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E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2019 4:32 pm
by RTTBMW
Hi all,
Looking for replacement connectors as per pictures below! They have become brittle! Can I still get these! Also the black inside bits as wel!
regards
Richard

Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2019 2:47 pm
by martauto
Hi mate, try Jon at Cotswold on here.
Mart.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2019 5:09 pm
by BristolE30
Wow I want your washer fluid tanks. So clean
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2019 3:28 pm
by RTTBMW
I replaced the tanks as the old one was ruined and a piece of plastic broken that holds the AHO-Motor to the bottle! I did a few things including the coolant bottle (Mine was pure black), Fuse box lid and few clips. I am replacing the piping to the washer nozzles as they are brittle and leaking water everywhere! I have just finished repairing the Headlight washer wipers and missing nozzles! I also replaced all the light adjustment screw/bolts as they where seized!

Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 2:42 pm
by RTTBMW
Ok! I have found the correct connectors
61131378406 is the female connector I need in grey! The other one is 61131378418. It is grey too! I have made up a list of connectors and their colours! So I will probably expand my purchase of connectors to replace the brittle ones!
regards
Richard
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 3:49 pm
by miniblob
Could do with those myself - added to my list for down the line!!!
Any idea how it works???
Two 'bottles' with sensors, but only one coolant level light in the car?
Recall mine not working and being constantly lit, however, on getting the car back on the road, the light wasn't on (empty reservoir) and topping it up has made the light come on, so something must be the wrong way around!!!
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 8:06 pm
by Brianmoooore
RTTBMW wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 2:42 pm
Ok! I have found the correct connectors
61131378406 is the female connector I need in grey! The other one is 61131378418. It is grey too! I have made up a list of connectors and their colours! So I will probably expand my purchase of connectors to replace the brittle ones!
There's a current thread on this in Cotswold's forum, and get that 15A fuse for the fuel pump replaced by the correct 7.5A one, before we get a "why has the wiring loom in my E30 gone up in smoke" thread!
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 8:10 pm
by Brianmoooore
miniblob wrote: ↑Sat Nov 09, 2019 3:49 pm
Could do with those myself - added to my list for down the line!!!
Any idea how it works???
Two 'bottles' with sensors, but only one coolant level light in the car?
Recall mine not working and being constantly lit, however, on getting the car back on the road, the light wasn't on (empty reservoir) and topping it up has made the light come on, so something must be the wrong way around!!!
Level sensor only works on the larger tank. You only know that the intensive tank is empty when nothing comes out of the washer jets.
Level sensor fits into a round hole with no locating peg of any kind, so is free to rotate. If it turns upside down, light will be off when empty, but on when full. Pins for the plug should point straight upwards.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:00 pm
by miniblob
Brianmoooore wrote: ↑Sat Nov 09, 2019 8:10 pm
Level sensor only works on the larger tank. You only know that the intensive tank is empty when nothing comes out of the washer jets.
Level sensor fits into a round hole with no locating peg of any kind, so is free to rotate. If it turns upside down, light will be off when empty, but on when full. Pins for the plug should point straight upwards.
Excellent, thanks Brian!
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:06 pm
by Sanchez
Should you have small reservoir blue cleaner and large one water?
Or as in the picture?
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:58 pm
by flybynite
Sanchez wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:06 pm
Should you have small reservoir blue cleaner and large one water?
Or as in the picture?
Put what you want on your headlights in the small tank and what you want on your windscreen in the big tank.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:44 pm
by Brianmoooore
flybynite wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:58 pm
Sanchez wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:06 pm
Should you have small reservoir blue cleaner and large one water?
Or as in the picture?
Put what you want on your headlights in the small tank and what you want on your windscreen in the big tank.
Not so! Headlamps and screen are both washed from the large tank. Small tank should have a concentrate in it, and is only used on the screen.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:53 pm
by flybynite
Small bottle connected to the lights on mine but it would explain a few things .

Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:47 pm
by RTTBMW
Ok I'll change that at some point! I'm doing those connectors later today hopefully when Paul turns up!
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:37 pm
by Sanchez
I’m refreshing the front end and washer wiring is all up the hoop.
Haynes manual has given me the wire colours to do each pump, I’ve not got grey connectors but blue and broken fragile wires so cleaning it all up.
One headlight wiper motor working so getting there.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:56 am
by RTTBMW
One of my wash wipers stopped working all of sudden! I am going to have to check the voltage and connections again! Those valves to the hoses from BMW are a waste of money! They split very easily!
regards
Richard
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:38 am
by kdevitt
I ordered a valve from BMW Classic recently and it arrived split - they really are surprisingly fragile. Disappointingly, the BMW hose you now order is just gloss black - so doesn't match the original hoses. First world issue obviously

Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:33 pm
by steve_k
kdevitt wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:38 am
I ordered a valve from BMW Classic recently and it arrived split - they really are surprisingly fragile. Disappointingly, the BMW hose you now order is just gloss black - so doesn't match the original hoses. First world issue obviously
i had the same with the T valve for the washers from bmw,
sorted it with a thin bead of clear gorilla clue round the edge, been ok ever since.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 1:18 pm
by Brianmoooore
kdevitt wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:38 am
Disappointingly, the BMW hose you now order is just gloss black - so doesn't match the original hoses.
This is fairly common with genuine parts. 'Genuine part' means a part that will do the same job as the original, to the same or better standards (doesn't seem to apply to some body panels), not necessarily a part that is identical to the original.
If it's any comfort, the black washer hose was OE on the very last of the tourings.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 1:25 pm
by kdevitt
Brianmoooore wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 1:18 pm
If it's any comfort, the black washer hose was OE on the very last of the tourings.
Haha - that will definitely help with my OCD, although it means I need to replace more of it now!
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:30 pm
by RTTBMW
Well today I drove the car and it is running smooth as a whistle!
However, one one wash wiper (Headlights) is working. The passenger side! I asked Paul did you wire them the wrong way round when replacing the connector switch! One of the reasons why was when I put the ignition on the passenger side washer would turn on! Driver side dead as a door nail! So I swapped the wiring in the connectors round to see if that helped. Nope! Both did not work at all. So i swapped back the connector wiring! Back to square one! Now these wipers were working before the connector broke! Would the wiper be sticking as the odd time I would have had to move it manually to get it going! Car has been sitting since last October in the shed!
regards
Richard
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:31 pm
by RTTBMW
And I checked the nr 5 fuse! 30amp! Replaced it to be sure!
RT
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:45 pm
by Brianmoooore
RTTBMW wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:30 pm
However, one one wash wiper (Headlights) is working. The passenger side! I asked Paul did you wire them the wrong way round when replacing the connector switch! One of the reasons why was when I put the ignition on the passenger side washer would turn on! Driver side dead as a door nail.
You've lost me a bit here! There's no direct user control of the headlamp washers and wipers. They are controlled by the mini ECU attached to the side of the washer bottle, which operates them every fifth time the screen washers are used when the lights are on.
There is a permanent 12 volts live supply to each wiper motor when the ignition is in positions 1 or 2, and they are started off on their sequence by a short 12 volt + pulse on one of the other wires. Once they are started, they operate totally independently of each other and their individual wiping sequence is controlled entirely by an internal cam and switch in each wiper, stopping wiping when the cam switches off the switch.
The right hand wiper contains a second cam and switch which operates the headlamp washers.
The usual cause of a non working headlamp wiper is that the output shaft has seized inside the long bush that also serves to mount the motor. There should be a small rubber O ring on the shaft at the front of the bush, to act as a seal, but these have usually long since disappeared.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 8:53 am
by rix313
RTTBMW wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 2:42 pm
Ok! I have found the correct connectors
61131378406 is the female connector I need in grey! The other one is 61131378418. It is grey too! I have made up a list of connectors and their colours! So I will probably expand my purchase of connectors to replace the brittle ones!
regards
Richard
Be interested to know what they cost when you get the prices.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:45 pm
by RTTBMW
rix313 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 8:53 am
RTTBMW wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 2:42 pm
Ok! I have found the correct connectors
61131378406 is the female connector I need in grey! The other one is 61131378418. It is grey too! I have made up a list of connectors and their colours! So I will probably expand my purchase of connectors to replace the brittle ones!
regards
Richard
Be interested to know what they cost when you get the prices.
I'll check emails what I paid for them!
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:00 pm
by RTTBMW
Just looked up the invoice for these! Mine were all brittle!
£2.34 61131378406
£3.90 61131378418 They inc vat!
£44.78 Repair kit set of 20 cables and plugs 611131382248
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:05 pm
by RTTBMW
Brianmoooore wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:45 pm
RTTBMW wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:30 pm
However, one one wash wiper (Headlights) is working. The passenger side! I asked Paul did you wire them the wrong way round when replacing the connector switch! One of the reasons why was when I put the ignition on the passenger side washer would turn on! Driver side dead as a door nail.
You've lost me a bit here! There's no direct user control of the headlamp washers and wipers. They are controlled by the mini ECU attached to the side of the washer bottle, which operates them every fifth time the screen washers are used when the lights are on.
There is a permanent 12 volts live supply to each wiper motor when the ignition is in positions 1 or 2, and they are started off on their sequence by a short 12 volt + pulse on one of the other wires. Once they are started, they operate totally independently of each other and their individual wiping sequence is controlled entirely by an internal cam and switch in each wiper, stopping wiping when the cam switches off the switch.
The right hand wiper contains a second cam and switch which operates the headlamp washers.
The usual cause of a non working headlamp wiper is that the output shaft has seized inside the long bush that also serves to mount the motor. There should be a small rubber O ring on the shaft at the front of the bush, to act as a seal, but these have usually long since disappeared.
Brian, are you saying the left motor and right motor are slightly different to each other! These are refurbished wipers! Your right motor is the driver side are you referring to? My motor on the drivers side has an R on it!
regards
Richard
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 6:25 pm
by BenHar
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 7:12 pm
by Brianmoooore
RTTBMW wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:05 pm
Brian, are you saying the left motor and right motor are slightly different to each other! These are refurbished wipers! Your right motor is the driver side are you referring to? My motor on the drivers side has an R on it!
LH motor has three wires, RH motor has four. The extra wire is the feed for the headlamp washer motor.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:27 pm
by Sanchez
Most failure of the motors if found it the shaft seized inside the long threaded tube.
I have not seen a dead motor or broken gear tooth yet.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:40 pm
by Brianmoooore
Sanchez wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:27 pm
I have not seen a dead motor or broken gear tooth yet.
There's a PTC thermistor ( a grey circular disc) in series with the motor inside the gearbox housing, that limits the current to the motor when it seizes, protecting it from burning out.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:25 pm
by RTTBMW
Okay I'll check this out!
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 9:52 am
by Sanchez
Brianmoooore wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:40 pm
Sanchez wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:27 pm
I have not seen a dead motor or broken gear tooth yet.
There's a PTC thermistor ( a grey circular disc) in series with the motor inside the gearbox housing, that limits the current to the motor when it seizes, protecting it from burning out.
Coin shaped thing. So that’s whats that’s for. Thanks.

Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 7:34 am
by Vez010
RTTBMW wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:00 pm
Just looked up the invoice for these! Mine were all brittle!
£2.34 61131378406
£3.90 61131378418 They inc vat!
£44.78 Repair kit set of 20 cables and plugs 611131382248
Hi RTT,
Where did you pick these up? I could with replacing mine too.
Re: E30 Connectors to wiring headlights and washer bottle
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:32 am
by Bonymaenjack
kdevitt wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 10:38 am
I ordered a valve from BMW Classic recently and it arrived split - they really are surprisingly fragile. Disappointingly, the BMW hose you now order is just gloss black - so doesn't match the original hoses. First world issue obviously
yes I was disappointed as well I've just replaced my bonnet and thought I'd replace the washer hoses etc , as you say they now come in black .Perhaps i'll have a go at cleaning the original pipes.