1982 BMW 323i Baur

1982 BMW 323i Baur
Memorial Day 2010 First Drive 1982 323i BMW Baur Lapisblau M20 5 speed #4154 of 4595 made. The car was imported to California by Dietel Enterprises. I have since changed the wheels, installed the clear turn signal lenses, and I am in the process of installing a new cabriolet roof. I have to do something about those bumpers, too. :) I love this car! To see one of the reasons why, check my post "Score One For the Good Guys" on 6/26/2011.

Monday, January 21, 2013

1973 2002 Project Journal Update: How To Test Your Car Starter

There are a lot of great youtube videos out there that will show you how to go about diagnosing starter problems.  I used this one today to do some bench testing of the 1973 2002 starter that I removed yesterday.

You may recall that this 2002 won't start.  It had been sitting for years before I bought it in November 2012.   The previous owner told me that he had had it running in the previous summer, but it wouldn't start for him the day I bought it.

I suspect the real problem may be as simple as a tank of bad gas, but in the meantime I have to deal with all the other problems associated with a car that has been unused and out in the elements for a long, long time:  battery was stolen, apparently;  the starter was straining to crank the motor and yesterday it just appeared to give out completely.  It had been turning over the engine very slowly, despite having a brand new battery and  a battery charger hooked up to it.

So I pulled the starter and decided to run some bench tests on it.  I used the youtube video below--- although there are many others available--- partly because it was quite simple to follow, and ran some basic tests.


I ran the three tests shown in the video above and the result was..... well, two out of three aint't bad!  But it ain't good, either!  My starter passed test 1 and test 3 without a problem.  However, it failed the test #2, the motor test.   It appears that the motor is bad.   Since I am not in any particular hurry on this, the thought has crossed my mind to pull this starter apart and see what it needs.

Alternatively, I have a local automotive electric shop that I have previously used with good results for an alternator on my 1982 323i Baur.  I could take this starter to them sometime this week.

As it happens.... I also have a 1978 320i parts car.  M10 2.0L engine, same as the engine on this 1973 2002.    I will do a bit or research.... to see if the starters are interchangeable.

Realoem gives two different part numbers for those two starters.
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=ST12&mospid=47140&btnr=12_0933&hg=12&fg=25

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=3174&mospid=47175&btnr=12_0254&hg=12&fg=25

I wonder if they are interchangeable.

Stay tuned!

Also found the brake fluid reservoir completely empty.  That explains why I had NO brakes at all when I pulled it into the garage back in November.  Refilled the reservoir, and pumped the brakes a few times.  Still not getting much pedal.  No big deal.  I checked underneath, half-expecting to see a puddle somewhere.  No obvious leaks underneath at all.  The old fluid got out somehow, so there has GOT to be a leak somewhere. We will get back to that eventually.  Add it to the list.  :)


See full project journal here:
http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/p/1973-2002-project-journal.html

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