Hi does any one have diagnostics for p38 1996 maybe out of sync or so I'm told I no nothing not mechanically minded.... Also I'm in Leeds if anyone's close

Needing help n Reg rangey vogue 2.5 bmw engine driving fine yesterday won't start at all this morning . Normally wait for glow plug light to go out turn for bout 5 secondsstruggles a little fires up n smokes for 3 seconds then perfectly fine all day after firstinitial start now won't start at all feel like smashing it up tbh well stressed out I can't see the fuel coming threw the line it's got half a tank in it and I'm sure before today I could hear the pump kicking in while waiting for the glow plug light to go out also it looks like it's been wired up from the battery one wire goes from the battery to inside the cab another towards the fuel tank tank been told it could be in tank pump , or glow plugs , it's trying to fire on easy start but I don't think there's fuel

From other thread copied here.
Fuel pump cannot be heard, what you hear will be the ABS pump. Only way to check lift pump is with a flow test. Details in Tech archive. Sounds like you have finally run out of glow plugs. You need good plugs on at least three consecutively firing cylinders to get anything like a start from cold. If you don't have good plugs it will struggle.

So it's glow plugs ??? Wat bout the diesel not coming up from the tank if you look at pics the diesel pipe is clear and it's empty but I have half tank of fuel ????

Fat phil said:

So it's glow plugs ??? Wat bout the diesel not coming up from the tank if you look at pics the diesel pipe is clear and it's empty but I have half tank of fuel ????

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Your pics did not work. Even if the lift pump has failed you should still see some fuel in pipe with air it can't all run back to tank. A full pipe and an empty pipe look very similar. Do the flow test if unsure. Your description of how it's been starting screams glow plugs.