I did the oil pan gasket and TB/water pump on my E30 last weekend. I went to start it when the job was done, only to get a very ominous single click, and nothing else. All connections were rechecked, battery disconnected and reconnected, fully charged. Engine spins freely.
Needing to move it, my neighbor and I gave it a small shove (imagine shoving a stubborn door) to get it uphill (my garage has a small slope) so that we could remove the chocks holding the rear wheels. Not thinking much, we left it in gear.
That done, my neighbor gets in and turns the key, just for shits and giggles. It starts right up, no drama. I should make it clear, we were in no way push starting the car. We shoved it a bit, it rolled back. He got in afterwards.
I go for a drive to pick up a couple of things, not a single problem. I stopped five times, no issues starting. I drive back into the garage yesterday.
Today, I go to start it, and same problem, just a single click. I get out, leave it in gear, and give it a shove from the back (it moved forward perhaps 2 inches and rolled back). Once again, lo and behold, it starts right up.
I really have no idea what the hell it could be. Why would an engine decide to start only when it is bumped a bit? The only common factors to the no-start situation are that the engine is cold, and the car is on a slight uphill (maybe 2% slope).
I thought at first it was the starter, but current checks out, and it worked fine every other time. My only guess is that it may be related to a cam or crank position sensor, as the shoving (and associated very slight turn of the engine) would do something to it. I doubt it's a ground, given that it works most of the time.
Any ideas?
Needing to move it, my neighbor and I gave it a small shove (imagine shoving a stubborn door) to get it uphill (my garage has a small slope) so that we could remove the chocks holding the rear wheels. Not thinking much, we left it in gear.
That done, my neighbor gets in and turns the key, just for shits and giggles. It starts right up, no drama. I should make it clear, we were in no way push starting the car. We shoved it a bit, it rolled back. He got in afterwards.
I go for a drive to pick up a couple of things, not a single problem. I stopped five times, no issues starting. I drive back into the garage yesterday.
Today, I go to start it, and same problem, just a single click. I get out, leave it in gear, and give it a shove from the back (it moved forward perhaps 2 inches and rolled back). Once again, lo and behold, it starts right up.
I really have no idea what the hell it could be. Why would an engine decide to start only when it is bumped a bit? The only common factors to the no-start situation are that the engine is cold, and the car is on a slight uphill (maybe 2% slope).
I thought at first it was the starter, but current checks out, and it worked fine every other time. My only guess is that it may be related to a cam or crank position sensor, as the shoving (and associated very slight turn of the engine) would do something to it. I doubt it's a ground, given that it works most of the time.
Any ideas?
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