Can you crank the engine with a button and alligator clips?

[Nybbles2Bytes]

E36: 1998 328i

There was a time when you could just put a lead on the starter solenoid and the other on positive and then press a button to crank the car.

I don't see myself getting a lead down to the solenoid without taking a few parts off the car so I went looking for how to do this and the only thing I found was one suggestion to use pin 11 on the diagnostics plug but mine has no pin 11 so that's not going to work.

Is there a way to do this without performing backflips or should I just resign myself to using the key in the ignition?

[ultimatetester]

I think with your year you’ll need the key anyways (due to ews)

[spyderg0d]

Sure can. Jump the 2 big wires at the ews module, attach momentary button to the ignition switch black and yellow and red. Boom. Crank away.

[pbonsalb]

I have a recollection of using a momentary switch to bump the starter entirely from under the hood. Obviously with shifter in neutral. Can’t recall whether I had the ignition on or not.