M50 starter clicks, but wont crank engine

[Speedracer81]

HELP!!!!!

I just took my m50 out of my other e30 and dropped it into a new one. that car was running, and was even used as an occasional dd. After dropping the engine into this new e30, and doing all the basics to test start it, I tried to turn the engine over with no luck. I checked all my grounds(or so I think) and they were all good. I had a spare starter so I took of my manifold, and put the new starter in and the then still wouldn't crank. at this point it hit me that I never connected the big black wire(the starter's main power source). I hooked that up to power then the engine immediately engaged and cranked.

I reassembled the manifold, and then went to start the engine. the same problem came up. The starter would click once, and not crank the engine.

So just to summarize.
I have a new starter
Grounds look fine
Fuses are not blown
I have 13v at the starter
It cranked twice, now it won't
battery is fully charged(I have two both have same result)


PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF THE LORD HELP ME

thanks,

Cameron

[MrBurgundy]

Relay?

[Speedracer81]

Relay?

Would the starter still click, and try to engage if the relay was busted?

Thank you for the reply!

[m3boost]

Did you connect the chassis ground?

[george graves]

The usual first step in trouble shooing a starter is to smack it with something heavy(I like to use a 3/4" 3' long breaker bar). A partial stuck solionid will cause a clunk but not a whirl.

[sweet3]

+1 for the chassis ground. That thing can cause the craziest problems. Should be located on one for the engine mounts.

[Speedracer81]

Checked grounds for a strong connection. No Problem there. I did try the smack step with no luck.

I'm wondering is there any quirky story any of you've heard of someone fixing a starter? I've checked every usual suspect, I'm willing to start trying crazy stuff!!!

[m3boost]

Visual inspection is not the same as using an actual ohm meter to test ground connections. My chassis ground cable by the passenger motor mount bracket went bad. Visually it look good, but with an ohm meter the reading between my engine and chassis was 1k ohm which was enough for my starter to just click and not start and not turn over.

[george graves]

You could always run power and ground to the starter with some jumper cables?

[Speedracer81]

Visual inspection is not the same as using an actual ohm meter to test ground connections. My chassis ground cable by the passenger motor mount bracket went bad. Visually it look good, but with an ohm meter the reading between my engine and chassis was 1k ohm which was enough for my starter to just click and not start and not turn over.

Very interesting. Where did you make the new ground? I will test ohms.

[Speedracer81]

You could always run power and ground to the starter with some jumper cables?

I did that while the starter was out of the car, and it worked fine. should I try this while its in the engine bay?

[Sea Aych]

Clip some jumper cables from your oil pan to the body of the car and try to start it. If it does, you know it's a grounding issue.
I had a similar issue last week and tried the above. It ended up being not the grounding cable, but a grounding issue nonetheless, where the tab that the cable bolts to had a crack in it.

Apart from that, have you ohm tested your Crankshaft Position Sensor to see if it's in spec? That won't stop it from cranking, but if you get that going again and it still won't fire, that's what I'd check first.