Testing N54 starter with everything in place?

Oolien · 03-07-2020, 07:53 AM

glad you found that the ground strap was your issue before you spend the afternoon changing the starter.... like me

08_535xit · 03-12-2022, 11:12 AM

Adding on to the thread to keep tips in one place... albeit E60 -

My car had been starting sluggishly. Had checked the ground strap a while back -- in retrospect, I only checked the back, easy to see end, not the motor mount end. Turns out that end was corroded to crap like others have seen.
I wish I had seen the tip about putting a jumper cable between the strut ground post and the motor. That would have saved me some hassle.
On the last voyage, mine started slowly in my driveway and then did not start after parked a couple miles from my house. My car has a manual tranny, so, on a lark, I got a tow strap and got a friend to pull my car to a fast walking speed. Key in, car powered on, popped the clutch and it started right up. Wasn't sure if you could do that with a push-button-start car. Yep, works fine.
I replaced the starter from the top. took about an hour. left the manifold in place. One key was removing the strut brace, as others had suggested -- shoudl have done that on other repairs. Key is getting the starter partly out and then removing the big red cable. ditto assembly. I removed the end from the alternator so it all moved easier.
I went with an autozone/duralast starter because it was available same-day and $150 after core. First one at autozone was broken -- glad I checked. plastic part for the smaller connector was basically not there. They got another in quickly.
After swapping the starter, same symptoms - good battery voltage, click from the starter, nothing else. Checked the ground strap, saw mine bad, Ok, how to replace it. On the E60, not sure if same on E90, the forward end of the strap is a b*tch to get to. Have to access from the top. Option 1 is a 13mm crow foot wrench on two 12" socket extensions. That didn't have a good grip, slipped off once. Attempt two was a 13mm flex-end wrench (like box end with the pivoting end); that, another combination wrench on that as an "extension", then a socket extension through the end of that... a cluge, but almost worked. turns out the nut is well stuck in place. need a six point 13mm crow foot? ugh.
Plan B? I just need a big cable going from chassis to motor. Had a generic battery cable lying around. Connected one end to the strut tower jump-start post and the other end under and alternator bolt. Needs to be 30" btw. Not proud of this but it worked fine. Starts easily now. Figure I'll have to replace the turbos at some point, and in that process the ground strap will be easy access.
Something like this would work https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TTPX86K
-- again, consider this a workaround if the ground strap bolt is a PITA. the new cable is a 5 minute fix easily done on the side of the road if need be. need a 13mm socket for the alternator and a 19mm for the strut tower thing.

03-07-2020, 07:53 AM	#23
Oolien Enlisted Member 3 Rep 47 Posts Drives: 08 bmw 335xi n54 Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: canada iTrader: (0)	glad you found that the ground strap was your issue before you spend the afternoon changing the starter.... like me
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03-12-2022, 11:12 AM	#24
08_535xit Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 2008 535xit Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: western ma iTrader: (0)	Adding on to the thread to keep tips in one place... albeit E60 - My car had been starting sluggishly. Had checked the ground strap a while back -- in retrospect, I only checked the back, easy to see end, not the motor mount end. Turns out that end was corroded to crap like others have seen. I wish I had seen the tip about putting a jumper cable between the strut ground post and the motor. That would have saved me some hassle. On the last voyage, mine started slowly in my driveway and then did not start after parked a couple miles from my house. My car has a manual tranny, so, on a lark, I got a tow strap and got a friend to pull my car to a fast walking speed. Key in, car powered on, popped the clutch and it started right up. Wasn't sure if you could do that with a push-button-start car. Yep, works fine. I replaced the starter from the top. took about an hour. left the manifold in place. One key was removing the strut brace, as others had suggested -- shoudl have done that on other repairs. Key is getting the starter partly out and then removing the big red cable. ditto assembly. I removed the end from the alternator so it all moved easier. I went with an autozone/duralast starter because it was available same-day and $150 after core. First one at autozone was broken -- glad I checked. plastic part for the smaller connector was basically not there. They got another in quickly. After swapping the starter, same symptoms - good battery voltage, click from the starter, nothing else. Checked the ground strap, saw mine bad, Ok, how to replace it. On the E60, not sure if same on E90, *the forward end of the strap is a btch to get to**. Have to access from the top. Option 1 is a 13mm crow foot wrench on two 12" socket extensions. That didn't have a good grip, slipped off once. Attempt two was a 13mm flex-end wrench (like box end with the pivoting end); that, another combination wrench on that as an "extension", then a socket extension through the end of that... a cluge, but almost worked. turns out the nut is well stuck in place. need a six point 13mm crow foot? ugh. Plan B? I just need a big cable going from chassis to motor. Had a generic battery cable lying around. Connected one end to the strut tower jump-start post and the other end under and alternator bolt. Needs to be 30" btw. Not proud of this but it worked fine. Starts easily now. Figure I'll have to replace the turbos at some point, and in that process the ground strap will be easy access. Something like this would work https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TTPX86K -- again, consider this a workaround if the ground strap bolt is a PITA. the new cable is a 5 minute fix easily done on the side of the road if need be. need a 13mm socket for the alternator and a 19mm for the strut tower thing.
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