My E83 sounds like an old carbureted car when starting

[bmwdirtracer]

Okay, I've tried to reread the whole thread.

Did this issue begin when the starter was replaced, or was the starter replaced to try to resolve this issue?

On a genuine BMW battery, you'll find a date stamp in one of the terminals: i.e.: 41/10...(this would indicate the 41st week of 2010) . How old is this battery? What's the voltage across the terminals of the battery before cranking it in the morning?

Certainly, it's possible that a super-weak battery could cause the ugly noises, as the load exceeds the demand of the starter.

[Spraypaint]

I looked around on the battery but didn't see a date. Didn't realize it would be written in some sort of code though. I'll check again.

Depending on time of day, the voltage will range from 12.2x to 12.35. Don't think I've seen it higher than that even after a 40 minute highway drive. We were testing it rather regularly when this first started happening.

Apparently the starter was replaced over a year ago when the car simply refused to start and left my wife stranded at work. She had it towed to a close shop to get fixed. It was fine for about a year and somewhere about 2 months ago this issue started cropping up and is slowly getting worse.

[Spraypaint]

Just wanted to post a quick update as the issue is resolved and I hate reading old threads for answers and finding only questions. Hope this helps someone else.

Turned out: the crappy shop that did the starter the first time used the wrong one (possibly the one from the other engine) and it just wasn't cutting the mustard. So we paid the money to put in a proper OEM one for the engine we have and everything is good. Also had the mechanics inspect for damage to flywheel just to ensure no lasting damage was caused. Thankfully, none. The car is starting up like it should now and I feel much more confident going into this winter.

Thanks so much to those who took the time to read, respond, and help me solve this conundrum! Great online mechanic/detective work!

[MIKYZZ4]

Glad it was finally resolved,
Thanks for the update!