Starter issues

Wes

Wes

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Tried to fire up the CSL the other day and it won't turn over. Battery is fresh and starter is re-built.
Cranked slowly the first time then died. Saw a small puff of smoke come up from near the starter - never a good sign.
I can hear the solonoid engage and the motor tries to crank as you can see the fan move. Seems like there isn't enough current reaching the starter. Is there a relay in there somewhere that may have fried?
 
Remove, clean and tighten the battery cables at the battery posts, the same with the ground connection to the chassis from the negative battery post and the connection from the positive post at the starter.
 
And the ground cable between the chassis and the engine by the starter.
you did remove the new paint from the connection point?
 
Wes said:
Tried to fire up the CSL the other day and it won't turn over. Battery is fresh and starter is re-built.
Cranked slowly the first time then died. Saw a small puff of smoke come up from near the starter - never a good sign. I can hear the solonoid engage and the motor tries to crank as you can see the fan move. Seems like there isn't enough current reaching the starter. Is there a relay in there somewhere that may have fried?
Click to expand...

There's no relay other than the solenoid. The solenoid performs two functions: it pulls the pinion gear against the ring gear and makes the high-current connection between battery and motor. You can try cleaning the battery terminals and grounds, but if that puff of smoke came from the vicinity of the starter, then I'd say that the starter is getting plenty of current. Now if the smoke came from the battery cable at the battery, that connection would be my primary suspect.

Your starter may just be kaput. Perhaps the brushes are worn and making a marginal connection with the armature, resulting in smoke. If you have a local automotive electrical shop they should be able to rebuild it. Or you can upgrade to a later, higher-power starter; I know that topic has been discussed here.
 
If you have an auto there is a relay that clicks and is the starter inhibitor, I heard the click and assumed it was the solenoid. I don't expect you have an auto but just in case I thought I would mention it. I spent my weekend changing my starter motor only to learn that fuse number 4 had blown. If you have a good battery and then jump a wire from positive to the spade on the 6 oclock position on the back of the starter it should turn. If not the starter is bust or jammed or battery dead.
 
My solenoid linkage was too stiff to move the pinion gear onto the ring gear. Had to remove the starter and free it up, lube and reinstall. Not an easy job back there under the rear carb and brake booster. Almost made me miss the hydrobooster on the E32, even with the problems that model had with the internal diaphragm of the "bomb" failing.

Yours is engaging but either the starter is weak, the current isn't flowing (possibly b/c of ground issues, maybe the positive connection at the solenoid or battery).

The neutral safety relay on auto trans cars has only IMHO a minor effect, and although it won't allow the car to start in gear, it doesn't itself prevent full current from flowing.
 
Thanks for this.

Some more details:

Car has a freshly rebuilt starter;
Terminals are clean;
Yes I removed the paint for the grounds;
4spd manual, not auto;

The puff of smoke from the starter might be the hint here?
 
Condition of the large wire that runs from the battery to the starter? The original in my car had corrosion inside the insulation - you could see the green corrosion where the connectors were attached running back into the wire. I replaced the wire with an e24 part, which is available from BMW.

You might also want to look at grounds. I am a big fan of making sure that a circuit that is supposed to go to ground actually does so. In addition to re-installing the ground strap from the transmission to the firewall that was missing on my car, I also added grounds from the alternator to the block; from the alternator/block ground to the battery ground on the chassis, and from the engine to the front subframe around the motor mounts.
 
Ohmess said:
Condition of the large wire that runs from the battery to the starter? The original in my car had corrosion inside the insulation - you could see the green corrosion where the connectors were attached running back into the wire. I replaced the wire with an e24 part, which is available from BMW.

You might also want to look at grounds. I am a big fan of making sure that a circuit that is supposed to go to ground actually does so. In addition to re-installing the ground strap from the transmission to the firewall that was missing on my car, I also added grounds from the alternator to the block; from the alternator/block ground to the battery ground on the chassis, and from the engine to the front subframe around the motor mounts.
Click to expand...


There might be something in this.
My wire from battery to starter is original so corrosion could be an issue. Will also re-check all grounds.
If no love then will turn to the actual starter as that had a rebuild only a few months back, so wouldn't expect to have failed so soon.
Could fuses also be an issue here?
 
There is no fuse on the red wire circuit from battery to the ignition switch or on the black wire circuit from ignition switch
CEEE3245-6019-453E-A4FE-CC19381F0E29.png
to the starter on a Csl
 
Remember what I have posted before- the black wire turns to one red and two white wires at 168.
#50 at starter is red- not black.

Wes- got word yesterday that car from my shop is accepted again at Targa Tasmania for next year. Meaning they don’t want to give the money back from Failed trip this year. Lol.... Will think long and hard before shipping back again.
hope to see you after the vaccine.
 
sfdon said:
Remember what I have posted before- the black wire turns to one red and two white wires at 168.
#50 at starter is red- not black.

Wes- got word yesterday that car from my shop is accepted again at Targa Tasmania for next year. Meaning they don’t want to give the money back from Failed trip this year. Lol.... Will think long and hard before shipping back again.
hope to see you after the vaccine.
Click to expand...


Hope you give some thought to coming over mate. You can have 2 x E9 support cars and a gofer :D
 
I know you said it was rebuilt...but were the bearings at both ends replaced? Happened to me, when the bearings were bad the starter would crank normally then quickly slow down and almost stop as the battery drew down its power. Good luck...have an ESB.
 
Forgot to ask- you want copies of the schematics for the 501-507?
1606320682523.jpeg
 
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Removing the starter is such a PITA. Is this a stock style or the smaller Bosch version SR440x ?

Bench testing would be nice if it wasn't such a PITA to remove.

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I suggested checking the cable that goes from the battery to terminal 30 on the starter. As Don says, no fuse in that portion of the circuit. Easy check would be resistance compared to a similar length of 12 gauge spare wire. If resistance on the cable is higher, it is corroded inside and should be replaced.
 
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