E30 Zone

Depending on what the noise actually is:
Check the steering fluid level.
Remove the steering wheel centre cap or horn button, and check that the 22mm nut holding the wheel on is tight.

cheers brian,

my car doesn't have power steering unfortunately!

i'll check the 22mm nut when I get home for sure!


thanks for reply!

You could try taking the steering wheel off and lubricating the horn-push contact on the back.. Use vaseline or I suppose copper-slip (to conduct electricity).

Jai

jaistanley wrote:You could try taking the steering wheel off and lubricating the horn-push contact on the back.. Use vaseline or I suppose copper-slip (to conduct electricity).

Jai

Copper-slip does not conduct electricity, and is anti-sieze rather than a lubricant.
Use silicon grease, if anything, but the carbon brush should be self lubricating.

thanks both.

i thought all 325s came with power steering - obviously not!

i'll tighten the wheel for sure, and i'll try and get under the car to see if i can see anything rubbing on the rack or column!

tried the 22mm nut, and its really tight already!

removed the steering wheel, and the spline shaft also moves "in and out"

can't see much movement in the engine bay side either


maybe time for a new rack?

I've known problems with the bearing at the bottom of the steering column drying out (spray from engine bay), but this usually manifests itself first as a problem with the horn, as it is the earth return path for the horn button.

yes thats sounds familiar, my horn doesnt work until i push the steering wheel towards the dash

Pull the steering wheel centre cap out, and hold a piece of wire between the 22mm nut and a good earth point in the car. (Metal outer shell of the cig lighter will do). Then with your third hand, try the horn button (ignition on). If this cures the horn problem, then column lower braring needs atention.
Alternatively, there may be some other problem with the column that's allowed it to move towards the driver, so that the horn carbon brush is not contacting the brass ring on the steering wheel properly.

slowlysideways wrote:what a pants description, i know.

but thats the only word i can think to decribe it

the steering wheel feels like its grating on something when i turn side to side, also there is little movement in the steering wheel itself (i can push it in a wee bit)

any known causes? can steering racks (or columns) be greased anywhere?

I had the same problem with my car, the steering got really stiff after doing some welding on the battery tray. As Brianmoooore sused it was the bearing that holds the steering shaft in the bulkhead, there is a rubber uv joint after the bearing so the horn is earthed through the bearing. The bearing is exsposed to heat from the exshaust so maybe the grease has dried out

fantastic both, thanks for your helps!

however, what do i do now exactly? any pics would be greatly appreciated, as i have a trackday on saturday and tomorrow is my only day off.

many thanks in advance both!

I give it a good dose of aerosol WD40 first, and when that has dried, some spray grease.

this will sort my horn/ connection problem... but what about my steering wheel being "loose" so to speak

slowlysideways wrote:this will sort my horn/ connection problem... but what about my steering wheel being "loose" so to speak

See if it sorts the grating as well.

OK nice one - will do that tomorrow morning

Meanwhile - what do you think the reason is behind me being able to push the wheel into my dash, and it springs back out a little

Probably moves a good 5mm in and out

There are snap rings on the column that locate it. Maybe one of these is out of its groove.

a wealth of knowledge about e30's or what!

where should these be?

even after I removed the steering wheel, and just the "spring" and kind of like a "bucket washer?" the splined shaft/ column could still be pushed in and it'd spring out....

There should be a snap ring in a groove just behind the splines that the steering wheel fixes on. It locates a flat washer with a spring behind it

problem being - its not just the wheel moving, its the whole column shaft, in and out

slowlysideways wrote:problem being - its not just the wheel moving, its the whole column shaft, in and out

It will if this snap ring is out.

oh cool

so you say the snap ring is above the spring? (ie - closer to the driver?)

Starting from the driver's end, you should have 22mm nut, flat washer, steering wheel, "bucket washer", snap ring, flat washer, thick coil spring.
The only parts that should come off when you remove the nut are the first flat washer, the steering wheel, and the "bucket washer".

ok thanks brian - i'll report back tomorrow with pics

Brian —a bought a new steering wheel which I'll be fitting tonight.

Just out of curiosity, on previous cars I've had, when you undo the large nut under the horn (22mm on Beemers) I'd usually have to hang off the wheel to get it to come off, and it'd usually come off with a big thump from be being thrown back into my seat.

However, on this Beemer, once the 22mm is undone, the wheel just comes off? Almost as if it was never on their tight? The splines do line up tho?

But there is no effort at all getting the wheel off once the nut is undone —a surely this isn't correct? Or is it? lol

Forget other makes of car, this is BMW - quality and precision engineering.
I've removed many BMW steering wheels, and the most force I've ever had to apply is a light tap with my hand on the back.

ok sorry brian, anyway - fitted new wheel, horn works ok now.

checked all components/ bucket washers/ snap washers - and they are all present

column still moves in and out a few mm, but hey ho! just have to live with it.

cheers for your help brian

Is it the inner column moving in the outer, or the whole column moving?

well the outer "sheath" isn't moving, so I'm guessing its inner only