# Can 3 series with manual be pused started if battery die?



## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

TD said:


> No.
> 
> And you'll f*ck up the car trying.
> 
> That's what roadside assistance is for.


 Sure you can. I think the process is even described in the manual. It's ez as cake.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

E46 Bentley P121-10. Last bullet on page:

_On cars with manual transmissions, a starter immobilization switch at the clutch pedal is used to prevent the starter from operating unless the clutch pedal is pushed fully to the floor_

I do the following ALL the time:
-Put key in
-Crank to START
-Push in clutch
-Starter engages, car starts.

This means you can pop start a E46 or any other car that has the same type of interlock. As long as the rest of the car is working (DME, injectors, etc.), I don't see much harm in doing this. In fact, on my old Datsun I had in high school, it was parked on my parents' inclined driveway, and I'd pop-start the thing practically every morning (ok, it had a carb and no interlock of any kind).

I'm actually planning on heading out in a few, and my E46 just happens to be sitting in my driveway. I'll have to give this a try.


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

TD said:


> A- It is hard on all of the mechanicals involved and
> B- Unlike earlier BMWs (and some other makes), the clutch needs to be fully depressed to start the car. So the second you let out the clutch to "pop start" your BMW, the ignition circuit would be disabled and the car would slam to a stop with a huge stress against your tranny and engine.
> C- I assume that other damage (for example - to the electrical system) would result as well


Is this opinion or fact? Does anyone detect a half-baked smell?


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Doh, I forgot the original poster's question.

If the battery is dead, this may not work. There has to be enough juice for the DME to boot and run, and the coils to fire off, etc. A modern car NEEDS a working battery to keep moving, let alone start. Another personal experience:

The day I was going to pick up my E46, I went to work, as usual, in my Mitsu Galant. Halfway to the office, all the electronics went haywire, and the car came to a halt. Turns out the battery became disconnected. As soon as the connector let go, it was done, even though the alternator and battery were working 100%.

So, I revise my answer. Yes, you can push-start a E46. But not with no battery or a very dead one.


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## yamato (Feb 11, 2003)

eelnoraa said:


> Hi
> 
> Just did a jump start for my co worker's civic with my 330 6 speed at lunch. I was wondering if my car's battery die, can I put the car into gear, and push start it? I know the push start method works on my older car. Anyone try it?
> 
> eel


what did you do to drain the battery during the jump start process?


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

TD said:


> No.
> 
> And you'll f*ck up the car trying.
> 
> That's what roadside assistance is for.


Better to keep quiet if you have no idea what you are talking about.

The method for pop starting a 3er BMW is described on page 157 of the manual that was included with my 2004 330i.

You're all wet TD.


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

Kaz said:


> Doh, I forgot the original poster's question.
> 
> If the battery is dead, this may not work. There has to be enough juice for the DME to boot and run, and the coils to fire off, etc. A modern car NEEDS a working battery to keep moving, let alone start. [cut]
> 
> So, I revise my answer. Yes, you can push-start a E46. But not with no battery or a very dead one.


I'm not going to kill my battery to prove this, but my WRX pop started just fine with a completely dead battery and Subaru uses a very advanced DME. I suspect that 5 or 6 revolutions of the tires is enough to power up the electricals once the drivetrain is engaged. Once the engine fires, the battery should be unnecessary to keep the car running as long as the circuit is not cut by a _defective_ battery.


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## eelnoraa (Oct 13, 2003)

yamato said:


> what did you do to drain the battery during the jump start process?


Oh, my 330 was fine before and after the jump start. Just in the processing jumping start my friends car, it just got me thinking if E46 manual can be pushed start or not.

eel


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## Scott_H (Feb 12, 2003)

Pretty sure you can't do this on current cars, but I once push started my '65 Dodge Dart, with an Automatic Transmission!


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

OK, I said earlier that I'll try this. So I did it. Works fine (granted, my battery is fine). In fact, it seemed even easier than on my old Datsun.


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

Scott_H said:


> Pretty sure you can't do this on current cars, but I once push started my '65 Dodge Dart, with an Automatic Transmission!


Wow! 
The manual says not to pop a step, but it still makes you wonder if you can... :bigpimp: By the way, the manual does describe how to pop and SMG :yikes: in case anyone wondered.


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

Kaz said:


> OK, I said earlier that I'll try this. So I did it. Works fine (granted, my battery is fine). In fact, it seemed even easier than on my old Datsun.


What gear did you pop in? I always do it in second, but the manual says to use third...


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

kurichan said:


> What gear did you pop in? I always do it in second, but the manual says to use third...


Didn't have much of a choice. Car was pointing uphill...

In case you can't guess, reverse.


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## eelnoraa (Oct 13, 2003)

kurichan said:


> Wow!
> The manual says not to pop a step, but it still makes you wonder if you can... :bigpimp: By the way, the manual does describe how to pop and SMG :yikes: in case anyone wondered.


I don't think pop start a automatics tranny car is even possible on modern cars, well, most of the cars. Auto tanny require engine running to engage the tranny, but without tranny engage, you cannot turn the engine by rolling the car, so not possible, I would guess.

eel


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

Kaz said:


> Didn't have much of a choice. Car was pointing uphill...
> 
> In case you can't guess, reverse.


:rofl: Never considered trying that one! I guess it's as good as any gear, but maybe a bit LOW. Did it jerk much?


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

kurichan said:


> :rofl: Never considered trying that one! I guess it's as good as any gear, but maybe a bit LOW. Did it jerk much?


I've never tried any other gear in any car.


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## kurichan (May 1, 2004)

Kaz said:


> I've never tried any other gear in any car.


You might reconsider. First or reverse are such low gears that the drivetrain lash can't be good for the car. BMW says 3rd.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

kurichan said:


> You might reconsider. First or reverse are such low gears that the drivetrain lash can't be good for the car. BMW says 3rd.


You tell me how this helps when gravity goes DOWNHILL. The only time I've ever pop-started a car is when it's pointing uphill.

And it's not a drivetrain lash issue (which is unchanged no matter what gear you're in). It's a mechanical advantage issue. A higher gear gives a mechanical advantage when driven from the wheel, the inverse of being driven by the engine.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

If I find it necessary to start my car when my battery is dead (still connected), I'm going to get pushed started in 5th gear. In my old Honda Civic I could push started myself. :thumbup:


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## Salvator (Oct 14, 2003)

I've "pop-started" my car 6 times now, whenever it stalled on me as I was driving it (it has not stalled since I upgraded to software version 37.1 :clap: )... I think I did it in third and at least once in second... seemed to be fine... As for pop-starting in reverse, I have done that in my old VW Beetle, but sparingly, as my VW mechanic friend told me once (at least on a 1967 Beetle) the reverse gear teeth are very small and easily stripped...


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