Limited access to driver's side door lock/Microswitch

[HJ1981]

Hey guys,

Finally got a new cylinder lock rebuild kit as well as the microswitch metal plate to replace for the driver's side.

Sadly, once i removed the door trim and panel....there is virtually no access to the whole assembly.

I tried squeezing my arm from under the window regulator, while i can probably get the big C clip out, i can not picture fitting the new lock (since it needs to be wiggled into the microswitch).

If anyone has any tips, i would appreciate it, i could barely see the whole assembly with a light.

Here is a picture:

[biffer]

That looks a complete pain to do- on my (2-door) car the door-shell is much more open/cut away and reaching the lock-mech is very easy.

[Brianmoooore]

Four bolts, one electrical plug, and take the glass out.

[HJ1981]

Four bolts, one electrical plug, and take the glass out.

I was thinking along that route.....damn.....glass out job for lock and microswitch repair......

[Brianmoooore]

It's just four bolts (actually, IIRC, three bolts and one nut). Takes seconds.
The glass guide is also removable. One bolt at the bottom, and the lower section hinges out of the way, or unhooks and slides off of the window felt.
If your finding anything difficult on an E30, then there's a much easier way that you haven't found.

[HJ1981]

It's just four bolts (actually, IIRC, three bolts and one nut). Takes seconds.
The glass guide is also removable. One bolt at the bottom, and the lower section hinges out of the way, or unhooks and slides off of the window felt.
If your finding anything difficult on an E30, then there's a much easier way that you haven't found.

I need to take the door panel off again and look around for the bolts, i do believe you are correct, there are 3 bolts around the regulator. But again, i do not recall looking around that area, i was too busy scratching my head on the lack of an access hole for the door lock/microswitch ;)

And no, after all the work i have done on the E30, i have yet to find anything "difficult", sometimes annoying but not difficult.

We should get some nice weather during the weekend, i shall remove the door panel and take a look around again.

[HJ1981]

Thank you again for the tips regarding removing the glass. 3 bolts and the whole thing came out without any trouble.

Managed to rebuild the lock, the arm was shattered actually, which explains why i could not lock the driver's side door.

Microswitch is fine, as well as the metal plate. I replaced the plate since i had a new one, and not to risk tearing all that up and doing the job again.

Sadly, the CL still locks and unlocks all doors with a mind of its own. But then i noticed a ton of smoke coming from the door.

It appears that the window regulator was, over time, slowly pressing down on the harness inside the door, i guess after 30 years (or however long it was doing that) it cause one (or more) of the wires to kink and short. I cut the harness to see inside, i can see at least 3 hardened and shorted cables.

Tomorrow i shall cut them, solder and shrink tube them, lets' see if this was the cause, since i tested and checked everything else.

Door is completely rust free from the inside, which makes me happy.

[Brianmoooore]

Seen plenty of arms with the working end well worn, but never one shattered like that, BUT I have seen a loom damaged like that before. Someone's been in there before you, but decided BMW's multiple use of cable ties to secure the loom to the door wasn't entirely necessary, so choose to omit some of them when reassembling.

[HJ1981]

Seen plenty of arms with the working end well worn, but never one shattered like that, BUT I have seen a loom damaged like that before. Someone's been in there before you, but decided BMW's multiple use of cable ties to secure the loom to the door wasn't entirely necessary, so choose to omit some of them when reassembling.

I was considering the same, maybe someone removed all the junk, tried to do something, then gave up? i am unsure.

There were indeed 3 cable ties i had to snip off, still though kind of makes me think.

It appears that i am still "fixing" mistakes makes by previous owner(s) or previous people that did a lousy job.

[Brianmoooore]

It appears that i am still "fixing" mistakes makes by previous owner(s) or previous people that did a lousy job.

Apart from fixing rust, that accounts for a lot of the work that needs to be done to most E30s.
I would cut the lock and unlock request wires where they are damaged for the time being, and see if the locking behaves itself, before joining them back together and finishing the repair.

[HJ1981]

It appears that i am still "fixing" mistakes makes by previous owner(s) or previous people that did a lousy job.

Apart from fixing rust, that accounts for a lot of the work that needs to be done to most E30s.
I would cut the lock and unlock request wires where they are damaged for the time being, and see if the locking behaves itself, before joining them back together and finishing the repair.

Good idea, basically "hot wire" the wires before soldering and shrink tubing to test the system. Since i need to cut them anyways, may as well spend a few minutes testing the system.

[HJ1981]

Thank you again, the central locking is working.

I cut the white and brown wires, just twisted the copper ends together and tested the system. Driver's door and the trunk lock and unlock everything.

Soldier the wires, shrink wrap and taped them (to be sure) and installed everything back in. It too me a few minutes to visualise in my head, how the regulator sits and lots of adjustments to get the window to sit correctly, but it was straight forward.

I am unaccustomed to the CL working, it feels wrong somehow ^^ I also made sure that the harness and cables are cable tied "correctly" out of any moving parts to avoid this problem in the future.

Now i can move onto other small headaches in the car. Much appreciated!

[Brianmoooore]