Won't Start -- No Spark

[Bernie914]

My 1988 BMW 325is won't start.
Below is what I've found so far:

- No spark from the coil wire while cranking.
- 0.6 ohms across the coil primary.
- 6.3 Kohms across the coil secondary
- 3 Volts at the coil primary while cranking.
- All fuses in the relay box OK.
- All relays check OK across the pull-in coil.

Any hints?

Thanks
==Bernie===

[cassisrot]

Bernie, is your check engine light on when you are cranking? Check and make sure that something(theft alarm maybe) isn't deactivating the fuel pump. I have an '89 325IS that started to take longer and longer to start. At this time it hasn't started in over a year and the chickens are starting a campaign for it . Richard

[Bernie914]

Richard,
Yes, The "Check" light has been on for a month or so but the car has been running during that time. I’d get an occasional mild hard start (crank 5-6 seconds before firing) but it was running.

Immediately before the "dead" syndrome appeared the battery went dead because of a miss-adjusted trunk light switch. The switch has been adjusted and the battery recharged but now every time I open the car the park lights flash for a while. That makes your "alarm" idea sound plausible. I’ll get a new battery for my (currently non-op) alarm control and see if that helps.

Your “chicken” story has me frightened. It is too similar to what happened here. No chickens are getting this car. It’s got to be fixed quickly.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Things to check....

Flywheel position sensor
Crankshaft position sensor

[Bernie914]

Problem solved...
Richard was right. The alarm was activated and had dissabled the ignition. The remote is bad so new battries won't help but I found the secret alarm defeat button under the dash. We now have to do this every time we start the car. Cool anti-theft trick...

[cassisrot]

Hey Bernie is everything still OK? Jared-how do you check the flywheel and crnkshaft position sensors?