Service interval lights

[tha881]

Evening guys hope you're all well. Dont know how much of a problem this is, but I've reset my service lights and only 4/5 of the green led's have lit up. I couldnt find anything in the wiki about this specifically. Is it anything I can fix? Also whats everyone's opinions on the red needle mod as I may do this if I need to remove the cluster. Thanks

[Brianmoooore]

Any odd behavior with the SI lights might indicate the start of battery problems on the SI board, so I strongly recommend you get the cluster apart ASAP, and check what type of batteries you have, and what condition they are on.
Red needles? Try the facebook zone.

[tha881]

Thanks Brian, I will get the cluster out soon and replace the batteries as a precaution. I guess it's cheaper than buying a replacement.

And yes I know the red needles is a bit boy racer. I might need some advice on fitting front eyebrows and carbon badges soon

[HenryM3]

Had the same problem plus fluctuating Rev counter, replaced SI board batteries. All good now.

[Cloggy Saint]

If red needles are good enough for the M3 ....

[BristolE30]

I kind of think the red needles often look a little out of place, not quite right. But that’s just me, many love it!

[tha881]

Thanks for the advice guys. I took the cluster out today to check the batteries

All looks good to my eye and i cant see any broken bulbs

I'm also wiring this oil temp kit in

But I have a huge mess of wires behind the stereo, I cant believe I left this in such a bodge for so long

As far as I can see there are 6 main wires to start with (minus speaker wires)

White
Black
Brown
Purple/red
Grey/red
Green/red

I'd like to do away with the large black connector and solder everything nice and neat leaving only the cables I need.

One thing I notice is I have a red and yellow exiting a white connector with only a red as a source. Is that the power wire and whats the yellow one for? Thanks in advance

[Brianmoooore]

Sure the yellow's not white? If you mean a red wire joined alongside a white wire (parallel twin), then it's the feed to an electric aerial. The red is permanent live, and the white should be connected to the antenna control output on your radio.
If your radio has an ISO connector, you can get a loom from ebay with the ISO plug on one end and a plug that fits the radio connector on the E30 accessories socket on the other.

Your SI board is the later type with 3 volt non rechargeable manganese dioxide batteries, which have the advantage that they don't leak, like the older NiCd ones. If the car is left without a battery connected, then these batteries will eventually discharge, and won't recover when a battery is connected.
Replacement versions of this board have a jumper switch on the board to disconnect the batteries before it is fitted, with a large orange sticker and arrow pointing to the jumper. I can't see any trace of the orange sticker on yours, so it looks like your board may be the original.

[tha881]

Thanks Brian that's great info about the batteries, I dont tend to leave the battery disconnected so that shouldnt be a problem.

If you look at the block connector on the left, it has a white going in and the other side is empty, which might explain why my arial isn't working.

In the lower image, am I right to think the brown to black is earth? And the purple/grey to red is the permanent live.

There is definitely a red and yellow connected to the red in the block connector.

[Brianmoooore]

The red that feeds the aerial should be fed from a red/yellow at the accessories socket, with a branch from it also going to the relay that allows the windows to work when the ignition is off, but a front door is open.
Solid brown on all BMWs is earth.
Purple/grey is fused 12 volts +, via the accessories (1st) position of the ignition switch, and is intended for the radio's main supply.
Red/green is fused permanent 12 volts +, and is intended for the radio's memory, if it needs it.

[tha881]

Okay great news Brian, my aerial is now working and my stereo is keeping all the settings saved. I've wired up the sensor and it's all good

However I still have two wires remaining near the stereo, a black and a grey/red which aren't connected to anything

And also these under the steering wheel, which seem to connect to pink connectors and a brown connector? The wires are red/white and one white, again they dont run to anything. Could it be the old alarm system it had but didnt work?

I've checked my electric windows also and they only open with the passenger door open (no ignition) but not the drivers door? Thanks again

[Brianmoooore]

However I still have two wires remaining near the stereo, a black and a grey/red which aren't connected to anything

The grey/red is a feed from the instrument lights, intended to light the knobs of the radio independantly of it being turned on, Few radios are designed to enable this. The black wire isn't a BMW wire. The only plain black wire on an E30 is the rev. counter signal from the ECU.

And also these under the steering wheel, which seem to connect to pink connectors and a brown connector? The wires are red/white and one white, again they dont run to anything. Could it be the old alarm system it had but didnt work?

The pink and the brown connector blocks are commonly known as scotchlocks, and are the creation of the devil, used only by the most extreme of bodgers. The red wire that one has damaged is the main 12 volt positive feed to the ignition switch, that someone has connected to. I can't see which wire the other one is clamped to.

I've checked my electric windows also and they only open with the passenger door open (no ignition) but not the drivers door? Thanks again

If the passenger side works, the problem is likely with the driver's door pin switch. Unscrew the single self tapper in the A pillar and have a look. There should be two wires connected to the switch. It's the brown/blue that works the windows.
The switch is of a very simple construction, so make sure it's sliding freely, and that a small sliver of black plastic hasn't formed between the contact surfaces.

[tha881]

I've managed to get a better view of the wires near the column, is it safe to say these are the remnants of an alarm system? It's the blue/red and blue/black at the scotch connectors.

I've also found a connector near the drivers speaker, it looks original? Blue/brown and green/purple

And also this black and white connector near the ecu

I've managed to get the windows working with drivers door open, just needed to clean the connector like you said. Thanks again Brian.

[Cloggy Saint]

I'm probably wrong but I'm bored enough to answer anyway! I think the connector by the ecu is something to do with AC so if your car doesn't have it you can ignore that. The connector near the speaker recess looks like the plug for the OBC gong but I'm not sure why it would be down there .....

[Brianmoooore]

Black/blue and black/red are the indicators, so, as you say, probably indicating the setting and unsetting of some long gone alarm. All in the wrong position - BMW provides connections for an alarm immobiliser behind the glovebox.
Can't identify the white 3 pin plug in the speaker area offhand, but there are loads of unused connnectors around the car for various options and country configurations.
As Cloggy Saint says, the connectors by the ECU are associated with electro hydraulic gearboxes and aircon.
The blue crimp connector you can see in the speaker recess looks like someone has already performed my "red/black wire" modification.

[flybynite]

commonly known as scotchlocks, and are the creation of the devil, used only by the most extreme of bodgers.

Truer words never spoken, I hate the things with a passion. If i see them in a wiring job I've made my mind up already!

[tha881]

Thanks for all the input guys, and Brian especially, you've helped me get a few things working again and establish exactly what's been done to my wiring. Its much appreciated.

[Contours]

As quoted by Brian Moooore
If your radio has an ISO connector, you can get a loom from ebay with the ISO plug on one end and a plug that fits the radio connector on the E30 accessories socket on the other.

Brian, I have been looking for one of these and surprised to learn that Ebay have the plug that fits an e30 accessory socket. I assume you mean the 4 pin plug. My original radio was swopped out years ago and I don't know if this plug was discarded at the time by the installer or was ever there.

[Brianmoooore]

The original BMW lead had the four pin plug on one end, but just bare wires at the radio end. There was no 'standard' connector for radios back then.
You have the correct colours where the mess behind the radio begins, so I expect that you still have the original lead.

[HJ1981]

That is the same SI board in my 1990 E30 325i and yes, even after 2 oil changes and resetting the intervals i only saw 3 lights come on.

Today the same 3 lights are on + an inspection. I do have replacement batteries, same brand and model number, and like you i do not have any stickers.