e30 burning out loom HELP!!!

[sapphireman1]

Hi all I've only just joined so bare with me.

Im having a problem with my 325i e30. There seems to be a electrical problem somewhere which I can't work out. I got in the car one day and it wouldnt start so thought starter motor, I bumped the car and started fine got it home and started to take out the starter. Repaced it with one that was tested and worked yet when it was all back in same problems. Whilst trying to start the car it has burnt out part of the loom a yellow and red wire coming from the black relay box under the bonnet. Any ideas why. The loom was replaced due to a trapped cable whilst changing the sump a month ago and has had an intermittant starting problem since. So
Could it still be the starter and what does the red and yellow wire controll and as the loom was replaced and there is an immobiliser connected would that effect it?

Cheers peeps any help appreciated.

If it helps it's a 325ise 3door m20 engine.

[cossie-e30]

Scrap the car, sounds like a right wrongun that or your having a cowboy do the work on it!! or your just lucky do you have problems with any other cars you drive??

[sapphireman1]

cheers andy as always very helpfull. box of matches on the way!!!!!!

[Geoff]

Not sure if this is going to help but here goes. The day i sold my own cab i was about 200 metres from my house when smoke starting coming out from the steering column. OH SH@T i thought not now. Pop the bonnet and its blown a fuse. try to start it again but nothing, no lights jack shite coming up.

So i call the AA they come out and to cut a boring story short it had turned out the starter motor was permannently engaged into the flywheel, had burnt itself out and shorted out at the ignition switch.

After some fiddling around discnnecting it and reconnecting it, it sorted all manor of issues out namely rev counter obc, and interior light. Back to the story. the aa dude says the issue is a sticking starter motor. try bumping it. did that and hey presto.

Maybe its something to do with a bad earth or something??? Who knows. but its clearly starter motor related if not mechanically, electrically.

Best of luck

[Davenotouring]

Bad earth is definately worth checking without a doubt.

Where there is an earth from the engine to the inner wing on the passenger side.

The loom may need replaced if it is damaged.

Electric current does funny things when can't travel where it wants to.

[Martinaston]

Check the earth strap between the engine and chassie.
If the red and yellow cable in the loom has got so hot that its melted its casing you can be sure other wires next to it will bolloxed as well.