Starter Problems 325is

[e36surge]

Not bad, two days I have the car, two problems... I love e36s...

Been driving her for two days solid. Starts very quickly, no hesitations until... last night... put the key in the ignition, turn and nothing... not even turning over... battery is strong, dash lights up... I wait a few minutes (about 20) and try again... and she turns over...

Has anyone had this problem? Dead spot on the starter? Solenoid? Bad wiring?... Am I answering my own question here...? I guess I need a second opinion.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[dragoncnc]

Thanks for the help with my headlights.
I hear that there is a switch on the back of the ignition cylinder that goes bad. The switch is some kind of BMW quirk

[erikgolson]

Take a wire brush to your battery terminals.....Even it they don't look corroded.

[e36surge]

Originally posted by dragoncnc@May 19 2005, 02:44 PM
Thanks for the help with my headlights.
I hear that there is a switch on the back of the ignition cylinder that goes bad. The switch is some kind of BMW quirk

[snapback]346108[/snapback]

You're welcome.

Will try the terminals and see about the switch thanks guys, stay tuned

[e36surge]

Well it did it again. Turn the key and got nothing. No crank. Jumped the starter.. nothing... Tapped the starter... nothing... Cleaned the terminals... nothing... She eventually started after an hour and a half of trying.

My next step is the ignition switch... I guess I'll be taking a day off from work to change the starter and the ignition switch. Should I chage anything else?

Thanks

[2ndclasscitizen]

After just sitting here re-reading it all I can say is enjoy (and I hope it helps...)

I've just had something that sounds the same. I went out in my car in the morning, went home, and when I went out later on it just wouldn't start, I got headlights, stereo, everything electrical seemed to work but the car just wouldnt turn over. Spent ages under the hood, checking things. Nothing out of the ordinary, a few days later I checked the fuse box again and there was a blown fuse! (no henestly I checked, there wasn't any blown before) Replaced it and it turned over but still wouldn't start. After a couple of attempts I got a loud bang from the engine bay and see smoke, when I looked in the engine bay I see smoke coming out from the throttle body (which just turned out to be a backfire due to all the fuel). And after that I decided to get some one out to hook it up to the diagnistics, thought it might be safer for my car. He came out and hooked this thing up to the car that reads out the faults, the one I got was 26 (poor battery) so he connected some kind of jump start box to the battery and turned it over, after a couple of attempts it started up. Been fine ever since. He recons its either the battery which isnt holding charge or the alternator which isn't charging the battery in the first place.
But I have heard of a battery fault in which it run things like the stereo and lighs, but still dosn't have enough charge to start the car, so try getting a multi meter on it to see what the voltage is (or stick a battery from a good car in) solenoids are not un heard of going faulty (theres a way of telling this when you first turn the key but I cant really remember it so I wont offer my advice on that) Can you hear the petrol pump click when you first turn the key? Could be bad wireing with the ignition (this can also be checked with a multi meter) heard of that before, or the wireing for the imboliser.
Could really be a number of things, but the first things i'd check is the battery/starter motor/alternator (not forgetting fuses!!!) If in doubt get a trained person to have a look over the car, they can hook up their software to diagnose any faults.

[e36surge]

Cheers 2nd, I'll give it a looksy and see what happens.

Thanks for your help.