e30 starter wiring help

[BFT_Boyle]

I'm looking at a diagram right now, and it looks like the left terminal controls your unloader relays K7 and K6.

http://wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm under 88 325 electrical troubleshooting. Page 30 of that PDF.

[BFT_Boyle]

I'm kinda having a crazy idea now knowing that the starter solenoid is controlling your unloader relays.... I'm wondering if that terminal is staying hot after you crank the engine. That would cause the car to act like it's shorted out, because those relays turn off things like, lights , stereo, ect... While the engine is cranking (so that all available battery power goes to the starter).

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[theserj]

Okay so I tested each terminal on its own. The problem is coming from these two

[theserj]

They were both on the 13mm terminal.

Should they be on the same one?

Does the order matter?

What about the fact that the terminal in shaped in a certain way, should I be facing each terminal to a specific side?

[theserj]

..

[BFT_Boyle]

Orientation should make no difference, so long as they are not touching anything else but that terminal. According to the schematic, one of those connects directly to your battery ( should be that black cable per the schematic) and the other connects to your charging system (they are using that terminal as a junction for the two cables).

That black cable should always have positive power (and what ever else it touches), regardless if the key position since it is direct from the battery.

With that in mind, if it was those cables, you would be experiencing the short as soon as it it connected; not only when you crank the engine.




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[theserj]

Orientation should make no difference, so long as they are not touching anything else but that terminal. According to the schematic, one of those connects directly to your battery ( should be that black cable per the schematic) and the other connects to your charging system (they are using that terminal as a junction for the two cables).

That black cable should always have positive power (and what ever else it touches), regardless if the key position since it is direct from the battery.

With that in mind, if it was those cables, you would be experiencing the short as soon as it it connected; not only when you crank the engine.





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So to narrow it down further, its the red cable?
What could be wrong with it?
I put black tape over an exposed area when I pulled out the old starter, could it be that?

[BFT_Boyle]

So on the two smaller terminals. If those were mixed up, you would effectively be trying to power your starter motor through your ignition switch directly which would give you issues.

Connect everything how you had it, but leave the terminal on the right disconnected and try the key again. Nothing should happen since you are not applying power to the solenoid. If it does short out. Then I'm guessing the wires git swapped.

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[BFT_Boyle]

So to narrow it down further, its the red cable?
What could be wrong with it?
I put black tape over an exposed area when I pulled out the old starter, could it be that?

Unless the car is shorting out before you even turn the engine over, the two large cables should not be the issue because they are connected directly to the battery and are not controlled by your ignition switch. Black tape will do nothing but better insulate the wire which is fine.

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[BFT_Boyle]

If you have a volt meter or test light. The wire you have connected to the terminal on the right should only show power when you have the key in the crank position.

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[theserj]

Unless the car is shorting out before you even turn the engine over, the two large cables should not be the issue because they are connected directly to the battery and are not controlled by your ignition switch. Black tape will do nothing but better insulate the wire which is fine.

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But I do not think it is the smaller terminals since the car only shorts out when I connect the red and black cable on the terminal. The two small ones can not be swapped because I already checked, they are different sizes so one would be too small to fit on the other.

All of the cables seem to be in the proper place. Its really weird that it is shorting out.

[theserj]

If you have a volt meter or test light. The wire you have connected to the terminal on the right should only show power when you have the key in the crank position.

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I do not think it could be this terminal because the car does not short out when in start position, only when I fully turn the key to turn the engine over.

[theserj]

So i followed the red cable and it goes to these relays

[theserj]

And this switch

[BFT_Boyle]

That terminal does not see power in the start/run position. It only gets connected to positive power when you fully turn the key.

Do you still have your old starter to compare the solenoid terminals?

Just in case the solenoid is slightly different....

Looking at the image below (should be the same starter, but this is true across all solenoids like this) that terminal on the left has a bridge connection directly to the motor terminal. The wire from your ignition switch ( only hot while holding key in crank position) should NOT be hooked to this one.





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