Car will not start

This problem started about three or four months ago after it had rained.

But some background first:

I had purchased this car about two years ago and drove it less than two hundred and fifty miles in that time. For the first four months I started the car about once a week. I then had to store it for six months. After that I was able to drive the car around my neighborhood about once or twice a week. In this two year period I have put about two hundred and fifty to two hundred and eighty miles on the car. During this time period I purchased a new battery and then had to have it replaced after six months because it was totally drained (the car has an alarm fitted as standard) after having the car parked for four months.

When I was able to start it regularly it ran absolutely fine until the gas gauge showed yellow indicating it was near empty. Around this time it rained heavily and when I tried to start the car it would not fire though it turned over. Thinking I had run out of fuel I went and got a gallon of gas in a spare gas tank and put that it in. The car eventually started but the exhaust was very thick blue smoke like it was burning oil. It sputtered for a few minutes and belched out this crap before settling down to the way it used to run before this incident happened with the smoke clearing up completely.

Leaving the car in my driveway this way without going and filling up, I tried to start the car a day or so later and it would not start. What happened is that the engine turned over and then suddenly stopped as though, literally, a spanner had been thrown in between the starter motor gear and engine flywheel. It stopped with a thunk. I tried a few times to start the car and the same thing would happen or the engine would not turn over at all but the lights inside the cabin would just dim as though a great drain on the battery was occurring when trying to start the car.

Thinking that the starter motor had gone, I purchased a new starter motor and installed it along with a new fuel filter, a new rubber boot that goes between the throttle body and the mass air flow sensor and a new hose that goes from the mass air flow sensor to the idle regulating valve.

This took about two months as I had to order parts bit by bit.

When I got everything put back together again and double checked everything that I had done, I recharged the battery with a battery charger, hooked everything up and tried starting the car. I was able to get the engine to partially run for a second or so but then it would not fire so I kept the engine turning over for a good thirty seconds before I stopped.

Thinking that the fuel had not had time to get to the injectors, I tried starting again and the old problem came back of the engine turning over then abruptly coming to a stop with a thunk after a second or so.

I took the battery out and found that it had low charge it had been drained by the attempt to start the car fir that thirty second stretch it seems. So I recharged the battery and then tried to start the car the next day. The same problem occurred the engine would turn over very briefly before abruptly stopping. Sometimes it would not turn at all but the lights would dim inside the cabin.

In all the above scenarios the starter motor never gave a clicking noise (which I think indicates not enough power getting to the starter). It would either start and quickly stop with a thunk or not turn at all. And that is both starters doing this.

I took the battery out and went to have it tested and it was fine it had about 1000 cranking amps and showed slightly higher than 13 volts.

I was told by the chap who tested the battery that it could be the alternator, but before spending that sort of money I wanted to get your advice on this problem.

I have read the other issues about the engine not starting on other BMW E36s that people have posted here but my situation seems to be slightly different so am wondering if the issue that I have is different too.

I forgot to add one thing, just prior to finishing the installation of the new starter motor I added 16 Oz of Klotz Octane boost to my gas tank as well as one gallon of gas. The fuel gauge is just above reserve and the yellow reserve light does not light up when the ignition is turned on.

I look forward to receiving your response. Thanking you in advance.