# 1981 528i Starting/Running Problem



## ryangschultz (Aug 3, 2010)

I own a 1981 528i BMW. It's been running great and I have done a lot of electrical and mechanical work on it. But now, all of the sudden, it is having an intermittent starting problem. I just replaced the fuel filter because I thought that may be the issue and I had never replaced it, but the issue is still there. 

Sometimes the car will start right up, other times it will turn over but never start. After replacing the fuel filter it will not sometimes start but then stall after a second or two. Could it be an intermittent electrical problem or another fuel problem or what? I don't think it's the pump because the car will start and run, just not every turn of the key. Please help!


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## socalfiver (Oct 17, 2010)

Your symptoms suggest a broken solder joint inside the Combo Relay. The combo relay is 2 relays mounted in a black plastic case near the expansion tank and master cylinder. 2 plugs going to the bottom of it, one with all brown/white wires. I suggest replacement, but if you're handy with a circuit tester and a soldering iron, it can be repaired.


Combo Relay is most likely cause of intermittent stall/ no start problem.


There is an e12 specific board at firstfives dot com.


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