E to I swap done now it wont start

[maniacmatt]

I just finished swapping a '90 325i engine into my '84 325e and it will not start.


The engine does not turn over I hear what I think is the solenoid clicking when I turn the key but the engine does not turn. The starter should be good as it is off my E engine which started and drove immediately before the swap. I am also quite confident that the connections to the starter are correct as I looked at my dads '88 325ix and they are the same. I made the adapter harness exactly as described by Mr325 (Mr Deagle). The only thing I can possibly think of is the fact that I dont have that little grounding block on the strut tower found on the late model cars so I used one of the old mounting points for the coolant reservoir but I ground off all the paint and my electric fan which uses the same ground works.


Anyone have any Idea what is wrong. I can't think of anything and this car is wearing my patience and sanity very thin.
Please Help!

[maniacmatt]

Oh and before someone says it the battery is charged.

[JoeMadoo]

Umm make sure you have the fat ground wire on the engine mount hooked up to the frame on the drivers side.

If your 325e was an automatic you have to jumper the starter relay.

What else....

The 3 pin connection in your glove box (c104 i think), make the connection from the green/red wire to the (+) terminal on the coil to bypass the code function on the OBC if you have one. If you haven't already.

Just a few things.

[maniacmatt]

Thanks Ill check all of that out today and let you know

[Mr Deagle]

If it was/is an auto, you will have to jump 2 wires to get the engine to start (the wires are green +yellow stripe at the shifter area)

Most likely that is the problem

C104 (3 pin in glovebox) has nothing to do with engine starting


edit: the "clicking" you hear is probably the relays clicking on, not the starter

[maniacmatt]

I think I figured it out.

The car was never an auto so that isn't the problem. But I got under there with the voltmeter today and I have power to terminal 50 on the starter solenoid when the key is turned but no power to the braided wire from the solenoid to the motor. So I am assuming that the starter solenoid is the problem and am going to try and pick another one up tomorrow

[JoeMadoo]

If he has a manual harness it dosent matter if he jumpers the wires by the shifter because they wont go anywhere, that wire will just be hanging in the glove box. He needs to jumper it at the relay under the steering wheel.

And the C104 is required to start it because if it's not plugged in or bypassed there wont be power to the main relay.

But it dosen't matter.

[Mr Deagle]

Im confused


C104 = 3 pin in glovebox???? or circular connector on firewall?

[JoeMadoo]

C104 is 3 pin in the glove box. the fat green/red wire on there need to be connected to the coil or atleast something that has power in the ON/Start Position because the other end of that wire goes to the main relay. if its not connected, the car wont start, it will turn over though.

[maniacmatt]

That not true JoeMadoo. The only connection I have to my c104 is the wire from pin #9 on the c101 connector for the tach.

And for the record it was the starter solenoid I have no idea how but it was. I drove it today and other than a little surge at idle once it warms up everything is great :)

[JoeMadoo]

Oh ok, glad you got it workin. I was told it was a must, but i never tried it without.

[James Crivellone]

Oh ok, glad you got it workin. I was told it was a must, but i never tried it without.

87i harness's require that C104 power feed, as well as ETA's of course., as well as most of the Motronic 1.1 M30 Harness's.

88+ never required it, as its wired differently overall. All you need out of C104 is Tach and MPG feeds.

[Mr Deagle]

In my 85 eta that i had, it didnt require any power to c104

[MR 325]

Yay e to i swaps.

[maniacmatt]

Indeed. Now I just have to get it broken in and take some pictures.

Thanks to everyone who helped out along the way