How Worn Is My Ground Strap?

clopez1 · 01-15-2024, 09:41 PM

I’ve recently replaced my battery thinking it would fix slow crank start, and flickering tail n side marker lights since it was a 6 year old unregistered battery due to previous owner.

I’m honestly not too sure how much wear a ground strap/cable can take but to me this looks like garbage/chewed out. Any chances this might be the culprit? I would love to go quickly fix this but it is currently around -20°C outside +wind and I would hopefully like to make it worth it. Thank you for any responses.

(2011 135i dct) Best photos I can take:

GoRomeo · 01-16-2024, 12:15 AM

Looks good to me. Usually corrosion or rust are the culprit. What location is this on the car? Slow cranks can also be caused by old battery or a starter goijng bad.

iminhell1 · 01-16-2024, 04:06 PM

It's fine, and not you're problem.

clopez1 · 01-16-2024, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

Looks good to me. Usually corrosion or rust are the culprit. What location is this on the car? Slow cranks can also be caused by old battery or a starter goijng bad.

This is the engine mount ground cable by the steering column.

clopez1 · 01-16-2024, 05:46 PM

The battery, i’ve recently relaced from a genuine BMW lead-acid 720cca 90Ah - to a interstate 900cca 95Ah. Coded and registered via bimmerlink/code.

Observation: Installed new battery with 12.6V. Drove it around for an hour during the day. Park the car overnight, check and its at 12.25V. —The battery is definitely charging because after driving around multiple times in the day, it charges and holds at 12.5-6V. Honestly not too sure why there’s a high parasitic draw and I assumed it was this ground cable. Also I do notice the car drives like brand new with a fully charged battery vs not properly charged.

What test can I do to check my starter and alternator?

01-15-2024, 09:41 PM	#1
clopez1 New Member 3 Rep 6 Posts Drives: BMW 135i Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	I’ve recently replaced my battery thinking it would fix slow crank start, and flickering tail n side marker lights since it was a 6 year old unregistered battery due to previous owner. I’m honestly not too sure how much wear a ground strap/cable can take but to me this looks like garbage/chewed out. Any chances this might be the culprit? I would love to go quickly fix this but it is currently around -20°C outside +wind and I would hopefully like to make it worth it. Thank you for any responses. (2011 135i dct) Best photos I can take: Attached Images
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01-16-2024, 12:15 AM	#2
GoRomeo Brigadier General 962 Rep 3,849 Posts Drives: 330i, 135i Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW 135i [9.50] 2006 330i [6.75]	Looks good to me. Usually corrosion or rust are the culprit. What location is this on the car? Slow cranks can also be caused by old battery or a starter goijng bad.
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01-16-2024, 04:06 PM	#3
iminhell1 C2H5OH 3915 Rep 2,144 Posts Drives: 2010 SG 135i auto Join Date: May 2015 Location: Darwin, MN iTrader: (1)	It's fine, and not you're problem.
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01-16-2024, 05:46 PM	#5
clopez1 New Member 3 Rep 6 Posts Drives: BMW 135i Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	The battery, i’ve recently relaced from a genuine BMW lead-acid 720cca 90Ah - to a interstate 900cca 95Ah. Coded and registered via bimmerlink/code. Observation: Installed new battery with 12.6V. Drove it around for an hour during the day. Park the car overnight, check and its at 12.25V. —The battery is definitely charging because after driving around multiple times in the day, it charges and holds at 12.5-6V. Honestly not too sure why there’s a high parasitic draw and I assumed it was this ground cable. Also I do notice the car drives like brand new with a fully charged battery vs not properly charged. What test can I do to check my starter and alternator?
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