Starter motor

Glen_Quagmire

I have a 2006 BMW 523i which I bought a few months ago. The car is running well, however the other day it wouldn't start. When I pushed in the start button I could hear the fuel pump priming but nothing else would happen, no engagement at all from the engine.

I phoned breakdown assistance and he the mechanic knew straight away what was up. He took a mallet and a piece of bar and asked me to hit the start button while he tapped on the casing of the starter motor. The car started straight away.

Since he done that the car is actually starting up better than is was previously. It was a bit sluggish starting up since I bought it but it starts up a lot better now the last few days.

Question I have is, do I definitely need to get a new starter motor fitted or would I get another while out of it the way it is?

Obviously that's an impossible question to answer without looking at the car but interested to hear if others have had a similar situation,and got more life out of the starter after giving it a few taps which may have dislodged something inside...?

listermint

Get a new one.

No one wins from playing the guessing game with a starter. It will fail on you when you least need it to.

Not worth it.

hawkeye_bmr

Definitely replace it as soon as possible.

I had an old '89 Nissan auto, dodgy starter that would turn over by giving a few taps, that turned into a few harder taps and shorting it across the poles to get it to wizz up then hoping it turned over with the key!

A good 2nd hand starter sorted it...

Glen_Quagmire

Yeah I was 100% going to get a new one fitted I even contacted a mechanic for a price, I'm just having second thoughts now because it's starting up so well, even better than before.

What would the tapping have done to get it starting again?

jca

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

Yeah I was 100% going to get a new one fitted I even contacted a mechanic for a price, I'm just having second thoughts now because it's starting up so well, even better than before.

What would the tapping have done to get it starting again?

Freed up sticky brushes. Was the car lying up for a long time before you bought it?

Glen_Quagmire

jca wrote:

Freed up sticky brushes. Was the car lying up for a long time before you bought it?

I'm not sure but looking at the car tell report it was taxed on a 3 month basis for the last 3 years which would indicate it was in regular use.

CJhaughey

The issue is the starter brushes have worn down to a point where they kink in the guide and don't make contact with the armature, the tapping shocks them and they move into place to make a better contact, basically its a work around for worn brushes. The armature may be worn as well so its a matter of when not if it will fail again.

RandomUsername

Remove it and take it to a place who refurbished started and alternators. I had the solenoid replaced in an astra starter for €120 same day, good as new.
Be sure to disconnect the battery before removing.

Glen_Quagmire

Think I'll book it in for a replacement then. Sounds like it's only a matter of time before it acts up again