BMW Repair: BMW E36 WONT START, camshaft position sensor, fuel pressure gauge


Question
I have a 1993 BMW 325i DOHC with an automatic transmission.  The car has 180K miles and the motor has about 135K miles.  My cars upper radiator housing broke and was spewing antifreeze out on my way home from work. I made it home right when the check engine light popped on for the car overheating.  I then parked the car, removed other car garage, started my BMW and there was a squeaking from the front(maybe water pump because no fluid, i dont know).  Park car, get radiator, replace radiator.  Try to start car and it is dead.  Charge battery, and it turns over (at least the accessories are turning) it does not quite sound right though, a little differnt sounding than normal.  I get nothing.  I replaced my fuel pump about two years ago and the fuel filter about one year ago. I checked that I was getting spark and I am.  There was no coolant on the spark plugs and I have done a compression test and got 90 lbs on each cylinder after checking them twice.  I have not done a  oil change to see if i blew a head gasket.  When i turn the key to the ACC position there is no priming of the fuel pump(I am not sure if BMW's do this but my old mustang did) when you try to start the car you can hear the fuel pump pumping.  I am not sure if the engine is getting fuel though. Could a faulty sensor such as the camshaft position sensor cause a car not to start.  I have done the pump accelerator 5 time trick and get the 1444 (all good) code. I was hoping that you could offer some of your expertise on this matter, I need some help.
Thanks,
Nathan


Answer
Have you done a wet compression test?It would determine if there was any ring or head problem.You might want to do a cylinder balance test as it too would tell you if you had gotten the engine too hot.You should use a fuel pressure gauge to check fuel pressure not just listening to hear the pump.You should have about 3 bar(amount on the regulator)Sensors just don't work and then not you got it hot so I would look in that direction.