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Followup To
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I just bought a 1987 BMW 325, 4 door and I am having a starting problem. The problem started when the last owner tried to jump start the car, he hooked up the jumper cables wrong. I replaced the batterie hoping that was the problem, but it wasn't. I hear a slight click when I turn the key. I checked every fuse I could find but can not find a blown fuse. Is there a master fuse somewhere? Is there a inline fuse somewhere? Electric power to everything else seems fine,ie lights. Thank you for your time.
Answer -
Why was he jumpstarting the car did it only click then? is it possible that the starter or sylinoid was bad before the attemped jumpstart? Jump the terminals on the starter solenoid, if it cranks over and starts then the problem is wire related (grounded, disconected, torched) if it does not start with 12v then the starter is bad. where do you hear the clicking? by the starter or in the fusebox (relay) what most likely went bad is the voltage regulator. check this and let me know what you find out.
-cheers
scheidmiwa@hotmail.com
THANK YOU FOR GETTING BACK TO ME, ALSO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO WRITE BACK. OK, HE TOLD ME HE THOUGHT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, BECAUSE THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE. AFTER HE TRIED TO JUMP START WHICH DID NOT WORK, HE PUSHED STARTED THE CAR, WHICH DID WORK. HE DROVE THE CAR APPX. 20 MILES, AT WHICH TIME HE SHUT THE CAR OFF AND ACCORDING TO HIM IT RESTARTED WITH THE KEY. WHEN YOU TELL ME TO JUMP THE TERMINALS ON SOLENOID THERE IS ONLY 2?. ONE IS FAT AND ONE SMALLER DO I NEED THE KEY ON WHEN I DO THIS? I TURNED THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION AND CHECKED FOR POWER TO THE FAT WIRE AND THERE WAS POWER TO IT. I WILL NOT JUMP THE TWO WIRES UNTIL I HEAR BACK FROM YOU AGAIN. CAN I USE A SCREWDRIVER TO JUMP THE TWO WIRES OR DO I NEED A JUMPER FROM WIRE. ALSO THE CLICKING IS COMING FROM NEAR THE FUSE BOX OR RELAYS. I WILL WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE. RON.
AnswerDON'T TOUCH THE SMALLER WIRE! if you jump it to that it's possible you could fry a computer. You should see 2 terminals on the top of the solenoid with big wires leading to them, connect them (with a jumper lead or screwdriver) momentaraly, with the car in neutral and the ignition ON, if it does nothing than the problem is either the engine ground or you have a bad starter or solenoid. you can have the starter tested at most auto part stores if you feel like taking it out.
-cheers
