Starter issue? (also whats the best starter)

[Haseeb]

*whoops should have posted here!*
this has been a rough year. Very very tough. For a number of reasons personal reasons I put the car to the back of my mind, but now I’m back to get this bad boy back on the road, though I am really considering taking it to a shop so they can just finish the stuff that I really don’t know if I can do (I really only learn by watching firsthand, reading stuff is just meh). Here’s a link to it running about a week ago

And then a few days later, I try to turn it on again, it turns on rough (needed to give it gas to keep it running) but I realized I was in neutral (probably not a good idea because it’s automatic) so I turn it off and try to start again and *nothing*
Here’s a video of my trying to start after recharging the battery.

I’m imagining its the starter that will need to be replaced, the battery is relatively new (only about a year) though the constant turning on and off might have taken a toll on it. That belt by the fan is pretty loose too. Is there anyone who might know a good video or have any advice for switching them out? I’m a true novice it seems

 

[dang]

If your alternator belt is loose it might not be charging your battery. With the other issue I'd start with making sure it's getting enough fuel then report back...

 

[Haseeb]

Would not be surprised if the fuel pump/ sending unit thingy had some play in this, but the starter (or something else ignition wise) is very much dead and will not let me start the car )-: SO I am thinking I will have to change the starter first and an alternator belt after... I have been reading through the forums and it looks like there is alot of debate over what starter to put in. I am looking for one that will be reliable and simple just plug in to install, because I do not wanna mess around with wires and shit .

Is it better to get the basic one (Sr71x) https://www.autohausaz.com/bmw-auto-parts/bmw-bavaria-starter-replacement.html
Or something Like a (441x) https://www.autohausaz.com/pn/10122...pOJeTosFbQAn3gsQqT48TDhcog2TzAFgaAnc-EALw_wcB

Also, it seems to me that the starter is actually pretty accessible if you take out the exhaust manifold closest to the driver (which is just held on by like 3 bolts on the engine?) and the carb on top which...doesn't sound too bad I think? - famous last words

 

[sfdon]

I think you need a good local mechanic.
Ask him to test your starter independently of your ignition and transmission electrical systems while the starter is still installed. He will probably check the main power wire from the battery, the ground wireS (that’s a plural “S” there ) from battery to chassis and from chassis to engine and run an independent jumper wire from the battery to the 6:00 connector on the starter. It’s likely that he will verify the battery is fully charged before doing any of this.

 

[Ohmess]

Haseeb -- are you still working in the DC area and is your car here? If you are in the DC area and need a mechanic, I can make a couple of recommendations. Or, if you want to try I couple of things, here is what I would do:

The fact that your car has been sitting suggests two possibilities. First, even a new battery will wear down if not properly charged, particularly if it has been sitting unused. Another thing to consider is that modern gasolines separate when a car sits for a while. Ethanol precipitates to the top of the tank, evaporates and leaves a film that can muck up your fuel system.

As has been mentioned above, fully charge your battery before doing anything else. Then, before you try to start the car, you need to address the loose belt that you mentioned. This belt drives the alternator, which charges the battery. Without this, the battery will not be recharged while the car is running, and you will go round and round with problems. This is a very simple procedure -- loosen the two bolts holding the alternator just enough to allow the alternator to move, pull the alternator away from the engine until the belt is tight. I use a small crow bar to do this, but I like to work gently with tools that are more than adequate for the job -- this can be done by hand if need be. If you are having trouble moving the alternator enough to get tension on the belt, you may also need to loosen the bolt on the end of the slotted arm where it connects to the block. When the alternator moves, and tighten the bolts starting with the alternator bolt that moves in the slotted arm while retaining the tension on the belt. Then tighten the other bolt on the alternator, and do the bolt on the opposite end of the swing arm last. Get both alternator bolts tight before you release the pressure on the alternator otherwise the belt will slacken. You probably won't get this exactly right the first time you try, but if you get the belt moderately tight the alternator will charge the battery.

As to the gasoline issue, before you run the car, use a gas can and add some new gasoline into the tank. This will disturb the surface tension of the gas in the tank and do some mixing. Then, get some starting fluid and spray it into your intake.

You should be able to do all of this for under $10 (or a little more if you have to buy a gas can).

Once the car starts, run it until it is warm before you shut if off. And if it runs well when it warms up, go to the gas station and add more new gasoline. Then report back.

 

[Haseeb]

Thanks for the advice alternator is being a real pain to me though, I got out the top bolt (green) but the bottom bolt (blue) (EDIT cause I’m an idiot) it’s just spinning freely in place but not moving along the slotted path. I think you said I can loosen the other end of it (slotted one) and it’s loose but the alternator isn’t moving from the bottom still, Perhaps I neede to take that one out entirely? I whacked a few times with a crowbar but no luck hmm. Also the car did start and drive yesterday!

 

[dang]

Penetrating oil and six-point socket...

 

[Haseeb]

Penetrating oil and six-point socket...

Wait I made a huge mistake I meant to say it’s spinning freely in place which is a whole lot more problematic I think ):

 

[Ohmess]

The head of the bolt that fits through the slotted arm, which you have circled in blue, does not appear to have been spinning in place. There should be evidence of that movement right where the bolt meets the face of the mounting ear on the alternator. Also, the nut on the end of this bolt appears to be pretty round. And the threads at the end of the bolt appear to be damaged. Are you sure you are not spinning a socket on the nut, without moving the bolt?

If so, it would be best to remove the alternator from the car. Take a picture of the electrical connections so you can put them back, then disconnect them. Remove the nut and bolt you have circled in green. Then move to the other end of the slotted arm and remove the bolt that holds it to the block. This should allow you to remove the alternator with the slotted arm still attached.

Then work on the bolt through the slotted arm with the alternator out of the car. You can clamp the arm in a vice to work on this. I note that there is a bit of corrosion on both sides of the slotted arm where it is held in place. Take a pick or similar small sharp tool and gently scrape away the corrosion where the arm mates to the alternator on one side, and against that large washer on the other. After you do this, spray some penetrating oil into these junctions, and on the bolt and on the nut, then give it some time to soak in.

Then as Dang suggests, use six point sockets on both the bolt and nut to loosen them and remove them. Once you get them off, I would replace both the bolt and nut because of the damage I noted above.

 

[Dowst]

You need to loosen all the bolts related to the alternator to tighten or loosen the alternator belt. Loosening just the upper and lower bolt seem like they ought to allow the alternator to move to allow for tensioning, however this is not the case. The engine end of that slotted bar must also be loosened, as the bars angle must be able to change in order to move the alternator along it's tensioning curve.

No way you need to remove the alternator to do this job--don't make this more than it needs to be, just loosen those three connections and you'll be sailing. That bolt and washer looks plenty serviceable to me given the stage your at with this project. If you are having trouble getting that loose, work from underneath with two wrenches from underneath so that the bolt doesn't just spin as you are experiencing.

Also, if you are struggling with this job that I think you are going to have an absolute hell of a time replacing the starter. Make absolutely certain that the starter itself is bad, and not an issue with power supply or trigger before you attempt to dig into that project. By what method have you diagnosed that the starter is bad? If the car started yesterday, I would be trying to eliminate the possibility of an intermittent terminal connection.

Also, is that red wire to the alternator missing insulation, or is is just the picture?

 

[Haseeb]

You guys are .Alternator is now tightened. Hell of a time doing that ! but it's down. This car's rpm goes to zero when I turn sometimes...and it does not really go past 45 mph...fascinating stuff

 

[dang]

You guys are .Alternator is now tightened. Hell of a time doing that ! but it's down. This car's rpm goes to zero when I turn sometimes...and it does not really go past 45 mph...fascinating stuff

You might want to look into getting a Camry again.