car lights work, no crank, car won't start

[plmuzikmaster]

so i'm teh n00b that bought the 94 v8 530i 5spd. and my heart was broken today... I am 16 miles away from my house and either stall my car or it shuts off making it feel like a stall after a light turned green...

now, i turn the key all the way back and try to start the car but nothing happens... lights are on, i hear a faint tick, but no cranking... what do you guys think?

i cannot find direct answers to what could be wrong but rather, similar symptoms (threads about car not turning on after sitting for a long time, etc.)

now, if you suggest something electrical to check, please make sure that you explain as best as you can because i am not good at electronics... i am just mechanically inclined and that's about it...

please and thanks... i got through about 30 pages in the search out of 100 and it's time to go to sleep so i am looking forward to checking this thread first thing tomorrow morning!

[BMW525i]

i'm not to sure maybe the alternator?? i have a great mechanic if you need help, i'm around the naperville area

[plmuzikmaster]

unfortunately, the car cannot drive and i had to get it towed from schaumburg to norridge...

[attack eagle]

if the starter doesn;t turn over at all, then you may have low voltage, casued by running down the battery due to a non functioning alternator.

read the faq for how to use the obc test to check the voltage.

[zubbie]

classic dead alternator / drained battery. You can drop a fresh battery in it and drive it a short distance before you drain that one too but I wouldn't recommend it. You will likley have to replace both alt & batt as automotive batteries don't like being "deep cycled". Have them tested at you local auto parts store or garage.

Alternators can be rebuilt if you are handy. If you choose to replace it make sure you buy a quality rebuild. When it comes to alternators cheap will bite you in the ass.

[plmuzikmaster]

thanks for the info... i'm gonna do the alternator and battery first... updates later today...

[plmuzikmaster]

update: alternator replaced, battery recharged and checked, car still won't turn on... any ideas?

and i confirmed that i have the alusil block in my car, yay!

1 745 871 - Alusil

[zubbie]

fusible link? main fuses. I'd hate to think you spend that money for nothing.

[russiankid]

See if you're getting any power at the starter.

[plmuzikmaster]

See if you're getting any power at the starter.

yup, varies from 11.6-11.8 volts...


fusible link? main fuses. I'd hate to think you spend that money for nothing.

please explain... i checked a couple fuses but i don't know the location of the starter fuse or whatever if there is such a thing...

[russiankid]

Is that within spec? To my knowledge you're suppose to at least 12 volts.

[plmuzikmaster]

that was right after i went to murrays and got the battery checked and charged... and i bought that battery half a week ago...

[russiankid]

Odd. I thought it had to be more.

[plmuzikmaster]

i wish it was that simple!

[zubbie]

http://www.bmwe34.net/Wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Fusible+link

starter relay may be the culprit also. Not sure where it is located in a 530.

Don't loose faith. I just spent 3 weeks trying to diagnose a no start condition on a Honda. Brand new distributor and no spark. Turned out to be a bent pin on a connector.

[plmuzikmaster]

found a couple things out... still have to check the starter relay (if i find it and however that is done) and the bentley manual stated that at 11.7 volts or lower, the battery is depleted... i used a voltmeter to check my battery and the readings varied from 11.6 to 11.8 volts... 12.5+ is ideal according to the manual...

could that be the problem? i mean, i still don't get why my car won't even try to crank...

[attack eagle]

not enough voltage to trigger the solenoid probably

[plmuzikmaster]

ok, i'm gonna go back to the store with the voltmeter :D

just put a 12.5 volt battery and still no luck
checked the starter relay and even tried bypassing it with no luck...

[plmuzikmaster]

any other suggestions? i am starting to get frustrated with my 2 week old car...

[skylinergtr]

dead dme? are you getting fuel and a spark?

[zubbie]

so are you getting power to the starter? Do all the other electricals work fine or are they dead or dimmed also? You could have a partial short somewhere drawing down on you 12V circuits. You can try pulling fuses for everything other than the ignition circuit. Dying fusible link will also do this as it will separate when current flows

[plmuzikmaster]

dead dme? are you getting fuel and a spark?

what is dme?
it is not even cranking so fuel and spark isn't the problem...


so are you getting power to the starter? Do all the other electricals work fine or are they dead or dimmed also? You could have a partial short somewhere drawing down on you 12V circuits. You can try pulling fuses for everything other than the ignition circuit. Dying fusible link will also do this as it will separate when current flows

yes, starter is getting power.
all other electrics work.
if the fusible link is that thing near the battery that has 2 screws with a piece of metal between covered by plastic, i checked that and it is fine.

[skylinergtr]

crankshaft position sensor?

[zubbie]

If the starter is getting power and it is not turning over then I suspect the starter or starter solenoid is dead. here is a good simple explanation to help. GL

http://www.samarins.com/glossary/starter.html

[plmuzikmaster]

update:
found out the hard way that manual bimmers dont have starter relays...
checked the starter:
the fat cable gets power but none of the other cables (another fat one going to the starter motor, and 2 smaller ones) are getting power... is that normal? like, if somebody puts the key to the start position and none of those 3 cables get power...

[VWtechCA]

I hate to ask, but are you pushing the clutch pedal in when your trying to crank? I am assuming its a 5spd Manual?

[igec]

I got the exact same prob...wife drove to work went out for lunch and no starter, there is no safety on the clutch on these things, when working it will take right off in gear if its anything like the 525i, I think they added the safety switch in 99, I've checked all the fuses & even local BMW in Ajax could not tell me if there is a starter relay...heard it here first. Cleaned all the connections and fully charged battery just a click from the back and one under the hood relay. Bentley manual says ya got to take the intake off to get at the starter but I'm going to try and get a flexible socket extension tomorrow it looks like the starter will squeeze out from the bottom if I can get at the far nut. Been searching for anyone with same problem and came across this thread. Has anyone ever taken a starter out of a m50 without removing half te moter? Not trying to hijack your thread...I think we should keep each other updated if we come across a fix...I'm still not 100% sure its the starter & I had a guy give me a push and it starts right up, no ses lights.

[attack eagle]

there is no relay for the starter... there is a pseudo relay (fake, two terminals bridged) for the starter.

I unbolted but did not remove the starter without removing the intake.

[plmuzikmaster]

yes, my clutch was pushed in all the way...

i took out the starter (alusil v8) and took it to a local shop that tested it properly and it was fine... i am out of ideas and i need the car so i am going to have to tow the car to my father's mechanic tomorrow afternoon... sadly, in my own eyes, this was a failure...

i'll let you all know what he says...

thanks all that contributed... sucks that i couldn't figure it out...

things tried:
fusible link
new alternator
new battery
tested starter
tested ignition switch

in the end, i am gonna put my guessing money on a sensor of some sort... i must say, i am amazed by how many are on this car...

1 more question for anybody to answer...

what is this shadowline mod i read everywhere? nothing shows up in search...

[igec]

I gotta get some sleep and give it a try in the morning, My wife can still drive the car if she wants too...just gotta park on a hill!
I'm still thinking that its not the starter as we have never had a prob...always fired right up, no indication of slow starts or ses lights.
I've gone through the same stuff as you, alt, bat, links etc...please let me know how you make out.

[kalevera]

Did you check the engine ground strap? They can go green, even fracture, and cause this kind of failure. More specifically, check to make sure that the starter has a good ground against the block. I've seen situations where there's been enough gunk/corrosion between the bolts/hardware (even on the hardware itself) and the starter flange to prevent the starter from making a good ground and being able to crank.

If the car was running poorly beforehand, then died completely and now won't crank (and the battery/alt check out), I'd be inspecting that ground strap and putting a jumper cable across one of the hood latches and the block.

These non-EWS cars don't even need a DME to crank, confirming starter operation is as easy as putting 12v on the ignition switch trigger.

[igec]

grounds clean and car has always had nothing but the best syn. oil changed long before recommended and ya could eat off the grounds...bottom of car is spotless, never had an ses light other than a fog light bulb, still runs great if ya bump start it.

[plmuzikmaster]

turned out to be the "starter immobilizer relay" located under the kick board on the driver side, above the speaker...

[jared94e36]

that sucks that you spent all that $$ on the new alt & towing. i hate paying for a tow. at least your up an running

[plmuzikmaster]

since i have full insurance, i am hoping i will be somewhat compensated for the towing... i am looking at the alternator as preventive maintenance...

[upallnight]

Did someone mess with the code on the OBC and set the immobilizer relay on or push the code button on the OBC?

[plmuzikmaster]

so, bump from 19 pages back:

It happened again, last night, I drove my car home perfectly fine. I get into today and nothing! No crank or anything. I am thinking the same relay burned out so I need to know what goes to the relay cuz something is not right. The mechanic said that he found no other faults through his diagnostic check so I, once again, turn to you guys...

Also, I pulled the starter out the last time around and got it inspected... The guys told me that it worked fine but we both noticed that it has been fondled with in the past. Possibly rebuilt...

[iano671]

Hi,
how are you getting on with your starting problem ?
I'm interested because I'm going through the same sort of problem...I've got as far as a 7.5amp fuse under the back seat that keeps blowing, it takes out the central locking but also imobilizes the ignition... I didnt know about a starter relay, which I'm gonna check tomorrow,
Check the fuses under the back seat.
good luck,
ian