What did you do to / for your E53 today??

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by LA02MAX

I've had bad experiences with certain jumper cables in the past, so it could be as simple as that. I tried whatever I could to make them in full contact with each battery terminal and could never get it started. Went to buy new jumper cables and voila. Started immediately.

As far as jumper packs go, I have this cheaper one that I bought at O'Reilly the day I got my X5 (since the @$$ hat previous owner gave it to me with a dead battery). It's shockingly good, though... I've never completely drained the battery before and I've used it a LOT, and it holds a charge on the internal battery for ages. Very pleasantly surprised for the price.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...+battery&pos=0

I have the same jump pack. It works well, except when the battery is really down. Down like you have, below 11 volts. It just doesn't have enough power to fire it up. If I had it to do again, I'd buy one with higher cranking amps. This one only has 600. I think there are higher available.

[Bdc101]

I had the same problem with jumper packs that you had with cables.



I also have found that they only last a few years. Literally every time I have needed the jump pack, it didn't work - either the battery was too dead, or the jumper pack had failed.



Especially with a brand name like "GOOLOO" ... That's just Amazon speak for "Cheap Chinese Crap"

[LA02MAX]

Going on 2 1/2 years with mine. I think the last time I charged it was 7-8 months ago, and it's still showing full charge. It's saved my ass a few times.

[Henn28]

New battery in, despite the New Orleans airport parking management company’s best efforts to not allow me two cars in the garage at the same time, and despite my swearing on my first born that I just wanted to drop off tools and the 60 lb battery. Supremely unhelpful and outright stupid. I’ve been a monthly subscription customer for 15 years, so they know where I live. That’s what a monopoly will do, and a sense of power for some people I suspect.

This guy is now my spirit animal: https://youtu.be/jHl3j9DB8z4?si=vVtZL7FIE4yLcTrB

Cranked right up and drove it home. I do need to drill out, tap and install new bolts to hold the air spring compressor housing on. All four are completely stripped. I also need to find some thinner tubing that I can spice into the OE battery vent tubing but will fit into the (smaller) vent hole in the new battery.

[workingonit]

I've had many jump boxes over the last several decades, all of the lead-acid type, usually from Sears-O'Reilly-Autozone (and from now-defunct stores). My last one died two years ago, and I didn't feel the need to get another (all my vehicles have jumper cables), we have several cars at home to use, and my wife (both retired)and I seldom go anywhere together, so the other one is always available for a jumpstart (just a phone call away), until recently.

I ran my X5's battery down while experimenting using different OBD scan tools, apps, extension cables, bluetooth dongles, USB/OTG/FTDI/K-Line cable, and the X5 wouldn't start, though I had a 1.5 amp Battery Tender hooked up. After that, I moved my Schumacher XCS15 (2-10-15 amps) solid-state charger from my camping truck to the X5, so I could charge/maintain the battery while scanning, even away from home (I have a full-size, garage-type, old-school charger in my garage, too). But, if I ran the battery down away from home, where there was no 110vac to use, then how could I start my BMW?

So, after much research, I decided to try a lightweight lithium-ion jump box by Astro AI (I figured their stuff was OK, since my two favorite automotive YouTubers...South Main Auto & Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics...use some of their tools or meters) from Amazon (my go-to for just about everything, with Rock Auto, and FCPEuro way behind). I like the Amazon return policy, too.


Originally, I had a GOOLOO jump box on my shopping list, but when the Astro AI popped-up, I took the chance on it. I put it in my automotive "go bag" (spare phone & battery pack, Foxwell NT510 Elite scan tool, extra MicroUSB, USB-C, & OBD2 cables, and now including the AstroAI), and take it with me whenever I leave home, just in case.

I haven't used it yet... perhaps I will before winter, but since I keep all my vehicles on charger/maintainers fulltime, I may never get the chance. I might leave the charger off the riding lawnmower battery for awhile (they never last long when unused over the winter, in my experience, and my main use for the last jumpbox I had, after quitting drag-racing, was to jumpstart the failing lawnmower battery). Who knows if it will be as good or long-lasting as the lead-acid jumpboxes I previously used (none were top-line units)?

[LA02MAX]

Originally Posted by Henn28

New battery in, despite the New Orleans airport parking management company’s best efforts to not allow me two cars in the garage at the same time, and despite my swearing on my first born that I just wanted to drop off tools and the 60 lb battery. Supremely unhelpful and outright stupid. I’ve been a monthly subscription customer for 15 years, so they know where I live. That’s what a monopoly will do, and a sense of power for some people I suspect.

This guy is now my spirit animal: https://youtu.be/jHl3j9DB8z4?si=vVtZL7FIE4yLcTrB

Cranked right up and drove it home. I do need to drill out, tap and install new bolts to hold the air spring compressor housing on. All four are completely stripped. I also need to find some thinner tubing that I can spice into the OE battery vent tubing but will fit into the (smaller) vent hole in the new battery.

My fuel pump went out at MSY a few weeks ago. Place is cursed!

[Henn28]

Originally Posted by LA02MAX

My fuel pump went out at MSY a few weeks ago. Place is cursed!

It really is! I read that post of yours with absolute sympathy. Its my second dead battery in the parking lot there in 15 years and both times the answer from New South Parking was "Fu$K off, not our problem to let you into the lot in a second car, even to just drop off tools and a battery." Unreal.

I drove my 1993 grand cherokee beater over there this am, with my fingers crossed, but she made it as she has for 30 years. I eventually had to park it in the long term pay lot next to the employee lot and the thought crossed my mind to just take the registration and tags and leave it in that lot for them as a little present. I've been toying with donating it to NPR, etc., but every time I give it serious consideration the X5 pitches a fit and I need the Jeep to help me rescue the BMW.

[andrewwynn]

The cranking amps is marketing hype. Watch the projectfarm YouTube on jump packs. He measured the actual amps and the ones hyping 2000 actually maybe 400.

I can't remember which came out on top but I'd watch it before buying.

[zuvarak]

Finally decided to change the glow plug module as it started working quite poorly. Glow plugs are all new so I figured to try and get it done without removing the intake.Well that sucked. The special ear on one side of the socket that you have to press was broken so it was rather uncomfortable disconnecting the goddamned thing from the module. Spent 2 hours on this. Was kind of in a rush so I didnt take any pics this time. The old module that I removed in 2 PARTS wasnt even an original one, it didn't have any logos on it or anything. The official process of doing this includes removing the intake and the big coolant pipe that goes into the block.

[Henn28]

Originally Posted by zuvarak

Finally decided to change the glow plug module as it started working quite poorly. Glow plugs are all new so I figured to try and get it done without removing the intake.Well that sucked. The special ear on one side of the socket that you have to press was broken so it was rather uncomfortable disconnecting the goddamned thing from the module. Spent 2 hours on this. Was kind of in a rush so I didnt take any pics this time. The old module that I removed in 2 PARTS wasnt even an original one, it didn't have any logos on it or anything. The official process of doing this includes removing the intake and the big coolant pipe that goes into the block.

Feel your pain; nothing easy with these cars. Pulled my trunk apart to test for parasitic current and leaned that my old multimeter is faulty…I probably blew it up at some point by using it incorrectly. Speaking of cheap tools, I figured I could at least drill out and tap the four suspension compressor housing bolt holes as long I was in there. The 4 m6 OE bolts are long since stripped so I bought some m8 bolts. Unfortunately the clamping portion of my cheap tap rounded off and ended that effort. Zip ties to the rescue and the X is back together. I hate to admit defeat, but the zip tie solution was quick and secure.

I will have to get back in there after I buy a new meter to check for parasitic draw however. I just wish I didn’t have to pull the trunk apart again to do it. I was successful in charging and storing in said trunk, my new GooLoo portable power pack and jump starter. Small victories.

My wife and I met a guy this morning who was getting into a really nicely cared for 2000 Range Rover. He lamented about the issues and challenges that car gives him, many of which sounded very similar to the e53. Clogged drains, condensate dripping on drivetrains, rain water backing up into the cabin air filter housing….well, that one may be unique to the Range Rover thankfully. The cowl doesn’t drain well and it backs up into the filter housing in heavy rain. Mildew and mold explode and blow into the cabin a few days or weeks later. Nice.