350i stranded at Pub - won't start !

[dellyend1]

Hi All,

Have been out in the 350i for the first time in several months, blew the cobwebs out and she has been flying. Out for a drive of an hour or so , not missing a beat. Stopped for lunch at the pub, went to fire back up and have nothing !? I can hear the fuel pump whirring so am thinking it may be a case of not enough juice in the battery as I have not used for a long while and did stop and start several times this morning.

Any other key things I need to look at ? Will be heading over with a jump start pack shortyly

Cheers All

Jeremy

[ElvisWedgely]

Flooded? Keep accelerator near the floor and turn engine over with a good battery. Don't keep pumping accelerator. Makes matters worst.

Tony. TCB.

[Wedg1e]

Check (plug and unplug a few times) the bullet connector in the white/black wire from the ignition amplifier, usually found somewhere at the front left of engine bay, under the airflow meter.

[dellyend1]

Cheers Guys,

Took a battery booster to jump the Tiv and made no difference so thought I'd try first prinicples and banged the starter motor with the jimmy bar I carry in the boot. hey presto so now know fault is sticking solenoid on the starter. Had this problem with a TR6 and lived with it for many years until I got around to taking th engine out. On a wedge is it a quirk one can live with or does the starter / solenoid continue to degrade un my luck will run out with the give it a bash technique ?

Thanks

[GV]

Should clear itself with regular driving though...

[adam quantrill]

Some of the solenoid have a nipple on the rear end and you can get some lube in there. I have had good results with copaslip in there, I know it's a bit abrasive but it worked for me!

[Wedg1e]

Ah right, I misunderstood, I thought it was spinning over but not catching.

You can strip and clean the solenoid with the starter left in situ; in my experience it's clart on the armature that makes it stick... it really needs to be clean and dry, rather than slathered in any lube.

Last time I had the same symptoms the OP describes, I started this thread about it...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=842...

[pridaux]

Great Place to Break down
Hope you get it sorted
Andrew

[ElvisWedgely]

I too thought that it was spinning and not catching. That's why I thought it may be flooded. Starter motor problems are another matter. I just had mine replaced altogether at a cost of 250 supplied and fitted. It had reached a point where I had to rock the car in gear every time before starting. I would hate to get stuck in the middle of nowhere. So no messing, I changed the whole lot.

Tony. TCB.

[dellyend1]

Thanks all,

Wedg1e , that is a great thread and very detailed and user-friendly. I'll be following it in detail shortly

Great place , this Wedge Forum

[Wedg1e]

You're welcome, glad someone found it useful

[grahamw48]

In the meantime....start parking on hills.

[bluezeeland]

or avoid pubs............

[adam quantrill]

Sacrilege! Wash your mouth out...

[mrzigazaga]

Find pubs that are on hills!

[dellyend1]

Thanks All, Wise Words indeed ! I've actually found a pub on a hill that is only a mile away so if I do get stranded I can always just go back to the bar , drink my fill and wonder off home

I'm thinking of actually getting a new Solenoid so that I can whip the old one out, fit the new one so that I can play with the TIV as soon as I want to and then refurb the old one for a spare.

Key Question is : Does anybody have the part reference or link to suppier for the Solenoid I need - 3.5 v8

Cheers

Jeremy

[Danny Hoffman]

Do a search for tob194 on ebay, someone is selling them although a bit pricey. My local reconditioner charged me £30

[UKAuto]

I had frequent problems with the starter on my 350i. After multiple fixes I replaced the starter with a little gear reduction unit, and have not had a problem in years. It is smaller (more air flow around it / less heat as further from exhaust), and I guess they are just a decent little starter.

[dellyend1]

HI UKAuto,

Seems a sensible solution and have had a quick google and found WOSP who manufacture them. Where did you source yours from ?

Many Thanks

Jeremy

[JamesMK]

Something similar used to happen to mine on warm starts. The starter motor would jam, cooked by the exhaust manifolds but would be ok once it had been allowed to cool off.

Turned out to be the earth connection which was not heavy enough to function properly when hot (when there is more resistance).