# Engine will not start at all!!!!!



## disaster53 (Mar 18, 2008)

Hi, I have a 1997 bmw 740 il with 120 thousand miles on the clock and untill yestarday it run beautifully....

Today I went to start it and...nothing..... just a click, click, click sound and nothing else....the engine does't crank at all....after about 3 click it stop even making sound...My first idea was the battery since the auto starter doesn't work when the battery is down but everything else works, windows, lights, central locking.

I try a different set of keys, just in case the battery in my master key was down but again nothing, even with the third set of key (the one with no battery and to use only for ignition and locks).......

Any ideas....the battery is the original and there is no trace of corrotion on the cables and all the fuse are ok.

Could it be that the battery has enough juice to power everything but not enough to start the engine?

If not what else could be wrong? There is no warning message on the screen to help, I'm quite desperate....please help!!!!!!!!!!


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## darkknight1974 (Jan 20, 2008)

Sounds like a battery..... try that....

DK


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

battery.


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## Boile (Jul 5, 2005)

Your battery is more than 10 years old? :wow:
Did you buy the car brand new? If not, how do you know it's the original?
Jump start it first.


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## disaster53 (Mar 18, 2008)

I did buy the car second hand, but the battery it's still the original bmw one since I have all the bills for all the repairs and such....(on the battery there are still the original bmw sticks)

But if it's the battery, how come everything else seems to work normally? Where all the power for all the eletrics come from? It's this that I cannot understand!!!!!


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## Boile (Jul 5, 2005)

Just because you don't have the receipt doesn't mean it's original. If it was replace with OEM, it'd have the stickers as well. I just can't believe a battery will last over 10 years.
It only takes a few amps to power your electronics.
But it takes 100 amps or more to crank your engine. A tired battery can't supply that kind of juice.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Boile said:


> Just because you don't have the receipt doesn't mean it's original. If it was replace with OEM, it'd have the stickers as well. I just can't believe a battery will last over 10 years.
> It only takes a few amps to power your electronics.
> But it takes 100 amps or more to crank your engine. A tired battery can't supply that kind of juice.


These 7ers guys don't know where the engine is, much less what a battery is.


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## lmxu (Jan 24, 2006)

battery 4 sure. The exact same thing happened to me at around 70k. At first I tried to jump start the car, but couldn't start it again at the next stop, so it was dead for sure. Went to auto-zone, bought a Duralast for $70 (edit, actually $58 minus the rebate for the old one ) replaced myself (make sure you connect the venting tube), been fine ever since.

FYI

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206787


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## crewdog843 (Mar 15, 2006)

Ensure that the terminals are tight to the post first of all. This type of behavior is not uncommon in the seven series. My personal experience: Backed the car out of the garage to wash it....job done, tried to start it. No joy!!!! Battery went tango uniform just like that.

If you must jump start the car, do it from the terminals under the hood.

jake


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## Seven11 (Mar 10, 2008)

Dave 330i said:


> These 7ers guys don't know where the engine is, much less what a battery is.


:jack:


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## darkknight1974 (Jan 20, 2008)

Seven11 said:


> :jack:


+1


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## niketeam931 (Jan 17, 2009)

Hey man I had the same problem and under the same circumstances and it was the battery.


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## crewdog843 (Mar 15, 2006)

Great thread resurrection!!!

What ever happened to Disaster53 (original poster)? Anyone want to bet he put a new battery in the car and lived happily ever after......

jake


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