3.0d Cold start issue needs boost from jump starter
 

Hi,

E53 3.0d cranks over but refuses to start first thing in the morning. However, if I then connect a lithium jump starter under the hood, it starts after one crank, usually with a puff of white diesel smoke from the exhaust. It's in Australia so the outside temp is usually always over 10C so no glow plugs?

Once started, driving during the day presents no issues and the battery starts the motor without further assistance every time. Next morning same issue, I have checked for parasitic drain and once the car powers down, the draw current is only 28-30mA.

The battery is 5 months old, 900 CCA and has on been fully charged overnight on several occasions but this doesn't seem to help. The battery is under warranty and has been tested out of the car and I been told its still good!

I have searched the forum and read through many posts on starting issue but can't seem to find anything that helps. I haven't had any codes read as yet but that's the next step.

Any ideas as to why it requires the extra boost first think in the morning, is there anything that might be limiting the battery's ability to crank the engine?

You don't say what year your car is - pre-LCI or LCI?

Don't discount the glow plugs based on the ambient temp.

Here's what the BMW TIS says (posted here on Xoutpost by _chris_): -

Preheating

At coolant temperatures below 25°C, there is a preheating period of 0.5 seconds. The preheating period increases as the temperature falls, reaching a maximum of 2.7 seconds at a coolant temperature of less than -25°C.

Activation of the glowplug system on the instrument cluster only occurs at coolant temperatures below 0°C.

After-heating

At coolant temperatures below 30°C, there is a temperature-dependent after-heating period to improve idling and exhaust emission characteristics.

Start preheating

Start preheating takes place for approx. 10 seconds if after the preheating time has elapsed the engine is not started and the ignition remain on.

Get the DDE scanned for codes - I'm betting you have multiple glowplug failures - which could also be the glowplug controller, which doesn't last forever on the LCI cars.

Thanks for the advice, based on threads I've read the glow plugs do seem to be a common issue but I was discounting this due to the ambient temp (which you have pointed out is incorrect), but also because it always starts when the Li Jump starter is attached. Would the boost from the jump starter help the glow plugs heating cycle?

Its a 2005 E53 BMW X5 30d, I purchased it from the original owner with 10K kms back in 2006.. its go a few more kms on it now ~ 310K.

You should maybe check for a voltage drop at/to the starter. Some things to check would be BST connector, splice to starter (I think is at the under hood connector) the connection at the starter itself and the ground connections. I am talking gas so I don't know if the connections are the same.

Sounds like low rail pressure on start. This can manifest on colder temp when engine is harder to turn and battery capacity drops lowering the start RPM and hence the high pressure production. (Tired starter motor can also be partly responsible.) The actual cause is likely a leaky injector. So measure injector leak off. Of course best if you have diagnostics to check trouble codes and rail pressure while starting.

Latest Update... purchased a BMW Scanner 1.4 ($30 Amazon) and after eventually getting this to work on a virtual machine running Windows XP on a windows 10 laptop I could read the codes ....
Initially DDE showed errors in all 6 glow plugs and the controller. I cleared the errors, started the car and then re-scanned. All Glow plugs in 6 cylinders came up as faults.
So... does this mean the glow plugs all need replacing or should I replace the controller relay first ? It looks like the controller relay could be replaced on a RHD without having to remove the inlet manifold, has anyone done this? All of the glow plugs were replaced about 150K ago but not the controller.

A couple of other errors came up
1) the steering angle sensor
2) Supplemental Restraint System ... Not sure if I need to be concerned about these. all the errors are in the following links:
DDE https://www.dropbox.com/s/uu1dsuj7gk..._5171.JPG?dl=0
LEW https://www.dropbox.com/s/k82iljg4ci..._5172.JPG?dl=0
SRS https://www.dropbox.com/s/byvmtu4ujb..._5173.JPG?dl=0
IKE https://www.dropbox.com/s/n5t2z1t41i..._5174.JPG?dl=0

If anyone can share any insight into these that would be appreciated.

Cheers

The intake manifold has to come off to replace the glow plug controller - RHD makes no difference here.

After 150,000km, I'd replace the glow plugs again too, while you're in there. Just get the full kit.

Not sure what's up with the LEW and SRS errors. Does your SRS warning lamp show up on dash at startup?

The IKE error - brake-force distribution - is very common and may be a phantom error - mine has this too, although it comes and goes. Last scan it was gone again...:rolleyes:

Some folk have resolved the IKE brake force error by replacing the lateral motion sensor under the centre console - but it's not a sure thing. The error doesn't appear to cause any problems, as far as I know.

Ok thanks I've ordered the controller and glow plugs + gasket kit. I'll update once they have been installed and in the meantime use the Li jump starter each morning to get mobile. Is there anything else I should do once the inlet manifold is off. There is no SRS error on the dash instrument panel.
I can't help thinking that the battery is also dodgy as it will only start the car once after being charged over night, then the next morning it still reads 12.5 volts but wont start and I have to use the jump starter. I've checked the the drain once the car sleeps it is only 30ma. The alternator has also been tested and is working OK. After checking out the reviews on the battery brand is seems lots of people think they are rubbish. When I took it back to the supplier they charged it over night tested it and said it was still good, but it doesn't seem to hold the ability to push out the CCAs

I asked about the SRS light appearing when the full lamp test cycle runs when you first switch on the igntion since the error code infers the lamp is faulty... :dunno:

Could be a bad battery - I have a similar issue but in my case the car still starts and it takes more like a week or ten days for the battery to get "weak". Thinking I just got a crap battery a couple of years back when I last changed it out. Might look at AGM options...

A few other folk have had bad starters that mimic a bad battery, so there's also that, although it sounds like the starter is fine for the rest of the day. Mine is too...

Clavurion's comment about a low rail pressure/leaky injector is also worth looking into. The glowplugs and controller nbeed sorting regardless so once they are dealt to, you'l have a better idea about where you stand.

I would get the cranking issue solved first. Modern computerized battery testers can only try to extrapolate how good the battery is. The only way to properly test a battery is to take a full load out of it. The proper procedure is posted on here many times so maybe try to have a look at that to. If the battery is good then check the connections and starter.