Ok,
here's a refresher on what happened.

>>Ok,by BIG I mean WTF!

I've yet to have a problem like this.My wipers would go up but wouldn't return,they'd just click.I replaced the wiper assembly.Wipers work fine,I had no reason to start the car till 2 days later,I start it,it turns over,hits on a couple cylinders then no start.I think since it started,maybe it was a fuel delivery problem and started off of residule pressure.Not the case,the relay works,the fuse is fine.I have a signal at the injector,I have spark at the coil,I have spark at the plug.Ok so I have fire and I have fuel,still no start,Gotta be timing right?Nope the cam lines up fine with the crank.I took it next door to a specialist and he's had it for a day and a 1/2 and as stumped as I am.Anyone have any suggestions?

My 1st thought is,it HAS to be something that was disturbed during the wiper assembly install.The only thing I can think of is the ground that goes from the valve cover to the firewall,I cleaned that well with sandpaper down to bare metal on both sides and it's tight.

Anyone ahve any suggestions?!?!?! PLEASE
Thanks in advance,
Justin<<

>>Finally got to the bottom of it,the kicker of it is,I had this problem before but with slightly different symptoms.The hall sender wires broke.Well actually the 1st time the rivets that held it to the distibutor failed and the "cage" contacted it.That cause the car to stop running (duh) but in that case,the fuel pump wouldn't kick on.This time it was so I wasn't thinking it could be that.Anyway I have it running (very roughly) I need to find a new distributor,I don't think I'll trust another used one this time.Btw it was very very flooded,and that was compounding the problem.Hopefully this thread will help someone else.
Thanks again for all your help Chuck,I appreciate it.
Justin<<


I thought that was the end of it,but I put a *new* distributor in it,and it will run,but very very rough,it's missing as if I was on a 2 step rev limiter randomly dropping cylinders,the idle is mostly very erratic,it will however hit random smooth spots.At this point,again,at this point it will run and drive albiet very rough,WOT it ran like a top though (only did that a couple times)I'm thinking WOT=closed loop,maybe a sensor could be at fault? o2 maybe? Would it cause these symptoms?

More help would be greatly appreciated,thanks in advance,
Justin

Hello,

Sorry to hear about all the grief. When my '89 740T was having a jumping tach it turned out to be the ignition module/power stage. The part is that flatish silver and black thing above the battery on the driver's side. Two screws hold it on. I tried sanding the contact points and such on mine but had no success. It's a cheap part ~$45. I'd go ahead and get one. A failure of the ignition module will leave you stranded.

Matt Campbell
'89 740 Turbo wagon
(waiting for that new/used engine to be installed)

What year is your car?

Tried starting/idling with the AMM unplugged?

--
Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

1988 745Ti
No I didn't try that yet.

For the record when it's dropping cylinders,if I load up it'll backfire big time.

well i had a similar problem and with alot of money and effort it turned out to be the ignition switch faulty. It would make my car run rough and the wipers not work, but the way to test it is next time you start your car, turn the key back a tad without turning it off and if it starts running fine replace what i told you above. good luck !

I'm looking fwd to trying that in the morning,funny thing is,before I had that problem with the wipers I had another,they seemd to have a mind of their own and didn't want to shut off.I hope this works out tomorrow,I'm having a good feeling about it.Thanks.
Justin

A known good ignition switch yielded no difference.

The car is a 1988 745Ti

Idle is erratic (tach bounces like crazy more erratic than the actual idle it seems)All this is mostly at idle to ~3k WOT is fine,I don't know if that has more to do with WOT or RPM though.