Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 26 to 34 of 34

Thread: Surprises? Replacing the starter....

  1. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Limerick, PA USA
    Posts
    104
    My Cars
    2008 M Roadster

    Surprises? Replacing the starter....

    You have to check if you have actual power to the starter (12v power from battery) and power to the solenoid when the key is turned. If not - you have a wiring issue. If so, you have a bad starter or seized engine (assuming no crank). My starter went bad in my old E85 2.5 and I replaced it with a Bosch reman for $180 myself.

    However, it's not uncommon to get a bad reman starter. So you need to figure out if your starter is bad. One easy way that often works is just tap the starter with a hammer while someone turns they key. Car will often fire right up if the starter is bad. This may work if there is a bad spot on the armature or a bad solenoid (starter mounted solenoid).

    Of course, any electrical repair should begin by checking fuses and a load test on the battery. If the battery is bad, nothing is going to work. A dead battery could also mean a bad alternator or a wiring issue. If your not sure, maybe send it to a mechanic.
    Last edited by swanicyouth; 12-09-2013 at 11:31 AM.

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Boca Raton, FL
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2008 BMW z4 i
    I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I wanted to say thanks for the comments here. 2008 Z4 E85 roadster and my starter died last week. Mechanic told me $800. I said no thank you. (I said a few other things in my head, but seeing as how the mechanic still had the car in the shop and at his mercy, I chose to keep those under wraps.) Picked up the car, $150 Bosch reman starter, and 3 hours later it's purring once again.

    Couple things I noticed along the way:
    I'm pretty sure the 'right' way to do this was by removing the intake manifold. I didn't trust myself to do this properly, so I spider-monkeyed my way in and around the darn thing. Including a few moments of resting my head on the manifold, with one eye looking through the space of one of the intake channels while my other eye was seeing the view from the other side. But it IS possible to remove and replace the starter without taking apart the manifold.
    My 2008 E85 required an E14 star socket.......not the E12 that others were saying they needed. Thank goodness I decided to purchase a small set instead of a single socket, so it didn't slow me down.
    For those looking to replace this, be aware that one bolt holds the starter in from the starter side, and a second longer bold holds the starter from the transmission side, so you'll have one per side to remove.
    And of course, as per frikkin' usual, it's much easier to remove than it is to install.

    Solid 3 hours of labor for this idiot with a wrench, and that included a couple breaks to alternate muttered swears and prayers. But much better than a bill for $800 USD. Thanks again!

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Pac.NW
    Posts
    4,949
    My Cars
    '03 Z4, '85 Subaru Wagon, '87 Suzuki Savage LS650
    Definitely not your average first post!

    Welcome to the board.
    Not so much a signature as a cry for help.

    Hold on, saw this in a cartoon once...think I can pull it off.

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Hewitt TX
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2008 E350, 1978 Dino GT4
    So, after reading posts I think I will try to replace the starter on my wife's 2005 Z4. Hope I'm not stating or rather asking the obvious but was a memory saver used when the starter was replaced? I presume (hope) the battery was disconnected?

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Macon,Ga
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2007 Bmw Z4 Coupe
    I just replaced my starter, good to go!!!!!!!!!!!
    GOt a reman. Bosch unit from Advance Auto.

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southwest, Ohio
    Posts
    213
    My Cars
    2007 Z4 3.0Si
    Quote Originally Posted by trialsmm View Post
    I just replaced my starter, good to go!!!!!!!!!!!
    GOt a reman. Bosch unit from Advance Auto.
    And did it take you 1-2 hours?
    My problem is when I go to replace things, I tend to double and triple the time because I tend to degrease and clean things up while I am in there...

    I've done it on the e30 and it was not nearly as easy as the z4 sounds.

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,108
    My Cars
    z3
    It's an easy job, go at it man, I've seen what you can do with other jobs, you'll be fine. Not a lot of parts to get dirty under there either so you aren't going to spend too much time cleaning...

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Redding Calif
    Posts
    4,131
    My Cars
    1999 Z3 2.5L 5sp
    On topic, off topic: anyone have ideas why there seem to be so many starters needing replacement? ... did bimmer underspec their starters, trying to save weight?? ... ie, I think in owning 15 cars over the decades [acura to volvo] - I've only replaced one starter [and I tend to keep my cars for protracted periods of time and miles, ie, not garage queens that never get used... Z has 252k miles currently; 4Runner 202k, two a/c VW combined over 500k, corolla and scion, 400k combined etc etc].

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,108
    My Cars
    z3
    I don't think BMW starters fail at any higher of a rate than any other brand

    This is just a thread about starters, so of course there is a high concentration of people in here who had starter problems. On all the BMW's I've owned (more than I can count on four hands if I had em), the only starter I had to replace was on my 160K S54-swapped Z3 (and that I think was actually just the solenoid going bad, not the starter motor).

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •