starter motor noise?

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
User avatar
and1_e30
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Thu Apr 03, 2014 9:36 pm

hi my parters starter motor started making a noise when i changed the engine a few months ago i thought it was on the way out and today it died so i changed it for a new one and its making the same noise only when on!! originally the car was a 2.0 1988 model, and the person before changed it to a 2.5 1988 engine which died on the way back from buying it!! so i kindy took mine out of my 1991 2.5 and gave it to her, but kept the old gearbox as mine was on its way out. i bought the starter motor for the 1991 engine. (sorry if its too confusing i confuse myself sometimes!!)

any help would be much appreciated just want the noise to stop now then it will be perfect!!

cheers

jon
Rav335uk
E30 Zone Meets/Events Team
E30 Zone Meets/Events Team
Posts: 27985
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Mad mad mad
Contact:

Thu Apr 03, 2014 9:49 pm

Wrong starter for the flywheel.????
Image
If you Got "Haters",Then your doing something Right!
CR24v??? Where's it all gone?? LOL
User avatar
and1_e30
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Fri Apr 04, 2014 12:19 pm

No it's the starter and flywheel from the newer engine I made sure that they were the same, the metal plate that's between the engine and gearbox is that the same thinkness between the years?
User avatar
and1_e30
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:15 pm

any help I'm stuck on what it could be?
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49358
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:58 pm

Have you connected the wires correctly on the solenoid? Thick wire from battery and thick wire from alternator both go to the outer solenoid terminal.
User avatar
and1_e30
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:40 pm

yeh all wired up correctly starts and stops when it should just when it starts it makes a horrible noise :/
jmc330i
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Posts: 6621
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Somerset

Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:43 pm

When you changed the engine, did you take the flywheel off for any reason?
James
'91 325i Sport
'93 318i touring 16v
jimmyspeed
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 848
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: riding a wagon wheel west

Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:45 pm

what sort of noise is it a rapid clicking, or a chugging ?
User avatar
and1_e30
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:45 pm

nope o didn't even take the clutch off because i had a new clutch in it a few months before, thats what i can't understand it shouldn't make that noise! really frustrating :(
jmc330i
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Posts: 6621
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Somerset

Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:50 pm

Ah ok, thats my idea out the window. Ive heard an M20 starter making odd noises due to someone thinking the metal plate that goes under the flywheel bolts was a spacer and so they put it between the crank and flywheel.
James
'91 325i Sport
'93 318i touring 16v
User avatar
and1_e30
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:03 pm

no shouldn't of thought i would have done that!! i don't want to take it out again but i might have too :(
jmc330i
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Posts: 6621
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Somerset

Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:18 pm

If it didnt make any noises to begin with, Im not sure that will be it. The M20 I dealt with made the noise from the first turn of the starter.
James
'91 325i Sport
'93 318i touring 16v
User avatar
BenHar
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3071
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Reigate, Surrey

Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:22 pm

What sort of noise?

Mine makes a noise, too, but so has every starter I've ever listened to.

Ben
zd3bx
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 638
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2013 11:00 pm
Location: London

Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:40 pm

Unless it's a loud grinding noise right after the start-up, I doubt there's anything to worry about.
User avatar
and1_e30
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:23 pm

thing is the engine when it was in mine didn't make this noise when i changed the clutch in that car it made that noise once or twice and then stopped but as soon as i changed the engines over the noise was the same it was like it for like 6months till the starter motor packed up all of a sudden, then the new one does the same. its kind of a grinding noise but only when you turn the key as soon as the cars started then it stops and is fine?? really weird!! i don't think its doing any major harm seen as it was like that for ages just really annoying when starting up sounds horrendous!!
spook
League two here we come !!!
Posts: 7587
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: portsmouth

Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:26 pm

Is your car hard to start?
Image
User avatar
BenHar
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3071
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Reigate, Surrey

Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:57 pm

Record the noise and post it here.

Ben
zd3bx
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 638
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2013 11:00 pm
Location: London

Fri Apr 11, 2014 10:27 pm

and1_e30 wrote:thing is the engine when it was in mine didn't make this noise when i changed the clutch in that car it made that noise once or twice and then stopped but as soon as i changed the engines over the noise was the same it was like it for like 6months till the starter motor packed up all of a sudden, then the new one does the same. its kind of a grinding noise but only when you turn the key as soon as the cars started then it stops and is fine?? really weird!! i don't think its doing any major harm seen as it was like that for ages just really annoying when starting up sounds horrendous!!
That definitely sounds like a dodgy starter. Did you replace it with a new one or second hand?

Try getting a used one for cheap, fit it and test - plenty on ebay for 30 quid or check the classifieds here.
Post Reply