it was me that posted it below....read on (archive)

I thought maybe it was my solenoid, but it turned out i had a lot of corrosion on my positive battery cable, and when i cleaned that off and reconnected it it started fine...maybe thats your problem?

It's possible that your soleniod is stuck. This sounds a lot like a post that is about half a page down, but his battery was dead. What you have to do, as bad as it sounds, is tap the soleniod with something blunt. A lot of times, the heat can get to it, especially when you've driven for awhile. If you don't know where the soleniod is, check the post below. HTH!
-alan
83 320i
79 320i

My money says Alan is right on. I had the same symptom last summer with my '80 320i. Cold it would start fine, which if we're right on the diagnosis, your car should start after the engine cools, and the copper windings loose some of the heat-induced resistance, which is typical of older solenoids. Or you can tap it. I would take my lug wrench, touch it to the solenoid [the small cylinder which piggybacks the starter which (if you don't know) is on the drivers side of the block below the intake manifold and to the passenger side of the brake booster (it should be black)] and then whack the wrench with a ball peen hammer that I also kept in the trunk until I pulled my starter and replaced the solenoid and since that time have not had the problem.

HTH,

Mark

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