1994 530i 187,000 miles Starter Problems Continues - BMW Forum

Jody02 · 08-23-2009, 07:28 PM

I just had the old starter removed and the new used starter installed. The new used starter started fine yesterday until I cut the car off and tried to restart only thing I could hear was a click. I tried about 30 minutes later and then the car started with no problems. I had no problems starting the car after that for the rest of the day. I started the car this morning and run the engine for roughly 15 minutes and the car sat all day, I tried to start the car this evening and all I get is a click like the starter is trying but just not turning over. Do you think I got a bad used starter?

witeshark · 08-23-2009, 07:51 PM

Are you sure the battery and alternator are good?

Jody02 · 08-23-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by witeshark

Are you sure the battery and alternator are good?

The battery is brand new, I am not sure about the alternator, but all the lights comes on.

witeshark · 08-23-2009, 07:57 PM

How about all the connections?

Jody02 · 08-23-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by witeshark

How about all the connections?

All the connectors for the starter or the alternator?

witeshark · 08-24-2009, 12:16 AM

Both.

Jody02 · 08-24-2009, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by witeshark

Both.

I will have to get someone to run a diagnosis

DonJ · 08-24-2009, 09:16 AM

Have the alternator tested. Bad diodes can run your battery down.

Jody02 · 08-24-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonJ

Have the alternator tested. Bad diodes can run your battery down.

The Alternator does not have any bad diodes. You get a lot of opinion on here

DonJ · 08-24-2009, 01:13 PM

Of course you get a lot of opinion out here - when a question gets posted, people try to help. But since we don't have the car in front of us, we can only make suggestions based on knowledge and past experience.

You said earlier you hadn't had the alternator tested. An alternator test will reveal if the diodes are bad. I know of people that had their battery drained down due to bad diodes in the alternator.

When you here a click, it could be the battery is dead. So either the alternator isn't charging the battery or the battery is bad and isn't holding a charge. You stated the battery is brand new - so the next thing to check is the alternator.

A short in the electrical system could also draw down your battery. I had that happen in my car and I know another BMW owner going thru that problem right now. But the way to look for that is another opinion.

darkhorse737 · 08-24-2009, 01:59 PM

^ +1 ^

and please check your original post, Jody02. You have 2 threads running regarding the same issue

Jody02 · 08-24-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonJ

Of course you get a lot of opinion out here - when a question gets posted, people try to help. But since we don't have the car in front of us, we can only make suggestions based on knowledge and past experience.

You said earlier you hadn't had the alternator tested. An alternator test will reveal if the diodes are bad. I know of people that had their battery drained down due to bad diodes in the alternator.

When you here a click, it could be the battery is dead. So either the alternator isn't charging the battery or the battery is bad and isn't holding a charge. You stated the battery is brand new - so the next thing to check is the alternator.

A short in the electrical system could also draw down your battery. I had that happen in my car and I know another BMW owner going thru that problem right now. But the way to look for that is another opinion.

Thank you for showing compassion; I was just asking for a little compassion. You took your time and explained things to me, I am not a grease monkey but I only do minor things to cars, such as tuneups, oil changes; of course I have changed a starter on my first car which was a 1971 chrysler New Yorker and I changed a couple water pumps on my german orange sedan, so as you can see I have zero knowledge when it comes to major fixes. I have a certified BMW mechanic coming over tomorrow to run a diagnosis on the car and I will take it from there. I am sure he will find the problem(s). I tell you what I just divorced all of my Shade Tree Mechanics; what 're waste!

DonJ · 08-24-2009, 02:12 PM

Good Luck with the problem Jody02 - hope the mechanic can find it.

Electrical problems can be a real you know what to find.
I know I've spent a lot of time pulling out my hair trying to troubleshoot mine.

I'm not an experienced mechanic but I've learned a lot from reading the manual and from the suggestions people make on the forums. Sometimes the suggestions fix the problem and sometimes they don't but even then, I learn something new from all of the comments.

So I hope it's something simple to fix.

Jody02 · 08-24-2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonJ

Good Luck with the problem Jody02 - hope the mechanic can find it.

Electrical problems can be a real you know what to find.
I know I've spent a lot of time pulling out my hair trying to troubleshoot mine.

I'm not an experienced mechanic but I've learned a lot from reading the manual and from the suggestions people make on the forums. Sometimes the suggestions fix the problem and sometimes they don't but even then, I learn something new from all of the comments.

So I hope it's something simple to fix.

Thanks and it all started with the first shade tree grease monkey, well that's what we called them in the Army.