Please help I grounded the starter motor and fried something

[Cchasenhernandez]

Hello I’ve lurked on the forums for a bit in my 4 years of ownership of my manual 87 635 but messed up bad and need help.

Ive needed to replace my motor mounts and thought this would make a good quarantine activity. I should have disconnected the battery but forgot and while supporting the engine with a brace across the engine bay one of the chains made contact with the positive terminal of the starter and I saw a puff of smoke from the battery/fuse box area and now my car won’t crank. To clarify I can hear the starter activate but won’t turn the engine. The battery has good voltage and I can start the car only by jumping it with another car and it drives fine. Battery charges while running.

I know how expensive chasing electrical problems can be and want to save my wallet and sanity as much pain as possible so what are the first things I should be checking?

[emac]

I assume you checked all the fuses?

[emac]

http://bimmertips.com/wp-content/upload ... -Chart.pdf

This should be a good place to start.

[Rondel Fan]

"To clarify I can hear the starter activate but won’t turn the engine. The battery has good voltage and I can start the car only by jumping it with another car and it drives fine"

Maybe more clarification is in order. What do you mean "hear the starter activate"? I'm guessing you're hearing the solenoid click but no engagement of the pinon ring to the flywheel etc?

Ditto "I can start the car only by jumping it with another car." Does this mean with jumper cables attached your starter works fine? If this is the case than your starter is probably fine and your issue is wiring or a fuse but that also seems inconsistent with your starter solenoid getting power by your description of hearing the "starter activate"

Let us know