E30 Zone

finished off the swap its all working apart from the starter refuses to engage with the flywheel.

iv tryed using my old starter and i know theres nothing wrong with that one.

seems like the solinoid isnt pushing the pinion into the flywheel.

any ideas why as im buggered untill i sort this.

What swap have you just done?

john

b20 to b25. have tryed both startes with no joy same issue with both, starter spins but dosent engage.

Are both engines from a similar year car?
Do you have a small green/black wire going to the small (8mm) terminal on the starter?

For the starters to spin up the solenoid had to push the pinion out and then contacts at the back of the soleniod close and give the motor the juice.
It sounds to me like the reach is different ie the distance between the motor and the flywheel.
Measure the distance from the flywheel to the starter mount on the old lump and then on the new one.
Also check the ETK to see if there are two different starters or flywheels.
Have a look through the starter motor hole and see if your ring gear is damaged or still there!

Just a few ideas, might not be the answer but its what I would do

HTH

john

the engine is a 91 into a 1989 car. both are face lift and a facelift loom has been used.

the ecu we have put in is from a 1991 car.

have got a green/black wire going from the starter to the round multi plug.

its not a mechanical issue with the starter as far as i can tell. but thanks anyway john.

had a good poke about and we have ruled out:

soilinoid (was find 3 days ago when the engine came out and whats the chance of both starters being knackerd?)
continuity of green/black to round multi plug
black/yellow to ignition switch
my aftermarket imobiliser isnt causing any problems
ecu (dose the same with either one pluged in.)

cant seem to find that green/black on the wiring diagram either.

I believe te wire in question is to the unloader relays to turn off the blower motor etc when the engine is being turned over. I don't think it would have any effect relating to your problem.
I'm not sure about flywheel profiles and ring gear positioning, thats why I said about the fact that your starter may not even be coming into contact with the ring gear.

john

its a posibility but as the blocks are the same, tryed both starters, the flys (should) be the same and im using my gearbox on the new engine im assuming its not mechanical.

going to check what the motors doing through the bit of the sump/bell housing thats only held with 4 bolts in the morning.

current suspicion is the pins in the multi plug, think they might not be getting a good contact.

No idea what the solution is, but this question / problem has been asked at least twice in the last few months, i believe other people have had this issue after engine swaps. Might be worth a hunt through the old posts.

realy? didnt notice any, will have to go have a look, seems an odd thing to happen after a swap though, its not like you realy fiddle with it much.

on a side note, johnl320 what e30 are you driving, seen a couple about but none that are on here.

I've just sold a diamond black 320to a guy in warminster so you might have seen that kicking about. The only one I've got at the moment is a half built 335 in the garage. What have you got?

john

Sounds a bit of a mechanical problem rather than electrical one, as would agree that for starter to spin the soleniod would have had to make the contact?

What

Fly wheel b20/b25?
starter b20/b25?
wiring loom b20/b25?

combination are you using?

You need to triple check the wiring on the car.

Do the same 'bench test' routine whilst the starter is in the car, see what happens.

having trawled through all posts about starters back to 2005 im thinking it could be a slight mis allignment. all the wiring checks out ok

91 b25 fly and clutch
91 b25 ecu
91 b25 loom
89 b20 gearbox
89 b20 starter
89 b20 car

current theory is the starters hitting the back of the fly instead of the teath.

right, iv found with the starter motor slackened off it hits and the engine fired up first crank.

but as soon as we tighten it up again it wont engage anymore. if it wasnt so slack that it would probable fall off id leave it how it is.

anyone got any ideas why this might be before i have a nervous breakdown.