getting rid of the "trans fail mode"

[jonnyivy]

OOps ,..yes, meant the reading at the jump posts were 14 plus VOLTS...hehe,...my mistake,...(stress)..

It just got me thinking,...when I hooked up another battery to the jump posts the starter motor was singing,... car started within first turn, so does that mean that maybe the starter is ok or it cranked fast because there were 2 power sources ??
And does that rule out bad earth strap too if its bursting into life ?
My next step would be to hook up the jump leads to the battery in the boot and see if I get same result then that would rule out any wiring faults from rear to front ?

I'm now more than concerned about the gearbox,.. I've seen it jump into transfail mode before and could easily re-set it,...but this time its not responding,..its stuck in 3rd ,.....  please tell me this could be something to do with the battery level too ???

Looking like the trip down to Liverpool lads for that gearbox re-build after I've gotten my sorrows drowned at new-year !!
Thanks all,

jonny

[the shreksta]

[quote="jonnyivy"]
OOps ,..yes, meant the reading at the jump posts were 14 plus VOLTS...hehe,...my mistake,...(stress)..

It just got me thinking,...when I hooked up another battery to the jump posts the starter motor was singing,... car started within first turn, so does that mean that maybe the starter is ok or it cranked fast because there were 2 power sources ??
And does that rule out bad earth strap too if its bursting into life ?
My next step would be to hook up the jump leads to the battery in the boot and see if I get same result then that would rule out any wiring faults from rear to front ?

I'm now more than concerned about the gearbox,.. I've seen it jump into transfail mode before and could easily re-set it,...but this time its not responding,..its stuck in 3rd ,.....  please tell me this could be something to do with the battery level too ???

Looking like the trip down to Liverpool lads for that gearbox re-build after I've gotten my sorrows drowned at new-year !!
Thanks all,

jonny
[/quote]

birch 4x4 by any chance?

[Horizon]

[quote="jonnyivy"]
OOps ,..yes, meant the reading at the jump posts were 14 plus VOLTS...hehe,...my mistake,...(stress)..

It just got me thinking,...when I hooked up another battery to the jump posts the starter motor was singing,... car started within first turn, so does that mean that maybe the starter is ok or it cranked fast because there were 2 power sources ??
And does that rule out bad earth strap too if its bursting into life ?
My next step would be to hook up the jump leads to the battery in the boot and see if I get same result then that would rule out any wiring faults from rear to front ?

I'm now more than concerned about the gearbox,.. I've seen it jump into transfail mode before and could easily re-set it,...but this time its not responding,..its stuck in 3rd ,.....  please tell me this could be something to do with the battery level too ???

Looking like the trip down to Liverpool lads for that gearbox re-build after I've gotten my sorrows drowned at new-year !!
Thanks all,

jonny
[/quote]

My next call would be to swap out your original battery for the one you used to jump start the car with.
Just leave the battery supply off the X5 for 30 mi unites whilst swapping it out to cause a reset too. Good luck, failing batteries can cause the trans failsafe fault to appear. If it then starts ok, either leave that battery on for a while, or get a new one once its proven your original battery has gone bad.

[henrym3]

It is almost like calling god out to disagree with X5Sport but the lead from the battery goes to the other side of the wall where the jump start lead attaches, it to has a plastic cover which unclips similar to jump start point. If you think of the wall as the central point with a stud each side, battery lead attaches one side ,starter the other. At least on mine it's  like that.

[X5Sport]

I'm not disputing it.  Mine was a 30d and newer so may have been different to yours.  It wouldn't be the first time there are model differences.  Not a calling out at all.  Every day is a school day with these. 

[jonnyivy]

Yes, the "Liverpool lads" I was referring to were Birch,.... I have talked to many specialists down south and thought that this guy had my gearbox sussed from the start,...good price too,....  quite a lot of good reports on here and other sites about their work...
Off course, problem now is that I dont know how I can get it to them when its stuck in 3rd gear ?? ( 180 miles)... last time I spoke to them the car was much better to drive there having the use of all the gears....hoping somehow that if I can sort out this low battery then the trans may reset but I doubt it.
Just going out now to open up the bonnet and take a look..

thanks for all info so far,....

[jonnyivy]

I took both nuts off and gave them a good clean,... then tightened them up real tight,.... Got both batteries tested today, the new one and the one I replaced.... both were perfectly fine !!
So I've now got the inlet manifold off and disconnected the starter,... I have the new starter now but ran out of light  ( working outside today)... so will re-fit it tomorrow.  pretty straight forward to remove..
I posted a photo of the coupling at the bulkhead from the battery to the starter.....

[X5Sport]

Ah, that bulkhead.  I though it was another one inside the front firewall  :doh:

[jonnyivy]

Updating again and glad to say I've sorted the slow crank,.... I've been all round the car following leads and batteries but in the end it was pure and simply a new starter that fixed it. Obviously I was going to test the cheaper options first but I thought it would boil down to this.
Got the new one plumbed in this afternoon no probs, handy to know that the torx bolt can be removed with a 10mm ringer after you get it (awkwardly) broken slack with the torx socket.....  Happy days with the immediate starting ,..but unfortunately it is still stuck in 3rd gear and the transfail error message coming up on the dash...