What The Hell, Car Doesn"t Start

[Ding]

Ok so the car started just fine all day and always has. Started up just great drove down the road like 1/2 a mile then turned it off and talked to my friend. Then it just wouldn't turn over, doesn't act like its even telling the starter to move, whats wrong, i can drop the clutch and starts it just fine. so pissed right now.

[Brian325i]

I think it's probably your starter. Needs to be replaced.

[El Presidente]

Its a common problem. nycbmw has a great explantion on it in depth.

I've always kept it short, and said the problem is caused by heat.

[Ding]

Originally posted by Ding@Sep 21 2004, 08:48 PM
Ok so the car started just fine all day and always has. Started up just great drove down the road like 1/2 a mile then turned it off and talked to my friend. Then it just wouldn't turn over, doesn't act like its even telling the starter to move, whats wrong, i can drop the clutch and starts it just fine. so pissed right now.

[snapback]196428[/snapback]

well it doesn't seem to even turn the starter over, and it came out of no where

[El Presidente]

Exactly.

Engine ran for short time. Heat from engine, heat from start, and usually ambient heat made it not have enough current to start.

[Ding]

Originally posted by El Presidente@Sep 21 2004, 09:00 PM
Exactly.

Engine ran for short time. Heat from engine, heat from start, and usually ambient heat made it not have enough current to start.

[snapback]196442[/snapback]

so what do i need to do, just let it chill out

[Gator]

Before doing a lot of troubleshooting, do yourself a favor check the battery or better yet temporarily swap the battery with one from another vehicle. Batteries can completely short out internally at any time and even jumping won't supply current between the terminals. If a different battery doesn't slove the problem, you can begin looking at the starter, ground calbe etc.

[Ding]

Originally posted by Gator@Sep 22 2004, 08:07 AM
Before doing a lot of troubleshooting, do yourself a favor check the battery or better yet temporarily swap the battery with one from another vehicle. Batteries can completely short out internally at any time and even jumping won't supply current between the terminals. If a different battery doesn't slove the problem, you can begin looking at the starter, ground calbe etc.

[snapback]196658[/snapback]

I'm really doubting its anything but the starter, cause it runs just fine and all the power stuff works great, and it push starts really easy. So I guess i'm going to start testing the wires to the starter and stuff, anyone know a good place to get a starter for cheap.

[El Presidente]

I was hoping you (and others) would take hint and search.

oes this occur when the car is really hot, or the outside temp is really high or after the car has run for a while in the warmer months and then sit for up to about a 20 minutes? if you can answer yes to these questions it is something called heat soak which means your starter is so damn hot AND the windings or other internal components are in less than perfect shape, and this with the combined heat raises the resistance in the windings to the ppint where their is not enough current to turn that puppy over. All of this assumes healthy battery though. The heat soak occurs even on a perfectly good starter, but if your battery is in good condition there is still enough current to turn the starter...

[Ding]

Originally posted by El Presidente@Sep 22 2004, 10:25 AM
I was hoping you (and others) would take hint and search.

[snapback]196734[/snapback]

Well I did search and thats not my problem cause I let it sit out side all night and tried starting it this morning doesn't do anything besides for make a small click noise when in the start mode. I live in wisconsin it was like 60 degrees when it failed to start and it was after I ran if for like 1 min after it sitting for about 30 min.

[El Presidente]

whats your battery's charge?

[FireBlue323IS]

It sounds like it might be your ignition switch since all electrical is working after you pop the clutch. It is a quick check. Sometimes only certain parts of the switch will make contact.

[Gator]

You get the clicking noise when your battery has enough juice to engage the solenoid, but not enough to turn the starter. Like El P. said check your battery.

[Ding]

Originally posted by Gator@Sep 23 2004, 06:47 AM
You get the clicking noise when your battery has enough juice to engage the solenoid, but not enough to turn the starter. Like El P. said check your battery.

[snapback]197431[/snapback]

well i tried everthing, testing the power coming to everything, and it seems that its not actually clicking thats just something else when i have the key in the run spot it does it also, I just droped it off at a electrical shop, which i feel stupid for, but i don't know i gave up on it, i'll let you guys know what it was, thanks for the help so far though, lets hope my problems stop here. javascriptticon ('')

[Junior1683]

got gas in the car?