88 735i won't start

[rykrosgt]

Greetings everyone... I've done a lot of seacrhing and a lot of research on the issue, but I can't seem to find out what is wrong. Here's some background info:

A buddy of mine has an 88 735i. It has the 3.5 engine (clearly says) which for some reason the auto parts stores confuse for the 3.4 unless it's an iL, then it's a 3.5. -but anyhow, the battery died from him leaving the dome light on all night. When he went to jump start it, he connected the positive and negative jumper cable connectors to the ignition coil instead of the Positive jump point on the other side of the engine bay. It would crank but would not start.

I verified that there WAS gas, but NO spark, so we checked all fuses (but none of the relays yet) those are fine, then figured it was an anti-theft thing so we shut al the doors and "double locked it" going into BOTH lock positions then unlocking it... multiple times... still no go. We put the car in neutral, and put it back in park. Finally we purchased a new coil thinking it blew it. No-go. As a last ditch effort, I tried checking the codes on the OBD-I... and all I got was the "no codes stored" 1444.

So we're really at a wit's end and wondering if there is something that does need to be reset, if it's a dealer thing that has to be done or what... but at this point, it's SOMETHING behind the coil pack.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[morgenhailey]

once i heard that in order to jump start it u need to turn on the ac fan full and turn on the lights before u jump start it. if u don't it will become a dealer problem.

[jeffreyb4me]

i posted a long answer for you but i guess it dissappeared. here's the short of it... replace both the main & fuel pump relays. they might have cookeddue to the EXCESSIVE current. The most likely failure though is the DME Control Unit, also due to the high current through the B+ coil circuit. The DME only grounds the coil to 'fire' it but amazing things can happen when high currents and/or voltage spikes are introduced where they don't belong.........i'll more info if ness....

[csieminski]

I'm sure everyone has already figured this out, but in case not...

jeffreyb4me's "long" post seems to have ended up under the "headlights" thread.

Hope this helps somebody!