Moving battery from rear to front

[hennared323i]

This will probably be viewed as a bit of an odd question but how easy is it to take the battery from the rear wheel well of a 325i and relocate it to the front battery tray ala other engined cars?

[zaust]

Yes it is fella. you will be doing the revrese of the re location kit so you have evreything you need already.

[hennared323i]

Oh good - is their a guide avalable for the relocation kit?

[Brianmoooore]

You won't need a 'relocation kit' for this, but you'll have one at the end.
I'm not certain if you can use the earth strap from the rear, but I expect it will fit at the front. Fits to the earthing point on the RH suspension turret, where the engine loom already connects.
For the battery positive terminal, you need to remove the phantom terminal from the bulkhead (plastic part), which should leave you with a terminal that will fit the battery +, and another smaller wire. This wire fits onto the battery terminal as well.

[hennared323i]

Thanks for that

[android]

So if I bought a 320 (which I am thinking of, as, like Rachel Stevens, it has a good body) and wanted to slot my 325 engine into it, I could leave the 320 battery in the front?

[Oggy]

So if I bought a 320 (which I am thinking of, as, like Rachel Stevens, it has a good body) and wanted to slot my 325 engine into it, I could leave the 320 battery in the front?

Yes.

[capri_rob]

Up to you of course hennared but why would you want to do this ? surely BMW had good reason for mounting the 325i battery in the boot in the first place

[Oggy]

Up to you of course hennared but why would you want to do this ? surely BMW had good reason for mounting the 325i battery in the boot in the first place

It's mounted upfront in the 325i Touring, or atleast it is in mine... for now.

[Brianmoooore]

AFAIK, it's only in the back of a 325 saloon as a weight distribution exercise.

[hennared323i]

Up to you of course hennared but why would you want to do this ? surely BMW had good reason for mounting the 325i battery in the boot in the first place

I need to get at the rear wheel well and find out the reason for the lake in there while keeping the car as a daily driver

[capri_rob]

Aren't rear light seals, boot seal and aerial ( if fitted ) the only possible culprits for a leaky boot ? - assuming of course that the inner arch isn't holed and water is coming in through there

If you can't find the leak you could always do what I did on my old 320i and just drill a small drain hole at the lowest point ( obviously paint the bare metal with hammerite or similar to stop any rust after you've drilled the hole. )

[Daf318is]

I just found the leak in my boot yesterday - turned out it was 2 leaks . to find it do the following - only takes 10 mins but needs 2 people.

Pull all the carped out of the boot, splatter some talc everywhere in there, get in the boot with a torch and close the lid (make sure you take a socket set with you if you don't trust your helper )

Have person no 2 spray the back end of the car with water. You will see wherever the water is coming in and be able to trace the source by following the lines in the talk. Much easier than moving your batt

Mine was a cluster seal and the boot lid seal - quite cheap from BM, certainly cheaper than some welding in 12 months!!

[hennared323i]

Rob and Daf - investigations shall begin in the morning, cheers for the tips

Brian, what on earth is the thing that looks like a coiled spring that is attached to the suspension turret?

[Brianmoooore]

Brian, what on earth is the thing that looks like a coiled spring that is attached to the suspension turret?

???? Pics, or further description, please!

[hennared323i]

I'll post a pic tomorrow

[sati]

you sure its not the boot spring? as i seen a few with them.

[Dave_M3]

Boot spring is a torsion spring and it's attached along under the parcel-shelf anyway so it's not that

[hennared323i]

It is attached to the front turret by the battery tray opposite the bulkhead

[hennared323i]

This is the thing I mean - attached to the turret, it is like a small coil spring enclosed in a metal cover with wires:





What on earth is its function?

[Brianmoooore]

The only thing I can think of that looks remotely like that is the heater fan resistor in an early or aircon car, which appears to have escaped from under the fan motor.
Is it mounted like it belongs there?

[hennared323i]

The car has dealer fit aircon on it - it looks like it has been there a long time

[DanThe]

Looks like an aftermarket aircon system, Italian junk isnt it?

[Daf318is]

Has it got any numbers on it or any stickers or anything? If it has it has try bashing them in to google - you might find out what it is/was

[DanThe]

I would just bash it with a hammer

[Daf318is]

I would just bash it with a hammer

Then we could all answer the question "what is it".... A useless flat piece of metal

[hennared323i]

Looks like an aftermarket aircon system, Italian junk isnt it?

The car has dealer fit aircon on it - it looks like it has been there a long time

[DanThe]

Bet it doesnt work?

[hennared323i]

ask barx325i

[DanThe]

Sorry?

[hennared323i]

Sorry?

Northern lad - you must know him - he lives north of watfotrd

[DanThe]

I thought he was Welsh? You know, other side of Offas Dyke..

[Bob_S]

what are we asking him?

[DanThe]

If hennareds aircon works

Did he repair it or something?

[Bob_S]

did he serve the 4dr up to hennared without the lsd and a lovely slushmatic?