[karlazee]

2006 330i (N52) starting issues

hey y'all ٩( ᐛ )و

recently, my car's been having really rough cold starts. this could be attributed to age, however lately it makes ugly noises like the videos i attached below in my reddit post. my gut tells me my starter might be going out or it could be fuel pressure issues, but i wanted to come on here to see if anyone has some advice or insight on what to do. the car idles fine after warming up and it cranks somewhat okay when the engine's starting up warm. after 5-10 minutes, it does the same really rough crank.

more info:
- the drive belt system's been fully replaced (serpentine belt, belt tensioner, alternator pulley)
- battery's old but reads 14.6v when the car's on
- check engine light is on, however only for a p0456 (very small evap leak) and cat converter codes
- i'm having a woman moment i know, but i'd very much rather avoid having to go to a mechanic that doesn't know a thing about euro cars since everyone in cali likes to upcharge

here's the start video!

thanks for your help

[ppointer]

The starter in the N52 is a known weakness. I have had to have two of them replaced (two different cars). The cost to replace the starter is rather high -- I believe I spent $1200 last time, but South FL is an expensive place to get cars repaired.

[StradaRedlands]

Oh yeah, that sounds not good.

What is your battery voltage when it's not running and it has sat overnight?
The 14.6v is just what your alternator is charging it at (and maybe a little high).

Do you have an Autozone nearby? They well test the system for free and give you legit feedback.

If you end up needing a battery, check dealer prices as well as Costco and Walmart. BMW batteries are considered some of the best, so if the price difference isn't that much more, could be worth it.

If it's the starter... yeah, that's a labor intensive job, so be prepared to throw money at your car.

[karlazee]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

Oh yeah, that sounds not good.

What is your battery voltage when it's not running and it has sat overnight?
The 14.6v is just what your alternator is charging it at (and maybe a little high).

Do you have an Autozone nearby? They well test the system for free and give you legit feedback.

If you end up needing a battery, check dealer prices as well as Costco and Walmart. BMW batteries are considered some of the best, so if the price difference isn't that much more, could be worth it.

If it's the starter... yeah, that's a labor intensive job, so be prepared to throw money at your car.

thank you for your help!! battery voltage when sat reads at 11.9v, so it seems like it would be an issue but i don't know how much it would affect the start for it to sound like that