Bad starter?

[04yfz]

My guess is that the starter is weak or something is up with the return spring/bendix and the screeching you're hearing is the starter spinning with the flywheel before it returns.

[Ridgey]

My starter went bad as well. No weird noises or anything, but it would randomly do a no crank but with full dash lights and a full battery. I would drive the car normally all day, then park it. And the next morning it would start again, then I'd drive somewhere and it would do the no crank but with full dash lights routine. It turned out one of the "brushes" on my starter was so worn down that it wouldn't start the car. I kept conveniently getting stuck on that brush.

I had a shop replace it. With part and everything $700. It was so much more beneficial to have them do it than me. I'd rather pick up a few extra shifts and do what I'm good at, opposed to replacing a starter that I'm not qualified for or have the space to do haha. Good luck. Starters are a pain but once it's done, it's done for awhile right?

[Cadeez]

$700 actually seems like a decent deal considering the cost of an OEM starter is $400+. I'll still do the work myself though, it looks pretty straight forward and I've done much bigger jobs before. It's progressively getting worse, at least I feel like it is, so I'm going to have to address it soon. As soon as I get a free weekend that is...

[Scott ZHP]

Mine wont turn over, battery is newish (Dec 16 replacement and tested fine with a carbon load test). Just ordered a new Bosch starter from Max at OEMBimmerParts, $175.85 shipped to my door. A rebuilt Bosch is about $145.

Wish me luck.

[ELCID86]

Good luck with the install. Going in from the bottom?

[wsmeyer]

If the seal in the fuel pump on the output side is going it won't hold pressure in the line when it is off, and when you go to start the car it will take a split second to build up pressure. If it is near the end of it's life you might want to just replace that first and see what happens.

[Cadeez]

Mine wont turn over, battery is newish (Dec 16 replacement and tested fine with a carbon load test). Just ordered a new Bosch starter from Max at OEMBimmerParts, $175.85 shipped to my door. A rebuilt Bosch is about $145.

Wish me luck.

Damn, that's a steal!! Do you have a link? Lowest priced starter I could find was a rebuilt Bosch for ~$225 at ECS

Good luck with the install. Going in from the bottom?

Yessir, in through the bottom is the only way to go!

[ELCID86]

Damn, that's a steal!! Do you have a link? Lowest priced starter I could find was a rebuilt Bosch for ~$225 at ECS



Yessir, in through the bottom is the only way to go!

I was asking Scott.

[Scott ZHP]

Damn, that's a steal!! Do you have a link? Lowest priced starter I could find was a rebuilt Bosch for ~$225 at ECS

Here ya go:

New Bosch: https://www.oembimmerparts.com/BMW-N...2179001e46.htm

Rebuilt Bosch: https://www.oembimmerparts.com/BMW-E...179001re46.htm

[Scott ZHP]

Good luck with the install. Going in from the bottom?

Was planning to pull the intake and go in from the top, as I want to replace the plastic coolant lines while I have access.
And maybe the dual temp sensor in the head, just because I have a new one laying on my workbench, lol.

I did the CCV and hoses not quite a year ago, so I probably won't mess with those.

Opinion seems to be split between top and bottom access; I hate working upsidedown, so even if I have to remove more stuff, I'm leaning toward top.