Not starting/starts with jump start!

[SHAZ325iSPORT]

guys i have a problem.

basically here are the details of the car/engine fistly-

BMW 316i 1991

BMW 4.0 M60 V8 Engine

right before when the car reached its normal temperature i would switch it off and then when i go to start it up again,NOTHING!
would only bump start or if someone jump started me.

then after i changed the battery for a bigger one,it decided to do it only sometimes.

what i did notice is that when i had driven the car and parked it up,and then wanted to start again,if i had the elctric fan running or heaters on while the igintion was on the car wouldnt start,if i turned the heaters or electric fan off it would start.

then the clutch went on the car so i parked it up,was parked up for about 1-2 months,went to start it and it was dead,so jump started it and it was fine,switched it off went inside for about 5 minutes and tried to start it agian and it didnt start,so jump started it and started up normally.

then the next day i started it again,and NOTHING!

all engine lights/igintion light light up normally.

WHAT THE HELL CAN THIS BE!

i really want to get it sorted while the engine is out ta the moment,i wanted to get the starter motor refurbished but is there any point if im still going to get the same problem?

i checked all earths and they were fine.

do i need a bigget battery?

the battery in the car at the moment has 850 cranking power and 95 A.

[ucpsale]

I had a problem like this, it turned out it was the starter motor at fault.

[Speedtouch]

You don't have those nasty fusible links like on E34s on it do you, by any chance?
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenan ... e_link.htm

[blingsta]

could be the plastic bit the connects to the ignition barrel.. if its worn, maybe its only sometimes catching when you turn the key to start? might be a coincidence that it catches when u connect the start leads ? probably not, but just a thought !!

[E30k]

had a problem like this on a 323i turned out to be two things 1st there was a bad earth once fixed sometimes would turn over but then one day dead turned out to be the starter you can try this it worked get some one to turn over the engine as normal then hit the starter with a hammer if it fires up you found it if not check all wiring +connections

[gareth]

is it something to do with the unloader relays. i know a small modification has to be done to the M30 loom to get the fan/electric windows working again and this is a wire onto the starter... could a bad connection made here be causing a problem? a long shot but might be worth a stab

mine has also had a strange intermittent problem where the starter dies when hot (like toooo hot), then recovers as it cools down. again could be a wiring issue on the starter / solenoid.

[SHAZ325iSPORT]

is it something to do with the unloader relays. i know a small modification has to be done to the M30 loom to get the fan/electric windows working again and this is a wire onto the starter... could a bad connection made here be causing a problem? a long shot but might be worth a stab

mine has also had a strange intermittent problem where the starter dies when hot (like toooo hot), then recovers as it cools down. again could be a wiring issue on the starter / solenoid.

looks like maybe thats what the problem might be,what im going to do is

get the starter refurbished anyway
get a earth from battery straight to starter

and obviously check all other earths.

thanks for all your help guys,il let you know how i get on.

[daimlerman]

Colin,the lad from Austrailia who has just gone home had this problem with his V8 touring.
He put it down to the closeness of the exhaust to the starter motor,starter overheated by exhaust=no start.
He got very good at parking facing downhill...
Perhaps a heatshield of some kind is called for?

[gareth]

problem is the nut behind the wheel is loose....

definately!

Colin,the lad from Austrailia who has just gone home had this problem with his V8 touring.

is this not colins old engine?

[Martinaston]

My M20's been doing this since the cold weather started, If i run it for a couple of minuets and then turn it off it won't go again unless i stick a few more amps through it.
The starter seems to stick once its just started to warm up, buggered if i'm going to fix it in the cold though.

[LagunaE30]

you alrite shaz, my ones doing exactly the same fing, itll strt only if i jump it using leads, and then when i drive the battery wont recharge, ive gathered its the earth on the back of the starter motor, ive tightened it countless times, funnily though itll only tighten in a certain position which doesnt always earth it properly, im gonna give you a ring and hopefully pop down to the garage this week if i cant get it sorted, had enough of asking strangers for jumpstarts.
hope to see the v8 beast back on the road soon.
foz

[oze30]

Shaz, get a bigger cranking battery. Mine did this (I didn;t know I was using a silly 318 battery!)

Once I swapped to a 325 battery, it was good. The bigger the cold cranking amps (CCA) the better off you'll be.

[zaust]

Solinoild on the starter duff. When there warm they loose contact.

[oze30]

Just park downhill or give it a love tap! Just don't short the thing out like I did once on a jeep! That was fun to watch as the breaker bar started to weld itself to the bodywork!!!