I've got a 1992 E36 320i, and last night it failed to start. It did this a
few times last year (it's been about 4 months since it last happened, 4
times in total now in 7 months) when I first had it and I'd thought I'd
rectified it, but it's not reproducible so I thought I'd ask here in case
anyone else has had a similar problem and found the cause. When it happens
the engine won't fire, the starter is turning over but that's it. A friend
of mine last year suggested that it might be the fuel relay as it didn't
sound like the fuel pump was running - I've replaced this, and the system
relay, and I thought that had cured it. It's easy to get the car to start
when it does happen though - I just disconnect and reconnect the battery,
and the car will start normally straight away. I'm assuming this means that
a relay is the likely cause, but I was wondering if anyone could suggest
which relay might be the culprit rather than me replacing all of them one by
one - and as the issue isn't easily reproduced I won't know if replacing a
relay fixes the problem as it might be months before it happens again. Being
a 1992 model this does have an unload relay behind the glove box (the 1993 I
used to have didn't have this particular relay, and the Bentley manual shows
a different wiring diagram between the 1992 and 1993 models), could that be
the culprit?