330Ci E46 Auto - Intermittent starting prob.

[silverhead51]

I have intermittent starting problem. New starter motor and new battery did not fix it.
Advised that might have missing teeth on flywheel.
Question: is this a dual mass flywheel, and what is cost of replacement

[helix402]

It’s an auto. No dual mass flywheel. Lots on eBay very cheap. I’ve even thrown one away. The expensive bit is r&r the gearbox.

[Elliot2000]

If it’s not making some funny noises or horrendous noises when trying to start it - it’s not going to be the flywheel.

It seems u have already wasted money on guessing so why not actually get a professional to diagnose it?

What actually happens when u turn the key ?

[silverhead51]

Happens only about once or twice a month. First happened about a year ago.
Turn the ignition round to start position and it sort of "clicks" but nothing - the starter motor does engage. Lights fully bright throughout and do not dim, so apparently there is no short to ground.
If you push the car a few inches, it will then start normally.

Starter motor was deemed faulty as mechanic had to knock the starter to get the car running.
We only realised the trick with moving it, some time after the new starter motor was fitted.

Most of the time it starts first time on the button, as had previously been the case since new in 2003.

It has only ever failed to start when in the garage at home, not when it driven and parked elsewhere. Maybe just luck!
The garage also holds a BMW X5.
We had thought that central locking/anti theft protection might be interfering between the 2 cars. But having tried various combinations of locking and unlocking each, there seems to be no link.

[silverhead51]

No funny noises, grinding when it fails to start.

[silverhead51]

"Turn the ignition round to start position and it sort of "clicks" but nothing - the starter motor does engage."

Correction should read: ".... nothing - the starter motor does NOT engage."

Sorry for any confusion.

[Elliot2000]

Where is the click sound coming from? Behind the dash or from the starter?

[silverhead51]

Thank you Elliott.
Just checked with my wife.
She said there is only the click of the key turning in the ignition. No click from under the dashboard or from the starter or the engine bay. Just goes dead but all lights blazing.

[SPORTSTER]

Have you checked Battery, fuel relay or faulty ignition switch?

[Sardonicus]

I presume when you push the car you come out of park and back into neutral or park again? it then starts may be the shift sensor beneath the gaiter is faulty not sending a out of gear signal to the ECM for the transmission next time this happens run the gearstick backwards and forwards a few times or try in neutral rather than the usual park position

[Funk]

Sardonicus said:

I presume when you push the car you come out of park and back into neutral or park again? it then starts may be the shift sensor beneath the gaiter is faulty not sending a out of gear signal to the ECM for the transmission

Was going to say it sounds like a sensor of some sort to me.

[Sardonicus]

Worth getting checked this can be integrated with suitable software than can read out the trans ECM it may even have stored fault codes

[Elliot2000]

Sardonicus said:

I presume when you push the car you come out of park and back into neutral or park again? it then starts may be the shift sensor beneath the gaiter is faulty not sending a out of gear signal to the ECM for the transmission next time this happens run the gearstick backwards and forwards a few times or try in neutral rather than the usual park position

This is a very good shout

[Chiswickboy]

Agree with others regarding the gear selector switch. Had this on a Volvo and just needed taking out and putting back into P.

[silverhead51]

[quote=Sardonicus]
I presume when you push the car you come out of park and back into neutral or park again? it then starts may be the shift sensor

Yes that is what happens.

And thanks to all you guys suggesting the fault is with the "shift sensor".
At least it is not the flywheel which was the advice I got from "Honest John", or one of his minions!
We will not know until the next time it happens, and we just try moving the shift.

The car has been well behaved for the last 2 weeks.
I will keep you posted.

Thanks again,
Ta-Ra

[helix402]

It could still be a faulty flywheel. I have seen a 530d E60 with the same problem due to a faulty flywheel.

[Shooter McGavin]

Holy thread revival Batman! Did you ever resolve this OP?

I have this issue with my E46 M3 SMG.

From cold, it will start OK. Battery seems good (I need to check the voltage though, to be sure).

After parking up after a 1hr+ drive I get the solenoid clicking but no starter operation.

Leave it to cool down for an hour or so, it starts as normal.

Part of me thinks this is a bad starter motor (possibly sticking due to heat related expansion?) but I have seen a few posts elsewhere saying "replaced starter, still had problem". Given the work involved in doing that I am loathe to pay out for it unless definitely the cause. There are no fault codes in my generic fault reader, which is usually pretty reliable.

I've checked all earthing points and they seem fine.

[danb79]

Shooter McGavin said:

Holy thread revival Batman! Did you ever resolve this OP?

I have this issue with my E46 M3 SMG.

From cold, it will start OK. Battery seems good (I need to check the voltage though, to be sure).

After parking up after a 1hr+ drive I get the solenoid clicking but no starter operation.

Leave it to cool down for an hour or so, it starts as normal.

Part of me thinks this is a bad starter motor (possibly sticking due to heat related expansion?) but I have seen a few posts elsewhere saying "replaced starter, still had problem". Given the work involved in doing that I am loathe to pay out for it unless definitely the cause. There are no fault codes in my generic fault reader, which is usually pretty reliable.

I've checked all earthing points and they seem fine.

Could it be cam / crank sensor related?

They're sods for hot starts and also not throwing any codes

[Shooter McGavin]

I got my multimeter out, then bought another multimeter!

I've always struggled with these things, they have so many bloody settings. Anyway, the 9V battery in mine had gone, so I replaced that, but it was giving ridiculously silly readings and wouldn't zero, so I happily jettisoned it in the direction of the bin and replaced it with a fully auto one off Amazon. No need to guess where to set the dial and a simple black and red connection.

Stuck that on and it shows 12.13 volts, dropping to 11.7 when I put the ignition on and 10.59 when I crank the starter.

It did actually start from cold with 10.59 volts, but everything I read online says "voltage too low, failing battery".

My indy wants £100 + VAT to diagnose it. GSF will sell me a new battery for 85 quid.

I am just going to go with the latter, as I have no idea when the current battery was replaced, I should note these things down.

[E-bmw]

A fully charged healthy battery will measure about 12.6 volts.

Every 0.1 volt under that is around 10/15% charge down.

While a battery measuring 12.3 volts may well start an engine it is low on health & will benefit from being changed for a healthy one, just don't go cheap.