Starter Motor?

[RevBillyG]

Hello folks,

Used the search function but could'nt find enough info to put my mind at rest.

Enjoyed a nice drive out to a country pub yesterday with the misses. Got back home and popped to the local shop. Treid to start the car and "click", thats it. Nothing happening. :/

The solenoid on the start motor is clicking once but the motor isnt doing anything. Lights on the dashboard are nice and bright so the battery's ok. Is this a knackered starter motor? They ain't particularly cheap and I dont wanna swap it out if that isnt the problem.

Is changing it easy? I'm not very technically minded I'm afraid :/

Thanks all

[Brianmoooore]

Probably the starter motor. Just a possibility it could be a poor connection on the large terminal on it where the thick battery wire and red wire from the alternator are fixed on, or the earth strap from the engine to the body, but unlikely.
Feel if any of these get warm at all if you hold the key in the start position.
Easy enough to change on a four cylinder. A bit more restricted for space on a six. Take the air filter/AFM assembly out for access.

[E30Mark]

And disconnect the battery before trying to remove the thick battery cable going to the starter motor...

[RevBillyG]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate it.

[siddiqi1]

RevBiilyG

Not going against the more experienced zoners here. but ihada similar problem,endedup changing thestarter motor which wasnt neccesary, i soon found out that the previosu owner had been fiddling with thewiring under the dash.

Just a suggestion, from the IGNITON BARREL a set of leads will lead to a block of connectors, one of these is for the STARTER - a female spade connector, i found that my connections were loose, but again the zoners are more so probably right, no harm in checking though.

Saboor

[Brianmoooore]

RevBiilyG

Not going against the more experienced zoners here. but ihada similar problem,endedup changing thestarter motor which wasnt neccesary, i soon found out that the previosu owner had been fiddling with thewiring under the dash.

Just a suggestion, from the IGNITON BARREL a set of leads will lead to a block of connectors, one of these is for the STARTER - a female spade connector, i found that my connections were loose, but again the zoners are more so probably right, no harm in checking though.

Saboor

This is all a distinct possibility for a non working starter, but the OP says the solenoid on the starter clicks in, so all is not dead.

[siddiqi1]

Brian,

You are most probably right, as i said, far more experince than i have!!!

All the joy of owning an E30 i suppose

[RevBillyG]

Well, I changed the starter motor. Still no joy :/
Must be a loose connection somewhere?

The wires to the starter stay cool. Earth wire is in good condition.
But there is a strange smell. Sulphur-ish?

[Brianmoooore]

The wires to the starter stay cool. Earth wire is in good condition.
But there is a strange smell. Sulphur-ish?

The strange smell is almost certainly caused by something getting hot! Find the hot spot and you've found the problem.

[RevBillyG]

ah got it, it's the damned battery. Used the the tester terminal thingy (shorted pins 11 and 14) and I can actually see the battery giving off fumes.

All that trouble just for a lousy battery!

Brian, you're a godsend. I've seen many of your posts in the past and you're a top guy!

[johnl320]

Does the engine actually turn over by hand. The smell could be from your new startrer trying to turn a seized engine. Just a thought, i hope I'm not right.

john

[RevBillyG]

nah, coz when the engine first refused to start (I was over the local shops at the time) we just push-started it and it went easily.