Author Topic: another non-crank issue, E36 (Read 2200 times)

B318M42W · « **on:** July 02, 2009, 10:56:34 PM »

hi, this one's for my neighboor...
he's got an E36 M42 and the car won't crank at all. just had about 15 minutes to look at it, but here's what i know:
-it ran fine yesterday
- will not crank, just go blank like nothing happened, no clicks (except the usual ones that are on "run"), not even an effort from the starter
- tried boosting= nothing either
- code 1444 (no code?)
- 12.6V on the battery
- will start on compression
- all electrics in the car work fine

don't know much about E36... more about E30's:D
so here's what i'm thinking
- fusible link?
- dead starter?
- bad ign. switch
- engin ground strap?
- battery connection/corrosion?
- ?

any other ideas are welcome! (next working on that car on tuesday)
thanks!

DesktopDave · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2009, 07:59:36 AM »

Sounds like a bad strap, starter/wiring or even the ignition cylinder. The starter is hard-wired to the battery just like our e30's so there isn't anything that can stop it from spinning. There are some 'unloader relays' that might be bad too...but the car wouldn't start at all if they were bad, not even with a compression push start.

I don't think that there is a fusible link, I could be wrong.

B318M42W · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2009, 09:35:28 AM »

so i can use our E30 start wiring diagrams in the E36 (1993)??

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2009, 11:54:30 AM »

I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I'm thinking that it's very close. We all use the e36 Bentley for M42 engine stuff.