Starter problems.

[thebutcher37]

SO my car is a m42 318is e30 with a Light weight m20 flywheel and starter combo.... I had a remanufactured starter that was working half the time. I found out remanufactured starters are crap, so i bit the bullet and bought a Brand New one. I swapped it out and my problem of having the car start only one in a while change to starting up overtime... thanks new starter!!!

Now to the Problem.

2-3 days go by and Ive had no problem with the starter (if I think about it hard the only problem I could think up with would be it kinda took longer to start then before) So i had just been driving my car stopped at home and parked it, as time passes, i get back in the car to go to the store and while turning the key i heard a dragging noise and no start! you can hear it click and kind of turn but no dice...

i immediately opened my hood and noticed a small bit of smoke flow out..
I even tried to push start it and after getting a really good push the car still didn't start it just skid while I tried to pop the clutch.....
So i decided to remove the starter, scared that it got fried... after removal I checked it out with direct power, and the starter worked fine!

hoping it was just a fluke happening i put the starter back in my car, but im back at square one again..

The car feels like a dead battery when I try to start the car. I turn the key to start and it just sounds like its stuck and the engine will not turn. Could it have been that the wires shorted power to the starter, because thats what it kinda feels like. Im guessing but it feels like the starter doesn't get power when it hooked up to the car...

Please give me some info...
I literally just got my car back on Easter and this freaking sucks.

[Matt-B]

Do you have a bad battery? Sometimes when cells are dead it cranks slow, and are you cranking car for a low time, sometimes starters get hot


make sure no metal objects ( fuel lines, wiring ) are touching the starter and grounding it etc

[thebutcher37]

Do you have a bad battery? Sometimes when cells are dead it cranks slow, and are you cranking car for a low time, sometimes starters get hot


make sure no metal objects ( fuel lines, wiring ) are touching the starter and grounding it etc

Thanks for the suggestions.... had no time to do more work...

but the battery is good!, brand new...

im gonna try to get a better ground to the starter tomorrow.

[thebutcher37]

just an update.... MOTOR SEIZED...

IDK how n the F#$K or why... but I pulled the spark plugs and the #3 plug was smashed!

tried to rotate the motor from the front with socket and breaker bar.. NO LUCK!!

Damn Damn Damn....

[rjcaptsean]

Cripes. Hope you find a good, low cost M42 to replace it with. It would be interesting to see what caused the plug to get smashed.

[trackjunkie21]

if you weren't on the other side of the Us, I could sell you my m42 for cheap. 130k miles!

[KenC]

Smashed plug? How? There's nothing in the chamber to hit the plug.

[KenC]

You were using the M20 starter too, weren't you?

[rjcaptsean]

Smashed plug? How? There's nothing in the chamber to hit the plug.

Thats what concerns me. Either the piston came apart,the connecting rod broke, or there is a broken valve that dropped into the cylinder. :blowup:

[thebutcher37]

if you weren't on the other side of the Us, I could sell you my m42 for cheap. 130k miles!

Grrrr, I wish too...

You were using the M20 starter too, weren't you?

Correct, M20 Starter.

Smashed plug? How? There's nothing in the chamber to hit the plug.

Thats what concerns me. Either the piston came apart,the connecting rod broke, or there is a broken valve that dropped into the cylinder. :blowup:

I think so, piston smacked the plug... ill try to get some pics up.
Just been busy with school ending finals week. being sad and lazy oh and bimmerfest LOL

[KenC]

The piston never comes that close to the plug.

[thebutcher37]

Im still very much a nub....... so thanks for correcting me.. LOL

[thebutcher37]

Im having a starter issue, and i never updated this.

This is what caused my car not to start.....

Recent motor work. Nut fell into engine. Ridiculous, I know.













Anyway...

my new starter problem is:

Starter is fairly new. Has recently lagged on engagement while key is turned for start but has always started. Car has been driving fine lately. I really believe it is a burnt out relay. I checked the fuse of course. The car will push start/pop clutch fine and run and drive fine. battery is fine, nothing dims in the slightest while trying to crank the car.

Where is the starter relay?
Could it be the ignition switch relay?
Any suggestions?

Final update on this starter problem.

Closest answer i could come up with was a faulty ignition switch, but I couldn't verify that because I ended up changing out my whole engine harness as well as the ignition switch and the problem never came back.