Intermittent no-start.

[AutoXinE30]

The E30 I am trying to sell has conveniently developed an intermittent no-start issue and I can't let the next owner "find out" about it in some parking lot after they have bought the car and leave 'em stuck. It's an 88 325 SETA chassis with a full M20B25, harness and megasquirt ECU.

Basically when you turn over the key to start the vehicle nothing happens. The cluster lights turn on, the radio turns on and when you turn the key all the way forward the cluster lights stay on and the radio turns on instead of cutting off for start. When you let go of the key you can hear one little light click from the starter.

So I figured since the cluster lights/radio weren't going off it was probably the ground strap from the oil pan to chassis. I actually loosened the bolt on the oil pan, wiggled the ground cable and re-tightened the bolt. Car started up fine. So I replaced it with a similar length universal cable and hadn't had much of an issue for a few weeks.

But, now it's back. Except this time, loosening the connections didn't work. Cleaning the bolt and wire with a brush didn't work. I took the cable completely off and tried to touch it from the starter ground on the solenoid to the chassis and got nothing. So I had someone else turn the car over while I held the cable to the OEM ground positions on the pan and chassis and the car cranked over... Re installed the cable and haven't had an issue since last night.

Tested the battery at work. Its rated at 425cca but tested 498cca @ 12.5v. Starter is brand new, less then 1 month old.

3 things that make the most sense to me are:

1. The universal ground strap is not appropriate for the E30 and is allowing the terminals to corrode. This would make sense if I could clean the nut, bolt, wire and contact points and it would work again... but that didn't work this time around.

2. K7 relay is intermittently has issues and doesn't ground out the starter... Not sure what else runs through the K7 to prove or test that theory.

3. The 425cca battery has inadequate starting power even though it tests good.


Any other potential causes? I can't pawn this off on the next owner.

[jlevie]

Make sure the ground strap from the engine to chassis is tight and making a good connection. Then connect a test light between the starter solenoid control lug (the one with a black & yellow wire) and chassis ground. Turn the key to start and see if the light comes on. If it does, replace the starter. If it doesn't, work back towards the ignition switch with the test light to find the problem.

[AutoXinE30]

Originally Posted by jlevie

Make sure the ground strap from the engine to chassis is tight and making a good connection. Then connect a test light between the starter solenoid control lug (the one with a black & yellow wire) and chassis ground. Turn the key to start and see if the light comes on. If it does, replace the starter. If it doesn't, work back towards the ignition switch with the test light to find the problem.

Sounds like something I am going to need a little time to do. Hopefully it'll happen at home instead of out somewhere. It hasn't happened again since this post.

[peytonracer4]

i have the same problem.
i'm 99% positive its the early signs of a starter going bad but i havent replaced mine yet.
mine will start fine but randomly have the one click problem. after 5 minutes of trying it will typically start. this happens randomly.

[Gregs///M]

Yea be sure the engine ground is secure and of the same gauge (thickess) as the oem cable or larger. Cleaning the contact points of the starter to the tranny bellhousing helps too but should have been during starter installation.

Do not rule out the starter unless you used a Bosch replacement including starter solenoid.

Be sure the grounding strap for the starter is tight and secure. It is usually a 1 inch long strap from the lug to the body of the starter.

During times of no start, use the diagnostic plug starter jumper sockets to start the car. If your car does not start with ignition key but starts with diag plug, your ignition cylinder could be on its way out. Make a jumper cable with 12 gauge wire, would be good idea to installed a 1 amp fuse inline.



Jump starter signal and battery +

[BMWManiac]

I think I have a bad starter. The car does have 250k miles on it and is 21 year old. My car has been driving fine. I went to start it yesterday and it started to crank for like 2 seconds and then it went silent. I tried to start it again, and all I hear is the starter itself. The battery is fully charged, and all the lights come on just fine.

Seems like maybe the gears in the starter might have broken and that's why I hear it spin, but it doesn't do anything?