E30 Zone

for the past couple of days my car has struggled to start, thought my battery might have been the problem but last night when trying to start the car nothing happened. all the dash lights come on and all the electrics work so thinking it may not be the battery. the engine just didnt tick over, then after about 10minutes it started. it happened again later on in the evening but i managed to bumb start it.
is it likely to be the startor motor?

Could just be a dodgy connection. Check connections to the starter motor and the engine earth-to-chassis for corrosion/looseness.

a very similar thing happened to me just recently and it turned out to be the engine earth strap connection onto the sump.

definately worth checking that before pricing up starter motors!

Occasionally my starter motor would not do anything. Even the dashboard lights wouldn't dim when I turned the key. It did it once, and then not again for a month or so. Then it gradually got worse over a few weeks. Replaced the starter motor, and it was fine.

Check the cables, and engine earth strap as previously mentioned. Could also be a faulty starter switch. You can activate the starter by shorting two pins on the diagnostic socket (make sure the car is not left in gear!). I put tipex next to the two pins, and carried a bit of wire in the car.

Edit: It's pins 11 and 14. A trick Brianmoooor suggested to me.

If you need a new starter motor i have 1 for £15 im in birmingham so not a million miles away You can have a choice of 2, both work perfectly

cheers guys. will have a look over the car this afternoon, see if there are anything out of place.

alan, i may well be in touch.