My 1997 5-speed 528i is awesome.

Except it needs a new starter. (?)
And it bucks like an enraged bronco when quickly engaging in first gear (flooring it).

The first problem was deduced by a BMW-trained mechanic (non-dealer), I mean, the car takes 2-200 attempts to start-up and it's not the battery.

The second problem... Well, as for that one... It seems unsolvable. Nobody knows why this occurs. It's like when you teach somebody to drive stick and they drop the clutch out at too low an RPM and then floor it and the car staggers forward and backward until it regains it's smooth acceleration at a normal RPM range... Except I can start releasing (quickly or slowly) at 2000RPMs or 5000RPMs and anywhere in between and my only cure right now to avoid this violent jerking action is to ride the friction zone and shift to second as soon as I can.

I have had this car for about one and a half years... I have driven about four years worth of driving due to my job and spent more money on maintenance than my initial cost of the car at it's purchase. These are the only two problems I seem to have (besides some blown speakers and the rattling sounds of one of my window regulators threatening to tangle at any moment.)

Anyway...

The purpose of this post:

If anyone can direct me to where I can learn a "do-it-yourself" installation of a starter on a '97 528i, preferably with some pictures or diagrams and then a mystical explanation of my car's tendency to want to leap off the pavement in first I cannot begin to tell you the relief and new-found sense of hope I would in turn experience.

Thank you so much.

James

Originally Posted by TSBH

Except it needs a new starter. (?)
And it bucks like an enraged bronco when quickly engaging in first gear (flooring it).

The first problem was deduced by a BMW-trained mechanic (non-dealer), I mean, the car takes 2-200 attempts to start-up and it's not the battery.

The second problem... Well, as for that one... It seems unsolvable. Nobody knows why this occurs. It's like when you teach somebody to drive stick and they drop the clutch out at too low an RPM and then floor it and the car staggers forward and backward until it regains it's smooth acceleration at a normal RPM range... Except I can start releasing (quickly or slowly) at 2000RPMs or 5000RPMs and anywhere in between and my only cure right now to avoid this violent jerking action is to ride the friction zone and shift to second as soon as I can.

I have had this car for about one and a half years... I have driven about four years worth of driving due to my job and spent more money on maintenance than my initial cost of the car at it's purchase. These are the only two problems I seem to have (besides some blown speakers and the rattling sounds of one of my window regulators threatening to tangle at any moment.)

Anyway...

The purpose of this post:

If anyone can direct me to where I can learn a "do-it-yourself" installation of a starter on a '97 528i, preferably with some pictures or diagrams and then a mystical explanation of my car's tendency to want to leap off the pavement in first I cannot begin to tell you the relief and new-found sense of hope I would in turn experience.

Thank you so much.

James

James,

PLEASE tell us you know what DSC is, and how to defeat it....

your engine and/or trans mounts are shot- that is why it is bucking like crazy- your engine is flopping around like a fish out of water.

this is just a guess, but I think I am dead on. The engines power is not being applied properly since the mounts are shot so you are unable to use the full range of first gear. Since it takes less torque for the higher gears it only happens in first.

im with mark on this, i had similar problems when i got my car and they were all resolved when i changed out my motor/trans mounts. its a pretty simple job also

Alright Mark, sounds good. I will see if I have the mechanic check that out he can confirm it... I thought it might be a fuel ratio problem or something... a hose leaking or the MAF sensor but I replaced almost all of the hoses on the car in the past year and the MAF sensor last year so...
As for Fast Bob... Are you talking about Dynamic Stability Control? I don't believe that has anything to do with the bucking... from my understanding it affects the control of the tires on the pavement... if you turn it off you can pretty much destroy your tires in one peel out. (not recommended.)

Anyway, I appreciate the help guys.

Do you know if it's difficult to switch out the starter by yourself?

I am definitely a novice at car mechanics but I am an eager student.

Thanks!

-James

the starter can be a PITA. It's under the intake down by the dipstick tube. The easiest way to change it is from underneath with the car on a lift.
www.eactuning.com/parts/product_details/12411740379

Also have the mechanic stress test the motor mounts, most of the time they will look ok visually even though they are really torn in half.

I posted the Starter Motor in the DIY subforum. Go there and look.