Welcome aboard...take a deep breath. We'll figure this one out.
can you confirm by looking at the crankshaft position sensor of the teeth are right under it?
can you confirm the ground strap is hooked on the motor mount?
can you confirm the ground wire on the valve cover is actually connected and making a contact?
can you confirm the relays are in place in the fuse box next to the ECU/DME?
if you spray quick start in the elbow going to the throttle body, does the car seem to start?

 

Thanks much, M2B. Long-time lurker here...I can usually piece together enough detail to get by without posting but got a little ahead of my skis on this one.

can you confirm by looking at the crankshaft position sensor of the teeth are right under it?
Very hard to see how far apart they are when in place, but I think so. The pins spin symmetrically, they are not bent. Same result with the original and a new OEM sensor firmly seated. I really thought this was the problem originally so I spent a lot of time tinkering here (short of removing the whole assembly).

can you confirm the ground strap is hooked on the motor mount?
Yes

can you confirm the ground wire on the valve cover is actually connected and making a contact?
Yes

can you confirm the relays are in place in the fuse box next to the ECU/DME?
Yes, relays are in place and all the fuses are whole.

if you spray quick start in the elbow going to the throttle body, does the car seem to start?
Doesn't change the sound or the crank at all! Should be electrical right!? To elaborate on the sound, it usually just turns with just a hint of flutter at the bottom of the cycle, but occasionally (maybe 1 crank in 10) it sputters a little more like it MIGHT go but it does not. That ratio seems to be the same with and without the starter fluid in the turbo tube.

 

good feedback...regarding the flywheel, I was referring to the teeth facing the engine side where they would pass under the sensor (for reading) )vs facing the other way. just confirming the flywheel orientation.

When you removed, the transmission, do you remember removing anything else, like intake manifold specifically the throttle body?

Do you have another set of keys you can try? (I know of a guy whose car suddenly stopped starting and after diagnosis, his keyfob lost communication with the CAS, he cold still open and close the doors though) which brings me to my next question, can you open and close doors with the keyfob?

 

I am pretty sure that the abductor wheel (Bentley calls it crankshaft sensor gear) is in the correct orientation. The teeth face the engine. Now that I have Bentley in my hands (fresh from a sale at Pelican), I can confirm that there is a positioning pin that orients the abductor wheel and the flywheel to the crankshaft. It gives me some confidence that I did not screw that up. I don't think it is possible to screw the flywheel on if that slipped-off the pin. But, I had the crankshaft sensor off when I reinstalled the transmission to avoid damaging it... as a result I can't really say if it is close enough to the teeth of the sensor gear. Maybe it is the wiring harness to the sensor and not the sensor itself. So that still worries me.

I did not take-off the throttle body, but ALL of the wire harnesses, air tubing, and vacuum lines where disconnected. The fuse box was unbolted and moved aside (not removed) and the ECU/DME was removed to prevent damage. I have fussed around with the ECU and fuse box while debugging the problem so I am fairly sure that all those connectors are in-place and well seated. I have been over the engine bay and I am pretty sure that all the connectors are in-place...but I will go over it again with attention to the HPFP and throttle body.

I tried a spare key with the same thought. Same result, but I will go back through that this afternoon because it is an easy double-check. I don't think that I tried the unlock with the fob so I will confirm as well. I would think that the system would prevent the starter from engaging if the key wasn't recognized but that detail hasn't been mentioned in any related posts that I can find. And anyway, I do get the spark detector lighting-up when I crank. Would also assume that anything electrical or security oriented would either prevent starter or spark which both seem to be rolling for me.

Which leads me back to fuel... I will confirm fuel line pressure this afternoon.

All the circular stuff keeps leading back to the crankshaft position sensing..is the timing of the spark controlled by the ECU based on the crankshaft position? If that were the case, spark when the pistons are in the wrong position might not ignite even if fuel is present? I guess I would expect misfiring not no-firing in that case.

 

I am pretty sure your did everything right but something gave up after the installation.

you checked the red wire feeding the fuse box next to the ECU, right?

did you remove the spark plugs to see if the cylinders are flooded?

can you connect and OBD reader and see what codes it's throwing?

are you far from Philly, pa?

 

M2B - Thanks for the continuing feedback. It is helpful even if it is just helping me confirm what I already did.

you checked the red wire feeding the fuse box next to the ECU, right?
yes, but I am considering taking all connections apart and cleaning them up to be certain.

did you remove the spark plugs to see if the cylinders are flooded?
Yes and I don't think it is flooded but I do think fuel is present.. faint odor. I may try to get my MiTyVac in there tonight to see if I can syphon anything out.

can you connect and OBD reader and see what codes it's throwing?
Still code free (though I cannot read the mini-specific codes) aside from the P0072 that I get when I don't have the bumper connector for the air temp sensor connected. I can connect that and clear that code without changing the symptoms.

are you far from Philly, pa?
only about 300 miles away ;-)

another set of keys
I tried a spare set and got the same result. Both sets can lock/unlock the doors.

What I learned last night, is that there is low-pressure fuel moving through the lines. Also that you can't simply hookup a stock fuel pressure gauge (this shouldnt come as a surprise) to a Mini Cooper. I think the Pelican article on the topic may be tapping the wrong hose. The one that is bent seems to come FROM the fuel rail, the one with a straight connector goes TO the HPFP (high pressure fuel pump for future reference). You can see the connector to the TO fuel line in the background of the Pelican picture. It isn't clear how one disconnects the TO fuel line at the junction near the subframe. I couldn't find a reference to how this end is disconnected. So, I disconnected the fuel line at the point that is enters the HPFP. I put a cup under the disconnect line and engaged the battery... the cup filled-up pretty quickly.

As a side note, I have read that the R56 does not have a fuel return line, but I don't know what the purpose of that second line is. It is about double the circumference of the TO fuel line. It runs parallel to the other fuel line and seems to terminate at the end of the fuel rail. When I disconnected it, there was no fuel leakage at all. I am guessing that it is to equalize gas pressure back into the tank? Probably not important at the moment, but I found it confusing. IF that is true, perhaps the Pelican article is not wrong (though where you find an adapter to fit this is a mystery to me) as the pressure should be equalized at both ends.

Is it possible that I have a failed HPFP? I don't think that I have had it replaced yet... though memory of early years is vague... I remember thinking maybe it SHOULD be replaced. I know these symptoms are more severe than typical of the HPFP problems...at least it should still be warrantied.

 

This is going to be interesting when we find out what the is...as you said, the second line is for tank ventilation. there is no return gas line BUT, I used to hear a valve opening and gas pouring back to the tank when you dont start the car within a minute or so, i think.

Did you try popping the clutch? old school starting the car without the starter...you push the car as fast as you can while in N, then you engage the 1st or 2nd gear and then release the clutch.

can you also verify that the ECU pins were not bent somehow? (it happened to me one and i was going nuts with it)

you might want to invest in ISTA/D software with the K+Dcan cable.

 

 

 

Take your time setting it up. It must have instructions. Once it's set, you're golden.

Let us know where you stuck and post pix.

 

I got the cable working and the INPA+ software installed. It took some time to get the downloads and then some diligence to get installed on an old windows laptop. I used these directions: https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sh....php?t=1023698

It immediately pulled a lot of stored faults, most were associated with earlier millages. All of the newer codes looked to be associated with the disassembly or diagnostics. I cleared the codes and then tried to restart the car. The new reading only had one fault and it is a weird one.

Voltage supply. MRS restraint system
S0180 No communications possible with Safety module/restraint system
ABL Power supply, crash safety module (ACSM)

This code was also present prior to resetting. So... maybe this is my culprit. I am reading that the ECM switches off the fuel pump and alternator if it receives a crash signal from the MRS. It does not say what happens when the ECM cannot communicate with the MRS, but if it defaults to crash mode then it might explain my no-start condition. Just to be clear, this car has not been in a crash.

My next steps, I think are to check it the self-test passes (airbag lights goes off after a few seconds when ignition is On). I am considering posting a separate thread about the MRS fault since it might draw more attention to this problem. If this really is the issue, then it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the clutch replacement. But, I guess that I am down to weird stuff so that shouldn't be a surprise. Will keep posting so future us will be smarter.

In the meantime, I have started to put the car back into rolling condition. Service mode = off, fluids replaced, wheels on.

 

OK, there are indeed crash sensors on an R56. Am trying to find out where! When I did my clutch there were so many connectors to disconnect and re-connect I lost track of what each one was. Do not recall Haynes mentioning it specifically. If I find it on realeom will post back. Certainly seems to be the culprit, You may have cause some damage to a sensor.

It appears all airbag and sensors are inside car, not engine compartment. I have one suggestion though, nothing to do with safety system. There is a connector at the front of the gearbox, one small cable to it, easily damaged and car will not start if damaged. Item 16. http://bmminiparts.com/DiagramView.a...091&MOSP=52593

 

In my experience and my current 08 clubman n18 swap, the airbag mod is not connected nor the seats or the radio. The car still starts fine.

 

https://workshop-manuals.com/mini/co...ide/page_8054/

Found this, but as M2B says, won't stop car from running.

 

Got my attention, Scudder, thanks for weighing-in. I don't seem to have this sensor on my bell housing (nor do I see a wire dangling). This is either missing by design or I really messed up. When I use my VIN I get this diagram for the manual transmission: http://bmminiparts.com/DiagramView.aspx?DiagramId=216263&MOSP=50031. The part is in the picture but does not have a listing in the parts list... which makes me wonder. My Bentley manual has no reference for a Zero Position sensor. Maybe a difference in the R56 and the R57 models?

I agree that the MRS is a long-shot on the non-start. I took apart the console to get to it and did the usual 'blow on the connectors' intervention. Everything look in decent shape, but the code is still present after reassembling. I am wondering if the weirdness doesn't point back to a messed-up DME/ECU. Tempted to order one from eBay to at least rule it out... still I would have hoped that some codes would be thrown if the DME was damaged.

 

Seems like a stretch to explain the behavior. It seems that this is a rare event, the only mentions of S 0180 code anywhere are for other BMW models and seem to be associated with multiple bus failures. I haven't found single instance of this code stand-alone. The self-test seems to work, the airbag light goes off after a few seconds.

 

You'ld only have it if you have auto stop/start... back to the drawing board.

 

 

did you check the safety switch plug where the shifting mechanism resides on the transmission?

reassemble the car and try to pop the clutch.

as you said, popping another ECU wont do you good unless it is reprogrammed. When I was running into trouble with an 09 MCS auto, the engine wiring harness was the culprit. I did not see any rips in or visible cuts, just a recurring MAF sensor fault which even if disconnected, the car should start.

Also, when you run ISTA, what else do you get? let the car crank for a bit so more codes can be generated.

 

OMG. I finally broke down and had the car towed to the dealer. They got it running and said that the issue was that the battery terminal connection wasn't tight enough!?

WTF? Tight enough to turn the engine over. Tight enough to generate measurable spark on each cylinder. Not tight enough to start.

I am not surprised that the terminal was not cinched torqued. I had that terminal on/off 50x.

The good news is that it is now drivable but running rough. I am going to reclaim it and check-out the rough running myself. $45 towing + $135 for an hour diagnostic. Could have been worse... but... in the end it just "wasn't plugged-in"?

Relieved but skeptical.

Thanks for all of your suggestions, M2B & Scudder44.

 

Oh wow...glad it was noninvasive. As usual keep an eye on everything under the hood