Replaced the alternator-car still dies Replaced the alternator-car still dies "Yeah its the alternator" Definition of insanity doing the same thing and expecting a different result.
Especially when ANY store that sells alternators can TEST them to verify that they're bad or not. That's what *I* would do. Take that alternator to Autozone/O'Reilly/Advance and get it tested.
When I've gone to see cars people are selling. If they don't wash it, it says alot about the owner and you'll start to notice other signs of neglect on the car. If they can't be bothered to wash it quickly with some water is usually a car to avoid.
I know right? I see people selling cars on facebook and kijiji and many won't even take the litter out. I mean WTF? Takes 20 mins to and a garbage bag to remove all the debris and give the interior a vacuum. That tells you a LOT about the seller. Now with that being said, my work trucks are atrocious but they are work trucks and I'm not trying to sell them.
I mean this is the same person that replaced the alternator twice and still claims it’s the alternator. If that doesn’t say insanity than I don’t know what does
It's easy to check too....measure voltage at the alternator running, measure the voltage at the battery. If they are the same? not the problem. If they are different? that's the problem.
Muskoka Mike not a bad point! If I were doing that while I’m working on it, I would check for resistance in that line and match it with factory spec. Just a quick little extra step you could take
Check the positive batt aux cable that runs from the trunk to the front it will run on the pass side under the carpet pass front floor board they like to corrode i have a 2003 bmw e46 sedan had the same issue
@@factisstrangerthanfiction7179 m3 were always different in style regatding interieur. In the 90s the m3 cost new twice as much and therefore they had to offer a lot. They sold well in germany, but only manual shift got real demand. You can get them for cheap here.
Let me give you some advice in starting a charging system diagnosis on a bmw. Get that "carquest" alternator out asap. Put a rebuilt bosch or valeo, a new battery, then start diagnosing it after that...
@@johannkuhn5685 Ya. The E46 is very very simple in terms of charging too. Very few modules and shouldn't be that hard to figure out once you take those aftermarket cheap variables out of the equation.
it's not hard to see if the alternator itself is making power, there ate posts on the alternator and touching that with a simple multi-meter will make sure the alternator is at least generating power. then you know you have a problem getting the power from the alternator to the battery. Maybe Samcrac should look at the South Main Auto channel and see how they diagnose the wiring issues.
If you're bored with that 996 (which I can totally understand due to its muted color, predictable driving characteristics and gosh-darned reliability) I bet I know someone who would be interested. First name: GT. Last name: Oger.
might get a little more bang for his buck if the guy who paints the door, also repainted the hood to delete the Red for the same $5000 ( maybe toss in another $250 )
Assuming the alternator has output when running 14.6 ish volts, and the battery is in good condition. Try the heater resistor,(hedgehog) common E46 problem, drains the battery overnight.
They're not skyrocketing where I live. Nice ones easily had for $15k. Yes, mint low mileage manual coupes are expensive, but the car here is not that. Sam did not underpay for this one, IMO. It's a hot mess, complete with the wrong paint, bullet hole and flood title.
Buddy Revell..It takes one to know one....lol....but all kidding aside...A sure sign of person has reached their knowledge threshold is when they start judging and name calling...
The only worse thing that could have happened to this car was smoking in it...ever notice that you don't see people in this type of car hanging out in the park munching McDonald's in the driver's seat? I would get out and take up a picnic bench to eat. It drives my wife and kid nuts that I have a strict no eating policy in my Mustang...
I spent the better part of a month chasing down the same exact issue in similar era BMW Mini... I was sure there would be water ingress but it turned out to be a faulty tachometer believe it or not. Since all of the vehicles control modules are connected via CAN bus, one malfunction would effect the whole vehicle. I would start by checking all of the control modules closest to or below the flood line, even modules that have nothing to do with engine operation.
Yep, thats the way to do it. Bet its a single module with water damage causing a nocom and the car just shits itself. Diagnostic tools and OBD breakout box FTW.
Do you seriously think someone spent thousands of dollars painting a 20 year old flood car? This paint job was obviously done when the car was new and still worth some money.
It’s better to stick to the original colour otherwise if you need to repaint something like the door you will need to know the exact color code Anyway it looks ok
I had cars that flooded before. The first thing you need to do is disconnect the battery, pull the seats and the carpet and check if there is any damage to the wiring located there. Also it will tell u of the previous owner already cleaned that area.
Considering this was flooded, it could be a lot worse. Worst case you'll have to replace the entire wiring loom, but for 75% off that may not be a bad tradeoff!
Replace the positive and negative wires from the battery all the way to the ground point and starter. You prolly have low continuity from corroded terminal wires. BMWs house the battery in the trunk notorious for water intrusion. From the trunk there are long cords to reach the battery to the starter any point could be corroded. Replace all the battery cables!
i would check the bat wire coming from the alternator see if there is any corrosion and somehow its is possible do a continuity test and see if there is a break in the wire somewhere
Positive cable running from the trunk under the carpet up the passenger side. There is a middle break point, with metal bracket. If it is corroded it could cause a parasitic draw, and could cause a hard short. Lastly the E46 also had a bad ecm issue on non smg transmission models. If the ecm is failing it will be intermittent, just had this same issue on another car. If you have a good scan tool that will run telematics while driving leave it plugged in and drive it and you will see the ECM fail. If not check that cable mentioned above.
sam speed dial legit street cars he is a walking encyclopedia on bmw cars especially the older ones i bet he would steer you in the right direction with out even seeing the m3 cheers from down under
When grounding points get repainted they don't work well. The fresh paint in the engine bay may have screwed up connections. I saw a painted alternator completely fail to work until the mounting points were sanded down to metal.
One idea I had was to do a parasitic battery draw test. Basically you use a multimeter to check for current pull from the battery with it off (you have to use some precautions on how you do this-I've seen some precedures on it) and then go through and pull each fuse one at a time to see if you can stop the current drain. That at least helps you indentify the problem circuit/component (like maybe a short somewhere due to water damage).
I worked at a Jag dealership back in the 70's. We had a "hanger queen" car that had made it around to every mechanic and I was the last. It was a flood electrical problem much like your beemer. The fuse panel was a two piece screwed together unit. The interconnecting wires were burnt. Replacement solved the electrical issue. I hope this helps.
Sam, years ago I owned a 1982 XR3i. One day it started to pressure the fuel system when I wasn't even in the car. Long story short, it was water in the fuel pump relay which was under the dash near the door. Water had leaked in to it slowly, making the circuit and tuning the pump on. I opened the relay, dried it and sealed it up. Maybe your M3 has a relay that is filled with water.
An old trick is to remove the negative cable when it's running. If it dies, your alternator is wrecked. I had the same issue with my e90 330, and it was the aux cable on the positive going to the battery. It was nasty and as soon as I replaced it, there was no more problem. Also jump on one of the forums like bimmerforums, they're really solid at having a ton of knowledge. The e46 M3 is very well represented there as well.
My 2001 E39 520i had two three issues in its life: Alternator issue - it had a fake charge with low amperage that cluster did not indicate - was fixed by changing a conductive ring inside. Battery issue - failed during cold weather only, replaced it and all good. Electric fan issue (AC/radiator) - had a funky kind of short circuit that escalated in an electric fire. One thing to keep in mind if you have electric AC/radiator fan issues is that it has an always on 12V line with a 50A fuse, it can also get a PWM signal from the engine management to keep it on even if the ingnition is off to cool the car down after a rougher ride in warm weather. As far as I experienced BMWs do this click-wont-start issue if the battery voltage goes under 12V. Also a simple shorted inside or glovebox light can cause draining the battery overnight.
Sam That is the same problem i have with a 535i E39 it used to cut out and stall on odd occasions,I tracked the problem to a bad earth at the battery it looked fine on the outside but the core was broken and was causing a resistance in the wire,Soon as i replaced it my car fired up and ran sweet without issue,Also might want to check the LCM in the right side of the footwell on the passenger side of the car,UK it's by the driver behind a trim piece,It's low down and inside the Shell of the car so a pain in the butt to get out but if it is water damaged it can cause electrical issue's
Sweet job done on this flood damaged m3 looks great mags are splendid and I agree with changing the rear lights removing the horrible black paint on the bonnet
those are all original style 67 wheels, it has the square set up, which is good for improving handling and fixing the under steering problem, it just needs some repair, good Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires, coilovers, sway bars, and this car will handle like a dream
Check and make sure the alternator is the correct one. I knew of a guy that had a problem with a mercedes not charging. He replaced the alternator 4 times till he discovered that it was missing a part for the ECU to talk to the alternator and to tell the alternator to charge or shut off charging. Once he got the right alternator, it went properly. See if you have voltage off the alternator when the car is running. Attach a multimeter to the engine ground, and touch to positive to the alternator's power cable.
I love M series BMWs and Alpena(s) they make such great lawn ornaments. Modern Mercedes Benz make great paperweights too . . . if you don't mind the oil and coolant stains.
Hi. You should check the main positive cable in the trunk. There should be a connection not far from the batteri, through the body. They are known to go bad, and you can get the problems you have on this car. Also, the main grounding cable from the engine to the rail is known to be corroded and break. Keep up the good content on your channel. I'm a fan !!
Nice Sam, buying a car in the winter and just now posting a video of how you bought the car. And at 17:57, nice job cutting 3 different clips together to.
Run a negative battery wire from the body of the alternator back to the neg post of the battery. If it start charging the battery then you still have a grounding issue. I did this on one of my cars and it solve the problem.
If was a standard 3 series she would be already crushed, but a manual M3 is for sure highly collectible. Obviously dealing with the electrical systems of a german car of 2000s could be a nightmare but also a source of entertaining youtube content, this one deserves a chance because runs and drive, other than that good luck with this project 🤞
Start by checking the electrical connections and the battery. The battery may have a intermittent short internally that kills the output. Then see if the car is getting power to the jumpstart connection under the hood. All BMWs have a place to jumpstart the car under the hood because if the battery goes dead you can't get into the trunk where the battery is. If all that checks out run a wire directly from the battery to the starter solenoid wire. If it still doesn't crank you have a power or ground problem not a module problem.
Hi Sam, I know on the older e30 if the battery light on the cluster was burned out, the charging wont work. The light completes the charging circuit. Turn the ignition on and the light should come on with all the other cluster lights that usually come on befor starting. If you don't see it you may want to start at the cluster. Cheers!
Finally some content on the E46 M3! I’ve been eyeing this in every video 😆 Btw, thanks for the search tip on AutoTempest; I am shopping for a project E46 M3 👍🏽💯
Make sure the boot (aka trunk lol) wiring loom that runs up the side of the inside hinge of the lid is good. It lives inside a rubber protection boot. There are 5 or 6 earth/gorund wires in there that fracture over time after so many open/closures of the lid. There are replacement kits available that simply crimp straight in. You could also try and remove the EWS (immobilser) function from the car by using Ecuworx software and an INPA compatible cable - all very cheap. If the car remains stable afer deleting the ews then that is your fault. Another one can be easily sourced and as far as I know they can be cloned.
After market LED rear lights can cause all sorts of problems with the canbus system. First thing I would do is replace with normal lamps and run a fault check. It could well sort the problem.
I would check the connector to the alternator and follow the wiring back to the bcm. Use a multimeter and check for continuity to the alternator. I’ve also seen on some occasions where it’s the battery even though it may seem ok, the cells could be bad. Also ensure the alternator is correct for the car ( right number of amps - Especially if other e46 variants use similar units. To be on the safe side if you know anyone with an M3 swop over their working alternator to eliminate alternator completely. Good luck!
Sam, check he power cable from the battery to the starter motor. Check the starter motor power cable connection for pitting as if it is sparking. This issue will drain the battery, keep it from charging.
Not to be captain obvious, but If you are thinking ground, it could have been caused from when it was painted. Sometimes the ground strap on a vehicle has paint under it where it reattaches to the body/frame of the vehicle when run from the engine. Especially since this could have been a engine out repaint. Or maybe the ground cable from the battery has paint of under it as well. Assuming the problem occured after the paint job.
Check the Comfort Module (central locking, key fob recognition...) shorting out. It may be linked to the Immobiliser system which itself could lead to the car not allowing Ignition while it does turn over the starter motor when you turn the key
You are such a newbie to BMW cars and as a BMW owner you must learn that we do never ever under any circumstances put on blinkers.... OK... You got that!
Try replacing the red battery terminal (BST), it's part of the SRS system and will not charge or start a car after it gets blown. Also try the negative terminal as well, I would replace both to rule them both out. But red first, I read that it is possible to bypass this system and hammer the red cable straight onto the battery. Accessories will work but eventually the car will not start or charge the battery even if the alternator says 14+ volts. Had this happen after an accident with my E46.
![Natanael Cano - Amor Eterno [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EO4prCs6WpM/mqdefault.jpg)
Replaced the alternator-car still dies
Replaced the alternator-car still dies
"Yeah its the alternator"
Definition of insanity doing the same thing and expecting a different result.
That's what I was thinking. The previous owner clearly didn't know what was really wrong with that car.
Hahahahaha, I love it.
Especially when ANY store that sells alternators can TEST them to verify that they're bad or not.
That's what *I* would do. Take that alternator to Autozone/O'Reilly/Advance and get it tested.
Exactly
Far cry 3 👍
If you’re going to sell a car, no matter what condition, CLEAN IT!!!! God lord
When I've gone to see cars people are selling. If they don't wash it, it says alot about the owner and you'll start to notice other signs of neglect on the car. If they can't be bothered to wash it quickly with some water is usually a car to avoid.
I know right? I see people selling cars on facebook and kijiji and many won't even take the litter out. I mean WTF? Takes 20 mins to and a garbage bag to remove all the debris and give the interior a vacuum. That tells you a LOT about the seller. Now with that being said, my work trucks are atrocious but they are work trucks and I'm not trying to sell them.
I mean this is the same person that replaced the alternator twice and still claims it’s the alternator. If that doesn’t say insanity than I don’t know what does
Yeah I was cringing at how unkept the car was, makes me sad an m3 fell into those hands
Why would anyone run an ad for a car and not bother to wash it and vacuum the interior? That’s crazy.
Newer 3 series had problems with the positive wire going bad (the one from the trunk to the alternator). It's a good starting point.
It's easy to check too....measure voltage at the alternator running, measure the voltage at the battery. If they are the same? not the problem. If they are different? that's the problem.
Muskoka Mike not a bad point! If I were doing that while I’m working on it, I would check for resistance in that line and match it with factory spec. Just a quick little extra step you could take
Car quest alternator can do weird stuff I had one on a mini and caused an over voltage at redline I would get a better brand one
@@Wide_open Denso reman all the way, if they make one for this applicatiom
Rectifier?
Check the positive batt aux cable that runs from the trunk to the front it will run on the pass side under the carpet pass front floor board they like to corrode i have a 2003 bmw e46 sedan had the same issue
My 2009 E90 had the same issue
I hope it’s that with Samcrac too
Off topic but is the e46 interior the same as an m3. Are there any significant differences 👍
@@factisstrangerthanfiction7179 m3 were always different in style regatding interieur.
In the 90s the m3 cost new twice as much and therefore they had to offer a lot.
They sold well in germany, but only manual shift got real demand. You can get them for cheap here.
@@typxxilps Thanks for info bro 👍
The front and back wheels seem to be swapped... m3’s have wider wheels at the back, this one has them vice versa.
That’s normal because samcrac did a tire rotation lol...
Staggered setup
In the hood that is how it is done....was that a stick on bullet hole????
Good info I thought something was off with those wheels
his BMW is FWD.
Body shop: what parts do you want red? Owner: Yes
Looking a bit like someone didn't realise this has staggered wheels, and has put the rear wheels on the front of the car.
Was thinking the same thing, the front ones are way too far out
Vlad cccp I thought square setup is same size tyre on all 4 corners
@Vlad cccp squared is all the same, J and ET. Staggered is wider in the rear. These are switched back to front for sure.
Soon as I seen it I was like those are snow tires. They were for the rear. Staggered.
WZUP????
these cars should come with a slot where you can insert money into the dash to get it to start.
my son has a 5 series...something is ALWAYS breaking down.
That is the future for BMW'S now some of the accessories of new BMW are subscriptions based 🔥
THE actual term is you need to buy the car twice.....
ARGH.... :(
If you don’t do your own wrenching don’t buy a bmw I mean don’t buy there very needy mechanically & 💵. But there fun to drive
Finally a flood damaged car.
Watch RICH REBUILDS Channel lmfaooooo
@@Rywrld he's not as informative as samcrac
“Crickets”......
The Jetta was one I think.
You mean another flood car?
Let me give you some advice in starting a charging system diagnosis on a bmw. Get that "carquest" alternator out asap. Put a rebuilt bosch or valeo, a new battery, then start diagnosing it after that...
Good point, BMWs don't like aftermarket parts.
@@johannkuhn5685 Ya. The E46 is very very simple in terms of charging too. Very few modules and shouldn't be that hard to figure out once you take those aftermarket cheap variables out of the equation.
I completely agree with this statement! I just put a rebuilt Bosch and it was like $80 from eBay an it did the trick
Agreed. On my X5, it had the wrong alternator and battery and ran horribly. Now it’s back to spec and runs fine.
it's not hard to see if the alternator itself is making power, there ate posts on the alternator and touching that with a simple multi-meter will make sure the alternator is at least generating power. then you know you have a problem getting the power from the alternator to the battery.
Maybe Samcrac should look at the South Main Auto channel and see how they diagnose the wiring issues.
If you're bored with that 996 (which I can totally understand due to its muted color, predictable driving characteristics and gosh-darned reliability) I bet I know someone who would be interested. First name: GT. Last name: Oger.
"Money Back Right There", "won't tell him about that"
might get a little more bang for his buck if the guy who paints the door, also repainted the hood to delete the Red for the same $5000 ( maybe toss in another $250 )
Assuming the alternator has output when running 14.6 ish volts, and the battery is in good condition.
Try the heater resistor,(hedgehog) common E46 problem, drains the battery overnight.
Amazing Find! These cars are skyrocketing in value, even with salvage titles. Can't wait to see what you do with it! Good Luck!
There he goes!!!!!
They're not skyrocketing where I live. Nice ones easily had for $15k. Yes, mint low mileage manual coupes are expensive, but the car here is not that. Sam did not underpay for this one, IMO. It's a hot mess, complete with the wrong paint, bullet hole and flood title.
@@OMGWTFLOLSMH Sam will gloss over the fact that it needs a new suspension and it burns oil.
OMGWTFLOL and where are you nere id love to find one !!
@@OMGWTFLOLSMH hardtop manuals in my entire state for sale could be counted on one hand. And those are with high high mileage
That john deere tractor was the best looking vehicle this episode xD
Watch RICH REBUILDS Channel 😂😂😂
Samcrac's yard and garage - the boulevard of broken dreams.
The car caught a bullet for rollin in a crip hood
💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
Looks like a 22 bullet hole
Everything about that car screams idiot owned and operated.
The hot air intake in particular, spend money to reduce performance.
Buddy Revell..It takes one to know one....lol....but all kidding aside...A sure sign of person has reached their knowledge threshold is when they start judging and name calling...
@@mark006868 lighten up Francis.
@@mark006868 Its obvious the car was idiot owned.
The only worse thing that could have happened to this car was smoking in it...ever notice that you don't see people in this type of car hanging out in the park munching McDonald's in the driver's seat? I would get out and take up a picnic bench to eat. It drives my wife and kid nuts that I have a strict no eating policy in my Mustang...
I spent the better part of a month chasing down the same exact issue in similar era BMW Mini... I was sure there would be water ingress but it turned out to be a faulty tachometer believe it or not. Since all of the vehicles control modules are connected via CAN bus, one malfunction would effect the whole vehicle. I would start by checking all of the control modules closest to or below the flood line, even modules that have nothing to do with engine operation.
Yep, thats the way to do it. Bet its a single module with water damage causing a nocom and the car just shits itself. Diagnostic tools and OBD breakout box FTW.
Samcrac might need to feature you in a video haha these cars sound like a rubixcube
WZUP????
Maybe instead of a paint job they should have first spent the $3k on getting it to run. But what do I know.
I think he said it was running fine and the stop issue started recently......
With the engine bay and door jambs painted? That was more than a 3K paint chart
I was under the assumption it was painted before it was flooded
Do you seriously think someone spent thousands of dollars painting a 20 year old flood car? This paint job was obviously done when the car was new and still worth some money.
@@paragontau7995 Sam told the story about the car. The person he got it from bought it as a flood car at auction and it was black
I'm digging that red paint!
It definitely doesn't look bad, but imagine if it was imola red
Hey it’s Alex haha
It’s better to stick to the original colour otherwise if you need to repaint something like the door you will need to know the exact color code
Anyway it looks ok
SHIT!!!!
I had cars that flooded before. The first thing you need to do is disconnect the battery, pull the seats and the carpet and check if there is any damage to the wiring located there. Also it will tell u of the previous owner already cleaned that area.
Considering this was flooded, it could be a lot worse. Worst case you'll have to replace the entire wiring loom, but for 75% off that may not be a bad tradeoff!
If he is going to keep it it's a steal but if he's looking to sell it idk many who would buy a flood bmw even if it was fixed
WTF??z?
I dunno man, I'd double check to make sure all the VIN's match on this one. Something isn't right.
Samcrac: I bought a car
Rich rebuilds: sell it to me I know you wont finish it
@@WatchRichRebuildsChannel Erm, what about the mini he picked up?
@@WatchRichRebuildsChannel E46 M3's Production Run | 2001-2006
@@WatchRichRebuildsChannel And its not the car thats cool. Its the Engine.
Rich would never finish it either lol
Replace the positive and negative wires from the battery all the way to the ground point and starter. You prolly have low continuity from corroded terminal wires. BMWs house the battery in the trunk notorious for water intrusion. From the trunk there are long cords to reach the battery to the starter any point could be corroded. Replace all the battery cables!
i would check the bat wire coming from the alternator see if there is any corrosion and somehow its is possible do a continuity test and see if there is a break in the wire somewhere
and the ground, both at the alt and the battery. I was wondering if maybe the charging rate is controlled on it? Via the ECU?
Check electrical connector at alternator, make sure it's has power and ground to it. Power wire from alternator to battery
That's what I was thinking as well
Plug a reader into obd it will tell you about any open circuit, short circuit issues
Positive cable running from the trunk under the carpet up the passenger side. There is a middle break point, with metal bracket. If it is corroded it could cause a parasitic draw, and could cause a hard short.
Lastly the E46 also had a bad ecm issue on non smg transmission models. If the ecm is failing it will be intermittent, just had this same issue on another car. If you have a good scan tool that will run telematics while driving leave it plugged in and drive it and you will see the ECM fail. If not check that cable mentioned above.
This thing is one of my dream cars I hope this turns out well but I have trust in our boy
sam speed dial legit street cars he is a walking encyclopedia on bmw cars especially the older ones i bet he would steer you in the right direction with out even seeing the m3 cheers from down under
Is that a "ringer" a stolen red car with the flooded car's paperwork?
When grounding points get repainted they don't work well. The fresh paint in the engine bay may have screwed up connections. I saw a painted alternator completely fail to work until the mounting points were sanded down to metal.
I think the front wheels are on the back (and vice versa)??👍👍
Lol I thought the same shit 😂😂
One idea I had was to do a parasitic battery draw test. Basically you use a multimeter to check for current pull from the battery with it off (you have to use some precautions on how you do this-I've seen some precedures on it) and then go through and pull each fuse one at a time to see if you can stop the current drain. That at least helps you indentify the problem circuit/component (like maybe a short somewhere due to water damage).
That red in the M3 makes me feel ill 🤢
I worked at a Jag dealership back in the 70's. We had a "hanger queen" car that had made it around to every mechanic and I was the last. It was a flood electrical problem much like your beemer. The fuse panel was a two piece screwed together unit. The interconnecting wires were burnt. Replacement solved the electrical issue. I hope this helps.
Sam, years ago I owned a 1982 XR3i. One day it started to pressure the fuel system when I wasn't even in the car. Long story short, it was water in the fuel pump relay which was under the dash near the door. Water had leaked in to it slowly, making the circuit and tuning the pump on. I opened the relay, dried it and sealed it up. Maybe your M3 has a relay that is filled with water.
I’m sure that Autozone has some Fix-A-Flood... so, you’re good to go. Unreal.
An old trick is to remove the negative cable when it's running. If it dies, your alternator is wrecked. I had the same issue with my e90 330, and it was the aux cable on the positive going to the battery. It was nasty and as soon as I replaced it, there was no more problem. Also jump on one of the forums like bimmerforums, they're really solid at having a ton of knowledge. The e46 M3 is very well represented there as well.
When a 16 year gets a M3 and watches to many Fast and Furious movies
My 2001 E39 520i had two three issues in its life: Alternator issue - it had a fake charge with low amperage that cluster did not indicate - was fixed by changing a conductive ring inside. Battery issue - failed during cold weather only, replaced it and all good. Electric fan issue (AC/radiator) - had a funky kind of short circuit that escalated in an electric fire. One thing to keep in mind if you have electric AC/radiator fan issues is that it has an always on 12V line with a 50A fuse, it can also get a PWM signal from the engine management to keep it on even if the ingnition is off to cool the car down after a rougher ride in warm weather. As far as I experienced BMWs do this click-wont-start issue if the battery voltage goes under 12V. Also a simple shorted inside or glovebox light can cause draining the battery overnight.
Have you checked the condition of the battery? Sounds like the battery isn't holding charge if the alternator has been changed a few times.
Sam- very timely video. I just landed a s600 2008 that was flooded. Thank you!
Take a moment to say congratulations Sam your over 1 Million subscriber's
Sam That is the same problem i have with a 535i E39 it used to cut out and stall on odd occasions,I tracked the problem to a bad earth at the battery it looked fine on the outside but the core was broken and was causing a resistance in the wire,Soon as i replaced it my car fired up and ran sweet without issue,Also might want to check the LCM in the right side of the footwell on the passenger side of the car,UK it's by the driver behind a trim piece,It's low down and inside the Shell of the car so a pain in the butt to get out but if it is water damaged it can cause electrical issue's
Your problem is most likely old German car related.
I concour
owner of a 2006 Z4...mechanically sound, but the adhesives have hardened and the plastics have become brittle and crack at the slightest pressure
Sweet job done on this flood damaged m3 looks great mags are splendid and I agree with changing the rear lights removing the horrible black paint on the bonnet
There could be french fries clogging up your fuel filter.
Funniest comment here so far.
Thanks for showing auto tempest. I definitely would like a little project car on the side.
such a nice car to be flooded out, unfortunate, hopefully it can be saved
Absolutely love the e46 m3 project I been asking about it for a month when I seen it in another video in background! Love the channel samcrac
Thanks so much for the feedback!
Samcrac your very welcome!!! Thanks for the reply!
Don't eat the carpet fries...
Finally! A video of the E46 M3 which I have been asking for soo much in the comment section! 👍
My guess is voltage regulator. That might be built into the pcm.
If there's a new alternator there should be a new regulator on it
Something is off with this car! To me it doesn’t look like a legitimate e46 m3.
You can see WBS in the vin at 10:31, which means M car.
@@michaeldarges That VIN sticker looks funky actually.....
I had an 06 with the competition package. It just seemed at first glance to be a fake.
when u watch these videos and think....it never rains.. ..me edinburgh scotland ..pishes down all year..cheers for another vid
When has an aftermarket bumper ever worked out for you?
those are all original style 67 wheels, it has the square set up, which is good for improving handling and fixing the under steering problem, it just needs some repair, good Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires, coilovers, sway bars, and this car will handle like a dream
Poor poor fitment, 5 figures for that? Never. This car seems fishy, some alarm bells are ringing.
Check and make sure the alternator is the correct one. I knew of a guy that had a problem with a mercedes not charging. He replaced the alternator 4 times till he discovered that it was missing a part for the ECU to talk to the alternator and to tell the alternator to charge or shut off charging. Once he got the right alternator, it went properly. See if you have voltage off the alternator when the car is running. Attach a multimeter to the engine ground, and touch to positive to the alternator's power cable.
The interior 🤮🤮
I love M series BMWs and Alpena(s) they make such great lawn ornaments. Modern Mercedes Benz make great paperweights too . . . if you don't mind the oil and coolant stains.
Says a lot about a person who keeps the interior that filthy.
The E46 project I just bought has the same issues, looking forward to the videos Sam!
what’s with the wheels? They look really mismatched.
Hi. You should check the main positive cable in the trunk. There should be a connection not far from the batteri, through the body. They are known to go bad, and you can get the problems you have on this car. Also, the main grounding cable from the engine to the rail is known to be corroded and break. Keep up the good content on your channel. I'm a fan !!
flood BMW oh lord he has officially lost it
It's not bad at all especially for the price you got it for.... Good buy, all the best on the build
Everything about this car screams walk away
Nice Sam, buying a car in the winter and just now posting a video of how you bought the car. And at 17:57, nice job cutting 3 different clips together to.
If your cars in a flood DO NOT TRY TO START THE ENGINE
People need to thinking twice before putting those thumbs down. Guys on RUclips work hard to record and edit these👏🏾 great video
I would look for a parasitic draw.
Absolutely the first thing to check .. easy to do b4 you fire the parts cannon at random
AC resister also called hedgehog or known to give those issues
Run a negative battery wire from the body of the alternator back to the neg post of the battery. If it start charging the battery then you still have a grounding issue. I did this on one of my cars and it solve the problem.
Probably the smartest comment in here for eliminating one of the many issues he may have.
Man! You really do videos way out of order. That car was sitting covered in leaves in your field months ago.
I'm glad you bought the M3, now it's time to give it a diagnostic test.
"This could be red."
(Some people will get it)
So do you want him to get a different car?
Hahahaha I loved that VinWiki.. This could be Red..
Lol
6:54 I see it's already got the "speed hole" mod installed! 😎
When are you finishing the Range Rover and the Ferrari ? Or are you just going to keep buying BS cars.
Don’t forget the lambo
1 million subscribers says whatever he’s doing is working.
If was a standard 3 series she would be already crushed, but a manual M3 is for sure highly collectible. Obviously dealing with the electrical systems of a german car of 2000s could be a nightmare but also a source of entertaining youtube content, this one deserves a chance because runs and drive, other than that good luck with this project 🤞
Buy a lamborghini tractor.
Start by checking the electrical connections and the battery. The battery may have a intermittent short internally that kills the output. Then see if the car is getting power to the jumpstart connection under the hood. All BMWs have a place to jumpstart the car under the hood because if the battery goes dead you can't get into the trunk where the battery is. If all that checks out run a wire directly from the battery to the starter solenoid wire. If it still doesn't crank you have a power or ground problem not a module problem.
I am waiting for a day very soon when Samcrac has more abandoned cars than subscribers!
Hi Sam, I know on the older e30 if the battery light on the cluster was burned out, the charging wont work. The light completes the charging circuit. Turn the ignition on and the light should come on with all the other cluster lights that usually come on befor starting. If you don't see it you may want to start at the cluster.
Cheers!
Finally some content on the E46 M3! I’ve been eyeing this in every video 😆 Btw, thanks for the search tip on AutoTempest; I am shopping for a project E46 M3 👍🏽💯
A new nice project Sam👍 hoping you'll clear this electrical problem
Hey Sam. I love the e46 m3. You have the 18 inch wheels but judging by the offset they are all rears as the fronts should seat differently.
Make sure the boot (aka trunk lol) wiring loom that runs up the side of the inside hinge of the lid is good. It lives inside a rubber protection boot. There are 5 or 6 earth/gorund wires in there that fracture over time after so many open/closures of the lid. There are replacement kits available that simply crimp straight in. You could also try and remove the EWS (immobilser) function from the car by using Ecuworx software and an INPA compatible cable - all very cheap. If the car remains stable afer deleting the ews then that is your fault. Another one can be easily sourced and as far as I know they can be cloned.
After market LED rear lights can cause all sorts of problems with the canbus system. First thing I would do is replace with normal lamps and run a fault check. It could well sort the problem.
Bmw dedicated computer to start checking things out. Like Rhine gold.
I would check the connector to the alternator and follow the wiring back to the bcm. Use a multimeter and check for continuity to the alternator. I’ve also seen on some occasions where it’s the battery even though it may seem ok, the cells could be bad. Also ensure the alternator is correct for the car ( right number of amps - Especially if other e46 variants use similar units. To be on the safe side if you know anyone with an M3 swop over their working alternator to eliminate alternator completely. Good luck!
Those Weathertec mats in the front are £100 for a pair, good sign of a good owner
Sam, check he power cable from the battery to the starter motor. Check the starter motor power cable connection for pitting as if it is sparking. This issue will drain the battery, keep it from charging.
Not to be captain obvious, but If you are thinking ground, it could have been caused from when it was painted. Sometimes the ground strap on a vehicle has paint under it where it reattaches to the body/frame of the vehicle when run from the engine. Especially since this could have been a engine out repaint. Or maybe the ground cable from the battery has paint of under it as well. Assuming the problem occured after the paint job.
good luck getting this one running Sam... should be fun when it is finished.
Check the Comfort Module (central locking, key fob recognition...) shorting out. It may be linked to the Immobiliser system which itself could lead to the car not allowing Ignition while it does turn over the starter motor when you turn the key
You are such a newbie to BMW cars and as a BMW owner you must learn that we do never ever under any circumstances put on blinkers.... OK... You got that!
Try replacing the red battery terminal (BST), it's part of the SRS system and will not charge or start a car after it gets blown. Also try the negative terminal as well, I would replace both to rule them both out. But red first, I read that it is possible to bypass this system and hammer the red cable straight onto the battery. Accessories will work but eventually the car will not start or charge the battery even if the alternator says 14+ volts. Had this happen after an accident with my E46.