Starter wiring

[richardb]

Ok... I have ONE starter wire I'm not sure where it goes, then I can install the intake manifold and attempt cranking the car for the first time.

I have the e36 m50 harness, and using a m20 325i starter. There are three terminals, one connects the solenoid to the starter, and the other two is positive and negative. I have all the hot wires attached correctly.

There are two black wires from the harness,
1) black w/green stripe

2) black w/yellow stripe

The black/green terminal is too small to fit the negative terminal on the starter, however the black/yellow fits the stud fine. Are both of these supposed to go to the small stud on the starter?

Thanks
Rich

[richardb]

After searching for about 45 min here with no mention of it anywhere... I found the answer on e30tech from an old post:

"To get the electric windows and sunroof to work with the doors shut and for the heater blower to work at all you need to connect the black and green wire from pin 15 on the E30 C101 to a small spade connector on the starter motor."

"There's a black/green wire from relays K5 and K7 in the fusebox, which goes, via the C101, to the smallest terminal of four on the starter motor. If the starter motor only has three terminals, then connect it to the strap that goes between the solenoid and the starter motor body."

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You might want to try to see if all of your wires are properly hooked up to the Starter. You should have 4 wires going to the starter. the thick main power wire (obviously), then you have the Black/yellow wire (signal for starter), the blue wire (alternator wire) and a black/green wire, which goes to ground (for all intents and purposes). That bl/gn wire goes directly to the unloader relay K5 in the car. That could explain why the windows work only when the car is off.... because you don't have that wire grounded... and the unloader relay isn't completing the circuit.. I've had the same problem until I realized this.