Starter motor doesn't always turn

[PeteE30Tourer]

Sometimes when i go to start the car, i can hear the starter motor engage and try to turn the engine, but it almost sounds like one or the other is jammed, i.e. it wont turn over at all. After a few attempts, it eventually turns the engine over at usual speed and it fires up fine.

Any ideas why?

[A1BMW325iSport]

check the connections and the earth lead especially,
if all ok then the starter is packing up

[cabrio327i]

Hi Pete, This sounds like your dreaded head gasket problem! what happens is after the car as been stood for a while, water seeps into the combustion chamber from a failed head gasket, this causes Hydraulicking, meaning water in the combustion on compression stroke wont let the piston come to top dead and stops the engine turning over, the sooner you put your new head on the better Pete, Cheers Dave

[PeteE30Tourer]

Hi Pete, This sounds like your dreaded head gasket problem! what happens is after the car as been stood for a while, water seeps into the combustion chamber from a failed head gasket, this causes Hydraulicking, meaning water in the combustion on compression stroke wont let the piston come to top dead and stops the engine turning over, the sooner you put your new head on the better Pete, Cheers Dave

Well, i would never have guessed it was connected to my head problem, but i see what you mean. Cheers for that! I've taken the car off the road now as the mayonaise got a worse just after a short journey, so i'm not going to risk running it until the replacement head is on. Just waiting for the cam & springs to arrive now, though i haven't even had an acknowledgement from that company in Germany as yet.

Another question to come from this then - am i at risk of the pistons/cylinder/rings or whatever rusting if i leave the car still for a week if water is seaping in there? I guess the anti-freeze contains a rust preventer, so i should be ok - shouldn't i?

[cabrio327i]

It Will be fine Pete, just for piece of mind while its stood for a while take the spark plugs out and turn the engine over a few times this will clear any water thats in there, and if you want squirt a bit of oil down the plug holes and turn the engine over again, Cheers Dave

[E30BeemerLad]

Sorry for butting in here, not on the topic in hand but... Dave - how long does it take/ what hassle is it to do the cambelt on my car. Do I buy the belt and tensioner and anything else? The other belts look in good order.

Not going to be going to Norwich for a while now and really want to do this as the existing belt has done 5 years/ 50K miles, which is starting to scare me as you know I don't tend to hang about too much with my driving!

Any help/advice much appreciated

cheers
lee

[cabrio327i]

Hi Lee, About two hours on outside i would say, while its in bits i would put new belt, Tensioner, and a water pump on, for what they cost oh and fresh anti freeze mate, any help you need give me a shout, cheers Dave

[psychochild187]

BATTERY i bet