XSeries-forum

I appear to be having issues with my starter draining my battery.

I have jump leads and a portable jump start in the car too, and the car is booked into the garage for Friday, but if the starter fails to turn over at all is there any way to start these as you obviously cant bump start an auto?

Smee

Hi
Unlikely if the starter motor isn't turning over.

Probably best to get a recovery service to or your garage to pick it and take it to the garage which it is booked in on Friday.

Although a few years back I did manage to start an auto with a weak battery that wouldn't turn over. It was a 4 cylinder car and by me taking out one of the spark plugs there was less pressure and so the car would turn over and started.

But it was fun inserting the missing spark plug with the engine now running and then reconnecting the lead - NOT  really recommended unless young and stupid - both of which I was at the time. Surprisingly I haven't bothered to try that since.

Bloody hell Smee..
The amount of troubles you're getting lately...


Are you sure you haven't got my car?????

to be honest I think all the issues (battery, webasto, etc) are all stemming from the starter draining the power out of the battery.

The last couple of days the starter hasn't been sounding right so hopefully it can last another 48 hours until it goes into the garage on Friday
Smee

Smeeagain, sorry to hear of your woes, IF i get anywhere with mine I will let you know, I got sluggish starts too on startup,  again a e53 3.0d 2004 , despite a 1 year old Battery a bosch S5  830cca and 100a -  load tested at 3 places all come back as ok
Volatage on the battery after a full charge is 13.33V then after 6 hours was 12.94v
So battery checks out - Charging system is ok....

Used an Amp meter - amp clamp around battery cable and set it to 400amps maxes out over 400amp draw when I started the X5! I got a  0L message on the amp clamp (0 verload L oad ?)...I have a feeling this is gradually draining my battery too and maybe draining over the 400 amp on each start! ...I have read that trying to remove the +ve from the starter and connection to the jump post positive as such and cleaning with contact cleaner replacing is a start.....please keep us posted

[quote="omodos"]
Smeeagain, sorry to hear of your woes, IF i get anywhere with mine I will let you know, I got sluggish starts too on startup,  again a e53 3.0d 2004 , despite a 1 year old Battery a bosch S5  830cca and 100a -  load tested at 3 places all come back as ok
Volatage on the battery after a full charge is 13.33V then after 6 hours was 12.94v
So battery checks out - Charging system is ok....

Used an Amp meter - amp clamp around battery cable and set it to 400amps maxes out over 400amp draw when I started the X5! I got a  0L message on the amp clamp 0 verload L oad...I have a feeling this is gradually draining my battery too and maybe draining over the 400 amp on each start! ...I have read that trying to remove the +ve from the starter and connection to the jump post positive as such and cleaning with contact cleaner replacing is a start.....please keep us posted
[/quote]

I would also agree with that statement.  My jump start terminal became loose and car even though contact was being made refused to start!!! try even just tightening your jump start terminal up with a shifter!!!


Sent from my iPhone

kjb1, sorry if I didnt understand you? your jump start terminals in the engine bay were loose/dirty/corroded and so you couldnt jump start from there? or they were loose and you had general starting issue as Smeeagain mentons?

Starting issues, jump starting issues, the full works!!!


Sent from my iPhone

Smeeagain how do you know the starter draining is draining your battery?

it was t draining battery on mine, you just don't get enough juice to the car to start it properly.  Just tighten it up as a test!!


Sent from my iPhone

have hijacked Smeeagains post alas, sorry , so just tightening up the +ve leads on the starter/chassis in the engine bay to see if it helps?

[quote="Smeeagain"]
to be honest I think all the issues (battery, webasto, etc) are all stemming from the starter draining the power out of the battery.

The last couple of days the starter hasn't been sounding right so hopefully it can last another 48 hours until it goes into the garage on Friday
Smee
[/quote]

Any news?....and if your mechanic amp clamp tests the starter draw please let us know what this figure shows , cheers

Ok, so a bit of a case of one step forward two steps back. THe current draw was fine (around 200 if I recall correctly). The garage has agreed though that the battery, although tested fine, is probably on the way out as it went flat while they were working on it - doors open, ignition on etc. At its a Bosch Silver S5 and 3 years old they are going to replace under warranty.

Now I happenned to notice that there have been other instances of it going flat when the ignition has been left in the on position for a couple of mins so not sure if there is another issues at play or simply a failing battery.

However, the starter has been sounding rough and 'grindy' on start up. They didn't have the time to do much investigation but have said it may be the ring gear where the starter goes into the engine. It would need the gearbox out if that was the case and they would ship it out to a gearbox specialist (which I can obviously do myself

So two questions - can anyone think of any problems that could flatten the battery simply by having the ignition on for a couple of mins?
Could they remove the starter and inspect with it removed both at starter end and engine end to look for worn teeth, before we go to the stage of removing the gearbox?

Thanks
Smee

Nothing springs to mind about leaving the ignition in, as long as it really is no more than a couple of minutes.  20 mins is enough to kill my X6!

Starter could easily be removed and if they turn the engine from the crankshaft pulley at the front they should be able to see the worn teeth on the ring gear.  The damage would also show on the starter gear itself.  Only if the two showed damage that meant a new ring gear would you need to split the engine/gearbox.

Being a diesel it might need a bit of leverage on the crank pulley, but nothing dramatic.  Might need to go underneath and use a mirror, but it's far easier than undoing everything and then finding it's perfectly OK!

Richard

My old E39 had rough sounding starts..

Turned out to be the bolts holding the starter motor on were loose.. Not much but enough to allow a small bit of movement..
I would confirm the starter is aligned properly and correctly torqued down..

As Richard says you should be able to check wear easily without taking the box out.