[Tempxst]

2006 330i (130K miles, second owner)

Been experiencing a long crank issue. Crank is consistent, no weird sounds its just long. Mainly after the car sits for over an hour or so sometimes takes up to idk..5..7 seconds. However if it hasn't been sitting for a while and I hop back in it fires up immediately no extended crank.

On top of that I noticed that sometimes when it does take long to crank I end up having some temporary electrical issue...one of my headlights will be out for 3 minutes and come back on randomly after driving for a few minutes...or my radio display will be chopped up but when the car starts perfectly the display is crystal clear. Weird stuff everything I research tells me to replace my fuel pump or fuel pump control module but I've seen some claiming that grounding issues or wiring issues were what caused this for them.

Battery?
Starter?
Fuel Pump?

- I've checked spark plugs, good.
- Tested battery terminals, held over 12V.
- Let the car sit on a battery tender, still cranks long.
- Only use premium fuel.
- Took out the Fuel Pump Control Module, no burn marks or odd discoloration.

Please give me any info you can. Thanks.

[W37V]

Check your ground cables. They tend to go bad and will cause some of the symptoms you mentioned.

Plenty of threads covering the topic. Just search for ground cable e90 long crank.

[Tempxst]

Originally Posted by W37V

Check your ground cables. They tend to go bad and will cause some of the symptoms you mentioned.

Plenty of threads covering the topic. Just search for ground cable e90 long crank.

Thanks for the quick response, I'll find a thread with the locations of those and tighten them down / check them today.

[Tempxst]

Having a little trouble finding the location for my model...
I've never worked with electrical issue like this does anyone know where the ground cable is located for the E90s?

[W37V]

Originally Posted by Tempxst

Having a little trouble finding the location for my model...
I've never worked with electrical issue like this does anyone know where the ground cable is located for the E90s?

They are located on transmission and on the engine side by exhaust manifold.

Find other posts about this. They go in detail about it.

[Tempxst]

Update:
Reviving this thread, I went to a shop a little out of town and had a reputable mechanic look at the issue...he said I had some voltage issues going on so I should replace my battery.

- Went out spent around $200 on the battery and having him register it.
- Replaced my ground straps.

Long crank is still present.
I'm jumping to fuel pressure issues on this one. I pulled up my back seats and such, seems that the fuel pump isn't priming. Doesn't even attempt to start until my car starts cranking. The crank is consistent but sometime 5-6 seconds long and completely random as far as temperature.
Some mornings it cranks right up after sitting overnight, then sometimes I'll drive it all day park it for an hour, come outside and it cranks for a couple seconds before starting.

However my window power and headlight issues have not shown back up.
Assuming I need a new fuel pump assembly, but I see some people replacing their Fuel Pump Control Module. My only concern with this is that most people with my car seem to have a lower end model and replace it with the MK2 model with bigger capacitors and such...I popped mine open and its already the model with bigger capacitors no signs on burning or discoloration...

Anyone dealt with this? Every thread I check has a different fix or doesn't even tell if the issue was fixed.
Thanks.

[GoRomeo]

You have to read for codes. shadow codes. If you dont have a way to to this, you may have to pay to get this diagnosed by Indy shop or even dealer if you can afford it...

Sounds to me like a leaky injector....

[Noir]

fwiw, new starter mitigated my long crank issue

[Tempxst]

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

You have to read for codes. shadow codes. If you dont have a way to to this, you may have to pay to get this diagnosed by Indy shop or even dealer if you can afford it...

Sounds to me like a leaky injector....

The mechanic I went to was able to show me all the codes a normal scanner at a parts store couldn't, however they were all low voltage related and were fixed by my battery being replaced. So now I have no codes to go off of unless that didn't show me something.

[Tempxst]

Originally Posted by Noir

fwiw, new starter mitigated my long crank issue

Did you have any of the fuel issues I explained above? Just want to get as much info as possible before spending more and more money.

[Noir]

Originally Posted by Tempxst

Did you have any of the fuel issues I explained above? Just want to get as much info as possible before spending more and more money.

Not that I recall

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by Tempxst

Did you have any of the fuel issues I explained above? Just want to get as much info as possible before spending more and more money.

Get INPA running on a laptop and check the various systems. INPA has test routines for the fuel pump and others, I can't imagine trying to troubleshoot an E series without it.

I don't recall the fuel pump ever running before cranking, unless flashing a new file to the DME

[Tempxst]

Originally Posted by rjahl

Get INPA running on a laptop and check the various systems. INPA has test routines for the fuel pump and others, I can't imagine trying to troubleshoot an E series without it.

I don't recall the fuel pump ever running before cranking, unless flashing a new file to the DME

What I meant by that was it priming sorry for the confusion haha. Everywhere I've read says you should be able to hear the fuel pump prime when the door is opened or the key is put into the ignition. I hear nothing from the fuel pump until my car has already cranked twice sometime ehhh.

I'll install INPA on my work laptop tomorrow and see if I can get anything, thanks for the suggestion!

[Tempxst]

Unfortunately, after searching for a coupe days every link I find for INPA/NCS Expert is expired, removed, or super sketchy and wants me to unzip a bunch of things and combine them into different file types.

Does anyone have a simple way of installing this that isn't already removed from the internet? I have never installed or used one of these troubleshooting / coding programs but I work in IT so I think I should be able to figure it out if I can just find a legitimate install link...

Thanks.

[Elias_E90]

Install video. In it you find 4shared link with a password.
The fuel system maintains pressure once the car is off. Seems like you are loosing this pressure when the car sits (possibly a leaky injector). When my starter was causing starting problems the cranking sound kept changing (the solenoid was engaing and disengaging).

Link to 4shared
https://www.4shared.com/dir/YzvDi-2F...l#dir=YzvDi-2F

Password:bimmer

[Tempxst]

Originally Posted by Eliase90

Install video. In it you find 4shared link with a password.
The fuel system maintains pressure once the car is off. Seems like you are loosing this pressure when the car sits (possibly a leaky injector). When my starter was causing starting problems the cranking sound kept changing (the solenoid was engaing and disengaging).

Link to 4shared
https://www.4shared.com/dir/YzvDi-2F...l#dir=YzvDi-2F

Password:bimmer

THANK YOU

I'll install this later today and grab one of those cables.

UPDATE: Very very very weird. The problem is showing no signs now. I ran into a pothole the other night and popped my tire so my car has been sitting for 2 days until I get a new one in....and it's been starting up right away...as if the problem is gone.
At first the car sitting was causing the issue but now after the car has sat for a few days, there hasn't been a long crank. I've been starting it twice a day since and the long crank is gone?????

I'm completely lost.

[GoRomeo]

Originally Posted by Tempxst

THANK YOU

I'll install this later today and grab one of those cables.

UPDATE: Very very very weird. The problem is showing no signs now. I ran into a pothole the other night and popped my tire so my car has been sitting for 2 days until I get a new one in....and it's been starting up right away...as if the problem is gone.
At first the car sitting was causing the issue but now after the car has sat for a few days, there hasn't been a long crank. I've been starting it twice a day since and the long crank is gone?????

I'm completely lost.

If you have not replaced your starter, get ready as you be due for a new one. The worst feeling is that it can leave you stranded any day. This may be a wake up call..

[maxor]

Sounds like a starter. Usually goes out like that.

Long crank and and some issues powering on.

Happened to me when i was doing canyon runs and was
stranded for over 3 hours before someone came by and called
AAA for me (No cellphone signal).

Went to take pictures, powered off the car and went back,
pushed the start button and wouldn't even crank. Starter died.

[Tempxst]

Thank you guys for the replies, I didn't think it'd be a consistent crank if it was the starter but with the fuel pump kicking on afterwards and running perfectly fine it's worth a shot.

I was trying to find a way to test the starter without having the hassle of removing the intake manifold but I can't find anything long enough to give it a tap upon startup between the gaps...

Recommendations on where to purchase a starter rather than the dealership? FCP Euro, ECS Tuning? If this fixes it, it would be just about as expensive as a new fuel pump but a less messy job on my part.

Thanks again.

[maxor]

Originally Posted by Tempxst

Thank you guys for the replies, I didn't think it'd be a consistent crank if it was the starter but with the fuel pump kicking on afterwards and running perfectly fine it's worth a shot.

I was trying to find a way to test the starter without having the hassle of removing the intake manifold but I can't find anything long enough to give it a tap upon startup between the gaps...

Recommendations on where to purchase a starter rather than the dealership? FCP Euro, ECS Tuning? If this fixes it, it would be just about as expensive as a new fuel pump but a less messy job on my part.

Thanks again.

FCP Euro for bosch starter and replacement warranty.

If you'd rather not spend too much I've seen people do pretty well with the TYC starter on amazon, Half the cost.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by maxor

Sounds like a starter. Usually goes out like that.

Long crank and and some issues powering on.

Happened to me when i was doing canyon runs and was
stranded for over 3 hours before someone came by and called
AAA for me (No cellphone signal).

Went to take pictures, powered off the car and went back,
pushed the start button and wouldn't even crank. Starter died.

nearly identical to how mine failed.

I had longish cranks occasionally. Had driven on the freeway and stopped a few times for fuel and rest areas, stopped to take a leak car was dead when I got back.

no warning, no tapping on it to get one last start, just the car telling me the starter was broken and me calling triple a.

my starter came from autozone because I was two states away from home and swapping it in a hotel parking lot. They had one in stock and were only a 1/4 mile from the hotel. It has a lifetime warranty.......

[GoRomeo]

Yeah go with OEM BOSCH nothing else. You dont want to mess around with re-manufactured ones.