Something just isn't right?

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:52 pm

Ok, just read through your last post, the serial numbers i got were from a black plug, not a white one, let me get my ass outside and have another go at getting these bits of plastic off "and look in the lower right hand corner"

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:00 pm

NOT the plastic around the steering column! The trim panel immediately above it.

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:13 pm

Ah haaaaaaaa! With ya, i know the slag! Bear with me.........

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:12 pm

Finally! I'm there, serial codes are below, let me know what you think bud

BMW 18, 13851 364, 789, 003

Cheers

Stat

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:15 pm

I took a picture of the ecu whilst i was down there, is this the correct one for my car?

Cheers again

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:52 pm

Staty wrote:Finally! I'm there, serial codes are below, let me know what you think bud

BMW 18, 13851 364, 789, 003

Cheers

Stat

First of all, I think you have an extra '1' in there, between the 5 and the 3.

The ETK shows the part # for the coding plug in 316i and 318i E30s as 6211 1385 364, the part# for that in a 320i E30s as 6211 1381 635, and for a 325 E30 as 6211 1381 683.
From that, I think we can safely say that your car has a four cylinder plug fitted.
The 789 is the production date, BTW - July '89

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:58 pm

Shit, that's not good then, so do i need to replace just the plug? If so, what plug would i need for my car? Thanks for your help

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:07 pm

Staty wrote:Shit, that's not good then,

Far preferable to finding you have the wrong diff!!
You'd need either the 320 or 325 plug to get your tacho reading right. Place an ad. in 'parts wanted' and I'm sure one of our trusted traders will offer you one for a few pennies.
There's also a good chance that you have the wrong fuel gauge in the cluster as well, depending on what capacity tank you have in your car, and from what four cylinder model the replacement cluster was sourced from.

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:11 pm

Staty wrote:I took a picture of the ecu whilst i was down there, is this the correct one for my car?

Cheers again

That's correct for an 87-88 325i.

Post Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:52 pm

Guys you've been a great help and you're right, a diff would've been a bit of a slap in the face, but lets see what effect putting the correct plug or cluster will have 1st! Thanks again

Post Sun Sep 30, 2012 5:09 pm

Update! I went down to see Adi in Portsmouth, purchased an instument cluster with the same coding plug that you mentioned, fitted it to my car, took it for a spin and i can't get the revs much past 1000rpm and that's me putting the pedal to the metal, on idle its pretty much on zero rpm, this is not right at all. Would it be worth trying the cluster that was on there before but with the coding plug from the new cluster? I think I've uploads a video, check it out, cheers bud

I don't think this upload has worked? We shall see

Post Sun Sep 30, 2012 8:51 pm

The problem with buying second hand clusters is that they contain batteries that may just be clinging to life by a thread as long as the cluster is connected to an external battery by being in a car. Disconnect them, for sale, and the batteries may well die, and the cluster no longer work.
Pull the coding plug from the replacement cluster and fit it to the old one.

Post Sun Sep 30, 2012 9:38 pm

Old cluster is back in with the new coding plug "wish i done that 1st" idles at around 500rpm, took it for a drive, its a lot harder to get the revs up now, seems to be spot on, realistic rev reeding's through the gears, before it was always in the higher rev range and never a problem to exceed maximum rpm, even when not trying hard, now when your approaching max rpm you can hear by the sound of the engine "and full stainless" that its where it should be! All in all a great bit of learning, thanks for your help on this Brian, are you some sort of e30 Wizard?

Post Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:00 am

Fuel gauge still doesn't work, but pretty sure its the sender, may be a job for my next day off!

Post Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:30 am

Staty wrote:Fuel gauge still doesn't work, but pretty sure its the sender, may be a job for my next day off!

Pull up the rear seat cushion and find an 8 pin plug and socket at the RH side, which should be cable tied to the vent pipe tube. Pull apart the plug and socket, turn on the ignition, then use a short piece of wire to short together the brown/grey and one of the brown wires in the half of the connector whose loom runs across the back seat. The low level warning should light up in the fuel gauge.
Now short together the brown/green and one of the brown wires. This should make the fuel gauge read full.
There are two inspection covers in the rear seat pan. The fuel pump/level sender is under the RH one, but first remove the LH cover and tell us whether there is anything under it with wires connected to it. This will tell us whether you have a 55 or 62 litre fuel tank.
If you can get your hands on a 68 ohm resistor, and assuming the gauge went to full in the earlier test, connect it between the brown/green and brown wires and see if the gauge goes to half,or stays near zero. This will identify which fuel gauge you have.