Starter Wiring Diagram wire locations???

[95white318ti]

hi, ive never officially found a location that 100% states what the wire locations are on the starter. theres three terminals. one large, medium-small, and small. one would think that they are self explanatory being that theyre different sizes, but i think the two small wires are so close that it might be confusing. or possibly just the series of wires coming off of the intake/fuel harness is confusing.

so im just trying to clarify how the starter is hooked up. i have mine like this and im not sure if its right

big red battery wire and big red alternator wire goes to big terminal.
ylw/blk wire goes to lower terminal
and the really skinny wire that is connected to the big alt wire goes to the top terminal.

i replaced the head gasket and then it wouldnt turn over. it wouldnt even engage. i did something with the ews like john suggested, then i could get it to engage the starter, but it doesnt try to turn it over. i can jump a screwdriver in between the big wire, and the motor wire from the solenoid and if my friend turns the key to engage the starter, then i can turn the car over.

[95white318ti]

Can anyone confirm the exact wire locations on the start?

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Jess your search link is dead.

On my car I have the big wrie which is obvious. On the medium-small post I have two wires and on the small post I have one wire.

If you jumpered past the EWS and still need a screw driver to crank it over you have a starter wiring issue and you most like have a missing wire to the medium-small post. I'm not sure if a ti is different but I have two wires going to the Med-small on my starter.

You can also check with a volt meter. Find the wire that goes 12 volts with the key in the start position and hook that to the post you are putting the screw driver on and your all set.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Something doesn't sound right. Are you saying the bendix is engaging and the starter does not turn unless you use a screw driver?

Where are you putting that screw driver? Between the big wire and starter wire center pole. It sounds like your solenoid is bad and you wiring is good you are just bypassing the solenoid since it is bad and your holding the bendix in place with the key and powering the starter with the screw driver...

I hope I didn't loose you on this but if the bendix engages the starter should spin since the solenoid powers the starter when the bendix engages...

That is my guess from what I'm reading here now...

John Smith

[roadrash]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

FWIW, there's no diagram or wire locations as stated in the title. Perhaps this title would be more appropriate "Starter Wiring Diagram wire locations???"

I agree, thread title changed.

[cooljess76]

^^^Thanks JMJ

According to realoem, all e36's use the same starter, part#12411740379.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref....ur=&series=E36
However, the solenoid is only shared with the following models:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref....7080&showus=on

My '98 M3 coupe's starter is currently removed, but it's still attached to the engine wiring harness. The top terminal has two heavy gauge red wires. One goes to the alternator and the other goes to the power distribution block. The bottom terminal is used only for the braided grounding strap that is attached to the starter motor. Then each of the small terminals located on both sides, have one small wire that goes to the power distribution block.

[95white318ti]

That's how I have mine wired like the picture. I have one small wir and one medium and one large.

[95white318ti]

Which wire,(medium or small) is the signal wire from the ignition?

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by 95white318ti

Which wire,(medium or small) is the signal wire from the ignition?

It comes from the EWS and you can tell which one it is by having your friend turn the key to start and checking the wires. The one with 12 volts when the key is turned to start is the one you want to put to the pole you are putting the screw driver on to crank the car over unless your friend is touching the center two poles together which would bypass the solenold like I explained above in my other posts.

John S

[95white318ti]

thanks for all the help john. my friend turns the key, i hear the solenoid clunk(engaging) then i stick a screw driver from the large red 12v, to the bendix(is this the exposed copper wire that runs from the solenoid to the starter motor)

Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx

Something doesn't sound right. Are you saying the bendix is engaging and the starter does not turn unless you use a screw driver?

Where are you putting that screw driver? Between the big wire and starter wire center pole. It sounds like your solenoid is bad and you wiring is good you are just bypassing the solenoid since it is bad and your holding the bendix in place with the key and powering the starter with the screw driver...

I hope I didn't loose you on this but if the bendix engages the starter should spin since the solenoid powers the starter when the bendix engages...

That is my guess from what I'm reading here now...

John Smith

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by 95white318ti

thanks for all the help john. my friend turns the key, i hear the solenoid clunk(engaging) then i stick a screw driver from the large red 12v, to the bendix(is this the exposed copper wire that runs from the solenoid to the starter motor)

Ok your wiring is good and you have a bad starter solenoid. You need to replace the starter, or cheep out and try to replace the solenoid itself.

The solenoid when engaged which it is doing should supply power to the starter to spin it and it is not doing that so it is bad. This is the issue. I'm 100% sure.

John S

[95white318ti]

ok, heres what ive done, ive jumped the two fat wires in the ews, ive also found a key to ignition 12v. ive connect the 12v to the starter MOTOR and i get it to turn over, also i have spark in all cylinders, and i have fuel in the rail. i havent got it to start yet, but my battery is low.

can anyone verify that the firing order is 1342 BUT my 3 wire is too short, so ive removed the 3 and 4 and switch them sense 4 is longer. is this right.

[cooljess76]

Whats going on man, why are you messing with ews stuff? I understand that you replaced your headgasket and for whatever reason disconnected your starter. If you wired it back up right and it doesn't work, then the starter is probably bad. FYI, you can easily fry a solenoid by jumping wires and stuff. I'm guessing it probably wasn't wired up correctly, so you started jumping wires with a screwdriver and shorted out the solenoid. Now that you've started messing around with the ews system, you've probably created a completely different problem. My advice is to return the ews system back to how it was before you started messing with stuff, and leave it alone. Then replace your starter solenoid, or just buy a used starter that will probably still have the solenoid attached to it.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Also firing order is a exact match 1234 just like the cylinders so don't change them. The 4 wire is longer then the 3 wire since it loops around the 3 wire post and back to the 4 spark plug. It's suppose to be longer. Most wires have a number written on them too so look for the numbers on the spark plug wires and plug each one in the correct plug and correct coil or you will have bigger problems then you do now.

Also charge the battery try to start car. If it's still doing the bendix engage and no starter spin then replace the starter or at minimum the solenoid. This is the issue, the starter motor is not getting power from the solenoid which is where it's power comes from when the solenoid engages the bendix...

John S

[95white318ti]

Ok. I think i prob broke the Starter solenoid. I jumped the ews because it wont send a signal the the solenoid to engage the gear arbor unless I connect the wires. So that's why.