Dead battery on the e46 m3 - Page 2

equ · 03-01-2015, 08:27 PM

It took 25 hours on the trickle charger (at 68F) and the charger finally went from red (bad) to blinking green to solid green (full). I guess I'll give it another go and keep an eye on it.

This is the smallest charger out there, I usually use it for my bikes.

Terri Kennedy · 03-03-2015, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

Back in the day, the theory being advanced on the old forum was that US BMW batteries aren't as good as the ones installed by the factory in Germany. The German ones were [then?] made by Varta...

BMW has 3 US suppliers for batteries - East Penn, Exide, and Douglas. Of those, Exide and Douglas are only available as warranty replacements. If you just show up at the parts counter, you're going to get an East Penn. All of the batteries mentioned in the BMW battery rebate flyer are East Penn (EP), and none of those part numbers exist in the global parts system - they're BMWNA-only.

I'm working on a method that should produce a genuine new BMW AGM battery for $133. If it works, I'll post it here.

Terri Kennedy · 03-03-2015, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy

I'm working on a method that should produce a genuine new BMW AGM battery for $133. If it works, I'll post it here.

Unfortunately, getbmwparts.com cancelled the order because they can't ship batteries via UPS. I think they actually mean "We can't ship them and make money with our flat-rate shipping."

Sometime soon I'll try it with a local dealer and see if it gets processed.

Nick M3 · 03-03-2015, 02:34 PM

Tischer is local to me. What was the scheme?

Terri Kennedy · 03-03-2015, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Tischer is local to me. What was the scheme?

61-21-7-553-952 is a warranty-only replacement battery which getbmwparts.com would sell without caring about the warranty status. $166 list, $0 core, $33.20 discount for a price of $132.80. Link. Note that this is E46 only. If you want the factory part number for another model, post or PM me the last 7 of the VIN and I'll look it up.

equ · 03-05-2015, 02:19 PM

Terry, how much of an advantage is the AGM technology? Will it help for deep cycling or infrequently used cars?

Josh (PA) · 03-05-2015, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by equ

Terry, how much of an advantage is the AGM technology? Will it help for deep cycling or infrequently used cars?

Most car batteries use AGM (aqueous glass mat, ie: you don't have to water them anymore). East Penn uses a circular roll of lead plates and mat, most others just use a linear design. The benefits come from the quality of the lead and how well wetted the cells are when shipped. Some use an acid gel instead of the mat, but they're pretty rare

There actually needs to be a balance on negative plate purity and positive plate corrosion/breakdown rates. If the plates are too pure, they wind up not re-combining the H and OH ions into water and the battery fails by drying out. If they are not pure enough, the plate corrodes more quickly and fails by lack of plate capacity or dendrites growing and shorting between the positive and negative plates.

Pinecone · 03-10-2015, 01:30 PM

I have to keep my M3 on a Battery Tender, or it will go flat.

It has had 3 or 4 batteries in the 13 years I have had it. First one went at 2.5 MONTHS old.

Last one I put in is a Bosch from PepBoys. But it is too tall to use the battery hold down.

OTOH, the M Roadster either has the original battery, or maybe ONE replacement.

equ · 03-15-2015, 03:54 PM

Ten days on the charged up old battery and all seems well... Got a multimeter, it's measuring 12.4V (with the car off) and I'm keeping the ipod/DICE unplugged. I think the battery seems recovered for all practical purposes.

I've also pulled the batteries from the ducati & the bmw bikes that live in the garage, charged them up and put back in the bikes today. Everything fired up well. They may or may not have started, but I didn't even try.

The cb500f lives outside and when I went out there to take off the mud/snow cover, even though I was carrying sockets, box-end wrenches etc. I realized I don't have the 5mm hex key necessary to get to the battery. What the hell, just twisted and it fired right up, first time in 2-3 months! Gotta love Honda (well, also it's a '13 bike).

equ · 01-24-2016, 06:45 PM

Update one year... Charged/revived battery has been fine... except that it grew a whitish/greenish cauliflower on its positive terminal. It never leaked outright but this was cause for concern. I made a note for the shop to clean this off when I got the plugs/coils done, but shop forgot/skipped. So, last week I tackled this. Baking soda, water & lots paper towels and a wire brush...

At Pep Boys, got $80 trade-in for the old Bosch (would have gotten 100% if within 36 months), it was 44 months old. Got upsold on the Bosch AGM though and that was $220. Downside: battery weight went from 39lbs to 52lbs.

03-03-2015, 02:34 PM	#14
Nick M3 Relic Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 12,458	Tischer is local to me. What was the scheme? __________________ 2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo

03-10-2015, 01:30 PM	#18
Pinecone Carmudgeon Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,717	I have to keep my M3 on a Battery Tender, or it will go flat. It has had 3 or 4 batteries in the 13 years I have had it. First one went at 2.5 MONTHS old. Last one I put in is a Bosch from PepBoys. But it is too tall to use the battery hold down. OTOH, the M Roadster either has the original battery, or maybe ONE replacement. __________________ Terry Carraway 2002 Topaz E46 M3 2000 Dakar M Roadster 1995 Alpine E36 M3 LTW 1990 Red/White Spec Racer

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03-01-2015, 08:27 PM	#11
equ Alphanumeric Join Date: Aug 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i Posts: 9,584	It took 25 hours on the trickle charger (at 68F) and the charger finally went from red (bad) to blinking green to solid green (full). I guess I'll give it another go and keep an eye on it. This is the smallest charger out there, I usually use it for my bikes.

03-05-2015, 02:19 PM	#16
equ Alphanumeric Join Date: Aug 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i Posts: 9,584	Terry, how much of an advantage is the AGM technology? Will it help for deep cycling or infrequently used cars?

03-15-2015, 03:54 PM	#19
equ Alphanumeric Join Date: Aug 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i Posts: 9,584	Ten days on the charged up old battery and all seems well... Got a multimeter, it's measuring 12.4V (with the car off) and I'm keeping the ipod/DICE unplugged. I think the battery seems recovered for all practical purposes. I've also pulled the batteries from the ducati & the bmw bikes that live in the garage, charged them up and put back in the bikes today. Everything fired up well. They may or may not have started, but I didn't even try. The cb500f lives outside and when I went out there to take off the mud/snow cover, even though I was carrying sockets, box-end wrenches etc. I realized I don't have the 5mm hex key necessary to get to the battery. What the hell, just twisted and it fired right up, first time in 2-3 months! Gotta love Honda (well, also it's a '13 bike).

01-24-2016, 06:45 PM	#20
equ Alphanumeric Join Date: Aug 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i Posts: 9,584	Update one year... Charged/revived battery has been fine... except that it grew a whitish/greenish cauliflower on its positive terminal. It never leaked outright but this was cause for concern. I made a note for the shop to clean this off when I got the plugs/coils done, but shop forgot/skipped. So, last week I tackled this. Baking soda, water & lots paper towels and a wire brush... At Pep Boys, got $80 trade-in for the old Bosch (would have gotten 100% if within 36 months), it was 44 months old. Got upsold on the Bosch AGM though and that was $220. Downside: battery weight went from 39lbs to 52lbs.