check light?

[Donnystreeterroist]

Hi i have just bought a 1986 e30 320 3 door and the check light is flashing? is there a easy way off reading and earsing this light or does it have to be turned off with the computer?

thanks

[Martinaston]

Press the button above the rear view mirror and see which warning light is staying on.

[Brianmoooore]

If the check light is flashing, there should be a red LED on already!
If there isn't, push the button, and see which LED doesn't light up.

[Donnystreeterroist]

thanks ill check that to be honest havent even notice a red light so maybe the bulb has blown....ill check tommrow

it does run rough/missfire when its cold so presume that has somthing to do with it? any common faults causing this to happen??

thanks again!

[fingerman]

I don't think there's a rough/missfire led

Tell us a bit more details i.e. what engine you have then we can go from there

[siddiqi1]

I don't think there's a rough/missfire led

i really think there should be one; but some sort of pre warn that its all about to let looose!

[Brianmoooore]

so maybe the bulb has blown....ill check tommrow

LEDs don't blow.
Most common cause of rough running when cold, is a failed coolant (blue) temperature sensor.

[Elecblondie]

LEDS can blow but not nearly as regularly as bulbs and not for the same reason. Obviously not likely but if you want to check if a particular LED should be lit then get a voltage meter across the LED and its current limiting resistor, if there's a few volts there then it should be lit. Just across the LED won't do as if it failed in a short then there would be no voltage across it, just across the resistor won't do as if the LED failed in an open circuit there will be no voltage across the resistor. I don't have the check computer :sniff: so I don't know if it's accessible for testing in situ.

[Elecblondie]

Just thought it might be an idea to describe where the current limiting resistor is. It's a resistor (small cylinder with coloured bands or rectangular cube with metal ends) and it's wired at one end to one end of the LED.

[Donnystreeterroist]

Ok so i have checked today, the "coolant" warning light is staying on so i presuming that the temp sensor is knackered and is telling the ecu that engine is warm when its actually stone cold?? how much are these non genuine any ideas?

its a 1985 320i has the distrubutor on the side of the engine (same side as the air box) but most 320's i have seen have it running of the end of the camshaft??

[stonesie]

The Coolant light is telling you that the level is low, the sensor for that is in the coolant tank with 2 wires going to it and it could be stuck or need a replacement.

The Blue temp sensor is above the dizzy on the thermostat houseing, theyre not expensive from the dealer or eaven the genuine parts section on here, they are also, as Brianmoooore said, a very common thing to fail. But after 23 years it's done well.





Are you the fella with the Vtec mini? how's that going?

[Brianmoooore]

Coolant warning light refers to the level of the coolant in the radiator header tank. Nothing to do with engine ECU temp sensors! It's probably one on the most useful warning lights on an E30, because it gives advance warning BEFORE any damage is done to the engine.
This warning light definitely saved an engine for me a few years ago.
First of all, check that the connector is pushed onto the sensor that's fitted through the top of the coolant header tank. If it is, pull it off, and use a short piece of wire to short together the two pins of the connector. Switch the ignition on and see if the light stays off. (Check light will flash until you push the brake pedal.)
If it stays off, replace the level sensor. Not expensive.

[Speedtouch]

Your '85 320i will be an analogue L-Jetronic wheras later '88-on ones are Motronic.

[Donnystreeterroist]

Well checked today, first time i have really had the bonnet up to be honest

figured the warning light was to do with the level been to low so thats all sorted now, just picked up a coolant temp sensor to try tommrow to see if it helps with the poor running when its cold, so time will tell!! do they have a idle control valve on them, cudnt see one whilst looking today?

thanks for the help anyway nice to be a newbie on a forum and people to actually help you instead of pointing the "search" function out!!!!!

The Coolant light is telling you that the level is low, the sensor for that is in the coolant tank with 2 wires going to it and it could be stuck or need a replacement.

The Blue temp sensor is above the dizzy on the thermostat houseing, theyre not expensive from the dealer or eaven the genuine parts section on here, they are also, as Brianmoooore said, a very common thing to fail. But after 23 years it's done well.





Are you the fella with the Vtec mini? how's that going?

Yes mate that would be me! its going ok at the moment, its up and running and moving!!! currently cutting/fitting the fiberglass front end so hoping to have it on the road for the end up this year (ready for all the crap weather)

so your running a e30 now i take it, last time i spoke to you i think you had a vw scirocco??