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Starter motor done

Discuss problems you have had or are having with your Z4
PDB
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Starter motor done

Post by PDB » Tue May 16, 2017 11:24 pm

Quick tale - E85 running lovely since I got him/her (haven't decided which yet) 4 months ago. Drove into town - 15 miles - parked up. Returned to the car 5 mins later - wouldn't start :o Had to call a recovery truck and hand over £100 to get me home. I'm sure I have breakdown cover with cover I have on other vehicles, or with the mortgage, or with the bank account..... couldn't remember for sure so had to fork out to get me home :cry:

Anywho..... I went through a number of tests before making my next decision:

1) - Jump start
2) - Bump start
3) - Knocking on starter
4) - Shouting
5) - Rubbing hands through hair
6) - Took the starter out and took it to my local indi, he tested it - start motor knackered.

I needed a new starter!

Ordered a Bosch starter from ECP, paid £220 (£107 to come back when old motor returned), waited 2 days to collect. Got the starter home, opened the box but noticed there was no neg terminal bolt, only a spade male end. Took the starter back and was told by a different guy that it was the wrong starter. Took full refund, turned around and left.

(I did call BMW for a price - £370 :o )

Called West Lancs Auto Electrics - http://www.westlancsautoelectrics.co.uk/ - spoke to a nice chap who after a bit of searching came up with a replacement, new and without the daft return policy, with an 18mnth warranty for £76!

To anyone wanting to change there's, I would recommend it. I'm not mechanically trained at all but have been able to do it, I've found it a rewarding way to spend 4 hours.
:D

Here's what I did:

**Unhook the battery**

1) Took out the air filter box and one length of duct that connects to it to give me more room to work.
  • Unclip the plug that is attached to the air box
  • Loosen off the spring clip
  • Undo the 2 bolts holding down the air box
  • Pull out the air box
  • Pull off the length of the ducting
2) Locate the start motor. I reached right over with my belly resting on the wing and looked down the back of the engine cover. Going in this way allows you to access bolts. The starter can be seen if you look here:

[IMG]http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x148 ... 0motor.jpg[/IMG]

3) Use a E14 torx bit (I got 6 sockets from Halfords for £5.99) to remove the 2 torx bolts holding the starter motor in. They're a right bugger to get too and undo.

4) Slide the start motor off by pulling it towards the front of the car. It's aligned on with a locating pin. You will need to pull hard and swearing helps so set up a blue zone and tell the kids to stay out of it.

5) When it does pop off there are 2 bolts to undo on the front side of the starter motor that hold on 3 cables. One + goes to the +jump bolt, the other goes to the alternator. Undo the smaller black cable also. The motor is now free.

6) Getting the old one out was harder than getting the new one in. I moved the motor out towards me and back past the flywheel housing. I preferred to move slowly rather than jiggle it. It came out eventually.

(Putting it all back together was done as above but in reverse)

I put everything back together and closed the bonnet. Sat in the car... said a prayer... turned the key... nothing!

Remembered the battery!

Reconnected it. Sat in the car, said a prayer, turned the key..... started :D

So happy.

I hope this post helps others who like me may not be mechanically experienced and are thinking it would be easier to take it to a garage. Don't, have a go yourself.

Just the rotors, pads, calipers and handbrake shoe, coil overs and 19s to fit and finish!

I browsed through the posts here (thanks to posters) and watched a ton of YouTube vids -but tbh the only vid that helped me was this one showing the location: https://youtu.be/4IgdkQxe7Z8

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Fox889
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Starter motor done

Post by Fox889 » Wed May 17, 2017 9:13 am

I have an X5 which had a 'lazy starter' turned over & started every time ........but only just!
Took it to my friendly auto electrician & he referred it for me, turns over beautifully now!
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Chris_D
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Starter motor done

Post by Chris_D » Wed May 17, 2017 10:10 am

Geat write-up OP.
It's a great feeling when you have a crack at things you never tried before isn't it? Especially if it get's things going again! :lol:
Have done a few tricky-ish things on my car as a rank amateur and will be doing diff and gearbox oil refresh this weekend...
:thumbsup:
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Starter motor done

Post by Jez_m » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:41 am

Useful write up! Got to do mine at the weekend.

One question.. Sure it is an E14 socket? Pelican parts says E12: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticle ... cement.htm

I think i have both but need to double check the tool box before beginning!

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Number5
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Starter motor done

Post by Number5 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:04 pm

I replaced the starter last weekend on my 2.5 SE, It took me about an hour and I paid £58 for it from ECP using a 30% discount code.(OK its not bosch on the box, but the enclosed test sheet was) It starts fine now.

Interesting if they are offering you £107 back on the old one when Ive only paid £58 and my old one is still sat on the garage floor..

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Starter motor done

Post by srhutch » Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:22 pm

Number5 wrote: Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:04 pm I replaced the starter last weekend on my 2.5 SE, It took me about an hour and I paid £58 for it from ECP using a 30% discount code.(OK its not bosch on the box, but the enclosed test sheet was) It starts fine now.

Interesting if they are offering you £107 back on the old one when Ive only paid £58 and my old one is still sat on the garage floor..
///M tax at a guess.
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Starter motor done

Post by Jez_m » Mon Aug 21, 2017 5:15 pm

Was pretty straight forward job. It is an E14 socket.

Grazed hands and access to the motor are the only issues!

Cabinnoisefan
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Starter motor done

Post by Cabinnoisefan » Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:53 pm

Just removed my starter. it was a was a Denzo held with 2E14 bolts the car is an 03 3,0 Auto. Thanks for the link to Lancashire electrical. Awaiting delivery. It did give me two days warning all was not well by being slightly hesitant then nothing.

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Starter motor done

Post by Cabinnoisefan » Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:13 pm

Installed starter from westlancsautoelectric.co.uk. Correct part went in well and worked first time. Under 100 pounds. Delighted.

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Starter motor done

Post by McDade » Fri Aug 21, 2020 10:13 pm

Hello, can anyone confirm whether the location and process is the same for the M54 3.0 engine? I removed the air filter box and hose but couldn’t identify the starter motor? Thanks
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Starter motor done

Post by Any1else » Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:30 pm

McDade wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2020 10:13 pm Hello, can anyone confirm whether the location and process is the same for the M54 3.0 engine? I removed the air filter box and hose but couldn’t identify the starter motor? Thanks
This is for the M54. The starter motor is below the inlet manifold.

Check this for info (you dont need to remove the manifold). https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticl ... cement.htm
2003 Launch car : 3.0 litre E85 in Sterling grey

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Starter motor done

Post by colb » Tue Aug 25, 2020 11:11 pm

Had to change mine the other week died without any warning, replaced with an RTX unit from Carparts4less £49.59 with a Surcharge of £24 to come back when I return the old one.
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Starter motor done

Post by rdm05z4 » Wed Aug 26, 2020 3:45 pm

PDB .. If your car was a manual you could have pushed it and when rolling popped the clutch to start and save the Recovery tow.
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Starter motor done

Post by Smartbear » Wed Aug 26, 2020 4:28 pm

rdm05z4 wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 3:45 pm PDB .. If your car was a manual you could have pushed it and when rolling popped the clutch to start and save the Recovery tow.
He must know that as he tried it when he got home if you read his post, maybe he couldn’t do that on his own at the time it broke down?
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Starter motor done

Post by McDade » Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:02 pm

Any1else wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:30 pm
McDade wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2020 10:13 pm Hello, can anyone confirm whether the location and process is the same for the M54 3.0 engine? I removed the air filter box and hose but couldn’t identify the starter motor? Thanks
This is for the M54. The starter motor is below the inlet manifold.

Check this for info (you dont need to remove the manifold). https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticl ... cement.htm
Ive found it, but couldnt get enough of an angle to get into the torx screws. Its seems a tight job to do without removing the manifold. I've removed all the air filter box and pipework, but still doesnt give me much room
2018 Jaguar F Pace R - The Daily Drive
2003 BMW Z4 3.0i, Black wi/ Red, SMG - The bit on the side

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