How to replace your m20 starter pain-free!
A D.I.Y. for the complete Newbie!
First, we’ll start with the symptoms of a starter going out. For me, I noticed whenever I would stop to get gas on a road trip, or stopped by a store, my car wouldn’t turn on. It almost always happened when the car was warm after use, and never really gave me a problem when I hadn’t used it for a while. I would put in the key, all the lights would come on, but nothing. No cranking, no noise, nothing. It couldn’t have been the fuel pump, which I replaced new, or the battery, which was a couple months old. I had literally replaced almost every piece of my car responsible for getting my car up and running.
Below is a link to a Pelican parts Article on checking if your starter is actually to blame.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/Borrowed/mult_starter_diag.htm
Where to buy?
When it comes to any part on a car that is vital to it’s use, I find it’s always best to find a vendor nearby. Living on the West Coast, I had a couple to choose from including pelicanparts.com and autohausaz.com. I chose autohausaz, since it was cheaper than pelican-parts and had similar fast shipping. You can buy used if you want, since they’re easy enough to replace. Keep in mind all late model e30 m20 engines (Be it 325i or ix) work with one another. There are two different kinds, a larger one (early model) and smaller one (late model), although from my research both would work. Double check that though.
Preliminary Tasks
Tools Needed:
Jack
Jackstands (2-4)
½ inch ratchet and various sockets
¾ inch ratchet and various sockets*
Extensions for ½ ratchet
U-joint for ½ ratchet (1 needed, 2 or more makes things easier)
Electrical tape
Flat head
Various open wrenches (8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 15mm, 16mm)
Beer (If you’re of drinking age)
First things first, get your car in a secure area, preferably in a garage since you’re going to spend some time beneath the car. Make sure you have your tools ahead of time, some refreshments, and a helper wouldn’t hurt (not necessary however.)
Step 1: Jack up the car.
Easy enough right? Well some e30 owners are young kids, working on their cars for the first time so I felt I should include this. If this is your first time jacking up a car, you should have a helper present or someone to show you how to do it. Below is a picture of e30 jacking points:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=65872
Also, make sure you block of the rear wheels, you only need the front two in the air.
(Make sure your emergency brake is on)
Step 2: Disconnect the Battery
After you have safely lifted the front of your car at a height safe and comfortable enough for you to be under, open your trunk to disconnect your battery. Remember to ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE FIRST, or else you will die and so will your mother. Use a 10mm open wrench for this turning counter-clockwise (remember: left loosey righty tighty!). Now move the cable out of the way completely so it won’t touch anything metal. Now remove the positive, which I believe you can use a 13mm open wrench. Once you have both disconnected, move them completely out of the way and separate from each other.
Congrats, you’re halfway there.
Step 3: Remove the airbox!*
This step is only necessary if you only have one u-joint like I did*. Loosen the clamp on the intake boot with the flat head, not remove the nuts that hold the airbox in with a 10mm socket. Carefully pull it out, and make sure not top rip the intake boot, or anything else for that matter!
A D.I.Y. for the complete Newbie!
First, we’ll start with the symptoms of a starter going out. For me, I noticed whenever I would stop to get gas on a road trip, or stopped by a store, my car wouldn’t turn on. It almost always happened when the car was warm after use, and never really gave me a problem when I hadn’t used it for a while. I would put in the key, all the lights would come on, but nothing. No cranking, no noise, nothing. It couldn’t have been the fuel pump, which I replaced new, or the battery, which was a couple months old. I had literally replaced almost every piece of my car responsible for getting my car up and running.
Below is a link to a Pelican parts Article on checking if your starter is actually to blame.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/Borrowed/mult_starter_diag.htm
Where to buy?
When it comes to any part on a car that is vital to it’s use, I find it’s always best to find a vendor nearby. Living on the West Coast, I had a couple to choose from including pelicanparts.com and autohausaz.com. I chose autohausaz, since it was cheaper than pelican-parts and had similar fast shipping. You can buy used if you want, since they’re easy enough to replace. Keep in mind all late model e30 m20 engines (Be it 325i or ix) work with one another. There are two different kinds, a larger one (early model) and smaller one (late model), although from my research both would work. Double check that though.
Preliminary Tasks
Tools Needed:
Jack
Jackstands (2-4)
½ inch ratchet and various sockets
¾ inch ratchet and various sockets*
Extensions for ½ ratchet
U-joint for ½ ratchet (1 needed, 2 or more makes things easier)
Electrical tape
Flat head
Various open wrenches (8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 15mm, 16mm)
Beer (If you’re of drinking age)
First things first, get your car in a secure area, preferably in a garage since you’re going to spend some time beneath the car. Make sure you have your tools ahead of time, some refreshments, and a helper wouldn’t hurt (not necessary however.)
Step 1: Jack up the car.
Easy enough right? Well some e30 owners are young kids, working on their cars for the first time so I felt I should include this. If this is your first time jacking up a car, you should have a helper present or someone to show you how to do it. Below is a picture of e30 jacking points:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=65872
Also, make sure you block of the rear wheels, you only need the front two in the air.
(Make sure your emergency brake is on)
Step 2: Disconnect the Battery
After you have safely lifted the front of your car at a height safe and comfortable enough for you to be under, open your trunk to disconnect your battery. Remember to ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE FIRST, or else you will die and so will your mother. Use a 10mm open wrench for this turning counter-clockwise (remember: left loosey righty tighty!). Now move the cable out of the way completely so it won’t touch anything metal. Now remove the positive, which I believe you can use a 13mm open wrench. Once you have both disconnected, move them completely out of the way and separate from each other.
Congrats, you’re halfway there.
Step 3: Remove the airbox!*
This step is only necessary if you only have one u-joint like I did*. Loosen the clamp on the intake boot with the flat head, not remove the nuts that hold the airbox in with a 10mm socket. Carefully pull it out, and make sure not top rip the intake boot, or anything else for that matter!
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