bad jump start

[JuanPabloBongto]

OK, I have to get something off my chest. I had initially asked in the Electrical forum, but this problem could be motor or ECU related....


I jump-started my e30 with the polarity reversed. I did not realize my error until after I had attempted to start the car.
Yeah, ok, I am stupider than your retarded nephews, yes, I know, I've already been living with this for about a week now, and I hate myself more than ever. ANyone who wants to join the pigpile, feel free to post-\/\/hore.


How deep does this go? I need to isolate the problem.

Let me explain what I've already fixed.
At first:
-Car would run fine, until jumper cables from borrowed car were removed.
-the fuse in the trunk *seems* unaffected (not transparent)
-If battery was left connected, would be fully drained within 3 minutes.
-The dashboard battery light was on, even when no key in the ignition.
so I:
-Re-charged/tested battery, which seems to be fine
-I *do* have a healthy spare battery as well
-REPLACED ALTERNATOR on Sunday with top-grade reman. part (no shortcuts)

... the car started and ran on its own power until I shut it off.
I restarted it several times, and left the battery (original) connected overnight.
The only oddball behavior I noticed: the ABS light on the dash is on.
Today, the car started, and restarted 5 times today. Until I drove to see my folks across town.

The car will not start, but all accessories operate: windows, radio, etc etc.
The battery light is not illuminated.

1) could my "bad jump" have ruined the starter motor? Is it possible for the starter to work sometimes, and not other times?

2) Would I know by now if the ECU is fried? The car started and ran 10 times over the last 36 hours.

3) what is the next step?


Please, anyone who's been through this with an e30, or can give a positive contribution, I'd really appreciate your thoughts before I waste time on "troubleshooting" whims and/or buying parts I don't need.

[JuanPabloBongto]

UPDATE: the car started with a jump.

???

Monday the car would not start, and I left the car *with battery connected* for 48 hours, returned to the car today and it started right up.

I ran it for 15 minutes, shut it down (I was having it towed anyhow), and then came back to it several times over the next 2 hours, and it would not start, same behavior as previously described.


.... ideas? anybody?

[emi325i]

ABS relay is fried. You will find it in the vicinity of the abs controller under the driver side dash. take out the cover from under the steering wheel and you'll see the controller. I'm not sure why the car won't start. I've also had this happen, so did my brother, and my gf. don't feel too bad.

[JuanPabloBongto]

Thanks for your input.

ABS relay is fried.

.. this explains the yellow ABS light. I'll grab a "new" one @ the junkyard.


Anyone else?

[RickSloan]

sounds like you might have a bad ground on the motor, go out and connect one end of your jumper cable to the drain plug and the other end to the frame rail and in a good spot that will ground well. Then see if it starts

[JuanPabloBongto]

UPDATES:
replaced the starter motor.
car now starts on its own power, stays running, battery settles at 13.48v with engine running, and headlights/stereo/ac turned off.

NEW ISSUE:
The windows don't go up or down!
Nor will the climate-control switches do anything for me!
I checked the fuses, and the one 25a breaker under the steering wheel, and I found no problems. Yes, I did try the window defeat switch on the center console.
- stereo works
- OBC works
- dash gauges fully operable / lighted

Ideas?

[JuanPabloBongto]

ABS relay is fried.

... is this a little orange cube, similar to the relays in the engine bay fusebox?

[JuanPabloBongto]

Car now starts and runs fine. a wire at the back of the alternator had come loose. I tightened all connections, and the car lives again.

ABS relay is fried. You will find it in the vicinity of the abs controller under the driver side dash. take out the cover from under the steering wheel and you'll see the controller.

does anyone have a picture of this? I thought I swapped out the right relay and the ABS dash light is still lit up.

[lordofthewaters]

It's directly on top of the ABS dme. SHOULD be an aluminium cased relay. But may be black. Just open it up when you get it out, and solder in a like gauge piece of wire. cheap and easy. Do this with the battery disconnected of course.

[JuanPabloBongto]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=107828

found the same answer here. THanks, sir!