slow turnover-Battery or Starter or both?

omodos · #1 10-26-2018, 07:03 AM

Hi all, any feedback much appreciated

Batteries undoubtedly age but what I noticed today was I had to keep the key in the ignition position for at least 25 seconds, and could hear starter motor labouring, whirring but slower and slower and slower (thought Id drain battery) X5 then came to life.

Drove about a mile after this, car rested a few hours, on getting back to car and turning key to ignition position it more or less immediately came to life!, there was no slow turnover whirr whirr until it started....so could this be battery throwing out it's last signs of life? or could it be that leaving the key in the ignition/start position for the 25 odd seconds etc could have cleaned or decarboned bushes in starter due to its continued spinning?(yup may well burn out the bushes I guess) Its not the first time I have experienced this, and am 100% sure every time this has happened my starting was more or less instant....the starter motor is audibly quicker.

Temps have dropped here a bit, nothing drastic but enough to give me the slow starts I mention....will give my mechanic a call if he is aware of any issues with the denso started motor I got on the X....was well tempted to buy a new battery too

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SlickGT1 · #2 10-26-2018, 08:03 AM

Well, you are in luck. Look at my signature. Follow instruction to unlock OBC. Do voltage check before starting car.

But the fact that it started easier after driving means it got some charge, and you battery is on its way out. I suggest you tacke this earlier than later as these cars are sensative to bad voltages. Like really sensative.

omodos · #3 10-26-2018, 10:20 AM

mr.slick thanks for info , ok the obc trick is neat done it and in the past all readings ok, this year indeed battery may be on its last legs yet to test via obc, but wondering if the starter is the culprit here as have read of stories of excessive amp draw by them....but specifically the magnetti marelli brand not denso as i have....

mechanic i called said it maybe glow plugs but my query is why the slow turnover of starter which can't be related to glowplugs....i think first attack is installing a new battery seeing the starter does spin into life and take it from there

wpoll · #4 10-26-2018, 07:46 PM

If the battery is tired, the extra load of the glow plugs can certainly take the edge off it. The total electrical load of all six glow plugs being on can be over 50 amps - quite a load on the battery!

omodos · #5 10-27-2018, 01:09 PM

Thanks had a talk with my mechanic he said we will check battery and starter amp draw...a test i did 2 years ago showed 392amps and over 400 on startup...apparently 200 is them norm...could well be this causing my issues...

omodos · #6 10-30-2018, 02:21 AM

ok this is starting to do my head in, I took it to my mechanic and he confirmed the battery is on the weak side he got a 9.55 reading on starting car, ....to prove it he hooked it up to a booster pack and indeed it did start quicker but the startup was still laboured....so he suggested get a new battery and we get starter reconditioned or replaced....battery I am all for, the starter i included amp clamp photo test ...it read 392 on startup (update on this (car electrician guy) connected the clamp which had a + reading on clamp) but connected to the negative cable of the battery...is this totally wrong as a reading now? or is the negative figure just the equivalent of the real amp draw in reverse?

SlickGT1 · #7 10-31-2018, 07:26 AM

Your battery is shot. Get a new one, then go from there. Why are you making it more complicated?

omodos · #8 10-31-2018, 07:49 AM

@Slik, ok battery is weak as was getting it drop to 9.55v on startup BUT even when new was getting these laboured startups, which got a bit better regardless of new battery or booster pack etc being used....I dont doubt that installing a new one will help but am trying to get to the core of the laboured start....so as others have noted could be the starter zapping the strength(too high a an amp draw) on each startup and me not driving it enough for the alt to be able to replenish to a sufficient level (alt tested is charging fine).

I could bite the bullet and get a new starter and battery and see but don't really wanna throw that kind of money into it without knowing that the starter is the culprit and not some bad connection etc

SlickGT1 · #9 10-31-2018, 02:48 PM

How old is the battery anyway?

omodos · #10 10-31-2018, 03:43 PM

Dont kick me, its 5 years old

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