325i starter problems

[E30randy]

My e30 has been having some issues lately but I’ll start with the starter problem, it’s only happened twice but is a major inconvenience when it does happen. When I turn my key initially all the dash lights come on like they should then when the starter starts cranking it will pop out it seems and then the starter will keep spinning while not engaged to the flywheel, it will keep spinning no matter what even if I take my key out the only way to stop it is to disconnect my battery but when I reconnect the battery the starter will just keep spinning until it kills the battery all together, the first time this happened to the car I was able to bump start it because I was on a hill and when I got my car going the dash lights would still not come on and the starter was still spinning while the car was running but eventually at some point while I was driving the starter stopped and my dash came on. This last time it happened I was not in a position to bump start my car and by the time i could roll it down a hill my battery was too dead even for that.
Now the starter won’t work at all even with new confirmed working battery all I get are clicks when I turn the key

[SethB]

Sounds like a stuck starter solenoid more than likely. The starter is wired straight to the battery, with the solenoid connecting it to ground, so if it's stuck on, the motor will keep running even with the key out. Your dash lights are probably off because the starting is pulling so much current from the battery.

If the starter won't spin now, something burned up, probably the starter motor. I'd start by replacing it.

[TobyB]

+1 for new starter.

But testing to make sure the ignition switch is working right
would be a good idea, too.

t