Firstfives.org

Bought a 190K '81 528i twelve years ago, black over brown leather. Leather had a bunch of parted seams. Rough interior. Car had dents galore. But it had the five speed. Roof was shiny. $750 dollar car off of a cheapo lot with thugs pretending to be salesmen. "All right, all right, no bulls t now, what's your offer? Are you goin' to beat me up on the price? How bad are you going to beat me up on the price?" Asking was $1200. Guys outweighed me by 50lbs each. Bought. Drove it home, started working on it. Changed out the fuel pumps and eventually parked it behind the barn. Mice attacked it at some point, killed the interior, I lost interest. Had it running as late as three years ago, not on all six. Had to move it to the pit last week in order to rob the new exhaust system off of it. Won't start, no fuel. Runs on starter spray for three seconds, quits. No fuel smell in the exhaust. Fuse is good. New relay in place. Put a VOM on the pumps, 12 volts on each. Pumps were freakin' new twelve years ago. Four hours on the pumps, maybe. Both are dead. Wife hates that car, didn't want me to buy it in the first place. Beat on the external pump softly with a piece of wood. Nothing. This gas can't be THAT bad.

If I remember correctly there is a fuse for the fuel pump. Did you check that?

Yeah, the gas could be that bad. But to test the fuel pump operation pull the boot off between the air filter and the AFM and prop the AFM door open with the ignition on. The fuel pump should run. You should be able to feel it thru the hose and go back and hear it by the RR wheel.

Yea, I did that, it's all quiet back there. $Mucho money$ gone. I could change 'em out with used pumps and pump out the bad gas and replace with fresh. Then soak the new pumps in lacquer thinner, try to free 'em up. Just want to be able to move the car under it's own power, it's kind of tight around here for pushing and pulling stuff.

Check for voltage back there. And the combo relay is a somewhat complicated device that controls the fuel pump among other things. Bridge out the connections there if you don't have voltage at the pump when you should.