Dodgy E36 Startup problems
 

My car is an E36 318is
few weeks ago, I forgot the warning flashers on for a day, and since then things have been going to hell in a handbasket.
Thinking that I maybe killed the battery I changed it for a 65A, I then changed the entire starter (solinoid and gear), and tightened the earthing cables, I checked the engine codes (all clear), changed air filter, checked the belts, I changed the oil, and checked the fuses, everything A OK.

Symptoms (extremely strange)
The car wont start on cold mornings only when parked outdoors in the open air !!??, it actually bites down when I first attempt to start it, but wont turn beyond that. I need to attempt to start a number of times, eventually it turns, but only when I rotate the steering!!!????
Today, it gave this unholy clashing sound, something like gears clashing against each other, but without engine turn so I am assuming it was the starter. I stopped attempting to start the car, then tried again, same sound, then again and it started and drove me to work normally no problems.

The car has been in and out of mechanic shops for two weeks, and oddly enough these symptoms dont happen when the car is parked overnight in an enclosed space, only when in the open air.


If anyone out there has the slightest idea what may be happened I would love some input, cause this issue is driving me insane.

Sounds like you've got an old battery that is no longer taking a sufficient charge. Not enough current to turn the flywheel. And as you keep on trying, there's less and less current for the starter to even engage properly, causing that clashing sound.

Finally solved,,, I hope!!

It turned out to be a combination of a bad starter solinoid (even the new one??) and the wrong motor oil viscosity, the morons at the shop had changed the oil from SAE 10w40 to SAE 30w40!!!