Well, I wire brushed the battery terminals and the ground connection at the fender and checked with the phototach and the cranking RPM is a little higher now at 130. I also took a voltage drop reading between the starter + terminal and battery + post and it was 0.33 V. Is that an acceptable drop? I will clean the ground strap connections next and repeat the measurememnts.

How do you normally access the upper starter bolt? Mine is missing since I bought the car. Maybe it's part of the problem. I tried putting in a new bolt from the bottom and could barely get it started by hand but could not get the 10 mm hex driver on it. Do I go from the top? Looks like I have to remove the battery, heat shield, air cleaner and the transmission oil fill tube?

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked