Towed to the garage :(

mattchubb1 · 08-31-2015, 01:26 PM

A few weeks ago when watching the wife drive off.... I noticed the car didn't start for the first time... At which point the other half says "oh yeah it sometimes does this.... But it always starts" anyway popped it over to our local Indy... He checked for fault codes.... No issues.... Checked the battery... All good there... Holding its charge and charging... And of course it started every time on the nail.

This morning though no go..... Nothing.... Then I noticed it said on the idrive "coolant level too low" checked the coolant and pretty much empty?! Hopped on my bike and went of nd bought some.... So that's now at an acceptable level but need to watch out for it! Anyway car still didn't want to start. So RAC man called out. He tested the battery and said that was fine... So ended up having it towed to the local Indy in Chipping Sodbury.

Will pop over tomorrow morning to see when they can get the old girl in.... I'm thinking after 177k miles..... It could be needing a new starter motor

335ier · 09-01-2015, 11:21 AM

Did it turn over or just nothing at all?

If it turned over then your spark plugs could be swimming in coolant if your gasket or head bolts have gone.

Hope its an easy fix.

mattchubb1 · 09-01-2015, 03:00 PM

No it wasn't turning over at all.... You could just here the fuel pump... And that was it nothing....

Popped over today... He said its ok "I'll pop another battery in..." At which point I told him the battery is fine.

Called up this afternoon and it was the starter motor.... Completely gone.... So ordered a new one but only arrived today at 5pm... Saw the car and a good chunk of the top of the engine was off to get to the starter motor.... He's going to have a route around to see why the coolant is leaking, so will wait and see

Parts £160 incl.vat and then he reckoned 3 hours Labour... So into £300... And thankfully a loan car to see the wife through tomorrow....

335ier · 09-01-2015, 03:08 PM

Brill! an easy-ish fix.

Hope the coolant leak is nothing serious.

AWSAWS · 09-02-2015, 05:14 AM

I've noted on my car that the coolant level can go really low before any warning at all.
After 6 mths of spirited driving I decided to check the level and to me it looked just about empty. I think the little level indicator had a bit of play but it was just about fallen on it's side.
Anyway I topped it up. I'd like to think it was just about to tell me it was low but I now check it before any long drives if it has been a while. The level has remained stable. I often add just a tiny bit to get it to max.

mattchubb1 · 09-03-2015, 06:53 PM

Well glad to say got the car back yesterday... £375 lighter in my pocket... Half being Labour and half being parts... And starts a lot quicker now!! It had become a little sluggish on turnover... But didn't think it was that bad... But all good now.

They had a check over the insides and couldnt see any signs of coolant leaking anywhere... And no obvious signs of dripping anywhere... So need to keep an eye on how much it's loosing and keep an eye out for it.

Back to happy motoring... And more importantly happy wife as she has her bmw back!!
#didntwanttobeseeninmyvolvov70

08-31-2015, 01:26 PM	#1
mattchubb1 Private 6 Rep 86 Posts Drives: BMW E91 330i SE, E30 325iSE Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bristol iTrader: (0)	Towed to the garage :( A few weeks ago when watching the wife drive off.... I noticed the car didn't start for the first time... At which point the other half says "oh yeah it sometimes does this.... But it always starts" anyway popped it over to our local Indy... He checked for fault codes.... No issues.... Checked the battery... All good there... Holding its charge and charging... And of course it started every time on the nail. This morning though no go..... Nothing.... Then I noticed it said on the idrive "coolant level too low" checked the coolant and pretty much empty?! Hopped on my bike and went of nd bought some.... So that's now at an acceptable level but need to watch out for it! Anyway car still didn't want to start. So RAC man called out. He tested the battery and said that was fine... So ended up having it towed to the local Indy in Chipping Sodbury. Will pop over tomorrow morning to see when they can get the old girl in.... I'm thinking after 177k miles..... It could be needing a new starter motor
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09-01-2015, 11:21 AM	#2
335ier Lieutenant 37 Rep 408 Posts Drives: F31 335d Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: england iTrader: (1)	Did it turn over or just nothing at all? If it turned over then your spark plugs could be swimming in coolant if your gasket or head bolts have gone. Hope its an easy fix.
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09-01-2015, 03:00 PM	#3
mattchubb1 Private 6 Rep 86 Posts Drives: BMW E91 330i SE, E30 325iSE Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bristol iTrader: (0)	No it wasn't turning over at all.... You could just here the fuel pump... And that was it nothing.... Popped over today... He said its ok "I'll pop another battery in..." At which point I told him the battery is fine. Called up this afternoon and it was the starter motor.... Completely gone.... So ordered a new one but only arrived today at 5pm... Saw the car and a good chunk of the top of the engine was off to get to the starter motor.... He's going to have a route around to see why the coolant is leaking, so will wait and see Parts £160 incl.vat and then he reckoned 3 hours Labour... So into £300... And thankfully a loan car to see the wife through tomorrow....
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09-01-2015, 03:08 PM	#4
335ier Lieutenant 37 Rep 408 Posts Drives: F31 335d Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: england iTrader: (1)	Brill! an easy-ish fix. Hope the coolant leak is nothing serious.
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09-02-2015, 05:14 AM	#5
AWSAWS Colonel 283 Rep 2,343 Posts Drives: E92 GC Turbos, FBO, 335i DCT Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Valhalla iTrader: (0)	I've noted on my car that the coolant level can go really low before any warning at all. After 6 mths of spirited driving I decided to check the level and to me it looked just about empty. I think the little level indicator had a bit of play but it was just about fallen on it's side. Anyway I topped it up. I'd like to think it was just about to tell me it was low but I now check it before any long drives if it has been a while. The level has remained stable. I often add just a tiny bit to get it to max. __________________ GC Turbos, FBO, JB4, DCT, Port Meth injection, BMS Charge Pipe, NGK plugs. EBC brakes and pads, LED Angel lights, LED foglights, LCI rears OCC, Braided brake lines. Custom Diff Lockdown Kit, VTT inlets, TMAP, stage 2+ fuel pump 11.79@119mph (stock turbos) 11.74@129mph (GC Turbos)
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09-03-2015, 06:53 PM	#6
mattchubb1 Private 6 Rep 86 Posts Drives: BMW E91 330i SE, E30 325iSE Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bristol iTrader: (0)	Well glad to say got the car back yesterday... £375 lighter in my pocket... Half being Labour and half being parts... And starts a lot quicker now!! It had become a little sluggish on turnover... But didn't think it was that bad... But all good now. They had a check over the insides and couldnt see any signs of coolant leaking anywhere... And no obvious signs of dripping anywhere... So need to keep an eye on how much it's loosing and keep an eye out for it. Back to happy motoring... And more importantly happy wife as she has her bmw back!! #didntwanttobeseeninmyvolvov70
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