series 3 2.5na starting issues

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9

90larry

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Hello,

i have just bought a series 3 which has a 2.5 na engine. when i went to view it the engine was cold and the guy started it up no problem but i thought it was turning over slow but it started up fine so i didnt think nothing of it. then when i went to pick it up same thing. i got it home and tried to start it and it just doesn't seem to want to start.

i have held the heater plug light on for about 10 seconds then turned it over and it just turns over really slowly so i charged the battery (96AH) and then tried again same thing turns over really slowly, when i put the heater plugs on the cold start light appears on the dash. i managed to get it going with a tow start, sounds fine when it is running. i then tried to use jump leads to another car to get it going this did not work either. it still turned over really slowly.

if you turn it over for around 10 seconds then the negative terminal on the battery gets red hot and smokes. i'm guessing this is wrong. when i used the jump leads it just took the battery leads off the battery and connected them straight to the jump leads and the jump leads also got red hot. i am stuck i don't know what to look at. i am not a the best mechanic so any simple instructions or advice would be appreciated.

many thanks :)
 
Last edited:
90larry said:
Hello,

i have just bought a series 3 which has a 2.5 na engine. when i went to view it the engine was cold and the guy started it up no problem but i thought it was turning over slow but it started up fine so i didnt think nothing of it. then when i went to pick it up same thing. i got it home and tried to start it and it just doesn't seem to want to start.

i have held the heater plug light on for about 10 seconds then turned it over and it just turns over really slowly so i charged the battery (96AH) and then tried again same thing turns over really slowly, when i put the heater plugs on the cold start light appears on the dash. i managed to get it going with a tow start, sounds fine when it is running. i then tried to use jump leads to another car to get it going this did not work either. it still turned over really slowly.

if you turn it over for around 10 seconds then the negative terminal on the battery gets red hot and smokes. i'm guessing this is wrong. when i used the jump leads it just took the battery leads off the battery and connected them straight to the jump leads and the jump leads also got red hot. i am stuck i don't know what to look at. i am not a the best mechanic so any simple instructions or advice would be appreciated.

many thanks :)
Click to expand...

The gudgeon pin might be leaking
 
The -ive from the battery should go to the main engine block, and from there you should find another cable to the chassis and the body.

The earth to the starter solenoid, if there is one, is a spade connector. Otherwise it uses the frame earth.
 
to tell yer the truth its yer starter motor windings half burnt out and shorting out

at its worst youll see not only smoke from the main cables and earths youll see the accelerator cable start glowing
 
You have obviously got some faults with the wiring and or starter but 10 seconds isnt long enough on the glow plugs in my experience. Try 20 or 30 or even 60 seconds with the engine cold in winter. They are all different but thats what mine needs and it is a good runner.

Billy
 
as other have said, bad connections. (thats the heat you see being generated across the neg terminal)
other problems could be connections at the starter, both nut terminals and crimped terminals, earthing problems to the engine block, loose starter mounting bolts, worn starter brushes, low spring pressure on the starter brushes, starter full of mud and crud, ineffective heater plugs due to age or bad conections or both.

consider telling us where you are!
 
i have been out yesterday and cleaned all of the earths because they were VERY rusty. reconnected it all up nice and clean and 10 seconds on the heater plugs then 1 turn on the key it started up great.

new problem,

the charge light on the dash is on (glows red) but after about 10 mins of driving it goes offf... and then if i turn the engine off then back on, same thing? is that likely to be a bad earth on the alternator?? :S

Thanks for your help!! Im In Stockport by the way. :)
 
10 minutes with the light on? I'd suspect as James said low output - bad brushes in the alternator making poor contact. Taking the alternator off and running it over to the local sparky for testing would be a good idea - would reveal low output or whatever ails it.

A rebuild on an alternator is an easy thing to do - usually just brushes and bearings if you can;t get a recon unit at a reasonable price.

ajr
 
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