Re: You, too, can Help an Idiot! (archive)

Does the starter spin if you lay a screwdriver across the main terminals? If not the starter might just be gone. If it spins, but nothing happens when you turn the key, attach a test light to the small soleniod terminal and see if it lights up when you turn the key. If not, it may be a bad ignition switch.

Matt

Well, after spending a couple hours pulling a good starter out of my pal's car (WHO designed the '83 California cars? You need to have arms 1" around to work in there, sheesh!!!) and a couple putting it in mine, with great fanfare I turned the key and

nothing.

Dummy lights go on, all looks well, but not a sound from the starter.

Over my last BMWs (1600-2, 1600-2, 3.0s, 2002) I have never had this problem and thus am stymied. Obviously no juice to solenoid. Batt. ground looks fine. All accessories work fine.

Any common places to look? This is killing me. I'm skipping reading for class to get this thing going :O Also, FWIW, there is an odd hand-wired knob stuck under the dash - two wires, which run into the top of a relay about 4" from the left side of the car under the dash. Looks very professional (even tiny grommet on top of relay for wires going in). Could this be interefering w/ the starting circuit?

Thanks for your guesses,

Dave
pissed off and dirty
'77 320i
www.bmw02.org

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