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Thread: trouble starting the car after oil change

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    259

    Default trouble starting the car after oil change

    Hello everyone,

    I did some searching on this first but could not find anything that may help.

    1990 E34 525i M20

    I changed my oil and filter two days back, had to disconnect battery to get to the oil filter and reconnected everything once I was done. When I tried to start it this morning, I got a clicking sound and tried again. It started but it died after two or so seconds because I didn't give it a little gas (i usually have to). When I turned the key again I just get a click sound and nothing happens. The engine would at first barely turn and then finally dies to nothing. The dashboard lights up and the normal warning sounds go off but the engine wont turn. Every time I turn the key to ignition I hear a click. I figured it was a dead battery because my E28 made the same clicking sound when there was insufficient power.

    I got home and started working on the car again this evening, charged the battery first. I left the battery charger on the battery in Start mode and I tried to turn the engine again but same problem. The dashboard and everything lights up but the engine never turns.

    If i leave the key in the ignition stage, the dashboard is a little erratic. I can see the check engine light slightly flickering, and every few seconds the speedometer gauge jumps and falls flat again.

    I also noticed that under the hood, on the passenger side I have a cable that runs from by the firewall towards the battery (not directly) but the end is loose. It has a plastic black box attached mid way and a female type of end you would attach by a screw or bolt. I'm not sure where this part goes, and i don't remember if it was ever connected to anything. I do remember accidentally pulling it when changing the battery but I don't think I could have ripped it out of anywhere, the =-O end is undamaged. I'll try and get a picture up as soon as i can.

    This should be a simple fix, I only changed the oil for crying out loud!

    Thanks for your time!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    1,027

    Default

    what bob said
    Last edited by Evan; 07-03-2007 at 08:26 PM.
    1994 540ia|Oxford Green Metallic|Lemforder|KYB in H&R|18" OE Staggered M-Parallel with Pirelli P-Zero

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Honolulu
    Posts
    3,105

    Default It was connected to the battery

    on the positive side.


    Vee ave vays of dealing vid your kind...........

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
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    Default

    Thanks a lot for the quick reply.

    Your probably right but Before I go plugging up random cables to the battery here is a picture of what im talking about. It just does not look normal to me. Looks like someone ran this cable later on, just looks out of place because it comes out of nowhere.

    Could someone please confirm this needs to go to the + side of the battery?


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Honolulu
    Posts
    3,105

    Default Doesnt look right

    The cable I was thinking about hooks up the the fusible link black box mounted on the fender.

    That thing look like an add on...I check it out before hooking it up.


    Vee ave vays of dealing vid your kind...........

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    44

    Default

    Ive had the click sound when trying to start my E34 twice, both times was starter motor cables(loose,wired incorrectly) they use the same type 'O' of connector in your picture.

    Id check the starter and make sure all cables are tight etc

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    259

    Default

    I don't remember it being connected to anything, and I have a hunch that if it was an addon it shouldn't interfere with starting.

    Anyone have any other ideas on what I should check? Has anyone ever seen the dash behave this way?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    259

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Eagle
    Ive had the click sound when trying to start my E34 twice, both times was starter motor cables(loose,wired incorrectly) they use the same type 'O' of connector in your picture.

    Id check the starter and make sure all cables are tight etc
    Got it, let me go check it out.
    Thanks.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
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    Default

    are you 100% sure about your battery?
    1994 540ia|Oxford Green Metallic|Lemforder|KYB in H&R|18" OE Staggered M-Parallel with Pirelli P-Zero

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    259

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Evan
    are you 100% sure about your battery?
    Not anymore. I disconnected the charger from START mode and the dash barely lights up and there is no click. Also a clue is that relays seem to act funny when not getting enough power so that may explain the clicking and why the dash is so erratic. My second clue which may be pretty dumb but there is a very faint spark when connecting the battery to the car. Everything worked great before I disconnected the battery to change the oil so right now I think it can be one of two things.

    1) There may be an electrical short somewhere thats draining the battery and not allowing it to properly charge. It would also explain why the battery was in fact nearly dead when I tried to start it after sitting over 24 hours. To check this i disconnected the battery from the car and set it to charge.

    2) The battery was already bad, and wont hold a charge. Which would be odd because it must have finally died during the oil change...

    The fact is that the engine did turn and start this morning. A good battery should start it again. After a few hours of charging I will connect it to the car and see what happens. I did connect a voltmeter and got a 13v reading.

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