Another strange 330 problem.

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Dave Plowman (News) - 02 Feb 2009 14:19 GMT

A neighbour and my brother have near identical 330T - both about '91.
And both have exhibited the same strange 'battery' fault. Refusing to
start - starter not even engaging - but a relay chattering and the
headlights flashing. A brief charge with a small charger and they then
start as normal. It there some form of voltage sensor which prevents the
starter engaging with a low battery?

My neighbour simply bought a new battery and things seem ok now - but my
brother is made of sterner stuff...;-)

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Miike G - 02 Feb 2009 16:53 GMT

>A neighbour and my brother have near identical 330T - both about '91.
> And both have exhibited the same strange 'battery' fault. Refusing to
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> My neighbour simply bought a new battery and things seem ok now - but my
> brother is made of sterner stuff...;-)

Hi Again.
If a weak battery is the the cause. a check with a high rate discharge
tester should show if the battery is at fault.
IME a garage will do the check for free.
Mike.

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Gordon Shumway - 02 Feb 2009 17:42 GMT

Mike,

Excuse my ignorance but what does "IME" stand for?

G.S.

>IME a garage will do the check for free.

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Miike G - 02 Feb 2009 17:59 GMT

> Mike,
>
> Excuse my ignorance but what does "IME" stand for?

In My Experience.
As the check usually only takes a couple of minutes, no doubt garages do it
for free in the expectation of selling you a new battery

I have owned a load tester for over 10 years, and have found it invaluable
in deciding whether a battery needs replacing or a starting problem is
elsewhere.
Mike.

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Miike G - 02 Feb 2009 18:06 GMT

> Mike,
>
> Excuse my ignorance but what does "IME" stand for?

Just to add to my erlier reply, you may find the following site useful.
http://www.geocities.com/eedd88/abbreviations.html?20092#I
Gives a list of common acronyms.
Mike.

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Gordon Shumway - 02 Feb 2009 19:55 GMT

Thanks.
G.S.

>> Mike,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>Gives a list of common acronyms.
>Mike.

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Dave Plowman (News) - 02 Feb 2009 18:54 GMT

> >A neighbour and my brother have near identical 330T - both about '91.
> > And both have exhibited the same strange 'battery' fault. Refusing to
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> > My neighbour simply bought a new battery and things seem ok now - but
> > my brother is made of sterner stuff...;-)

> Hi Again.
> If a weak battery is the the cause. a check with a high rate discharge
> tester should show if the battery is at fault.
> IME a garage will do the check for free.
> Mike.

I'm curious to know why the starter doesn't engage, though. Most cars will
do this with a near flat battery. And this wasn't the case as a short
charge had them start normally.

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John Burns - 03 Feb 2009 15:53 GMT

> I'm curious to know why the starter doesn't engage, though. Most cars will
> do this with a near flat battery. And this wasn't the case as a short
> charge had them start normally.

Modern BMWs just don't seem to do that. I've seen a few with dead
batteries over the years.

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tom_k - 03 Feb 2009 20:16 GMT

>> I'm curious to know why the starter doesn't engage, though. Most cars
>> will
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Modern BMWs just don't seem to do that. I've seen a few with dead
> batteries over the years.

When the OEM battery went south after 3 1/2 years on my Z3, there was no
warning whatsoever. After being parked for 30 minutes after a one hour
drive, the dash lights came on as normal, but everything went dead as soon
the starter was engaged. As we were in the Canadian Rockies at the time, I
was able to bump start it and (just barely) limp to a local garage.
Tom

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Anthony Wilson - 03 Feb 2009 22:06 GMT

>>> I'm curious to know why the starter doesn't engage, though. Most cars
>>> will
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> I was able to bump start it and (just barely) limp to a local garage.
> Tom

I know this isn't the same but it might help someone. I have a 1988 735i. I
don't know how old the battery is but I bought the car used from family and
I've had it 7 years without any trouble. I stopped driving it since I was
staying with family and used their van. After 8 to ten days, the battery was
bone dead. I couldn't even open the door locks without lifting up really
hard on the handle as I turned the key, since I had locked it manually. I
finally got in and we charged it up. I ran it for 20 minutes each day for 4
days which I thought was enough but a week later it was stone dead again.
The manual says the battery is under the read seat like old VW bugs but I'm
not about to tear the leather to check it. I'll have the shop look at it.
From my experience, when batteries start dying, they don't hold charges
anymore for more than a day or so.

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John Burns - 04 Feb 2009 17:13 GMT

> The manual says the battery is under the read seat like old VW bugs but I'm
> not about to tear the leather to check it. I'll have the shop look at it.

The rear seat is VERY easy to remove. It's held by two catches about 9"
in from each side of the seat base where the seat meets the carpet. Just
insert a screwdriver a few inches and pry it upwards. Do that to eash
side then just pull the seat base forwards :-)

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Dave Plowman (News) - 04 Feb 2009 09:17 GMT

> >> I'm curious to know why the starter doesn't engage, though. Most cars
> >> will
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> the time, I was able to bump start it and (just barely) limp to a local
> garage. Tom

The one on my 528 did exactly the same. But after charging it externally
it still wouldn't 'work' - it had a very dead cell. In the cases I'm
talking about a short charge gets it going again.

It could make some sense to have sensing which stopped you absolutely
flattening the battery - but then it would need to operate on the lights
etc as well.

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John Burns - 02 Feb 2009 20:51 GMT

> A neighbour and my brother have near identical 330T - both about '91.
> And both have exhibited the same strange 'battery' fault. Refusing to
> start - starter not even engaging - but a relay chattering and the
> headlights flashing. A brief charge with a small charger and they then
> start as normal. It there some form of voltage sensor which prevents the
> starter engaging with a low battery?

I THINK that model has a feature that means it'll shut off electrical
loads so that there's always enough charge to start the car. I know I
read that but it may have been relation to a newer model.

Modern BMWs give very little warning of a bad battery. One morning they
just refuse to crank and keep doing it until you replace the battery.

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Alan B. Mac Farlane - 02 Feb 2009 23:34 GMT

> And both have exhibited the same strange 'battery' fault.

Fords have an electric quirk .. that all 6 cells of the battery have to be
hot and running ... so test with a hydrometer thingy the specific gravity of
the battery cells and see if one is dead. 5 hot cells will not do it and
you get game on like you are seeing.

Ford Diesel is the same way dispite the use of two 65 amp battery and 12
cells to test ... one is out .. bad news bears .. .need all 130 amps of
cranking power to turn over the diesel engine with glow plugs up and the oil
heater on.

Check this stuff out is my first suggestion ... if cell is burned out and
dead, fix is to replace the battery so you have a fully hot charge going on
per factory specs ... then it will start up licky split is that is the
problem.

sumbuddie wear blind sea

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