E30 Crank Sensor Question

Hi mate,

yip you are right, the one on the front of the engine at the rad is only for diagnostic purposes.

The two sensors that are in the bellhousing of the gearbox is what the Ecu uses for timing. One starts the fuel pump once the Ecu realises the engine is turning over, and the other is for the Ecu to send power to the coil.  These sensors are both the same, and the last time I bought them they were around 120quid for them, and it didn't solve my problem.

So what symptoms are you having, as I've not seen your other posts?? Have you checked for air leaks, all of the vaccum/breather pipes.

Just noticed you're having a spark problem, it'll be your ECU, the 073 ECUs are very prone to breaking, 99.9 times out of 100 it'll be that. Swap it for another 073 and it should be fine.

HTH.

Paul.


Edited by vpricey

Glad I could be of help, but I can't recall seeing any white plugs on the loom I have, although we both have the same one, the Motronic0 261 200 073, or and 073 ECU taken from the last 3 numbers.

These are the ones I have....



Here you can see the sensors in the side of the gearbox....






And here you can see both sensors plugged into thier plugs attached to the bracket on the side of the block.  Hope this helps.

The bottom sensor goes to the black plug and the top to the Grey plug. This might be the white plug you were on about!?

As for finding one, try on the E30zone.net as I know there has been a couple for sale on there, or on E-bay. If you still can't find one I have a spare one here that I can send you.

Paul.


Edited by vpricey

Fantastic, glad it worked for you. I was so annoyed when I happened to me, I had just rebuilt the head  after the headgasket going. The car ran great for the first day or so,  then after doing an oil change it wouldn't start. I spent 3 weeks trying to fix it outside freezing with the volt meter trying to find the broken bit, 120quid on two sensors I didn't need, various other things and eventually plugged in a new ECU and she burst into life. It was great!!

As for the oil breather, is it any of these...



as the part numbers you mentioned where stange, a o-ring for the camshaft and two parts for the pressure release valve for the oil pump in the sump??

If you get the part numbers from  Real OEM and get them ordered by today you should have them by monday from the stealers. Other than that there are a  few people on the E30Zone breaking 325's down your way. Hope this helps. 

You're a born wizard - went to a BMW dealer and got my bits...your picture was the right one...brilliant. Can't thank you enough.

I'll have an oil change, no leaks, a car that starts and all less than £80

Thank you., thank you very much.

Actually, before I throw this old ecu away, is there any use for them? can someone else make use of it for reprogramming or something - otherwise I'll dump it.

I fitted that oil filter breather plug and by eck that gave me some grief fitting that.

Raised the car on tripod stands, could see the plug and the circlip but you need 2 hands to get it out and three to put the new one in and there's about enough space for one hand -

For those wishing to try this the easiest way to do this was by using a G - clamp , one end over the top of the filter housing and the other under the new cap to ease the new cap with the new washer into place, but it's not easy as you need to make sure you have enough space around the top of the G Clamp adjustment end to fit the spring clip afterwards. without the G-Clamp I couldn't have done this as you cannot get the pressure from laying on your back onto the new part to compress it enough and get the circlip in place - it just seems an impossibility.

My G-clamp had a very small cup on the top of the adjustable end, about the same size as the centre  'nob' in the middle of the new cap which gave me just enough room to squeeze the new circlip in, but it was very hard and fiddly. Eventually got there. The problem is this housing has a spring inside and a needle which has to be centred, the spring forces the cap out and you are working upside down trying to keep the 3 parts together while you assemble it into the housing. The new washer which is a rubber ring makes the settling process even harder and you really need that extra push to depress the cap far enough home to find the groove in which the circlip fits. As the circlip is bigger of course whan the outer circumference not only are you trying to hold the unit in you are trying to force the circlip into the groove as well at the same time - hence the need for the extra hand....that hand is the G Clamp.

Getting the old oil filter out wasn't a bunch of laughs either and again working from the under side I remembered seeing a guy hammer a screwdriver through the old oil filter and turning it
so did that praying the one in the box waiting to be fitted was the right one.

Anyway,  all going quite well now.

Any complaints?mmm?  throttle. On the first touch of the throttle peddle the car seems just a fraction lumpy then it takes off okay. Don't have a clue why although I cleaned the distributor cap of burn on the pins, not much and nothing too corrosive so can't imagine it's the contacts in there. Cleaned all the plugs, reset gaps. No1 cylinder a little oilier than the others but I guess thats knackered rings rather than anything terminal...137,000 on the clock.

Checked all the hoses around the air filter, all okay, air filter dusty but not clogged seems clear enough around that area..

Took it out this aftenoon and ran like a baby...

Thanks I'll never use a garages advice again, I'll be back...and although I can't offer much techi advice I hope someone might learn from my experience this morning..You're right, that's what forums are about - ..sharing.

Can you check the valve clearances with overhead cams like the old rockers on the push rod cars? Never thought of doing that. They do sound a bit 'tappety' I must admit. Done the mini I built a hundred times

I checked all the air hoses and the AA guy sprayed the carb with cleaner so I think they are okay. I'll have to leave it a month or so as I'm going to hospital today and I won't be feeling like going under the  bonnet for a while, but I'll have a go once I'm back on it...

I really appreciate your help and knowledge, makes such a pleasant change from all the guestimates I've had from gargaes and I can go off now in the knowledge the car is okay for the Other half while I'm away.

Don't worry, I'll be back in about a month.

Thanks