non starter

daverav

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Points
49
Location
Brentwood Essex
Model of Z
3.0 sport
Went to start the z3 up today with not much luck!!
no ignition lights only the seat belt light and radio come on battery is not great so tried a jump start but didnt make any difference.
only thing i can add is that the battery went completely flat a couple of weeks ago. i charged it up and seemed ok.

any thoughts ?
cheers
 

5harp3y

Zorg Guru (IV)
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 10, 2015
Points
168
Location
Basingstoke
Model of Z
2.8
Dead battery.

Will charge but cannot sustain enough amperage to start the car. New battery time
 

daverav

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Points
49
Location
Brentwood Essex
Model of Z
3.0 sport
thanks for the replies.yes i understand about the charging and amps but i would have thought with jump leads on i would got some ignition lights on ?
 

t-tony

The Legend
Deceased
Supporter
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
What I would do Dave, if you have access to one is swap your battery with a known good one, then if you still have no ignition lights then there is another issue. Is there a fusible link in the positive battery lead near to the battery on your car?

Tony.
 

FRANKIE

Zorg Guru (V)
American Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Points
193
Location
Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, USA
Model of Z
Z3
Went to start the z3 up today with not much luck!!
no ignition lights only the seat belt light and radio come on battery is not great so tried a jump start but didnt make any difference.
only thing i can add is that the battery went completely flat a couple of weeks ago. i charged it up and seemed ok.

any thoughts ?
cheers
How clean are your battery connectors and terminals? Do you have a post cleaner and a terminal cleaner? If everything is clean and you jump the battery with another car and the lights don't come on, you might have a dead cell in the battery..............Frankie
 

daverav

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Points
49
Location
Brentwood Essex
Model of Z
3.0 sport
i will try another battery tomorrow. yes has got the fuse i had better check that pronto. the posts are clean.
thanks for the replies
 

t-tony

The Legend
Deceased
Supporter
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
i will try another battery tomorrow. yes has got the fuse i had better check that pronto. the posts are clean.
thanks for the replies
Good luck with it mate. Keep us posted.

Tony.
 

Jjim

Zorg Guru (IV)
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 21, 2017
Points
168
Location
Mansfield
Model of Z
1.9 Roadster
I had a similar problem when I disconnected my battery and charged it in the garage.

When I reconnected the battery the doors wouldn't work of the remote central locking and nothing happened when I put the key in the ignition.

I then went around to the boot and both doors and physically locked and unlocked each one with the key. This seemed to reset the system and then everything worked.
 

FRANKIE

Zorg Guru (V)
American Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Points
193
Location
Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, USA
Model of Z
Z3
Tried a different battery today ... no joy
I wonder if it’s a alarm problem ?
Now I'm confused. I understood that the car had no power from the first battery and wouldn't even turn over. Now you are saying that a new battery won't start it. Was the engine turning over with to old battery? Was it turning over with the new battery?..........Frankie
 

daverav

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Points
49
Location
Brentwood Essex
Model of Z
3.0 sport
i used the car two days ago with no issue i knew the battery was not great but was ok if used it once or twice a week. i went to start the car yesterday unlocked it with the key fob put the key in the ignition but didnt get any lights up on the dash other than the seat belt warning light. This morning put another fully charged battery on and its still the same also tied to jump start the car from the wifes car and it made no difference. not had a chance to look again as am stuck at work:(:(
 

FRANKIE

Zorg Guru (V)
American Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Points
193
Location
Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, USA
Model of Z
Z3
i used the car two days ago with no issue i knew the battery was not great but was ok if used it once or twice a week. i went to start the car yesterday unlocked it with the key fob put the key in the ignition but didnt get any lights up on the dash other than the seat belt warning light. This morning put another fully charged battery on and its still the same also tied to jump start the car from the wifes car and it made no difference. not had a chance to look again as am stuck at work:(:(
Dave, I can understand that you didn't get any lights at the dash and you jumped the car with another battery and got the same thing. What you are not saying is whether the engine actually turned over. Here's why I ask this. I had a BMW 325ci that didn't start. The engine didn't turne over. It turned out that it was an alarm issue. The particular key that I had had a TRANSPONDER in the key itself. This key also had a battery. The battery was rechargable. When the key was in the ignition and the car was running, the car would charge up the battery in the key as the car was running and the key was in the ignition. However, when the battery inside the key went bad, it would no longer charge up. As a result, the transponder would not signel a ring inside the ignition to tell the EWS alarm system that it was the proper key for the car. The EWS system then interupted the starter circuit and also the fuel pump circuit. I know this because I isolated the starter which then cranked, and then sprayed ether into the air filter and the engine started. Once I got a new key (mucho $$$), everything worked perfectly. I'm not saying that this is your problem. It all depends on what exactly is happening when you turn the key to the 'start' position on your ignition...................Frankie
 
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daverav

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Points
49
Location
Brentwood Essex
Model of Z
3.0 sport
hi yes sorry the car is not turning over. i have tried my spare key and that didnt work either will try another battery in a key fob when i get in ftom work. nothing happens when i turn the ignition.
cheers
 

FRANKIE

Zorg Guru (V)
American Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Points
193
Location
Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, USA
Model of Z
Z3
hi yes sorry the car is not turning over. i have tried my spare key and that didnt work either will try another battery in a key fob when i get in ftom work. nothing happens when i turn the ignition.
cheers
You must read the caution about starter fluid at the end of this post.............Frankie

I got a battery charger with a 50 amp boost capability. I connected the negative terminal to a good ground (earth) on the car. I couldn't reach the positive terminal from the top of the car or from underneath but I had a line of sight on it from under the car when I had it on jack stands. I got a tool that is long and is a shaft of metal with a four pronged claw on the end and a small tab handle on the other end. It is wrapped in metal. Lets see if I can find a picture of one....
upload_2018-1-16_20-50-50.jpeg
I wrapped the shaft with tape to insulate it as I didn't want it to arc against any other metal except the starter positive terminal and connected the positive alligator clip from the battery charger to the handle end. I CAREFULLY inserted the prong end of the tool into the depths of the car from my position under the car to the positive starter terminal and when it touched, the starter cranked. I then turned the ignition to "on" and went under the car and did the same proceedure. The car cranked but did not fire. I thought then, what's the possibility of both the starter failing and the fuel pump failing at the same time........Possible but highly unlikely. I then got starter fluid and sprayed it into the air intake then got under the car with the ignition on (the car was an automatic and in Park) and hot wired the starter again. The car fired up and ran until the starter fluid was consumed. So now I knew that the starter could operate but didn't using the key in the ignition 'start' position and that no fuel was being delivered to the furl injectors. At this point I figured that it was the EWS system interupting both those circuts.

CAUTION.......... At some time in the past, I accidently DESTROYED a mass air flow sensom using starting fluid. I just can't remember for the life of me if I did it to this car or another since it was several years ago. Logic would dictate that if the ether passed over the maf, it would then ruin it. I'd have to check with @t-tony about this. If this was the case, the fluid would have to be used PAST the maf such as in the throtle body. Also, starting fluid strips the lubricating capabilities from the oil coated parts of the engine so use VERY LITTLE as you don't want your car engine to turn into what they call an "ether baby".....................Frankie
 
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t-tony

The Legend
Deceased
Supporter
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
,Success
I took the covers from the steering column off to discover one of the connecting blocks was loose and not clicked in,god knows how that happened.
Only issue now is the temp and fuel gauge don’t work.
That some good news mate.

Tony.
 

daverav

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Points
49
Location
Brentwood Essex
Model of Z
3.0 sport
yes it is, very pleased to say the least plus the wife said it was a loose connection! perhaps i should let her work on the cars !!i hate it when sh is right :whistle::whistle::whistle::whistle:
thanks for the help everyone
 

t-tony

The Legend
Deceased
Supporter
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
hate it when sh is right
Guess that's the bad news then Dave.=)) @Sean d has had issues when his "clocks" have stopped for no apparent reason maybe he can show some light?

Tony.
 
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