Starter on the way Out

[echo46]

Well, it seems as though my starter is on the way out now. I just read the starter DIY on here and will attempt it. My symptoms are metal like clank/knocking/grind for about one to two seconds after the car starts. Sound like it's coming from drivers side where starter is located. My question is which brand starter? Should I go with Bosch or BMW?

[MrMaico]

Any chance you could make a video? Hate to go through all that work if it's something else. I don't know for sure but I would think either brand would be ok. I wonder if the BMW one isn't just a Bosch to begin with. I believe Autozone has a lifetime warranty on their reman starters and it looks like they are Bosch.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Import-Starter/2004-BMW-330CI/_/N-jlkulZ9rict?counter=0&itemIdentifier=181010_206563_1693_

Did you see this DIY? Makes it sound not too bad but I'm definitely not looking forward to having to do it someday.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?5371-DIY-Starter-Replacement-Not-as-horrible-as-it-seems

Here's another one I have saved. It looks like that one is a Denso starter.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=732743

Barry

[echo46]

Yep, read them both. I will try to make a video. Thanks.

[MrMaico]

Yep, read them both. I will try to make a video. Thanks.

Usually you will get a squealing sound after the engine starts when you have a sticking solenoid so that's why it would be nice to hear it. The "clank/knocking/grind" you mention is what makes me wonder if it may be something else. How many miles on your car? Gotta admit though, it's been a LONG time since I've heard a sticking solenoid so I'm having a hard time remembering exactly what it sounds like.

[echo46]

My start up noise sounds exactly like David's in this thread:
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?1067-Cold-Start-Noise

I pmd him to see if the problem ever came back or stay resolved. I will check oil level.

[GT172I]

I agree with MrMaico, when my solenoid was failing it was giving my a squealing noise at startup for about a half second or so as the spring pulling it back wasn't pulling hard/fast enough anymore and confirmed that when I got it off and it would move back and forth just shaking the unit.

That being said there are several ways the starter/solenoid can fail and presumably they'll all have different symptoms/noises.

Mine has been replaced for a week now and the noise hasn't occurred once since the swap after happening ~75% of the time before. :fingerscrossed

BTW Amazon has a new bosch for $158: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-SR0448N-New-Starter/dp/B000BZIM54

[MrMaico]

Yup, that definitely sounds like a bad solenoid/starter.

[echo46]

I agree, I am fairly certain that it is the starter. FCP Groton has the Bosch for $128. GT172i, did your car sound like David's in the video?

[GT172I]

Yes very similar in tone, timing, and duration.

[echo46]

Once again had the car up in the air, this time to replace the starter. Not as bad as I thought it would be. Went to sears and bought a 10 inch wobble extension, 6 inch wobble extension and a three inch wobble extension for my 3/8 inch rachet. Needed all of this plus another 6 inches. I also found it helpful to take out the cabin air filter housing so I could both locate the top bolt and make sure my 10 mm socket was seated correctly on the bolt head. Both bolts came out with not much effort. The two most difficult thing about this DIY were dislodging the starter from the bell housing and then getting the wires off and pulling the damn thing out. I actually had to use my extensions and a mallet to knock the old starter loose. New starter went in without much fanfare. Test started her and no more grind/clanking on start up. The old starter looked pretty beat up and when I kinda shook it it sounded like something was loose inside.

While I had the car up, I decided to change the brake fluid. Replaced and flushed the system with ATE Racing Blue via my MOTIVE Pressure Bleeder. Only took me about 20 minutes to do the bleed and replace.

Overall, I think the starter replace and brake fluid job took me about 5 hours, that includes getting the car up in the air and back down again. The starter job is not as bad as everyone on E46 Fan were making it out to be.

[kayger12]

Nice work.

Glad things went well for you.


Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[iZHP]

Great, glad you got that solved. That's good info for anybody wondering about bad starter symptoms. Mine seems to be okay...for now. 112k miles

[echo46]

I must say that a lot of people on the other forums tend to really blow things out of proportion. I must have read 10 threads nonstarter replacement. Some of the threads were very informative and well written. However, most of them made the job seem near impossible. This job was easier than the CCV and hose replace. The name of the game is to have the right and very good tools and to take your time.

[MrMaico]

Good to hear you got it taken care of. Maybe not dreading doing mine so much now after your comments on the job. So far so good though.

[GT172I]

Glad to hear it worked out well for you too. Sounds like you ended up getting both bolts from below as well? Your comment about the cabin filter removal makes sense too, I had mine out anticipating getting the top bolt from above but did use the open space as you described since it was already cleared.

Also I believe the 10mm socket you mention is actually the E12 Torx socket for the starter bolts, right?

[echo46]

Yes, got both bolts out from below but having the cabin filter etc out was helpful in locating the top bolt. Yes the 10 mm all purpose socket is the E12 inverse torx. Again, not that bad, just be patient when wiggling the sucker out.

[Newjack]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm pretty sure my starter died on me today at work. Thought it might be the battery because it is old so I tried to jump it. (Dashboard lights came on but that doesn't mean it has enough juice for the starter). Jumping it didn't work.

This is what it sounds like when I try to start the car http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45065965/Car%20Mechanical/1118111327.3gp

There is a constant "chunk chunk chunk chunk" sound.

Thankfully I have a manual transmission so I pushed that bad boy down a hill and dumped the clutch in 1st to get her home.

I think I am going to go with This Starter At Autozone. (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Import-Starter/2004-BMW-330CI/_/N-jlkulZ9rict?counter=0&itemIdentifier=181010_206563_1693_) Obviously I can't start my car unless I get a good push so I don't want to wait around for the part to get shipped to me.

I'm assuming this starter is ok right? I don't want to spend $230 on an OEM starter from getbmwparts.com

[MrMaico]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm pretty sure my starter died on me today at work. Thought it might be the battery because it is old so I tried to jump it. (Dashboard lights came on but that doesn't mean it has enough juice for the starter). Jumping it didn't work.

This is what it sounds like when I try to start the car http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45065965/Car%20Mechanical/1118111327.3gp

There is a constant "chunk chunk chunk chunk" sound.

Thankfully I have a manual transmission so I pushed that bad boy down a hill and dumped the clutch in 1st to get her home.

I think I am going to go with This Starter At Autozone. (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Import-Starter/2004-BMW-330CI/_/N-jlkulZ9rict?counter=0&itemIdentifier=181010_206563_1693_) Obviously I can't start my car unless I get a good push so I don't want to wait around for the part to get shipped to me.

I'm assuming this starter is ok right? I don't want to spend $230 on an OEM starter from getbmwparts.com

We had a Ford pickup here at work yesterday that was making the same sound only faster and it was a bad battery. I would maybe get your battery tested before buying a starter. You can also have a bad connection at the cables even though they might look nice and clean.

Barry

[Newjack]

9.6 volts. It was my battery. Definitely lost a cell.

[danewilson77]

9.6 volts. It was my battery. Definitely lost a cell.

Great.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[echo46]

Good for you.

[MrMaico]

9.6 volts. It was my battery. Definitely lost a cell.

:thumbsup Usually when you hear a clicking sound like that it will be a bad battery rather than the starter. Normally though they will click a bit faster than that but it may just be a characteristic of a BMW starter to click at a slower rate.

Or maybe it was just the fact that you only had 9.6 volts.:blink

As far as the Autozone starter, I wouldn't hesitate to use one, especially considering the price compared to the BMW one which is also a reman starter. Plus they have a lifetime warranty.