2005 e53 3.0 d - sluggish start - starter or IVM?

[deepblonde]

Originally Posted by Lamby

I will get a new starter and fit it.

Can I ask, I know that BMW upgraded the starter in 2005. I believe they went from Denso to Bosch? Is this correct? I am based out of London so I will go to EuroCarParts for a new starter.

No, for the diesel they didn't change to Bosch starters until the e70.

[Lamby]

Cheers, good info. However... just my luck... weather has turned cold in UK and the starter has given up. Currently my X5 is in a supermarket car park. I will have to get it towed to a garage and sorted now. Damn it, I was hoping to do the work myself.

[Lamby]

Hi everyone update on this.

I dont what to bother everyone and also there is another post on here from Chucklez about Battery/Alts that are similar so if the admin can combine?

Anyway. RAC (Breakdown recovery to my US brothers) turned up... Got the X5 started just.... Ran a full diagnostic not using ECU but just on the terminals on the engine. Turns out Battery is serviceable, but its a cheap one and told me to buy Varta, Excide or Bosch in that order and not to be cheap on it. Only buy the 5 year versions as well. I had a Lion Battery that is a year old, it says premium on it, however no guarantee and when he had to select the battery make from the impressive looking RAC Diagnostic Equipment, of course, my cheaparse battery was not even on there. So chose 'Other'.

Turns out, that as well as getting a better battery, the diagnostic report came back with a open diodes in rectifier assembly causing a battery leak and if the car was not driven every day a number of miles then over time this will happen.

So new Alternator it is for me, dropped it off to the garage and I am going to get that sorted by them. I will buy a better battery and fit that myself. Maybe a Varta S5.

Any advice on this?

[omodos]

Originally Posted by Lamby

Hi everyone update on this.

I dont what to bother everyone and also there is another post on here from Chucklez about Battery/Alts that are similar so if the admin can combine?

Anyway. RAC (Breakdown recovery to my US brothers) turned up... Got the X5 started just.... Ran a full diagnostic not using ECU but just on the terminals on the engine. Turns out Battery is serviceable, but its a cheap one and told me to buy Varta, Excide or Bosch in that order and not to be cheap on it. Only buy the 5 year versions as well. I had a Lion Battery that is a year old, it says premium on it, however no guarantee and when he had to select the battery make from the impressive looking RAC Diagnostic Equipment, of course, my cheaparse battery was not even on there. So chose 'Other'.

Turns out, that as well as getting a better battery, the diagnostic report came back with a open diodes in rectifier assembly causing a battery leak and if the car was not driven every day a number of miles then over time this will happen.

So new Alternator it is for me, dropped it off to the garage and I am going to get that sorted by them. I will buy a better battery and fit that myself. Maybe a Varta S5.

Any advice on this?

Hi there ever get this sorted? did you do the starter as well? I don't have a rectifier leak as you mention, as amp draw when car is asleep in just to the high end of the acceptable range.....

BUT amp draw on starting tops 400a..all ok when weather out here is warm, but as temps drops starting gets worse to the point where on one to occasions have drained batt and have had to connect ctek charger to it and then good to go...have changed battery and had it tested and all ok was told

[Lamby]

Originally Posted by omodos

Hi there ever get this sorted? did you do the starter as well? I don't have a rectifier leak as you mention, as amp draw when car is asleep in just to the high end of the acceptable range.....

BUT amp draw on starting tops 400a..all ok when weather out here is warm, but as temps drops starting gets worse to the point where on one to occasions have drained batt and have had to connect ctek charger to it and then good to go...have changed battery and had it tested and all ok was told

Yes, so it was two things, Alternator did have open diaode however only the most fancy laptop plugged in detected it as it was a very low amp leak over long time and also my battery cable running from rear battery terminal to front under the hood was shot and corroded, needed a new cable. All in, new Varta 5 battery, new alternator and new OEM Battery cable it cost be £560 with labour.

Hope that helps.

[omodos]

Thanks Fella much appreciated, tad worried with the auto electricians out here who will start changing everything willy nilly without making any diag checks beforehand..at least the more I know the better so i can point em the right way and hope they don't take it the wrong way

[omodos]

Originally Posted by sv1cec

What is IVM?

My starter motor started making a weird sound back in August. Luckily, I was in Ukraine, 40€ later it was removed, fully rebuild and reinstalled. If I was in Greece, I would probably have paid about 400€.

Hi, Is your reconditoned starter still going ok?

[omodos]

Originally Posted by sv1cec

What is IVM?

My starter motor started making a weird sound back in August. Luckily, I was in Ukraine, 40€ later it was removed, fully rebuild and reinstalled. If I was in Greece, I would probably have paid about 400€.

is your reconditioned starter still ok? am lookng it seems to replace mine or recon existing one....

[omodos]

Originally Posted by Google44

I had a clamp meter around battery feed which showed over 400 A on crank. Replaced starter motor and all OK now.

Thanks

Google44 i this is my amp clamp test i did not sure why was a negative -ve figure, clamp was aroud black cable running of battery, too high?, got -392 for a split second