[nilknarf]

Originally Posted by 89hatcher

attempting to change the starter by myself. needed to buy 2 crankcase vent hose cause mines cracked when trying to take it off.

Yeah, those crankcase vent hose connectors are an abomination. It's extremely difficult to get the hose off without breaking it.

[buffalony]

Bump, picked up a 2006, 330i and the cold start up seems to be a bit sluggish. i have records from the previous owner and the battery was replaced at around 45k miles. it now has around 90. Im leaning towards the starter going bad over the battery.

The car starts up fine if i stop to get gas and go agian, its just the cold morning starts that it seems to struggle with.

Any ways, what site did you but the starter from,

[GoRomeo]

is it long cranks? I would recommend to read codes if any. Could be bad plugs, coils, leak inkector etc..

[GoRomeo]

is it long cranks? I would recommend to read codes if any. Could be bad plugs, coils, leak inkector etc..

[buffalony]

its not so much of a long crank but more of slow and finally starts.

[GoRomeo]

then do a load test on your battery. How old is it?

[buffalony]

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

then do a load test on your battery. How old is it?

it has about 40k miles on it. and maybe 4 years old. Ill get it tested before i jump head first into the starter diy.

[GoRomeo]

Originally Posted by buffalony

it has about 40k miles on it. and maybe 4 years old. Ill get it tested before i jump head first into the starter diy.

so yeah it definately could be your battery the causing of slow cranks. Do a test so you can rule battery out before you start troubleshooting starter. Good luck!

[nilknarf]

Originally Posted by buffalony

Any ways, what site did you but the starter from,

I can't recall where I ordered the starter from, but 90% of the time I order parts from one of these three OEM sources:

http://www.autohausaz.com/

http://www.bmaparts.com/

http://www.rmeuropean.com/

[jacobsed]

I purchased my rebuilt starter from Autozone with a lifetime warranty. 1.5 years so far and no problems.

[GStar1]

I think I am having the same problem...... Just my luck, I've had the car sitting for about a week, as I am trying to sell it. Needed to go out of town this last weekend, so I decided to stretch her legs. She started sluggish, slow cranked, but nevertheless, ran fine. Drove about 2.5 hours (200 miles) and stopped for fuel. Upon attempting to restart, it slow cranked and did not start. Attempted to start again, but this time it didn't slow crank, but instead, no noise.... Lights were bright, you can hear the throttle body click and the fuel pump running, but no crank, no start. Attempted to jump start from terminals in engine bay, no luck. Towed it home, charged battery completely with trickle charger, and still no start. Same symptoms, lights are bright, inserted key and press start button (with foot on brake of course) and no start. Just fuel pump noise and throttle clicks once. Checked for codes, no codes stored. Is it fair to assume I have a bad starter too?

[stormtrooper7]

I think I'm having the same problem with my starter. It's been really, really cold here (-28C) and the car did not turn over yesterday. It did eventually last night but it really struggled. In the summer it starts no problem at all. I just changed the battery a month ago as well.

Is it just too cold, or am I needing to change the starter?

[yulost]

Same problem here, 07 328xi 65k (6-speed) been slow starting for a few months, got slower as time went on, now no crank. Bought new battery from dealer, no crank. From what I'm reading it must be the starter right? Should throw a code? Also scanned it with a autozone scanner, read error

P13B6
Manufacture controlled ignition system or misfire

I know autozone scanners are junk, but this may be atleast a lead, any help is greatly appreciated.

This has been a bad month, car has ran amazing since day 1, then all at once front differential ruined (axle seal failed, leaked out diff fluid), 2 autozone axles exploded (don't ever buy these, only oem) water pump and 24 hours later this

[yulost]

Changed the starter, was on back order at the dealer, so got a starter for 125$ (had no choice), popped it in and she started right up. Very happy. On the rear starter bolt, I used a 12 point snap-on wrench and it fit right on.

Also did the valve cover gaskets, mine leaked bad

[serj.ru]

Damn, guys - I've got exactly the same problem!
The only difference is that I have... M3! (
Its starter costs about $1k-1,5k here in Moscow! And once ordered, it will arrive after 3-4 weeks.
Will try to call local workshops, who repairs the starters. Seems like mechanical parts are undamaged and only brushes/brushholders inside should be replaced.

[itsy29]

Originally Posted by GStar1

I think I am having the same problem...... Just my luck, I've had the car sitting for about a week, as I am trying to sell it. Needed to go out of town this last weekend, so I decided to stretch her legs. She started sluggish, slow cranked, but nevertheless, ran fine. Drove about 2.5 hours (200 miles) and stopped for fuel. Upon attempting to restart, it slow cranked and did not start. Attempted to start again, but this time it didn't slow crank, but instead, no noise.... Lights were bright, you can hear the throttle body click and the fuel pump running, but no crank, no start. Attempted to jump start from terminals in engine bay, no luck. Towed it home, charged battery completely with trickle charger, and still no start. Same symptoms, lights are bright, inserted key and press start button (with foot on brake of course) and no start. Just fuel pump noise and throttle clicks once. Checked for codes, no codes stored. Is it fair to assume I have a bad starter too?

I have the same prob! Everything looks ok lights! No engine light on but every time I press start no cranking sound at all! Is that starter? But I hear may about 3 sec. Of hum sound, something like that. I'm not sure if fuel pump.

[tommycopeland]

Originally Posted by nilknarf

Job was hellish in that it took ~7 or 8 hours. Using Bentley, I had to remove microfilter housings, airbox, camshaft cover, and intake manifold. The intake manifold was the worst part because the photos in Bentley were not very good. Now that I know how everything dissassembles, it would probably take me 3 hours if I had to do it again. The only parts that you need besides the starter ane new aluminum mounting bolts (~$8 for package of 2) and new intake manifold gaskets (~$28). I picked those up from the local dealership, but ordered the starter online.

Thanks for this post, Frank. I just finished replacing the starter on my wife's E90. I'd like to add a few words of encouragement and tips to anyone who is thinking of replacing their starter!

My 2007 328i E90 just decided not to start on Thanksgiving morning. The first thing I did was remove the battery and get it load-tested. Battery was perfect. The next thing I did was unplug the IBS sensor (Intelligent Battery System or Sensor is the acronym) because I read that a faulty IBS could prevent the car from starting. If it was faulty, I figured, I could bypass it by unplugging it (it's the little blue plugin sensor coming off the negative battery terminal). Still didn't start.

So now I figured it had to be the starter. My favorite shop wanted $900 for this job, so naturally, I looked into the DIY option. I was able to get a rebuilt Bosch starter from Napa Auto Parts (local? I'm not sure) for $168, plus two aluminum starter bolts (they are one-time use only), and intake manifold gaskets. $200, out the door.

First and foremost - understand that what makes this job difficult is the patience and gentleness you need in taking the engine apart. All of the hoses, bolts, plugs, and relays that you must remove to reach the starter have been sitting in a hot engine compartment for years. They are brittle and fragile. So the trick is to take your time so you minimize the collateral damage you're bound to create.

I don't have the Bentley book, and I've never fixed anything on this car aside from little things here and there. I do, however, have access to YouTube and these forums, and for me, that was all I needed!

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: This is a must-watch DIY YouTube video on the starter replacement. It's a little long, but this kid shows you exactly how to remove every single hose and relay, and in what order. I couldn't have done this job as quickly or efficiently without this video. Here it is:

.

Now, some tips:
1. The worst part for me, by far, was removing the breather hoses off the manifold (there are three) thanks to the brittle plastic clamps. They were really stuck on there. I ended up having to use pliers to yank them off, and broke a part of one of the clips in the process. Thankfully, they all snap back on really easily.
2. The second worst part was dealing with the starter bolt behind the starter. There are two bolts, one on the front and one that bolts in from the back of the starter. The one in front is a breeze; the other one is a different story. It's a tight fit between the bolt and the firewall, and my Torx bit just wouldn't fit. I nearly striped the soft aluminum bolt trying to get it off. Why on earth the engineers thought a bolt from the back was the right way to go is beyond me. I eventually got it loose enough and had to get it off with my fingers, which took FOREVER.
3. The tools I needed that I didn't have was a T25 torx male, and a E14 Torx female. You can get both at your local auto shop for $10, or less.
4. Mark EVERYTHING. And keep your bolts separated. I use blue painter's tape over things I didn't want to forget, like relays and hose clips (there are so many that anyone of them is easy to forget, trust me.) That way, I didn't have to spend any time thinking about what goes where, I just followed the tape.

I found that all the trouble started for me when I was putting it all back together. Getting the new bolt on the back of the starter was a nightmare (re: point two above...what comes out, must go back in!). I also broke a bolt on the throttle body by tightening it down too hard. It's threaded, so I don't think it's a problem - until I need to take that baby off again!

I also ended up with two identical relays that I marked, but must have forget to put back somewhere. By the time I discovered them, everything was pretty much back together, so...damn. I just taped them up and put them off to the side, and the car doesn't seem to care - it runs just fine anyway.

This isn't an easy job, but it's also not impossible to do yourself. Just take your time (took me 4-5 hours), be careful, and watch the video closely. You'll save money, feel good, and impress your wife!

[CarlosAC]

Just did this to my '07 328i. The issues for my car began a few weeks ago with trying to start my car in the morning. I pressed the START button and the car didn't respond. In fact, it didn't respond until I tried it a few more times. I thought maybe I had not pressed in the clutch pedal far enough. It happened a few more times and then the car began to require a lot more effort to start. Normally, I press START and the engine turns over once and starts up. When the starter began to go, it was taking about 5 turns and it sounded like it was struggling to turn over.
Anyway, the whole repair wasn't as bad as I thought it would have been, but I did watch the video and it was immensely helpful. I also condensed the video into a 19-slide PowerPoint with one large pic on each slide and simplified instructions. I printed the whole thing and put them in sheet protectors. I figured this way, all I had to do was flip the page and I didn't have to worry about getting grease on my computer or it going into screen protector mode.
Total time was 1.5 hours for the disassembly and 2.5 hours to reassemble. I broke one of the vacuum tubes, but I had to get the car ready for work tomorrow so I can't wait to get a new one in. I repaired it with that self-vulcanizing tape (we called it F-4 tape in the military), plus some zip ties for strength.
Some tips...1. use blue painters tape to label every cable you disconnect. I Sharpied each cable tape with a number, then Sharpied the same number on the other end of the connector. It was then just a matter of connecting male-8 to female-8 and so on. 2. Keep this in mind for the wire harness bracket that is attached to the intake, below the throttle body - the two retainer screws face down slightly, so removal and installation requires you angle the tools. 3. The rear starter bolt is a bitch. You don't have to use an E14 socket though as an 11mm 12-pt combination wrench fits perfectly. If you can't get enough leverage on the wrench, use the two wrench trick (11mm box end on bolt, 9/16 box end on 11mm open end, pry). 4. This is a great opportunity to put some dielectric grease on all connectors - be prepared. 5. I always manage to kick bolts I've organized on the floor, so I used ziplok snack baggies to hold the nuts and bolts and labeled each bag. 6. I disconnected only the negative on my battery and only lost the trip odometer, clock, average mpg and mph info. I didn't lose the radio presents or get any unusual faults on the display. 7. There's a large blue o-ring that seals the throttle body to the intake manifold. Be careful you don't drop it or pinch it.

[csupernova]

Just tried to tackle this job this morning but unsuccessful. Wasted a lot of times trying to remove the manifold on the 330 as it seems there are more hoses connected to the manifold than 328i. In the end, I didn’t remove the manifold. Then the rear starter bolt is a total pain. I have tried every angle posssible but couldn’t get it loose. I’m calling my mechanic tomorrow.

[kermeli]

Starter died on my 330i at 160tkm. Shop quoted me 550€ for parts, 200€ for work so 750€ total, seems like kind of a rip off. New starter from germany would be something like little under 300€.

But after looking how much you have to take apart i let em do it.

[El Cheapo Loco]

Originally Posted by csupernova

Just tried to tackle this job this morning but unsuccessful. Wasted a lot of times trying to remove the manifold on the 330 as it seems there are more hoses connected to the manifold than 328i. In the end, I didn’t remove the manifold. Then the rear starter bolt is a total pain. I have tried every angle posssible but couldn’t get it loose. I’m calling my mechanic tomorrow.

You will need a flex head ratchet for the rear bolt. There's no getting around it. And it would be next to impossible without removing the manifold.

[Kodak]

I had a problem with my starter early this year, apparently after blowing out a new starter it turned out that this 'starter wire' had some rust at the end that was sending too much electrical power to one end of those two wires, the connections were cleaned , connected and started right up with no issues as of yet. Definitely check this wire at both ends for connectivity, at least to rule it out.