Missing check light?

[JJ26]

HI, ive just bought G/90 316i 2/dr with the M40 engine and im nearly 90% sure this car should have a dignostic light. I know its running bosch motronic. I took the dash out earlier today and found on the back a empty bulb placement with "check" written by it so im assuming this is the location for it, i fitted a working bulb/holder and replaced it but still no light... Can anyone help? Also can anyone give me an average mpg figure for this car ? Im lucky to get 30mpg out of it and it over fuels badly from cold. cheers

James.

[Simon]

Hi mate, welcome to the zone, the M40 engined cars did not come with check control, hence the reason why your car does not have the facility to show the check light on the instrument cluster.

[stevetigger]

Hi mate, welcome to the zone, the M40 engined cars did not come with check control, hence the reason why your car does not have the facility to show the check light on the instrument cluster.

So thats why my convertible has no check control! Bloody fantastic, are they easy to fit?? All my sport's had one, I think there a great idea and should be in all cars! The amount of times, I think in my Zafira...uuum shall I check the wash/wipe water then it runs out! Never ran out of water in my Sports

[Steviec]

Mines decided to start telling me that my washer fluid is low even though its full up, its a bleedin nuicence.

[Simon]

Hi mate, welcome to the zone, the M40 engined cars did not come with check control, hence the reason why your car does not have the facility to show the check light on the instrument cluster.

So thats why my convertible has no check control! Bloody fantastic, are they easy to fit?? All my sport's had one, I think there a great idea and should be in all cars! The amount of times, I think in my Zafira...uuum shall I check the wash/wipe water then it runs out! Never ran out of water in my Sports

It can be done..but it's a hell of a lot of work, lot's of wiring, going to all areas of the car!!

[Dan318-is]

iv heard from the masn himself brianmoore that its nxt to impossible

[stevetigger]

It can be done..but it's a hell of a lot of work, lot's of wiring, going to all areas of the car!!

I thought the wires would be there seeing as every other E30 has the check control!

[Simon]

It can be done..but it's a hell of a lot of work, lot's of wiring, going to all areas of the car!!

I thought the wires would be there seeing as every other E30 has the check control!

No, wiring looms are different in the M40 cars, the wiring loom for the check control is huge, there's also extra sensors, a control unit etc

[stevetigger]

No, wiring looms are different in the M40 cars, the wiring loom for the check control is huge, there's also extra sensors, a control unit etc

So when I put an M20 2.5 in, would I have to change the wiring loom??

[Simon]

No, wiring looms are different in the M40 cars, the wiring loom for the check control is huge, there's also extra sensors, a control unit etc

So when I put an M20 2.5 in, would I have to change the wiring loom??

Yes, I do believe you will need the ECU part of the loom.

[dannosail]

Talking of check panels, the overhead panel has a blank bit to the left of it. On my South African saloon, I have a seat belt indicator for the driver's seat - there's space for other warnings does anybody know what else goes on that display?

[Simon]

Talking of check panels, the overhead panel has a blank bit to the left of it. On my South African saloon, I have a seat belt indicator for the driver's seat - there's space for other warnings does anybody know what else goes on that display?

http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... ck+control

Have a read through that thread.

[stevetigger]

Yes, I do believe you will need the ECU part of the loom.

But all the stuff behind the dash can stay?

[e30e30]

Yes, I do believe you will need the ECU part of the loom.

But all the stuff behind the dash can stay?

well done steve lol

[Brianmoooore]

Yes, I do believe you will need the ECU part of the loom.

But all the stuff behind the dash can stay?

BMW engines in E30s and most of the other BMW engines we like to put in E30s have their own self contained engine loom, which can be left attatched to the engine during transplants.
These looms connect to the rest of the cars wiring at the battery and at the C101 plug and socket on the bulkhead just inboard of the fusebox.
Any engine that has the right plug on it can be plugged in here, and the ones that have a different plug will work OK if the plug is changed for an E30 one.
The oil level check will only work if both the engine being fitted and the car it is being fitted into have relevant wiring.

[Brianmoooore]

It can be done..but it's a hell of a lot of work, lot's of wiring, going to all areas of the car!!

I thought the wires would be there seeing as every other E30 has the check control!

No, wiring looms are different in the M40 cars, the wiring loom for the check control is huge, there's also extra sensors, a control unit etc

Completely different main wiring loom from the back right corner of the car to the front right, via the left back and front corners plus a branch or two across the car in between and the entire fusebox.
Easy enough to do if all the carpets, boot liner and dash are out, otherwisw forget it.

[Brianmoooore]

HI, ive just bought G/90 316i 2/dr with the M40 engine and im nearly 90% sure this car should have a dignostic light. I know its running bosch motronic. I took the dash out earlier today and found on the back a empty bulb placement with "check" written by it so im assuming this is the location for it, i fitted a working bulb/holder and replaced it but still no light... Can anyone help? Also can anyone give me an average mpg figure for this car ? Im lucky to get 30mpg out of it and it over fuels badly from cold. cheers

James.

Think all the others have miss interpreted your O/P. They are talking about a system which warns you about low fluid levels and blown lamps.
There is a panel with LEDs in the roof just behind the mirror which tells you what is wrong, and the indicator in the middle of the instruments which flashes check.
I think you were asking about an engine diagnostic check light. AFAIK, these were only fitted to US models with emmissions equipment, and possibly for some other markets as well. You have to wait for the M50 E36/E34 to get diagnostic checklamps. (Or are they on the later cat equiped E30's? Got a '94 touring coming this week, so I should know then!)
The little window with "check" on it should be an opaque piece of black plastic on your car. Suggests the cluster may not be the original, so don't put too much faith in the mileage reading.

[Brianmoooore]

Mines decided to start telling me that my washer fluid is low even though its full up, its a bleedin nuicence.

The whole sensor has probably rotated in the side of the bottle. Look in the top and check that the float is positioned to move straight up and down.
If it's a touring, there's another sensor in the rear wash tank.

[stevetigger]

BMW engines in E30s and most of the other BMW engines we like to put in E30s have their own self contained engine loom, which can be left attatched to the engine during transplants.
These looms connect to the rest of the cars wiring at the battery and at the C101 plug and socket on the bulkhead just inboard of the fusebox.
Any engine that has the right plug on it can be plugged in here, and the ones that have a different plug will work OK if the plug is changed for an E30 one.
The oil level check will only work if both the engine being fitted and the car it is being fitted into have relevant wiring.

So if I put a 325i engine in my 318 it should be a straight swap with the electrics?? Just unplug old engine and plug in new one??

[Brianmoooore]

BMW engines in E30s and most of the other BMW engines we like to put in E30s have their own self contained engine loom, which can be left attatched to the engine during transplants.
These looms connect to the rest of the cars wiring at the battery and at the C101 plug and socket on the bulkhead just inboard of the fusebox.
Any engine that has the right plug on it can be plugged in here, and the ones that have a different plug will work OK if the plug is changed for an E30 one.
The oil level check will only work if both the engine being fitted and the car it is being fitted into have relevant wiring.

So if I put a 325i engine in my 318 it should be a straight swap with the electrics?? Just unplug old engine and plug in new one??

That simple! (plus the batter connections)

[stevetigger]

That simple! (plus the batter connections)

What are batter connections!

[Brianmoooore]

Bloody keyboard! Add a "y".

[stevetigger]

Bloody keyboard! Add a "y".

And minus the beer!

[johnna]

I thought the batter connections would be a fanny-on!

The plug and play fun has stopped with later engines though, the connectors are different and the newer anti theft gizmos make it tougher.

Just serviced an e46 compact 325ti the other week, spent ages looking for the diagnostic socket......

[ian332isport]

I think you were asking about an engine diagnostic check light. AFAIK, these were only fitted to US models with emmissions equipment, and possibly for some other markets as well. You have to wait for the M50 E36/E34 to get diagnostic checklamps. (Or are they on the later cat equiped E30's? Got a '94 touring coming this week, so I should know then!)

Brian,

I believe the diagnostic check light output is available at the ECU on most UK spec E30's, but for some reason BMW never wired it in.

If you run the wire from the ECU to the check light you can get the flash codes like they can in the US.

Ian.

[Brianmoooore]

[quote="]
Brian,

I believe the diagnostic check light output is available at the ECU on most UK spec E30's, but for some reason BMW never wired it in.

If you run the wire from the ECU to the check light you can get the flash codes like they can in the US.

Ian.[/quote]
Interesting, will have to give that a try.

[A1BMW325iSport]

Hi Ian/Brian someone told me that as well a couple of years ago,
totally forgot about it till i saw your post.

[JJ26]

[/quote]
Think all the others have miss interpreted your O/P. They are talking about a system which warns you about low fluid levels and blown lamps.
There is a panel with LEDs in the roof just behind the mirror which tells you what is wrong, and the indicator in the middle of the instruments which flashes check.
I think you were asking about an engine diagnostic check light. AFAIK, these were only fitted to US models with emmissions equipment, and possibly for some other markets as well. You have to wait for the M50 E36/E34 to get diagnostic checklamps. (Or are they on the later cat equiped E30's? Got a '94 touring coming this week, so I should know then!)
The little window with "check" on it should be an opaque piece of black plastic on your car. Suggests the cluster may not be the original, so don't put too much faith in the mileage reading.[/quote]

Thx m8 yes thats what i was referring too. I agree with brianmoore `s post about wiring in the check light. Last year i rebuilt an sri130 engine which i fitted to my cavalier coupe/manta. i kept the original motronic ML4.1 fuel system as its setup for the compressioan ratio and cam profile. I wired a dignostic lead from the main engine harness. If memory serves me right its just a simple live feed to the bulb/led and then to the relevent switching earth on the engine harness. I shall investigate this on my e30.

[Brianmoooore]

Lamp goes between ignition live feed and pin 15 of the ECU on a 325, according to my wiring diagrams.

[JJ26]

Thx for that. Im hoping the relevent pin will be in the diagnostic plug under the bonnet, if thats so then i should be able to check the codes just by rigging a simple test lamp from the battery to the right terminal.

[Brianmoooore]

None of my wiring diagrams show a branch to the diagnostic socket, but if the wire's in the engine loom, it's a grey wire going to pin 12 of the C101 plug.