View Full Version : No spark at ignition switch ??


lanos99se
01-14-2006, 01:39 PM
Car info.. 1986 735i, Automatic.

I've searched the achives here nad on other boards for the last couple of weeks and haven't found anything quite like my problem.

One sunny weekend a couple of months ago I went to Florida in my 735i. This was 650 mile drive round trip. While there my ignition switch started to go out. I could make it work my pulling the wires leading to it in just the right direction so it would get a good connection. But after a while this didn't work any more. I was forced to cut the wires and hot wire the car. When I did this all of the instuments and the trip computer stopped working. Big deal right? I have 3 e23 parts cars at home so I figured I'd swap out some stuff when I got home and keep on truckin'. So this worked for a while but on the third stop for gas I went to crank it and it turned over once and then nothing. There was no longer any spark at the wires. This lead to me having to leave my car with a shop in the middle of bumfuktegipt GA and many hundereds of dollars to get it home.

I have the wireing diagrams from the TIS/EDK CD's. It shows a Start Relay inline to the coil at the starter. I can't find the start relay and haven't had time to get under the car and check the starter.

What do you guys think? So what could cause no power at the ignition switch? Where should I start?

Almost none of the electical systems work on this car now but I just want to crank the thing so I can drive it to a shop.

MichaelY
01-14-2006, 02:06 PM
dunno. but there's another guy with what may me a similar problem....see thread:
What am I getting myself into??? (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=467920)

lanos99se
01-14-2006, 02:51 PM
Thanks for the link, I"ll keep an eye on it also.

The poster doesn't say specifaly where he doesn't have a spark. I have spark at the plugs and the car runs like new when it did run. I have installed a new ignition switch to replace the one destroyed in the hot wireing process but have no power specificaly at the switch.

shogun
01-14-2006, 02:54 PM
Have you asked the people on the E23 board here?
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/e23/