M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => General Topics => Topic started by: gsxrcop on August 03, 2009, 04:33:59 PM

Title: Needing help.
Post by: gsxrcop on August 03, 2009, 04:33:59 PM

Any ideas why my m42 will sometimes not do anything after is has run for a while. What I mean is when you turn the key on, the lights in the dash turn on and the pump primes. But the car acts the same as a car that you have to push the clutch in to start. You turn the key and get nothing from the starter. Any ideas? Could it be a relay of some kind?

Title: Needing help.
Post by: DesktopDave on August 03, 2009, 05:34:53 PM

I have that problem at times too.  Definitely if the voltage is too low the starter solenoid won't energize.  I'd take a look at the e30 ETM listed in this site's reference section.  It's not complete but it has additional material that helps.

Title: Needing help.
Post by: Choking Hazard on August 25, 2009, 01:45:09 PM

Just a thought...
The starter circuit includes the "unloader relay" which will not disengage if the starter has a bad ground.  If that is a problem, another symptom would be inoperative elecrtic windows when the no-start condition exists.