Still no luck with the car.. Now I got this code for the crankshaft synchronization and a few people I reached out too said that my timing could've jumped and I might need to retime it and hope I didn't spin my crank hub. I am a loss for words since this happened so random and the car was legit running fine for so long.. Attached is the codes I was getting in between trying to start the car. If any of you have some advice to give me that I can start working on my car and figuring out what's wrong with it I would gladly take it. I've done everything on my car myself so I'm wondering how big of a project this might be as well.
 

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Kalv

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Jul 27, 2021
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Michigan
You'd have to pull you radiator fan out, then it'll be the 22mm bolt in the crank pulley. Although you might have space to do this without pulling the fan as your single turbo.
Yeah I'm used to pulling the fan out, takes like a minute since one of my tabs were broken lol. So if I want to see if it backed out, I would simply try tightening it then on the crank bolt to see if it moves? Or loosen?

Also is this the same method as "cranking" if I were to fix the timing on my car by making sure cyl 1 is TDC? Sorry I get a little confused because it makes me think I am either tightening or loosing that crank bolt.
 

SLOWESTN54

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Feb 9, 2021
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Yeah I'm used to pulling the fan out, takes like a minute since one of my tabs were broken lol. So if I want to see if it backed out, I would simply try tightening it then on the crank bolt to see if it moves? Or loosen?

Also is this the same method as "cranking" if I were to fix the timing on my car by making sure cyl 1 is TDC? Sorry I get a little confused because it makes me think I am either tightening or loosing that crank bolt.
If you try to tighten the crank bolt and it spins without rotating the engine, it would mean the bolt had come loose. And sorry i did exactly understand the second part.
 

Kalv

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Jul 27, 2021
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If you try to tighten the crank bolt and it spins without rotating the engine, it would mean the bolt had come loose. And sorry i did exactly understand the second part.
Yeah it's hard to explain over text lol, would you mind shooting me a text a 616-312-3725? I'd figure it might be easier to explain over phone haha.
 

NoQuarter

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Nov 24, 2017
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Back to basics on this one I think is the best place to start.

Ignore the codes for a moment - they are likely just a result of what happened and not info on the cause.

- check/replace the ground strap. If it is hard/green replace it. Grab it and wiggle it around. It may start to break apart.

- check the ground for the DME

Does the starter turn the engine and it won't fire up?

Which DME do you have?
 

Kalv

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Jul 27, 2021
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Back to basics on this one I think is the best place to start.

Ignore the codes for a moment - they are likely just a result of what happened and not info on the cause.

- check/replace the ground strap. If it is hard/green replace it. Grab it and wiggle it around. It may start to break apart.

- check the ground for the DME

Does the starter turn the engine and it won't fire up?

Which DME do you have?
Can you guide me on where the ground straps are located? Also how do I check to make sure the starter turns the engine?

I am on MSD81.
 

Torgus

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Nov 6, 2016
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You can use jumper cables to check the ground quickly. Just connect the gnd stud post on the passenger side of the engine bay to the engine and if it then starts it means your ground cable is bad. If your ground cable is bad you can replace it with OEM or make your own out of car audio audio cable and quality lugs. The car audio route gives you a higher quality gnd cable that should last longer and it's cheap to run a 4 AWG with tinned copper which is larger than OEM.

You had a battery light on before the car went into limp mode and then shut off or after? What is your battery voltage now?

Were you just cruising or were you having fun on the highway?

What you really need is diagnostic software. So you can see what your LPFP pressure is for instance and what is really going on. A car not starting could be a large variety of things unfortunately.

Is the starter cranking and it just will not fire? Fuel, Air, Spark. One of them is the issue ;)

I would just have it towed to a competent shop...but I have been getting lazy in my old age. The "broken fuse and the master relay" is weird. Fuses 99% of the time blow for a good reason. The fact something took out the relay at the same time?




I doubt it is your gnd strap but just do the jumper cable check 1st.
 
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Kalv

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Jul 27, 2021
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Michigan
You can use jumper cables to check the ground quickly. Just connect the gnd stud post on the passenger side of the engine bay to the engine and if it then starts it means your ground cable is bad. If your ground cable is bad you can replace it with OEM or make your own out of car audio audio cable and quality lugs. The car audio route gives you a higher quality gnd cable that should last longer and it's cheap to run a 4 AWG with tinned copper which is larger than OEM.

You had a battery light on before the car went into limp mode and then shut off or after? What is your battery voltage now?

Were you just cruising or were you having fun on the highway?

What you really need is diagnostic software. So you can see what your LPFP pressure is for instance and what is really going on. A car not starting could be a large variety of things unfortunately.

Is the starter cranking and it just will not fire? Fuel, Air, Spark. One of them is the issue ;)

I would just have it towed to a competent shop...but I have been getting lazy in my old age. The "broken fuse and the master relay" is weird. Fuses 99% of the time blow for a good reason. The fact something took out the relay at the same time?




I doubt it is your gnd strap but just do the jumper cable check 1st.
Battery Voltage is 12V

Well
You can use jumper cables to check the ground quickly. Just connect the gnd stud post on the passenger side of the engine bay to the engine and if it then starts it means your ground cable is bad. If your ground cable is bad you can replace it with OEM or make your own out of car audio audio cable and quality lugs. The car audio route gives you a higher quality gnd cable that should last longer and it's cheap to run a 4 AWG with tinned copper which is larger than OEM.

You had a battery light on before the car went into limp mode and then shut off or after? What is your battery voltage now?

Were you just cruising or were you having fun on the highway?

What you really need is diagnostic software. So you can see what your LPFP pressure is for instance and what is really going on. A car not starting could be a large variety of things unfortunately.

Is the starter cranking and it just will not fire? Fuel, Air, Spark. One of them is the issue ;)

I would just have it towed to a competent shop...but I have been getting lazy in my old age. The "broken fuse and the master relay" is weird. Fuses 99% of the time blow for a good reason. The fact something took out the relay at the same time?




I doubt it is your gnd strap but just do the jumper cable check 1st.

Hi! I’ll try that jump idea you have. I’be just heard that say I did jump timing then isn’t cranking it gonna bend valves more or have potential? I plan to double check my ground tomorrow and test w a multimeter.

yeah after the first time I tried cranking it I got a battery light. I replaced the master relay and I looked thru the fuses and found a broken one and replace. No more battery light and still wouldn’t start. Car was about 12V.
I was just cruising literally foot was barely on the gas and I was about 2min home and it randomly died :/.

I’m also gonna test with MHD my lpfp fuel pressure to see if I have fuel.

How do I telling the starter is cranking?

And yeah I’m just as confused as you are, I’ve done everything on this car like maintenance, my turbo kit literally eveyrbting lol and seeing this is just insane like crazy what can happen and ofc it had to be something that I don’t know unfortunately 😞
 

doublespaces

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Oct 18, 2016
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Battery Voltage is 12V

Well


Hi! I’ll try that jump idea you have. I’be just heard that say I did jump timing then isn’t cranking it gonna bend valves more or have potential? I plan to double check my ground tomorrow and test w a multimeter.

yeah after the first time I tried cranking it I got a battery light. I replaced the master relay and I looked thru the fuses and found a broken one and replace. No more battery light and still wouldn’t start. Car was about 12V.
I was just cruising literally foot was barely on the gas and I was about 2min home and it randomly died :/.

I’m also gonna test with MHD my lpfp fuel pressure to see if I have fuel.

How do I telling the starter is cranking?

And yeah I’m just as confused as you are, I’ve done everything on this car like maintenance, my turbo kit literally eveyrbting lol and seeing this is just insane like crazy what can happen and ofc it had to be something that I don’t know unfortunately 😞
If you press the start button and you hear the engine turning over and over trying to fire up, that is considered cranking.
Not sure if you explained this yet but does it turn over at all or does it click or just do nothing when you try to start it?
 

Kalv

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Jul 27, 2021
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Michigan
If you press the start button and you hear the engine turning over and over trying to fire up, that is considered cranking.
Not sure if you explained this yet but does it turn over at all or does it click or just do nothing when you try to start it?

it cranks yes just won’t start. Here is a video I uploaded online so you guys can see. Also at the end of the video the car makes a weird poof noise. Not sure what that is either.

 

NoQuarter

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Nov 24, 2017
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Yeah. Not sure of that weird noise at the end. Perhaps the starter solinoid popping back to where it belongs?

That is a good strong crank so likely not a ground strap issue but I would still have a look at it. I have seen where they supply enough amps to appear normal but just not enough to be fully functional.

With the MSD81 it is not likely the Mosfets (correct?)

Get a charger on the battery and get it to 100%.

Consider Removing the battery box and inspect the negative cable where it attaches to the frame. If have had leaking in there this could be really corroded.
 

Kalv

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Jul 27, 2021
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Michigan
Yeah please take a log and use MHD to upload it here then paste the Bb code into a reply in this thread so we can see.
What is your HP and LP values?
Yeah. Not sure of that weird noise at the end. Perhaps the starter solinoid popping back to where it belongs?

That is a good strong crank so likely not a ground strap issue but I would still have a look at it. I have seen where they supply enough amps to appear normal but just not enough to be fully functional.

With the MSD81 it is not likely the Mosfets (correct?)

Get a charger on the battery and get it to 100%.

Consider Removing the battery box and inspect the negative cable where it attaches to the frame. If have had leaking in there this could be really corroded.


So ground straps were good from what I saw.. I decided to try swapping and cleaning vanoss it didn't do much. After I put my old vanoss solenoids in, I went to get the the car into accessory mode to get a log, it seems my fuel pressure was around 74ish psi. Here is the log.

Also it's weird now because I cleared codes and I'm legit stuck with these 3 codes. It doesn't seem like I have that crankshaft inlet : synchronization code anymore. I was going to pull my spark plugs out and use a borescope to check for piston damage incase I did jump timing (from what others and tuners are saying to me). Debating if I should even pull the VC to check timing, but it's weird because I felt like if I tried cranking it I would've gotten that crankshaft code again. Or who knows hopefully this issue has nothing to do with timing lmao. Seems a little electric now, my voltage is about 11.4V, I replaced my alternator a year ago, battery was replaced about 3 years ago as well. I believe voltage should be 12V without the car on correct?



Log:

IMG_6693.jpg