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bloodyvsunday
02-25-2009, 02:46 PM
Hello, ill try to be as descriptive as possible.

i have a `92 525i, 170k miles.
Bought it from my father, who bout it for 500 cause the old lady didnt know what was wrong with it.
He is a wiz with cars, so after dinking around, he replaced the crank position sensor, and starts right up.
Later down the road, a few months later, the fuel pump went out, so he grabed one from a salvage place, and it ran again.
Ran great after i got it., aside from every now and then id have to turn the key 3 times for an initial start, like i turn it the first time, it would just crank, turn it the 2nd time it would sputter to 400rpm then die, then the 3rd just start right up. It didn't bother me too much, never effected the overall driving, only happened every-now and then, randomly, cold-or warm start

Well about 2 weeks ago, my car was parked in the driveway, ran fine the day before.
Well i started my car and it ran perfectly as usual for about a minute.
Then just died, no sputter, no weird noises, just bleh.
Attempted to start it again, and it would just crank, "nunnnunnnannnunna"
with no signs of a little ignition or anything, just crank, not turn over.

Well, so after trying that, and flooring it to rule out that it was flooded or somesort
I pulled the far right plug(closest towards front of the car), it was wet with gas, (even tasted it, yuck! might i add)
So i then checked to see if it was getting spark, found out it was NOT.
So went ahead and replaced the crankshaft positioning sensor(after waiting a week for the special order- thanks autozone -_-), and still no spark.
checked all the fuses, under the hood,(driver side) and the other computer fuses on the passenger side box, as well as the back seat.
everything seemed fine.
Then after a bit of turning over, it just stopped cranking.
So now i turn the key and it doesnt do a thing, all the accessories, radio, lights work fine, but it will click once, thats it.
The starter wont constantly click as though it doesnt have enough power to engage the cylinoid or soemthing, just one clicking coming from the back seat fuse box, once everytime i turn the key.
check fuses again-everythings fine from what i see

got the random idea of turning the crank by hand/wrench.
Tried to, both directions and it wont budge.
ive turned it before in the past with ease.
So i pulled ALL the plugs out to release pressure on the cylinders, still wont budge.
When i pulled the plus, the 3 closest to the interior of the car didnt smell like gas (then again my engine wont do anything right now)

im sure maybe the starter if fried, because i try to jump the starter with a screwdriver, and nothing, just clicking- but still it wouldnt cause the seize in the engine

P.S. - I had a battery charger/jumper to the car whilst doing all of this, so rules out battery?


p.s.s. Also tried to pull codes by doing pump test and no codes
Now im stuck, clueless as to what it is.

Any help!?
nirvana19
02-25-2009, 05:54 PM
My car has an M30, but the clicking is what I hear when the battery is drained. From all that cranking you definitely drained the battery, I'm not convinced that there's anything wrong with your starter. With the M30 at least, I know even with a professional jumper there still wasn't enough power to start the engine, it needed a fully charged battery and then it started up. That doesn't address the original problem, but I think your starter issue is just the battery.
whiskychaser
02-25-2009, 06:24 PM
I'd start by fully charging the battery and check with a hydrometer. That will quickly show if a pot is gone. If it is, you wont get enough power to start.
While the battery is charging, check the starter isnt jammed by backing it out a little. (The starter flange has a hole in it thats a 'snug' fit on a dowel on the bell housing and can be an arse to shift at the best of times) If you have ruled out the CPS I'd be taking a look at the cam sensor
bloodyvsunday
02-25-2009, 11:54 PM
Yea im going to try to get ahold of a new batter probably friday.

and check that the starter isnt jammed, could be causing the seizing.
im also going to, after hopefully solving the seizing problem, check every coil for spark, my idiocy only checked one.
whiskychaser
02-26-2009, 01:25 PM
Yea im going to try to get ahold of a new batter probably friday.

and check that the starter isnt jammed, could be causing the seizing.
im also going to, after hopefully solving the seizing problem, check every coil for spark, my idiocy only checked one.
I suggested backing the starter out to ensure that was the cause of it seizing but I doubt you will get it out if it is indeed jammed. To 'unjam' it, I'd go old school: stick it in 3rd and rock the car backwards and forwards. If the plugs are out it shouldnt be too difficult to shift (honest) and you will hear a rewarding twang when it lets go. If thats the case, clean and polish the starter. Then throw it in the bin. Worrying remarks about worn ring gear may follow but I doubt it:D
bloodyvsunday
03-01-2009, 04:31 PM
ya im able to hand crank it,
got a g\huge socket and budge it out with not much difficulty.
still having the clicking noise, nothing else at all.
Kibokojoe
03-01-2009, 05:36 PM
Over on this side of the ocean the bin is called the trash. Clean and polish the starter and then throw it away ?
whiskychaser
03-01-2009, 06:07 PM
Over on this side of the ocean the bin is called the trash. Clean and polish the starter and then throw it away ?
Rubbish bin = trash can. Translating a sense of humour is impossible:D

I'm a bit concerned about the amount of effort the original poster requires to turn over the engine by hand: 'got a g\huge socket and budge it out'.
I can turn mine over with one hand and a half inch ratchet...
Kibokojoe
03-01-2009, 08:42 PM
Yeah I can turn both of mine over with the fan belt and some pressure on the belt.
bloodyvsunday
03-01-2009, 11:41 PM
Sorry for the typos there, was in a rush haha.

Well it seemed stuck a little, and making sure i didnt provide to much force to hit a valve and whatnot, i turned it 360 to make sure.
i think the starter as budged in there, not too positive as to that yet.

in the next two days it will warm up, and im going to take the last bolt off the stater, test it, and go from there.
that pesky top bolt.
any tips on how to reach that top bolt on the starter?

im thinking my original problem as to why it died in the first place, waws the fuel pump, which i thought it was the crank sensor,
in addition to that, im going to check the spark issue once i get to that point.
bloodyvsunday
03-20-2009, 08:13 PM
Turns out my starter was fried, replaced it, and the fuel pump, ran great.
except now my alternator isnt charging.
So bought a new one...still the same thing.
anyone know much about the wiring of the alternator?
Blitzkrieg Bob
03-20-2009, 08:34 PM
Turns out my starter was fried, replaced it, and the fuel pump, ran great.
except now my alternator isnt charging.
So bought a new one...still the same thing.
anyone know much about the wiring of the alternator?

Two wires, two different size terminals, so you can't screw it up.
bloodyvsunday
03-21-2009, 05:10 PM
i mean...i have them hooked up..
but the b+ red wire from the alternator, does it go to the starter?
Like, there are 4 terminals on the starter...
2 are small, and 2 big.
i hooked the power from the jumper terminal under the hood to the positive of the starter..
and realized the alternator wire was on the wrong one of the starter
its suppose to be on the same one as the starters power??

not the terminal that attcaches to the starter motor, right?