i need some e30 help

[esty]

my e30 needs the trans replaced...i finally found help and have time to work on it but the car won't start after sitting for about 4 months

i have a new battery...i know it's good...lights work, wipers, etc but no starter..no click...no nothing when i turn the key...

any ideas would be helpful

[DavidLMM]

You may still not have enough oomph to turn the engine over. Can you get a jump-start and see if it makes any difference? Is it auto or manual? Is it possible the clutch is frozen to the flywheel?

Good luck with it!

David

[esty]

You may still not have enough oomph to turn the engine over. Can you get a jump-start and see if it makes any difference? Is it auto or manual? Is it possible the clutch is frozen to the flywheel?

Good luck with it!

David

i tried jumping it....the battery shows that it's 100% when tested...if the clutch was stuck, the starter would still spin but i get no starter or solenoid action

[qdessa]

I'm assuming its a manual so -

- check the clutch switch

- tap on the starter ( with a hammer ) to make sure - I've never had to do this to a BMW but..

[jakeb]

e30s don't have clutch switches...

bad starter makes the most sence to me. Use a MM and check for power at the starter. If there is, then check to see if when you turn the key you get power on that terminal. If you have power at both spots then the starter is bad.

[Bill_Riblett]

Assuming the starter worked ok 4 months ago, I'd look VERY carefully at the battery cable connections, especially the ground. Sort of like the old maxim: '90% of all carb problems are in the ignition system', I contend that most BMW starter problems are wiring problems.

If your E30 has the battery in the trunk, you have to have good wiring contact at both ends, battery and engine compartment.

[esty]

e30s don't have clutch switches...

Use a MM and check for power at the starter. If there is, then check to see if when you turn the key you get power on that terminal. If you have power at both spots then the starter is bad.

a "MM' is a multi-meter?

how do i connect it to the starter and "when turn the key" i "get power at the terminal"...get power at what terminal...

pics help the severely, mechanically retarded

thanks

[DanOKC]

MM or DVM or VOM or voltmeter, all pretty much the same thing. Digital voltmeter and MultiMeter are the basic electronics test tool for checking voltage & continuity, very useful if you can get the hang of it. If you don't have one, you can get one at almost any hardware store or radio shack, or your local electronics supply house. You only need a $10 to $40 meter for auto stuff you only do a few times a year. Put the black lead in the space on the negative terminal on the battery, set the meter to 20 V DC, has -- and dashed lines over it, not the ~ sign, that's the AC setting. It should tell you the battery volts when you put the red lead on the pos terminal of the batt. Now that you have that, keep the black lead on the neg terminal, put the red lead on the small wire going to the starter, have someone turn the key & see if the meter shows 12 volts, if it does, your starter could be bad. Also, a lot of starter/won't start stuff from long sitting can simply be corrosion around the bat post or bat cable end. Any good clean bolt to the body can also be used as ground to make measurements. A jumper wire with alligator clips on both ends make's it a one hand operation, you can clip the wire to ground & free's up one hand.

[esty]

thanks guys...i did have the battery tested and know it's good...the battery in my car is under the hood Bill...however, the cables could be the culprit...i'll do some checking tomorrow....and thanks for the tutorial dan....i have one of those meters that seldom i use in the rental houses to check outlets and switches

thanks

[Pierre]

It's usually a single wire with a plug that connects to a spade connector on the starter. That's the signal from the ignition switch. If it's disconnected, the starter would not know it's being asked to crank.

Or the starter solenoid has gone bad.

[esty]

i figured out this morning that the ignition switch is funked up...there is a small spot in turning the key to crank that has power...turning the key all the way on, kills power...i found the magic spot and jumped across the starter and she fired right up so at least i could move it into the shop to remove the transmission

guess i've got a bad ignition switch....???

[Inka114]

guess i've got a bad ignition switch....???

You might be able to take it apart and clean the switch contacts, but if it were mine I'd get a new switch and replace it - too much labor involved in taking it apart to risk having to take it apart again.