Okay this may be a taboo topic? I don't know, I have a feeling it's very much frowned upon....

Any who I went up last night with my friend to the high desert to go in the pretty cold 29 degree weather and get a hot chocolate! So we go up and There was a good portion of the drive where I had to use my highbeams. Now I've had battery charging issues but assumed they were fixed when I replaced the voltage regulator because I wasn't having issues like I was before. But I noticed the lights were dimming and was like "crap" lol

I had one of those jumpers that you hook up the car to and start it with so I wasn't worried. We stopped and got some hot coco and chilled and came back and the car was dead, no biggie i'll jump it. So I go to jump it and it drains my jumper and we're just left there. lol So we decided to roll start it, well we push it up this little hill and rolled it down at approx 13-15 mph and tried to roll start it in first and second gear and it would not turn on.... I was puzzled because it was relatively easy on this BMW we had long ago and my friends BMW and on this beetle we detailed awhile back that had starter problems. But of course it was my car that had to be the rebel and just not want to start by roll starting.

So my question is, how do you properly roll start this car to get it to start?(For emergency situations) Which gear? What Speed? cause what we were doing was not working. We tried it four times and gave up because it was heavy and damn cold outside, I admitted defeat and called AAA and got a replacement battery and we were on our way home.

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2007 BMW 328XI

If you could push it up the hill to start with, the hill was probably not steep enough to get enough speed to turn over the engine when you let the clutch out. (I assume we're talking a manual transmission here). Typically you roll start in either second or first. Without glow plugs operating, you'll need to turn over the engine more than normal to get it started, hence the need for a steeper longer hill.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I see no reason to start in any gear higher than first, the engine will be going the fastest. Get it going as fast as you can, with key in drive position, use what battery you have left to do the glowplugs and let out the clutch and immediately push it back in. I've done it after the car was sitting for about 10 minutes maybe, so it was still warm. I don't know how cold it has to get before it doesn't start.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

I agree with JEB. As long as the pavement was dry (not snowy), and you were going at least ten miles per hour, engine warm, it should push-start fine in first gear. You need to spin the engine at probably 6-700 rpm to get it started. With a diesel, I'd think that the only real issue would be maintaining that engine speed long enough for it to catch and start. How long did it sit before you tried push-starting it?

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mjk

'84 300SD 119KMi (Liesl der Diesel)
'84 300D 326KMi when the oil left (former parts car)
'82 300SD 253KMi (new parts car)

Automatic rolling start procedure is in owner's manual tow ~25 in neutral, slow to ~15, throw it into gear, I believe. For a manual, I'd get a glow on, move it as fast as you can, a little love on the clutch will keep you from breaking the wheels loose on a wet or snowy road.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

just so everyone knows, it's a manual tranny...

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mjk

'84 300SD 119KMi (Liesl der Diesel)
'84 300D 326KMi when the oil left (former parts car)
'82 300SD 253KMi (new parts car)

Probably didn't start because you had the gorilla knob in the off positon.

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

My bad, yeah it's a manual transmission.

If I recall, we just released the clutch and then after the second try is when we released and then pushed back in immediately but to no avail. I just read this morning in the owners manual that pre glowing draws little current out of the battery, where as I thought it used much power so we didn't pre glow each time we tried starting it.

It may have been the gorilla knob also, my friend was pushing and in the drivers seat while I pushed also, I'm not sure if he remembered to have it out in position. That may have been it also...

Well, now I know thanks everyone for your replies! I will remember this information next time I come across this situation, which hopefully won't been soon haha

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2007 BMW 328XI

It is easier to push or roll start a vehicle in a higher gear. probably third or higher. If you try in first the wheels will just skid, Do the math to figure out the net gear ratios. It is counter intuitive but none the less true. The same effect can be seen when using engine braking down hill. The wheels have an easier time turning the engine in the higher gears, if you want to slow down you have to make it harder by going to a lower gear. Cheers Dan

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It's always something simple
91 300D 603.960 (from japan) 194K
92 Toyota Diesel Landcruiser HDJ81-t 116K
02 Golf TDI new head courtesy of PO
87 300D
97 BMW 525 TDS Wagon 5spd
bunch of Onan and other diesel generators

Do you have an owner's manual? or a copy of the info? That may save you this inconvenience next time.

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Yeah I do, but just my luck it was out of the car and in my room when we were stuck

I "practiced" roll starting twice and was successful both trials. I had a steady 10-11 mph going...pre glowed, engaged second gear and popped the clutch and IMMEDIATELY pushed back in and it started right up!

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2007 BMW 328XI

It probably didn't start the first time because of the knob being in the wrong position.

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

yeah that's my bet too...

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2007 BMW 328XI