Friend's s14 won't start

[TwoJ's]

A friend of mine had his m3 just die on him randomly while he was driving. It wouldn't even turn over when he went to start it again, and had it towed back to his house. We tried jumping with his room mate's ix, and it turned over, but only a couple revolutions. Then wouldn't turn at all. We then did a 2 ampere charge overnight and tried it with the battery. We just get a click and no turning at all.

I've never had an issue with a starter or anything, and I have basically just learned how to fix things as they went bad. So I have no experience with an issue like this. I assume that step one would be to turn the motor over manually to ensure it's not seized. Is that right? Then maybe meter and see if there is power to the starter? Is it hot all the time, or should I meter while he tries to start? Maybe pull the VC and inspect rocker arms?

I'm really at a loss here. Just chime in with somewhere for us to start. Thanks.

Oh, and he just had the timing chain tensioner replaced. I think this is irrelevent, but maybe not.

Jordan

[backtrail69]

I wonder if the alternator is dead and it has been slowly killing the battery. I would take off the alt and have it tested. Maybe try a diff battery.

[cramer]

A friend of mine had his m3 just die on him randomly while he was driving. It wouldn't even turn over when he went to start it again, and had it towed back to his house. We tried jumping with his room mate's ix, and it turned over, but only a couple revolutions. Then wouldn't turn at all. We then did a 2 ampere charge overnight and tried it with the battery. We just get a click and no turning at all.

I've never had an issue with a starter or anything, and I have basically just learned how to fix things as they went bad. So I have no experience with an issue like this. I assume that step one would be to turn the motor over manually to ensure it's not seized. Is that right? Then maybe meter and see if there is power to the starter? Is it hot all the time, or should I meter while he tries to start? Maybe pull the VC and inspect rocker arms?

I'm really at a loss here. Just chime in with somewhere for us to start. Thanks.

Oh, and he just had the timing chain tensioner replaced. I think this is irrelevent, but maybe not.

Jordan

Sounds electrical to me, easy to test for: Get out your test light and verify the starter is getting power. If so, remove starter and have it tested. If not, go and check the main power relay.

[blunttech]

bet its just a battery. start there. its easier than yanking the starter. i just went thru this with my M2. tiurns out it was a junk optima, brand new but still junk

[Massive Lee]

Charge the battery first. then start the car and measure how many amps the alternator puts out. It should be 13.8V above 1500 RPM.

But this is not your problem. You say that the car stops randomly. Right? It could be so many things need some major know-how. It could be a bad ground somewhere. It could be bad connection in the DME (chip can be loose too). Could be a bad AFM etc. Have an S14 expert take care of your car before somebody improvises and harms it. Really.

[cramer]

Charge the battery first. then start the car and measure how many amps the alternator puts out. It should be 13.8V above 1500 RPM.

Car needs to start in order to test that ;)

If you suspect the battery, take it in and have a battery shop load test it.

But before you do all that, simply verify you are getting power to the starter when cranking (easy as pulling out your test light ;))

[backtrail69]

And when you do an amp test you are testing amperage not voltage. :razz:

[Keehnel1414]

Thanks for the replies. It's funny you say you had a junk optima, because this is a brand new optima red top as well. We did charge the battery overnight on slow 2 ampere charge. We can try a different battery and see if that works. And yeah, we'll be sure to meter for voltage at the battery.

And do you guys think it is a bad idea to try a roll-start?

We've also started a thread on s14, so we'll see what the s14 junkies have to say.

[Keehnel1414]

oops. I'm on my friend's computer, and he's obviously a lurker.

[uofom3]

fuel pump? only things that I have seen really stop e30's dead in their tracks (m3's/standards) are fuel pumps/relays, timing systems, and the few electrical things mentioned before. how many miles on the car? does it have the hell driven out of it frequently?

[TwoJ's]

It's got something like 130 or 140. And no, he doesn't drive it hard very frequently at all.

This car was a guy who is on s14.net that lived in Portland. Not sure of his name.

[Yeee30]

i had the same problem ... brought it to the shop cause i was a week deep into this problem and they found out it was the ground... my ground wire broke. so look for electrical.

good luck

[Court M3]

i had the same problem ... brought it to the shop cause i was a week deep into this problem and they found out it was the ground... my ground wire broke. so look for electrical.

good luck

+1 same problem here. Pulled it over and after checking found a loose wire to the alternater.

[uofom3]

It's got something like 130 or 140. And no, he doesn't drive it hard very frequently at all.

This car was a guy who is on s14.net that lived in Portland. Not sure of his name.

the white one?

[LINUS]

Toss me in the hat of guys who had shit luck with Optima. I had to try a yellow top in my Landcruiser & It was toast in less than 2 days. Replacement was a Red, and it was dead in less than 6 months. Replacement for the replacement (seeing a trend yet?) was another red & so far it's been 16~18 months.

I'll keep taking their replacements, but if I go buy a battery I won't bother with these dry cells again.

Sounds like a dead battery to me too, especially if you were just driving down the road & it dies like that.