Something was wrong with the driverseat so took it apart and found a broken frame. Heard it is a known problem. Especially for people with big power under the bonnet.
Not a surprise when you look at the constuction. Thin stamped metal that's bend easily with a simple kick of the foot. BMW should have made this a little bit stronger with a thicker gage metal imo. Imagen weighing 120kg with a V8 under the bonnet.
So the nice job of swapping frames then.
- Remove then backrest panel (2 screws on the bottom) so you then can remove the backrest by removing the 2 big crosshead screws (yellow arrows). Then you can lift it off the seat.
If you have a 2 door chassis you will also have to remove the cables that fold the seat forward before you lift it off (red arrows)
The replacing frame is different so maybe BMW saw it coming.
Lots of little clamps for these..
They go through holes in the seatpad to hold the cover in the middle while you shove your bum around.
When the cover is in the middle with the clamps attached you can fold the cover over the edges.
Hook the leather at the back,
And before you know it your back at the wheel in a straight position again.
Out of boredom i decided to go and make something so i could use the hole in the boottidy box. Dont know how they did it from factory when you ticked the box on the boottidy thing.
Piece of stainless, saw, drill, file, bend and then gleud a plastic screwcatcher thingy you also find at the headlight cover in the enginebay.
Quarter turn and the boottidy thing can be removed so its possible to lift the carpet
As i use this car extensively every single day mechanical things will wear out and electrical components will show there design flaws and limitations. Lately i have had my fair share.. again!
Symptoms:
- Suddenly no starting. In some cases i just turned it off.
- All electrics seemed fine during problem.
- Jumpstart with cables and it runs.
- Other option was to wait, perhaps with a disconnected battery, for half an hour or so. Connect it back and she starts.
So you have to go troubleshooting..
- Sparkplugs spark and combustion reads fine.
- Battery was degrading so replaced that (a minimal of 10V when starting) Connections tight and clean.
- All relays and power to it checked with multimeter.
- Groundcables engine, bonnet, alternator, battery, dahboard, etc. nice and tight.
- CrankPositionSensor, 2 years old and still reads fine. (between 486 and 594 Ohms) . Distance to crankwheel (between 0.2 and 2mm) Make sure its clean.
- Power present on the 2 cables to startermotor (Constant power and ignition, blok is ground) thereby excluding the ”˜neutral safety switch’ against starting in D with automatic gearbox as a suspect.
- Startermotor itself sounded fine when it was working.
Headscratch..
Then, while the suddenly no starting situation sucked pretty bad as it was the symptoms started to grow over time creating situations that dont get any worse in term of driveability!
Sudden studdering, misfires. In the beginning from 3000rpm, as time when on sooner and sooner in the rpm range. Oh boy, just what i need on top of the no starting.
Another key symptom it turns out during the problem was that the tempmeter started to dance.
-Brown temp. sensor ok: (After +- 40*C there should be continuity between the only pole and the sensor body metal).
- Groundnut at the back of the gage cluster nice and tight.
- Tempsensor cables going from the ECU to the engine sensors checked for continuity: http://www.rtsauto.com/ecu-pinout-and-e ... tests-e30/
Of course up until 3 weeks later when the whole thing started again.. One problem is solved and the next one knocks the door. Probably familiar to many.
Now i dont want to spent hours going through manuals trying to find the right data on sensors and stuff every time i have a problem so i made a list with all M20 Motronic 1.1 troubleshooting specs. Makes the whole troubleshooting experience hopefully a bit more easier to deal with next time Especially the Bentley is a pig on this. Sometimes you are forwarded 4 times to another chapter in the manual before you find what you are looking for.
Sensors Tempsensor bleu = ECU: Unnumbered 2 pin sensor.
- Measure resistance -> At 20*Celcius: 2000-3000ohms. At 80*C: 270-400ohms. Tempsensor brown = Tempgauge cluster: 1 Pin sensor.
- After +- 40*C there should be continuity between the only pole and the sensor body metal. ThrottlePositionSensor Numbered 3 pin sensor: 2, 3 & 18.
- Pin 2 & 18. In closed position there should be continuity.
- Open sensor by hand and as soon as you hear the klik there should be NO continuity.
- Pin 3 & 18. Fully open sensor by hand (full or wide open throttle). There should be continuity. CrankshaftPositionSensor: Unnumbered 2 Pin sensor.
- Resistance should be: Between 486 en 594 Ohms.
- Distance to crankwheel: +- 0.3 t/m 1mm. Make shure its clean. AirFlowMeter + intake air temp sensor: Numbered 4 pin sensor: 4,3,2 and 1).
- Pins 2 & 1. Resistance should steadily rise without ”˜flat spots’ when slowly opening the valve by hand.
- Pins 3 & 1. At aprox 20*C the resistance should be anywhere between 2200/2700 ohms. IdleControlValve a 2 or 3 pin sensor.
- 2 Pins: At approx 23*C There should be 10 ohms of resistance.
- 3 Pins: When measuring the 2 outermost pins there should be 40 ohms of resistance.
- 3 Pins: When measuring the middle and one of the outer pins there should be 20 ohms of resistance. Oxigensensor: Different models exist with different pin layouts.
- Start the engine and warm up the sensor to at least 320*C and measure voltage while raising the rmp of the engine by hand = 0.5 t/m 1.0 Volts.
- Drop rpm = 0 t/m 0.4 Volts.
- Measure voltage with the engine off and key in the ignition on position 2 = approx. battery voltage at 12Volt.
Fuel supply: Fuel filter: Replace! Fuel hoses: - Check for leakage and other damage. Fuel pressure(pump): Bypass pumprelay with fused wire to start the pump. Wirediagram on relay.
- Connect pressuregauge on fuel supply hose from (new) filter to injector rail. FuelPressureRegulator: -Disconnect vacuumhose -> rpm should rise.. If not, FPR broken!
- Check overpressure by disconnecting the return line and see if it returns fuel while holding a measuring cup. The returned volume of fuel should be 875ml. every 30 seconds. Injectors: Unnumbered, 2pin.
- Measure resistance: Motronic Basic: Between 3 and 5 Ohms - Motronic 1.1/3: Between 14.5 and 17.5 Ohms
- With a badly running engine: Pull off the electrical plug on the injector and see if it start running differently.
- If thats not the case the injector can be glogged even though the resistance reads fine. Electric fuel ventilation or purge valve: 2 pin.
- With ignition on there should be a sensible and audible klik. If there isn't any check the wireplug for battery voltage (12Volts)
- Volts to the valve but no klik? Valve broken!
Ignition: Distributercap and rotor: Visually check them on wear & tear.
- The copperpoints can be sanded with sandpaper but when the copper is starting to disapear.. replace. Coil: 3 polig.
- Measure the 2 outer pins (+/-) (Primary Resistance) = .50 ohms.
- Measure the center pin plus with one of the outer pins (Secondary Resistance) = 5000ohms Spark plugs: Check them on damage and read combustion. Sparkplugwires: Measure the resistance thats usually on the cable. Check for damage.
So with my new list and a new multimeter (as Fluke had finally brought out more affortable mid class multimeters in stead of only expensive ones) i set to work finding the problem.. again.
Symptoms new problem:
- Well exactly the same as the previous. Sudden, out of nowhere stuttering, misfires. Went from bad to worse to dangerously undriveable over time. The problem showed up suddenly without warning with an engine that did not respond at all.
Immediately i checked the groundcables to make sure they where tight and they were. Nice try!
So the entire list was checked over again and before you know it you're spending day after day of little free time you have troubleshooting trying to find the problem in mid winter conditions.. growing a big mountain on the back off your head because of a bonnet that slams it all the time when theres a slight breeze. Thanks BMW for providing a lock on the bonnet linkage!
Very frustrating as i need the car every day and the problem arises without warning making the car undriveable possibly with serious consequence. All you can do is slow down until you stop as theres no response from the engine. It was cruising on the slow lane next to the emergency escape which isnt always available nevermind waiting for trafficlights with 50 cars behind you! Getting to my destination gave a sigh of relief!
Everything on the list of troubleshooting checked out ok except 3 things that were questionable. Primarily due to lack of tools..
Fuel pressure: Could not check it cause i didn't have a pressuregauge at that time so bought a new Bosch fuelpump as the current pump was 30 years old anyway so now i dont have to expect that to go next. If one part starts to shit itself the other is not far behind. I might even be lucky and catch the culprit.
AFM:
While waiting for the OEM Bosch pump from ebay for less then half the price BMW asked i focused my attention to the AFM. When multimeting that outdated thing i had an occasional flat-spot when opening the valve by hand. Maybe it was the pins of the multi-meter as you'll find yourself one hand short. Today i got crocodile clamps which makes this job and others a lot easier.
A keen eye would have spotted the blue silicon sealant. With the tought, its 30 years old i disassembled the AFM to change to new contact on the resistor strip. Dont forget the new gasket (13711705064)
To no avail. In fact, this time also other symptoms started to join over time as i tried to find the problem. Misfires during idle and revving plus pretty violent shaking of the car during driving but only when the engine was cold. It disappeared as the engine got warm. Afterwards i think because of moisture.
During this time i re-checked the sparkplugs to see what they could tell me.. Not good! No visible damage so i brushed them clean and but'em back.
So..
- Or 1.. It burns oil like hell which means valveseals or pistonrings. Dont think so cause i miss the symptoms that go with that like blue smoke & oil consumption. Also no logical explanation for the symptoms that i am encountering.
- Or 2.. It burns to much fuel because of faulty pump and/or FPR, injectors or a possible ignition problem. Yep, nr 2 fits the bill.
So..
- Sparkplugs ok.
- Pump, filter new and hoses ok.
- FuelPressureRegulator ok.
- Injector resistance ok. To check volume or glogging they need to go on the testbench.
- Wireloom to injectors ok.
- Coil ok.
- Distributer & cap shot. No sandpaper will help here as the copper is starting to disappear. Time for a new one but no reason for such misbehavior.
Headscratch..
Then we come to nr3 of the things that didn't check out ok, because i simply didn't check it Sparkplugwires. Replaced them 5 years ago with genuine Bremi so they were on the bottom of my checklist. And guess what was broken.. as always.. the last thing before you run out of things to check.
Stripped the plugwires. 2 Cables had no reading at all because the endplugs, weirdly enough, were full of chalky white powder enough to start a small cocaine business! Took the cocaine out and violla.. resistance.
Put'em back in the car and immediately the engine ran as smooth as silk. I closed the bonnet and took a long enjoyable drive Great feeling after 2 weeks of worry & hassle.
Shame i dont have pics of the cocain. (dont have smartphone sorry) These are from when i was replacing them after receiving the new Bosch set. Originally there from Bremi or Karlyn STI but could not find that cheaply and the BMW stealer for this stuf is a financial no no! I once paid 105Euro's for just the impuls sensor on sparkplug wire cylinder 6 that's responsible for activating the 2 cylinder banks on injection which is a microbit more fuel efficient. The Ebay Bosch set was a 190,-
Checking continuity of the cable itself. Multiple had damage on the insulation.
Did transfer the tube from the original Bremi to the Bosch plugs
Lost some numberclamps from the original set The Bosch didn't have any numbering on them at all. The cables also feel more plasticky instead of rubbery. If they last just as long i'm a happy man.
As the preventive periodic tune up was overdue anyway i decided to do everything at once. With troubleshooting causing necessary new sparkplugwires and the perhaps unnecessary new battery, fuelpump + filter i decided to also replaced the belts, blue tempsensor, oilpressure sensor, airfilter, oilfilter + oil, powersteering-oil and coolant in one go Also the valves were re-adjusted. Only the timing stuff with waterpump needs to wait at least another year or 20k.
Oil-change obviously times 2 with a new filter second time round after blasting up and down the highway post 1st time. Lidl oil at 12.95 is good for some things With mine it takes over a month of daily driving before the oil starts to colour instead of pitchblack when you check the dipstick one final time when you come home after just visiting the garage.
To finish it off
Stainless steel replica's from Silverline on ebay.com in my 325e dubbelpipe size (46mm). The originals are chrome and NLA for years now.
With the letters facing down i hammered them home with a block of wood. No stealing with bear hands trust me.
Troughout the years i've searched for the best OEM parts for the best prices which has created a list of OEM manufacturers. These brands are the same brands you get at the BMW dealerships. Maybe you'll find it just as interesting as me so her it is..
BMW
Chassis, engineblock + some internals like crankshaft, rods, camshaft, valves etc. Engineblock externals like thermostat housing, coolhoses, brackets etc.
- Big suspension parts like struts, subframe, rear control arms etc.
- Drive parts like diff, propshaft.
- Other parts like wheels, bumpers, strips, fenders etc.
- Interior parts like seats, dashboard, doorcards, doorseals, footmats etc.
I'm pretty sure that for many of these parts BMW has an outside manufacturer and assembly for it.
The OEM manufacturers that i have come across. Either from the BMW dealer or from the car.
Boge: Shocks, bushings, top mount. Sachs: Shocks, clutch, fan clutch, bushings, top mount. Febi Bilstein: Shocks. Lemforder: Control arms, bushings, drop links, tie rods, top mount. Bremi: Distributor cap & rotor. Karlyn STI: Ignition leads. Bosch: Lots of electrical stuff, from spark plugs to headlights, ECU, ignition coil, switches, sensors, relais etc. Hella: Headlights, switches, sensors, relais, taillighthousings, headlight carriers, other electrical- plastic and metal parts. Jurid-Textar-Ate: Braking parts like discs, pads, booster, master & slave cil. Lucas Girling-Ate: Brake calipers/rear cylinders. TRW: Repair kit calipers Eberspaecher-Boysson: Exhaust. SKF: Wheelbearings & other bearings. ZF: Gearbox, steeringrack & pump. Vickers: Steeringpump. Behr: Radiator & thermostat. Fan clutch. Goetze: Headgasket set, other gaskets, pistonrings. Mahle: Pistons. Contitech: Auxilairy belts, timing belt. Mann-Mahle: Filters. Wahler: Thermostat. Getrag: Gearbox. Motometer: Instrument cluster & gauges. VDO: Instrument cluster & gauges, engine sensors. Hirschman: Antenna. Blaupunkt: Radiounits Nokia Speakers Brose Electric motors power windows Ebasto Electric motor roof Metzeler: Aerodynamic accessories (M-tech) like spoilers, skirts etc. Pfeba: Aerodynamic accessories Gerhardi:Facelift Edition side skirts Stabilus:Shock bonnet Ribe: Headbolts Ullringer: Alarmsystems
Let's ignore the tires
Things like waterpump and fuelfilter i would love to know but there's no brandname other then a BMW stamp. That last one i'm sure is Mann or Mahle just like the airfilter. BMW charged me 54Euros for a fuelfilter last time round so they won't be seeing me for that any time soon.
Other stuff worth mentioning:
- Many brands are one. Lemforder, Boge and Sachs are the same thing, probably from the same factory.
- Many parts on a car have multiple OEM manufacturers so the production line is not jeopardized when there's a problem.
- Many brands are shared and also supply other German car manufacturers. Mercedes, Audi, VW etc. use the same brands that supply to BMW.
- Some parts from a particular brand directly from BMW can differ compared to another suppliers.
For instance, a couple pages back i had an original genuine BMW headgasket in my hands costing 80Euro's from the dealers. The bottom gasket is an aftermarket item from the internet at half dealer price. Both are made by OEM gasket manufacturer Goetze but the genuine one has double silicon sealant printed on and is greasy compared to the single sealant bone-dry aftermarket. Same brand, different supplier, small differences.
My conclusion:
As long as it is made in Germany and of a quality OEM brand i do not care whether BMW chose that specific brand for that specific part.
BMW for example could have chosen Bosch for nearly everything that is electic + also lots of mechanical stuff. Yet BMW chose Bremi for the sparkplugs, VDO for the enginesensors, Textar for the brakediscs and pads etc. even though Bosch produces all of these parts. Surely the price, quality, performance, delivery could have played a part in the decision making.
Upgrade on bushings and stuff shouldn't be a problem but don't go and buy Chinese crap from Ebay but invest there or somewhere else in OEM brands and your car and you will thank you for it down the road.
Just my 2 cents
Last edited by e30Passion on Wed Oct 05, 2016 6:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
Another thing that stopped working was the ubercool Bavaria Electronic CD2 headunit i had mated with the original sound system i build in years ago which is turned out to be worth all the effort. It's the 3rd one though that gives the ghost and now i've had it. Their very expensive these day and not very reliable. My only requirements were cd quality and original BMW, this time without the need for a cd cardridge. With not many choices i opted for the top unit of the available list which is even more expensive then the cd2. An e36 Business RDS known as the CD43. A modern christmas-tree in the dash was a big red flag for me cause obviously, it looks horrid!
This doesn't imo. Can't say that of the wrong circuitbreaker above it. Need to score the correct one!
15 Euro's a piece at BMW!!
Plug & play with the original sound system (SS wireloom: 61121381719 and radioadapter cableset: 65128350129)
I'm thinking to expand the system with USB memorycard instead of cd changer. That would be nice
But simultaneously the antenna thought f#ck this my mate is gone i've had it.
After some testing it turned out to be the module. Replacing it cured the problem
I agree with you about the parts brands
It's not rocket science, buy the best parts you can afford not the cheapest you can find this principle includes tyres!
Buy wise buy once
Back in march 2020 my OEM armrest was in a sorry statevof wear. So while the rest of the world went into lockdown over a fake Plannedemic i was refurbishing my armrest.
Back in march 2020 my OEM armrest was in a sorry statevof wear. So while the rest of the world went into lockdown over a fake Plannedemic i was refurbishing my armrest.
After 10 years of use..
Do you have an email address? Big fan of all the options collecting you've done over the years and would like to discuss
Cant seem to post anything hence the last post was unfinished fixing up the armrest. Been like this for more then a year now.
I get a 'error 403 forbidden' message.
Send "HartgeH27" a pm about the errors as he`s the only guy who can help you at the moment mate.
Iian is a nice bloke and I`m sure he can help you , if not pm me and I will try and seek out the devil
One problem is solved and the next one knocks the door. Probably familiar to many.
Especially the Bentley is a pig on this. Sometimes you are forwarded 4 times to another chapter in the manual before you find what you are looking for.
Sparkplugwires. Replaced them 5 years ago with genuine Bremi so they were on the bottom of my checklist. And guess what was broken.. as always.. the last thing before you run out of things to check. 
The Bosch didn't have any numbering on them at all. The cables also feel more plasticky instead of rubbery. If they last just as long i'm a happy man.
