Conversion for the convertible: M30 it is! DONE!

[Andy335Touring]

Nice one dude, that first drive is going to be

[Ziggy]

I can't blimmin wait! I've been driving the Caddy with FWD & 52 (20 year old) ponies for the last 3 months!

[Karan]

good to see ure nearly done... niggly bits are the most annoying... the difficult beig bits tend to go easier than expected

[Ziggy]

Toys about to be thrown out of the pram...

Connected everything up, & starting it gets a clunk from the starter solenoid (I assume) & nowt else - no attempt to turn it over. Any ideas? I'm not sure where to start tbh!

Any input from people who've done the swap on pre-facelift cars is particularly appreciated! I've not done any C101 mods so far; as far as I'm aware it should run without? I've run the wires for the swingometer & rev counter, but not connected them up yet, as I didn't want that to be a cause of any problems!

Erm... haylp?! I'm gonna go connect my prop & exhaust...

[jaffro]

is the wireing to the starter tightend up properly

[Ziggy]

I've not touched it, so I'm not sure! Will have to check...

Anything to do with auto gearbox inhibitor stuff? Engine was in an auto e32 before...

[jaffro]

the inhibater would be part of the e32 car loom as i have to mess with mine ive been told as my cab was auto.

[Ziggy]

Well the pram's still here, but the toys are long gone!

Prop (perfect fit thankfully), exhaust, bonnet are back on so it's as good as finished... it just doesn't work

There's definitely some current going somewhere when the starter motor should be turning - the interior lights dim slightly. I've not had a chance to investigate much further, but I guess the starter motor could be stuck?



Somewhat predictable that it wouldn't just go at the first attempt but still...

[johnl320]

If the starter soleniod is clicking then its not being inhibited by anything. Have you got the heavy duty wire running from the battery terminal straight to the large connection on the back of the soleniod?
Have you got an engine earth strap fitted?
Does the engine turn over by hand?
Is your battery in good nick?

john

[jaffro]

try get some pics up of ya mani a what u ground off it. i pick my m3 prop up this week along with my m3 exhaust.

[Ziggy]

If the starter soleniod is clicking then its not being inhibited by anything.

If you say so! Wasn't sure how any such system might work...

Have you got the heavy duty wire running from the battery terminal straight to the large connection on the back of the soleniod?

Can't honestly remember... I'll check. Is that for the earth or the +'ve?

Have you got an engine earth strap fitted?

Yep

Does the engine turn over by hand?

Not tried since it's been in the bay, but it did before...

Is your battery in good nick?

Well it was, & the headlights were bright etc - I'd have expected some signs of it trying to turn over if the battery was just flat, but a charge won't harm it I guess!

john

Thanks!

[johnl320]

The + battery clamp should have a couple of wires bolted on to it. One of them, quite a thick cable should run down to the back of the starter solenoid. Check its there.
Also put the car in gear and rock it backward and forward whilst watching your front pulley this will let you know if your engine is seized or not.

Also when you do get it to turn over it may take a while because the fuel lines will all be empty. I bridged the fuel pump relay and ran the pump for a minute before trying to start up. You actually hear the fuel gurgling around the system and the pitch of the pump changing. Just did it to save my battery.

Don't thank me, sponsor me on the link below, you know you want to

john

[Ziggy]

The + battery clamp should have a couple of wires bolted on to it. One of them, quite a thick cable should run down to the back of the starter solenoid. Check its there.

Will do... there's definitely 2 cables to the +'ve terminal - not checked where they go, but I've not touched any of the wiring to the starter - I assume whatever should be there still is!

Also put the car in gear and rock it backward and forward whilst watching your front pulley this will let you know if your engine is seized or not.

Yeah easy enough to check, but I blimmin hope it'll still be ok!

Also when you do get it to turn over it may take a while because the fuel lines will all be empty. I bridged the fuel pump relay and ran the pump for a minute before trying to start up. You actually hear the fuel gurgling around the system and the pitch of the pump changing. Just did it to save my battery.

Fully expect that one, but it'd be nice to get to that stage first!

Don't thank me, sponsor me on the link below, you know you want to

john

Will do! But I'll wait until it's going...

[Ziggy]

try get some pics up of ya mani a what u ground off it. i pick my m3 prop up this week along with my m3 exhaust.

Will do - all I've got at the mo is some cr@ppy ones of it in-situ taken with my phone, so that I could see what the clearance was like from another angle! I'll take some proper ones though...

Fingers crossed your m3 prop will bolt straight on. Think I'd have had to shorten it though to go on mine!

[Andy335Touring]

Just found this picy on my H/D so thought i'd chip in.

You should have two small terminal's, one's for the 8mm nut and the other 10mm so you can't get them the wrong way around.

Your big main feed should go to the battery and the altinator.

[Jon_Bmw]

Ziggster I could read the whole thread...but...

As it was an Auto have you fooled it into thinking it is in (P)park?

[Ziggy]

Ziggster I could read the whole thread...but...

As it was an Auto have you fooled it into thinking it is in (P)park?

The same thing occured to me, but apparently that's a body-side thing not engine-side?

[Ziggy]

Just found this picy on my H/D so thought i'd chip in.

You should have two small terminal's, one's for the 8mm nut and the other 10mm so you can't get them the wrong way around.

Your big main feed should go to the battery and the altinator.

Nice one - I'll have a look tomorrow... shame the starter motor's not easier to see! Should there be an earth to the body from there too, or just the one from the block?

[johnl320]

Good point Jon, mine was an auto and I had to make a bridging wire to go behind the glove box to bypass the wiring to the autobox. But saying that why is his soleniod clicking ? Surely he would be getting no click at all.

john

[Ziggy]

Just to clarify - the engine's from an auto car, but my car's always been manual

[johnl320]

Earth is via the body of the motor to the block, as Andy says the other fat wire is off to the alternator.

john

[Jon_Bmw]

Ziggster I could read the whole thread...but...

As it was an Auto have you fooled it into thinking it is in (P)park?

The same thing occured to me, but apparently that's a body-side thing not engine-side?

Ar yes, thats what I thought tbh. As an engine loom is an engine loom is an engine loom. Not really anything to do with a gearbox loom-->Body--->ECU loom

[johnl320]

Just to clarify - the engine's from an auto car, but my car's always been manual

Phew that would have made me look an even bigger arse than I already am

[Ziggy]

Earth is via the body of the motor to the block, as Andy says the other fat wire is off to the alternator.

john

I don't honestly remember connecting anything from the starter motor to the battery - I think the battery connections just went to the fusebox...

Fingers crossed I'll find a nice chunky wire tucked up on top of the starter motor that I hadn't noticed!

[johnl320]

Be careful with it though ziggy, its permenantly live and unfused, I know, I've done some arc welding with it.

john

[Ziggy]

Yeah will do - I don't 'do' playing with random wires until the battery's well and truly disconnected!

(Believe it or not, I'm not a total idiot - I just act like it sometimes...!)

[jaffro]

try get some pics up of ya mani a what u ground off it. i pick my m3 prop up this week along with my m3 exhaust.

Will do - all I've got at the mo is some cr@ppy ones of it in-situ taken with my phone, so that I could see what the clearance was like from another angle! I'll take some proper ones though...

Fingers crossed your m3 prop will bolt straight on. Think I'd have had to shorten it though to go on mine!

how come you would of had to shorten it?what position is your engine in mate

[Ziggy]

According to someone (Gareth maybe?) the measured length of his M3 prop was very similar to the minimum length my E30/E28 hybrid went down to, and that was just too long... I'm using the furthest back position on .de mounts. It would have been fine with the engine further forward, but then I'd have had issues with the exhaust mani (well more issues!) & radiator...

You might well find it's ok, or you might need to remove the lock nut to let it go down a bit shorter. Good luck!

[jaffro]

well il soon find out. any progress on your starting problem?? ive nearly finished my shopping for parts now just want it finished

[Ziggy]

Fairly sure it'll be the main power lead to the starter motor... Once I'd done the prop & 'zorst I didn't feel like investigating last night, but I'll have a look this eve!

& yes, that does mean I've got the exhaust on before starting it for the first time...
...but I will be re-doing the exhaust before long, so that's not going to last!

[Ziggy]

Oh, & I don't know if I mentioned it on this thread, but I'm well impressed with the work on my prop done by reco-prop! It came back all clean & nicely painted, as well as being a perfect fit

[jaffro]

how much did it cost you with reco-prop if u dont mind me asking?

[Karan]

does ity start yet ziggy?

if it still doesnt

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ht=starter

[Karan]

the starter signal for the solenoid from the ignition is prob too thin and not givving the sloenoid enough beans to push open try running a thick wire and touch it on the small connection on the bottom which has a 10mm head nut on it, if it starts now ure problem is because the wiring to your starter motor from the key is not thick enough.

getting a mate to hit ure starter solenoid while ure starting it, and it starting will also diagnose poor thickness wiring.

i think its this because u are obviously drawing current due to the light dimming, this is because of the solenoid

[Ziggy]

No joy.... That wire that should have gone to the battery was indeed disconnected, but it's way too short to reach! Seriously p'd off that I sold my old engine before getting this one running, but I'm sure I'll manage to find one somewhere...

Tried bridging it with an old jump lead but no joy... not 100% on how good the lead is though, or my battery for that matter! It's on charge at the mo, but it doesn't seem all that keen.

If I can get a longer cable, I'll be trying the battery from my other car...