I followed these instructions gained from: here
Starter replacement
Here is the trick to changing the starter on an M30.
Materials:
1: Starter
2: Starter mounting bolts and crush washers
3: 17mm BMW ring spanner
4: Cable ties
Procedure:
1. Disconnect battery terminal
2. Unbolt starter cables that connect to starter solenoid. Remember to label them, VERY useful.
3. Unbolt the manifold-to-valve cover bracket. The wires around the back of the manifold will be easier to move around.
4. Unbolt the heater control valve from its bracket so the coolant hoses are easier to move around.
5. Unbolt the bottom starter bolt with a regular 17mm wrench. This is the easy part.
6. Unbolt the top starter bolt by inserting the long 17mm wrench BEHIND the intake manifold and down underneath the manifold to the starter bolt. You can see the top starter bolt by looking in between the intake manifold into the "holes" with a flashlight. The airflow sensor may be in the way, but you CAN see the bolt from the top. Make SURE the wrench is snug on the bolt, and PULL! Be VERY careful NOT to round the edges of the bolt. There isn't a lot of room to move the wrench back and forth, but it will slowly rotate out. Then, try to put your hand BEHIND the manifold, around the coolant hoses (this is where the removal of the heater valve helps move the hoses around), and unscrew the bolt completely.
7. Remove the starter, being very careful NOT to hit any wires or hoses on it's way out. I had to move it along and bring it underneath and up around the top radiator hose.
Installation is reverse of removal.
8. Put in new starter the same way the old one came out. You may want to clean out underneath the manifold. I used a vacuum cleaner to get some dry leaves stuck in there. You want to be sure no junk gets in around the flywheel. Also, while you're looking, check the flywheel condition.
9. The starter will more or less stay put where it's located. So just turn it slightly to align it and put in the bottom bolt. Hand thread it.
10. Get your hand again, behind the manifold and around the coolant hoses to hand thread the top starter bolt.
11. Tighten both bolts the same way they were untightened. I have a good "feel" for torque and the range for the mounting bolts is rather wide. So don't worry too much. Oh, and make sure you don't round the edges of the bolt!!!
12. Bolt the bracket back in place, reconnect any wires that you disconnected, and bolt the heater valve back in place.
13. Bolt the starter wires back into place, put the rubber solenoid cover back in place with cable ties, and reconnect the battery terminal.
This procedure took me 2.5 hours, first time doing it, and including numerous breaks (even a 20 minute dinner break). You do NOT need to drain the coolant. Only if you really can get your hand around the back of the intake manifold and around the back hose, then you just need to remove that one hose (it goes from the heater valve to the engine head or block).
Again, this is a much better way to replace the starter, and you don't need a machined thin wall socket. You CANNOT get a socket in to those bolts to begin with so DON'T even try.
Another little trick is to use the BMW wrench in the trunk tool kit. Supposedly it fits perfectly allowing you to get the starter off. BMW thinks of everything!
I'd like to thank Erick Baumeister who first told me of this little trick.
Written by Chris Graff '99
I would say the 17mm BMW spanner is essential - no other tool i could think of would get that top bolt out - its a bugger!
Still 2-3 hours and the car will now start first twist of the key!
One wiring question - i didn't notice the connections to the smaller wire when i removed them and referring to bentley has sorted me out but i do have a query.
I have connected the yellow/black wire to terminal 50 and the car starts, there are however a pair of red wires in the vicinity that would match the diag wire and charging wire referred to in bentley.
Should these be connected? to the other spade terminal on the starter (terminal 30) i'd have thought if i needed them for charging it would throw the battery light like when the alternator fails?
Easy enough to put on just want to be sure!
TIA
