Our New SouthWest E30 + Parts wanted, Issues resolved

General E30 related discussions -
Please put technical questions in E30 Tech Help forum below

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
User avatar
Con2K
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:00 pm

Tue Mar 15, 2011 3:09 pm

Hey everyone,

The girlfriend has just bought an E30 325i SE 'loon and it needs a few bits and peices sorting. Is there any in scrapyards down Somerset way that might have some in? I have tried the Bridgwater one (Next to BMW dealership), but none there. W-S-M near the airfeild, a white touring there but thats it. Was going to try Fritz's Bits past Wellington but I hear they are quite expensive. Always worth a try for myself though.

The car will be a drifter as that's why we bought it and what it's already 'set up' for but want it to be somewhat road legal until the MOT runs out. Oh and it's on cut springs. Pikey fun!

Current issues are:
Left hand indicator doesnt work. Right hand does, Hazards all do, but left doesnt. Changed everything, relays, stalks, hazard switch (twice), fuses etc but must be missing something. Not sure where all the grounds are. Any idea's on this one?

Wouldnt mind some centrecaps for the 15" standard BBS wheels. Have some E34 15" 5stud centrecaps but they don't fit the 4 stud version I don't think. The back of these seem too wide for the 4 stud E30 centre hole to 'clip' in but the overall size of the centrecap is fine.

Also after a pair of the standard 15" BBS 4x100 wheels as spares for the back unless a cheap set of 15's come up...

Welded diff whines - purchased with it already mig spec. Havent checked oil level but I'm not sure if it can be saved even by adding oil if it's already whining very badly.


Anyone recognise it?
Image

Image



So far I haven't done much. Just driveway tinkering. Changed the tyres, all bulbs, fuses, relays (partly to trace the indicator issue, but also to replace blown ones etc), engine oil change, new air filter, plugs, cleaned MAF, hoovered up aload of dirt/dust/rust, ground back some surface rust to see what was left, most were OK. Exhaust blows and there is no Horn. MOT'd till July and if I'm honest the only major concern at the moment is the indicator issue mentioned above. Oh and in our first drive since getting it home last night, the dash backlights and rear screen heater switch have just stopped working, even more reason for me to think its a bad earth. Fuses are fine still. Not looking to spend lots on it tbh. Just if there are some cheaper parts come up we might go for it.

I think washing it will make a vast improvement tbh! (Poor thing, I found pics of it standard on google images!)
User avatar
m8782538
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1550
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Swindon

Tue Mar 15, 2011 4:31 pm

try CMS (Cleeve Auto Salvage) in Gloucester, they have never failed me on any car, always seem to have what i need, plus i think they have 1 or 2 E30's in at the moment.

http://www.motorsalvage.com/nparts.lasso
daimlerman
**BANNED**
Posts: 15968
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Grumpy Old Man

Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:34 pm

Are you getting juice to the l/h indicators?
Most likely fault is the switch,or the feed from the switch.

Main interior earth is behind the glovebox,or it would be if you had one! Look for a bunch of brown's going to a stud.

A lot of cluster related problems stem from the service indicator board,it's got a couple of re-chargable cells on it that fail and leak...

Welcome to the madhouse,sorry,I mean the zone,BTW!
Youth is wasted on the young.
User avatar
Con2K
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:00 pm

Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:28 pm

Lol. Cheers mate. Well the LH indicators come on when you turn the hazard switch on. (obviously the RH side come on too then) but there is nothing when you flick the stalk. BUT, turn the hazards on and the left indicator and the hazards work like normal (overriding the turn signal), but when u half hold the hazard switch on, ucan fid a sweet spot that ten reverts to normal left indicating. This same method applies to thebright indicator (even though this works as normal).

Does that make sense?

As for the cluster, I'm not sure how it comes out. Removed the two top screws but it wouldn't budge and I didn't investigate further. I will change the batteries, but if everything else on the cluster works then that may be more or a 'service' job out the way.

Had a look at the ground point behind the invisible glovebox. All in order. No loose wires.

Now, I have just gone outside and tried the method of half holding the hazard switch while the indicator is on again. Now I'm getting a double quick flash like a bulb is out and the front lh unit isn't flashing. Release the half held hazard switch and it's back to normal, all hazards working and flashing normally.

I bet ur all well confused now! :(

Loom doesn't appear cut/Bodged except where the radio was.
Last edited by Con2K on Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
daimlerman
**BANNED**
Posts: 15968
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Grumpy Old Man

Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:01 pm

Cluster.

Drop the panel over your knees(three turn screws)
Reach up behind the bottom of the cluster for two knurled knobs that hold on the trim panel below the cluster.This reveals the lower fixings!
Youth is wasted on the young.
spic
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 731
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:00 pm
Location: Wiltshire

Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:38 pm

Im sure Fritz bitZ are down you way... :)
User avatar
Con2K
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:00 pm

Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:31 pm

Daimlerman - cheers! Will try that out tomoz.

Yeah fritz's nearby, guna head down later in the week and see what they have but as mentioned above I've heard varied stories about prices but easy to find out for myself.
User avatar
Con2K
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:00 pm

Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:49 pm

Oh, in conjunction with the cluster backlights failing, Would an earth issue cause the on board computer display next to the heater controls to go blank when I turn the headlights on!?? Anytime I turn the side/headlights on, the OBC just goes blank. Turn them off and it's back!

Didn't used to do that until yesterday during it's first test drive.
Post Reply