No start (starter not engaging)

[bronzite30]

So I just refreshed my motor after a blown head gasket. The car started fine prior to engine removal. It was a fairly new starter.

It looks like the starter isn't getting enough power from the ignition

So here's the readings I got:

Also there is 12v going into the ignition sw. and going through the green wire. Somehow it loses voltage after the ignition switch.

Starter wire connections:


Starter motor spins but does not engage, I'd really appreciate any ideas to try out or check before I remove the starter, which I really don't want to to.

Thanks in advance!

[turbo55]

What do you mean when you say that you refreshed your motor? Put a new one in or just did the HG? If the former, are you sure the starter/flywheel are lined up right?

[ELVA164]

Is the starter solenoid engaging?

[bronzite30]

Is the starter solenoid engaging?

Solenoid is not engaging. Looking at the connections on the starter, those are correct, right?

[bronzite30]

What do you mean when you say that you refreshed your motor? Put a new one in or just did the HG? If the former, are you sure the starter/flywheel are lined up right?

Not a new one, a bunch of gaskets/seals. Even if it wasn't, if the starter would engage you'd hear it hitting the flywheel, correct?

[Madhatter]

What side of the solenoid have you got the black/yellow wire connected to?

[bronzite30]

What side of the solenoid have you got the black/yellow wire connected to?

I have the bl/ye wire on the top , power to the motor, and it's only getting 9v, but still spins the motor. If I swap it to the bottom post it doesn't do anything, my assumption to that is because it doesn't have full battery voltage to engage the starter

[bronzite30]

UPDATE: so I took out the starter motor, was a lot easier than I thought it would be took about 15 mins once the air box and intake hoses were off. I bench tested it with an extra battery. So the top post spins the motor and the bottom post engages the solenoid. So knowing that it works out of the car, I put it back and made a jumper wire from the top post where my bl/ye wire is to the bottom post, and still the motor just spins with out engaging the starter. I noticed that it is only getting about 9v from the ignition. I also took off the 12v battery cable off the large post and put it on the bottom post and could hear the starter engage, but it took the 12v away from the motor so the motor didn't spin. I'm really lost with why the starter isn't engaging. I'll have to track down the reason why its only getting 9v, some high resistance somewhere after the ignition. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[bronzite30]

Bump, help a brother drive his e30 for the first time!