UPDATE: Intermittent starter - getting better - sort of

[PeteE30Tourer]

Afternoon all,

My 92 325i cab is developing an increasingly problematic starter motor problem in that it will only kick in once in every 10 or more attempts. Sometimes it works straight away, others I'll be sitting there for 5 minutes turning the key back and forth until it finally starts. I can hear relays clicking somewhere in front, but the starter just doesn't do anything. When it does eventually go, it seems to turn the engine over normally.

Is there anything I can check before going for a starter motor swap? I remember I did one on my old Tourer many years ago and that third bolt is a pain in the posterior to access.

[capri_rob]

I had this problem on a Mk2 golf GTi - turned out to be a dirty earth strap - a quick clean up with some wet & dry paper on the connections sorted it.

Could also be a worn ignition switch.

Check all the connections first before starting to change components

[Brianmoooore]

When it decides to act up, engage the starter motor by shorting together pins 11 and 14 of the diagnostic socket instead of the key. This will narrow down the suspects considerably.

[PeteE30Tourer]

Thanks for the suggestions/tips guys - I'll give them a go at the weekend.

[Martinaston]

Does it only do it once the engine is warm ?

[PeteE30Tourer]

Not exclusively, though I think it's worse when warm.

[Brianmoooore]

When it decides to act up, engage the starter motor by shorting together pins 11 and 14 of the diagnostic socket instead of the key. This will narrow down the suspects considerably.

[PeteE30Tourer]

Thanks Brian, I had taken note of this and will give it a go at the weekend. It's been too dark/cold every evening this week by the time I've got home.

[PeteE30Tourer]

You've saved me a whole load of hassle today Brian! Took the car to work today for the first time in a while - started second time from cold, drove 22 miles to work ok. Started 3rd time when leaving work (stone cold again), drove 22 miles home ok. However, car wouldn't start again after that - turned the key hundreds of times and nothing - the starter was dead.

However, I remembered your suggestion about linking pins 11 and 14 on the diag socket, so tried this and the starter kicked in straight away, starting the car easily. Had to do this a few times this afternoon as I had to run a few errands.

So, it's not the starter motor (thankfully!). Where do I look now?

[Grrrmachine]

You lifesaver Will, that post just got the Wiki treatment

[Brianmoooore]

There's also the possibility of an aftermarket immobiliser connected into this wire, somewhere along its route, and, on an auto, there's the starter inhibitor circuit as well.

[PeteE30Tourer]

Many thanks Will - I'll give that a go this weekend if I'm allowed to play with my car for a while. I'll report back my findings.

There's also the possibility of an aftermarket immobiliser connected into this wire, somewhere along its route, and, on an auto, there's the starter inhibitor circuit as well.

I did have a problem last year with the after-market alarm that was affecting the starter motor, so I located the two wires that the relay in the immobiliser connected when disarmed, removed them and connected them together to bypass the immobiliser. Worked fine after that until this latest problem started.

[Grrrmachine]

I located the two wires that the relay in the immobiliser connected when disarmed, removed them and connected them together to bypass the immobiliser.

Is there any chance that this repair might have come loose? How did you join the two wires back together?

[PeteE30Tourer]

I located the two wires that the relay in the immobiliser connected when disarmed, removed them and connected them together to bypass the immobiliser.

Is there any chance that this repair might have come loose? How did you join the two wires back together?

I will check this, but I connected them with what I always called a chocolate block, if you know what I mean, so it should be pretty secure.

[PeteE30Tourer]

Just thought I'd provide an update on this. After much digging around the wiring and measuring voltages etc., I finally traced this problem down to the ignition barrel/key. Having taking off the cowling around the steering column to gain access to the barrel, I removed the rotary switch section at the rear and found I could reliably start the car using a screwdriver to turn the slot in the middle that should be activated by the lock. I think the issue actually stemmed from the problems I had with a sticky drivers door lock that meant I had to force the key round to get the lock to open and it had slightly twisted the key. I straightened it as best I could with some mole grips and now I can reliably start the car, but only by really pushing the key hard against the end stop. I'll get a new key cut and see if that helps, if not, I may have to replace the barrel.

[BenHar]

Are you sure it's not the slot in the "rotary switch section at the rear" that is worn?

I've had to replace that before.

Ben

[PeteE30Tourer]

Are you sure it's not the slot in the "rotary switch section at the rear" that is worn?

I've had to replace that before.

Ben

Could be, though it looked reasonably ok to me, but then again, I don't know what a clean one looks like. Is this part available separate from the barrel?

[BenHar]

Is this part available separate from the barrel?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=32&fg=30

Part number 3.

Ben

[PeteE30Tourer]

Cheers Ben - I'll put a wanted post up for one and see - someone's bound to have one on here.