Driver BMW 318i 1992 E36 Workshop Manual

BMW
SERVICE
MANUUAS
BMW
7
Series
Service
Manual
:
1988-1994
7351,735iL,
740i,
740iL,
750iL
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0328-5

BMW
3
Series
Service
Manual
:
1992-1998
M3,
3181,323i,325i,
328i,
Sedan,
Coupe
and
Convertible
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0326-9
Glory
Days
:
When
Horsepowerand
BMW
Z3
Service
Manual
:
1996-1998



Passion
Ruled
Detroit
4-cylinder
and
6-cylinder
models



Jim
Wangers
ISBN
0-8376-0208-4
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0327-7



Alfa
Romeo
Owner's
BibleTM
BMW
3-Series
Service
Manual
:
1984-1990



Pat
Braden
with
foreword
by
Don
Black
3181,
325,325e(es),
325i(is),
and
325i



ISBN
0-8376-0707-9
Convertible
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0325-0



Ford
F-Series
Pickup
Owner's
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0152-5
BMW
5-Series
Service
Manual
:
1989-1995
5251,
530i,535i,
540i
including
Touring
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0319-6

BMW
5-Series
Service
Manual
:
1982-1988
528e,
5331,
535i,
535is
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0318-8

ENTHUSIAST
TITLES
Complete
Roundel
1969-1998
:30
Years
of
the
Magazine
of
the
BMW
Car
Club
of
America
(CD-ROM)
ISBN
0-8376-0322-6

A
French
Kiss
WithDeath
:
Steve
McQueen
and
the
Making
ofLe
Mans
Michael
Keyser
ISBN
0-8376-0234-3

The
Speed
Merchants
:
A
Journey
Through
The
World
of
Motor
Racing,1969-72Michael
Keyser
ISBN
0-8376-0232-7

Mustang
5
.0
Technical
Reference
&
Performance
Handbook
Al
Kirschenbaum
ISBN
0-8376-0210-6

Maximum
Boost
:
Designing,
Testing,
and
Installing
Turbocharger
Systems
Corky
Bell
ISBN
0-8376-0160-6

Volkswagen
Sport
Tuning
for
Street
and
Competition
Per
SchroederISBN
0-8376-0161-4

Sports
Carand
CompetitionDriving
Paul
Frérewithforewordby
PhilHill
ISBN
0-8376-0202-5

Automotive
Books
From
Robert
Bentley

GTI,
Golf,
and
Jetta
Service
Manual
:
1985-
The
Design
and
Tuning
of
Competition



1992
Gasoline,
Diesel,
and
Turbo
Diesel,
EnginesPhilipH
.
Smith,
6th
editionrevised
by



including
16V
Robert
Bentley
David
N
.
Wenner
ISBN
0-8376-0140-1



ISBN
0-8376-0342-0
Going
Faster
:
The
Skip
BarberRacing



Corrado
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
School
Carl
Lopez
ISBN
0-8376-0227-0



1990-1994
Volkswagen
United
States
9M-f,
Ir-
Win
n
on
Alexander
with
foreword



ISBN
0-8376-0387-0

by
Mark
Martín
ISBN
0-8376-0070-7



Passat
Service
Manual
:
1990-1993,

The
Technique
of
Motor
Racing
Piero



including
Wagon
Volkswagen
United
States

Taruf
fi
with
foreword
by
Juan
Manuel
Fangio



ISBN
0-8376-0378-1

ISBN
0-8376-0228-9



Cabriolet
and
SciroccoService
Manual
:
Race
Car
Aerodynamics



1985-1993,
including
16V
Joseph
Katz
ISBN
0-8376-0142-8



RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0362-5

The
Scientific
Design
of
Exhaust
and



VolkswagenFox
Service
Manual
:
1987-
Intake
Systems
Philip
H
.
Smith
and
John
C
.



1993,
including
GL,
GL
Sport
and
Wagon
Morrison
ISBN
0-8376-0309-9



RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0363-3

Volkswagen
Model
Documentation



Rabbit,
Scirocco,
Jetta
Service
Manual
:
Joachim
Kuch
ISBN
0-8376-0078-2



1980-1984
Gasoline
Models,
including

Volkswagen
Beetle
:
Portrait
of
a
Legend



Pickup
Truck,
Convertible,
and
GTI
Robert

Edwin
Baaske
ISBN
0-8376-0162-2
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0183-5

Jeep
Owner's
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0154-1

Eurovan
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:



MANUUAS

Volkswagen
Inspection/Maintenance
(I/M)
Emission
Test
Handbook
:1980-1997
Volkswagen
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0394-3

Rabbit,
Jetta
Service
Manual
:
1977-1984Diesel
Models,
including
Pickup
Truck
and
Turbo
Diesel
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0184-3

Super
Beetle,
Beetle
and
Karmann
Ghia
Official
Service
Manual
Type1
:1970-1979Volkswagen
United
States
ISBN
0-8376-0096-0

Beetle
and
Karmann
Ghia
Official
Service
Manual
Type1
:1966-1969
Volkswagen
United
States
ISBN
0-8376-0416-8
Harley-Davidson
Evolution
V
Twin
Owner's
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0146-0
Audi
100,
A6
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1992-1997,
including
S4,
S6,
quattro
and
Wagon
models
.
Toyota
Truck
&
Land
Cruiser
Owner's



Audi
of
America
.
ISBN
0-8376-0374-9
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0159-2



Audi
80,
90,
Coupe
Quattro
Official

AUDI
SERVICE
MANUUAS

The
Racing
Driver
Denis
Jenkinson



Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1988-1992
ISBN
0-8376-0201-7



including
80
Quattro,
90
Quattro
and
20-valve
models
Audi
of
America
Unbeatable
BMW
:
Eighty
Years
of



FUEL
INJECTION



ISBN
0-8376-0367-6
Engineering
and
Motorsport
Success



Ford
Fuel
Injection
and
Electronic
Engine



Audi
100,
200
Official
Factory
Repair
JeremyWalton
ISBN
0-8376-0206-8



Charles
O
Probst,
SAE



Manua1
:1988-1991
Audi
of
America
Control
:
1788-1993
.
BMW
6
Series
Enthusiast's
CompanionTM



ISBN
0-8376-0301-3



ISBN
0-8376-0372-2
Jeremy
W
.11

ISBN
0-8376-0149-5
Ford
Fuel
Injection
and
Electronic
Engine



Audi
50005
5000CS
Official
Fa
,ctory
BMW
Enthusiast's
CompanionTM
BMW



Control
:
1980-1987
Charles
O
.
Probst,
SAE



Repair
Manual
:
1984-1988
Gasoline,
Car
Club
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0321-8



ISBN
0-8376-0302-1



Turbo,
and
Turbo
Diesel,
including
Wagon

BMW
Notecards
Series
1
Photography
by



Bosch
Fuel
In1ection
and
Engne



and
Quattro
Audi
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-
i
Klaus
Schnitzer
ISBN
0-8376-0211-4



Management
Charles
O
.
Probst,
SAE



0370-6

ISBN
0-8376-0300-5



Audi
5000,
50005
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1977-1983
Gasoline
and
Turbo
VOLKSWAGEN
OFFICIAL
SERVICE



Gasoline,
Diesel
and
Turbo
Diesel
MANUUAS



Audi
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0352-8

New
Beetle
Service
Manual
:
1998-1999



Audi
40005,
4000CS,
and
Coupe
GT
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0385-4



Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1984-1987including
Quattro
and
Quattro
Turbo
Audi
Jetta,
Golf,
GTI,
Cabrio
Service
Manual
:



of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0373-01993-early
1999,
including
VR6
and
TDI
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0366-8



SAAB
OFFICIALSERVICE

1992-1999
Volkswagen
of
America



Saab
90016
Valve
Official
Service
Manual
:
ISBN
0-8376-0335-8



19851993
RobertBentl



ISBN
0837603129
-ey---

Saab
900
8
Valve
Official
Service
Manual
:
1981-1988
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0310-2

Passat
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:



VOLVO
SERVICE
MANUAL
1995-1997
Volkswagen
of
America



Volve
240
Service
Manual
:
1983-1993
ISBN
0-8376-0380-3



Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0285-8

Robert
Bentley
has
published
service
manualsand
automobile
books
since
1950
.
Please
write
Robert
Bentley,
Inc
.,
Publishers,
at
1734
Massachusetts
Avenue,Cambridge,
MA
02138,
visit
our
web
síte
athttp
://www
.rb
.com,
or
call
1-800-423-4595
for
a
free
copy
of
our
complete
catalog,
including
titles
and
service
manuals
for
Jaguar,
Triumph,
Austin-Healey,
MG,
and
other
cars
.

Foreword

This
service
manual
covers
1992
through
1998
BMW
3
Series
models,
and
is
specifically
de-
signed
to
cover
only
those
models
built
for
sale
in
the
United
States
.

BMW,
and
most
accessories
and
parts
sellers
specializing
in
BMWs,
refer
to
the
3
Seriescars

coveredby
this
manual
as
the
E36
model
.
The
code
"E36"
is
BMW's
internal
code
for
the
basic
plat-

form
sharedby
al¡
of
the
cars
coveredby
this
manual
.
Except
for
the
engine
and
a
few
other
compo-

nents,
the
models
coveredby
this
manual
share
many
of
same
components
suchas
suspension

parts,
body
panels,
and
the
interior
pieces
.
When
ordering
parts,
especially
body
parts,
knowing
the

E36
code
may
be
helpful
.

BMW
also
usesan
interna¡
code
for
the
enginesused
in
the
3
Series
models
.
Consult
the
text
in

the
100
Engine-General
repair
group
ofthis
manual
for
a
complete
listing
of
engine
codes
.
Engine
-

code
information
is
primarily
used
internally
by
BMW,
but
may
be
helpful
if
you
haveaccess
to
BMW

technical
information
.

Forthe
BMW
ownerwith
basic
mechanical
skills,
this
manual
gives
detailed
maintenance
and
re-

pair
information
.
In
addition,
the
BMW
owner
who
hasno
intention
of
working
on
his
or
her
own
car

will
findthat
owning
and
reading
this
manual
will
make
it
possibleto
be
better
informed
and
todis-

cuss
repairs
more
intelligently
with
a
professional
technician
.
This
manual
has
been
prepared
from

the
repair
information
that
BMW
provides
to
its
factory-trained
technicians
and
has
been
developed

primarily
with
the
do-it-yourself
BMW
owner
in
mind
.
The
aim
throughout
has
been
clarity
and
un-

derstanding
with
practical
descriptions,
step-by-step
procedures,
and
accurate
specifications
.

The
BMW
owner
intending
to
do
maintenance
and
repair
should
have
a
set
of
tools
including
a
set

of
metric
wrenches
and
sockets,
screwdrivers,
a
torque
wrench,
and
feeler
gauges,
since
these
ba-

sic
tools
will
beused
to
do
the
majority
of
the
maintenance
and
repair
procedures
described
in
this

manual
.
This
manual
includes
detailed
information
onthese
basic
tools
and
other
tips
for
the
begin-

ner
in
the
first
section
of
the
manual,
entitled
010
Fundamentals
for
the
Do-It-Yourself
Owner
.

For
some
of
the
repairs
described
in
this
manual,
BMW
technicians
use
special
tools
.
The
text
will

note
when
a
repair
requires
these
special
tools
and,
where
possible,
will
recommend
practica¡
alter-

natives
.

WARNING
-

"
Never
work
under
a
lifted
car
unless
it
is
solidly
supported
on
jack
stands
that
are
intended
for
that
purpose
.
Do
not
support
a
car
on
cinder
blocks,
bricks,
or
other
objects
that
may
shift
orcrumble
under
continuous
load
.
Never
work
un-
dera
car
that
is
supported
only
by
the
lifting
jack
.

"
Fuel
is
highly
flammable
.
When
working
around
fuel,
do
not
smoke
or
worknear
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
.
Keepan
approved
fire
extinguisher
handy
.

"
llluminate
the
work
area
adequately
and
safely
.
Use
a
portable
safety
light
for
working
inside
or
under
thecar
.
A
fluorescent
type
lightis
best
be-
cause
it
gives
off
less
heat
.
If
using
a
light
with
anormal
incandescent
butb,
use
rough
service
bulbs
to
avoid
breakage
.
The
hot
filamentof
an
accidentallybroken
bulb
can
ignite
spilled
fuel
or
oil
"
Keep
sparks,
lighted
matches,
and
any
open
llame
away
from
thetop
of
the
battery
.
Hydrogen
gas
emitted
by
the
battery
is
highly
flammable
.
Any
nearby
source
of
ignition
may
cause
the
battery
to
explode
.

"
Never
¡ay
tools
or
parts
in
the
engine
compart-
ment
or
on
top
of
the
battery
.
They
may
fall
into
confined
spaces
and
be
difficult
toretrieve,
be-
come
caught
in
beits
or
other
rotating
parts
when
the
engine
is
started,
or
cause
electrical
shorts
anddamage
to
the
electrical
system
.

"
The
fuel
system
is
designed
to
retain
pressure
even
when
the
ignition
is
off
.
When
working
with
the
fuel
system,
loosen
the
fuel
fines
slowly
to
al-

low
the
residual
pressure
to
dissipate
gradually
.

Take
precautions
to
avoid
spraying
fuel
.

Lifting
the
Car

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
3

For
those
repairs
that
require
raising
the
car,
theproper
jack-

ing
points
should
beused
to
raise
thecar
safely
and
avoid
dam-

age
.
There
are
four
jacking
points
from
which
thecar
can
be

safely
raised
.
The
jacksupplied
with
thecar
by
BMW
can
only

be
used
at
the
fourside
points
just
behindthe
front
wheel
or

just
in
frontof
the
rear
wheel
.
See
Fig
.
1.

WARNING
-

"
When
raising
the
car
using
a
floor
jack
ora
hy-

draulic
lift,
carefully
position
the
jack
pad
topre-

vent
damaging
the
car
body
.
A
suitable
liner

(wood,
rubber,
etc
.)
should
be
placed
between
the
jack
and
the
car
to
prevent
body
damage
.

"
Watch
the
jack
closely
.
Make
sure
ft
stays
stable

and
does
not
shift
or
tilt
.
As
the
car
is
raised,
the
car
may
rol¡
slightly
and
the
jack
may
shift
.

Fig
.
1
.



3-Seriesjacking
points
(arrows)
.

Raising
car
safely

1
.
Park
car
on
flat,
leve¡
su
rface
.

2
.
Remove
the
round
cover
from
jack
mount
using
a

screwdriver
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

0013126

Fig
.
2
.



Jack
mount
cover
being
removed
from
rocker
panel
.

3
.
Place
jack
fully
into
position
.
See
Fig
.
3
.
Make
sure
jack

is
resting
on
flat,
solid
ground
.
Use
a
board
or
other
sup-

port
to
provide
a
firm
surface
for
the
jack,
if
necessary
.

4
.
Raisecar
slowly
while
constantly
checking
position
of

jack
and
car
.

5
.
Once
car
is
raised,
block
the
wheel
that
is
opposite
and

farthest
from
jackto
prevent
car
fromunexpectedly
roll-

ing
.

GET77NG
STARTER

010-
6



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

In
places
where
a
shaft
mustpass
through
a
housing,
flexible
lip
seals
areused
to
keep
the
lubricating
oil
or
grease
from
leak-

ingout
past
the
rotating
shaft
.
Seals
should
never
be
reused

once
they
have
been
removed
.
When
removing
a
seal,
be
care-
ful
not
lo
scratch
or
otherwise
damage
the
metal
surfaces
.
Even
minor
damage
to
sealing
surfaces
can
cause
sea¡
damage
and
leakage
.

The
key
to
sea¡
installation
is
to
get
the
sea¡
in
straight
without

damaging
¡t
.
Use
a
sea¡
driver
that
is
the
same
diameter
as
the
seal
housing
to
gently
and
evenly
insta¡I
into
place
.
If
a
proper
size
seal
driver
is
not
available,
a
socket
of
the
right
size
will
do
.

When
installing
a
seal,
¡t
a
good
idea
to
coat
the
sea¡
with
o¡I

to
aid
installation
.
Some
seals
are
directional
and
special
instal-
lation
instructions
apply
.
Make
sure
¡t
is
installed
with
the
lip
fac-
ing
the
correct
way
.
Normally
the
lip
faces
the
inside
.
Note
the
installation
direction
of
the
old
sea¡before
removing
¡t
.

Electrical
Testing

Many
electrical
problems
canbe
understood
and
solved
with
only
a
little
fundamental
knowledge
of
how
electrical
circuits



Insulate
the
finished
connection
.
Electronics
stores
can
sup-
function
.



ply
heat-shrinkable
insulating
tubing
that
can
be
placed
onto
the
wire
before
connectiog,
slid
over
the
finished
joint,
and
Electric
current
only
flows
in
a
complete
circuit
.
To
operate,



shrunk
to
a
tight
fit
with
a
heat
gun
orhair
dryer
.
The
nextbest
every
electrical
device
in
thecar
requires
a
complete
circuit
in-



alternative
is
electrical
tape
.
Make
sure
the
wire
is
clean
and
cluding
a
voltage
source
and
a
pathto
ground
.
The
positive
(+)



free
ofsolder
flux
or
other
contamination
.
Wrap
the
joint
tightly
side
of
the
battery
is
the
original
voltagesource,
and
ground
is
to
sea¡
out
moisture
.
See
600
Electrical-General
for
more
in-
any
retum
path
to
the
negative
()
-
side
ofth
e
battery°
whether
li



formation
.
through
the
wiring
harness
or
thecar
body
.
Except
for
portions
of
the
charging
system,
al¡
electrical
current
in
the
car
is
direct
current
(DC)
and
flows
from
positive
(+)
to
negative
(-)
.



BVYING
PART$

Switches
are
used
to
turn
components
on
or
off
by
complet-
ing
or
interrupting
#he
circuit
.
A
switch
is
"open"
when
the
circuit



Many
of
the
maíntenance
and
repair
tasks
in
this
manual
cal¡
is
ínterrupted,
and
"closed"
when
the
circuit
is
completed
.
Fig
.
5



for
the
installation
of
new
parte,
or
the
use
of
new
gaskets
and

shows
a
basic
circuit
schematic
.
See600
Electrical
System-



other
materials
when
reinstalling
parts
.
Most
often,
the
parts

General
for
electrical
troubleshooting
.



that
will
be
needed
should
be
on
hand
beforebeginningthe
job
.
Read
the
introductory
text
and
the
complete
procedure
to
de-
termine
which
parts
will
be
needed
.

B029ELG

Fig
.
5
.



Schematic
representation
of
simple
circuit
for
light
bulb
.
Igni-
tion
switch
is
shown
closed,
making
circuit
complete
.

BVYING
PARTS

Wire
Repairs

Repairs
to
a
wiring
harness
requirespecial
care
to
make
the

repair
permanent
.
The
wire
endsmust
be
clean
.
lf
frayedor
oth-

erwise
damaged,
cut
off
the
end
.
If
the
wire
is
too
short,
splice
in

a
new
piece
of
wire
of
the
same
size
and
make
two
connec-
tions
.

Use
connectors
that
are
designed
for
the
purpose
.
Crimped-

on
or
soldered-onconnectors
are
best
.
Crimp
connectors
and

special
crimping
pliers
are
widely
available
.
If
soldering,
use

needlenose
pliers
tohold
the
wire
near
the
solder
joint
and
cre-
ate
a
"heat
dam"
.
This
keeps
the
heat
and
the
solder
from
trav-
eling
up
the
wire
.
Always
use
a
solder
made
specifically
for
electrical
work
(rosin
core)
.

NOTE-

Twisting
wirestogether
to
make
a
repair
is
not
recom-
mended
.
Corrosion
and
vibration
will
eventually
spoil
the
connection
and
may
lead
to
irreparable
damage
to
sensitive
electronic
componente
.

NOTE-

For
some
bigger
jobs,
partial
disassembly
and
inspec-
tion
are
required
to
determine
acomplete
parts
list
.
Read
the
procedure
carefully
and,
if
necessary,
make
other
arrangements
to
get
the
necessary
parts
while
your
car
is
disassembled
.

Genuine
BMW
Parts

Genuine
BMW
replacement
parts
from
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
are
designed
and
manufactured
lo
the
same
high
stan-
dards
as
the
original
parts
.
They
will
be
the
correct
material,
manufactured
to
the
same
specifications,
and
guaranteed
lo
fit
and
work
as
intended
by
the
engineers
who
designed
thecar
.
Some
genuine
BMW
parts
have
a
limited
warranty
.

Non-returnable
Parts

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THEDO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
7

Many
independent
repair
shops
make
a
point
of
using
genu-



Original
body
paneis
and
other
large
components
are
identi-

ine
BMW
parts,
even
though
they
may
at
times
be
more
expen-



fied
by
a
label
bearing
the
VINand
two
BMW
roundellogos
.
Re-

sive
.
Theyknow
the
value
of
doing
thejob
right
with
the
right



placement
parts
have
a
similar
label,
bearing
one
BMW
roundel

parts
.
Parts
from
other
sources
can
beas
good,
particularly
if



logo
and
the
letters
DOT-R
.
See
Fig
.
6
.
Parts
or
assemblies

manufactured
by
one
of
BMWs
original
equipment
suppliers,



bearing
the
label
arethe
engine,
transmission,
front
and
rear

but
it
is
often
difficult
to
know
.



bumpers,
front
fenders,
rear
quarter
paneis,
hood,
trunk
lid
and

doors
.
These
labels
shouldnot
be
removed
as
they
will
tear

BMW
is
constantly
updating
and
improving
their
cars,
often



apart
.

making
improvements
during
a
given
model
year
.
BMW
may

recommend
a
newer,
improved
part
as
a
replacement,
and

your
authorized
dealer's
parts
department
will
know
about
it

and
provide
it
.
The
BMW
parts
organization
is
best
equipped
to
deal
with
any
BMW
parts
needs
.

Some
parts
cannot
be
returned
for
credit,
even
if
they
arethe

wrong
parts
forthe
car
.
The
best
example
is
electrical
parts,

which
are
almost
universally
considered
non-returnable
be-



,
..

cause
they
are
so
easily
damaged
internally
.

Buy
electrícal
parts
carefully,
and
beas
sure
as
possible
that
P-
DOT~
R

a
replacement
is
needed,
especially
for
expensive
parts
such
as
electronic
control
units
.
It
may
bewise
to
let
an
authorized



B328FUN

BMW
dealeror
other
qualified
shop
confirm
your
diagnosisbe-

fore
replacing
an
expensive
part
that
cannot
be
retuned
.



Fig
.
6
.



Labels
used
to
identiy
parts
.
Original
equipment
labelwith

VIN
number
and
roundel
logos
(top)
and
replacement
part
la-

bel
with
one
roundel
logos

Information
You
Need
to
Know

Engine
.
3-Seriescars
covered
in
this
manualare
powered

Model
.
When
ordering
parts
it
is
important
that
you
know
the



by
either
a
4-or
6-cylinder
engine
.
For
information
-
on
engine

correct
model
designation
for
your
car
.
Models
covered
in
this



codes
and
engine
applications,
see100
Engine-General
.

manual
are
E36
3
Series
in
both
4-
and
6-cylinderconfigura-

tions
.



Transmission
.
The
transmissiontype
with
its
identifying

code
may
be
important
when
buying
clutch
parts,
seals,
gas

Moda¡
Year
.
This
is
not
necessarily
the
same
as
date
of



kets,
and
othertransmission-relatedparts
.
For
information
on

manufacture
or
date
of
sale
.
A
1997
model
may
havebeen



transmission
codes
and
applications,
see200
Transmission

manufactured
in
late
1996,
and
perhaps
not
sold
until
early



General
.

1997
.
It
is
still
a1997
model
.
Model
years
covered
by
this
man-

ual
are
1992
to
1998
.

SERVICE
Date
of
Manufacture
.
This
information
is
helpful
when
or-

dering
replacement
parts
or
determining
if
any
of
the
warranty



BMW
dealers
are
uniquely
qualified
to
provide
service
for
recalls
are
applicable
to
your
car
.
The
label
on
the
driver's
door



BMW
cars
.
Their
authorized
relationship
with
the
large
BMW
below
the
door
latch
will
specify
the
month
and
year
that
the
car



serviceorganization
means
that
they
are
constantly
receiving
was
built
.



new
tools
and
equipment,
together
with
the
latest
and
most
ac-

curate
repair
information
.
Vehicle
Identification
Number
(VIN)
.
This
is
a
combination

of
letters
and
numbers
that
identify
the
particular
car
.
TheVIN

appears
on
the
state
registration
document,
and
on
thecar
it-

self
.
One
location
isin
the
rear
of
the
engine
compartment,
en-

other
in
the
lower
left
comer
of
the
windshield
.

The
National
Highway
Traffic
Safety
Administration
(NHT-

SA)
requires
passenger
cars
with
a
high
theftrateto
have
the

VINmarked
on
specific
parts
of
thecar
when
manufactured
.
On

BMW
cars,
these
parts
are
identified
byan
adhesive
label
.

)WBADK00000000

0
000
0

The
BMW
dealers
service
technicians
are
highlytrained
and

very
capable
.
Unfke
most
independent
repair
shops,
autho-

rized
BMW
dealers
are
intensely
committed
tosupporting
the

BMW
product
.
They
share
the
owners
interest
in
BMW
value,

performance,
and
reliability
.
On
the
other
hand,
there
are
many

independent
shops
that
specialize
in
BMW
service
and
are
ca-

pable
of
doing
high
quality
repair
work
.
Checking
with
other

BMW
owners
for
recommendations
on
service
facilitiesis
a

good
way
to
leam
of
reputable
BMW
shops
in
yourarea
.

SERVICE

010-
8



FUNDAMENTALSFORTHE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

TOOLS

Mostmaintenance
can
be
accomplished
with
a
small
selec-
tion
of
the
right
tools
.
Toolsrange
in
quality
from
inexpensive
junk,
which
may
brakk
at
first
use,
tovery
expensive
and
well-
made
tools
for
the
professional
.
The
best
tools
for
most
do-it
yourself
BMW
owners
He
somewhere
in
between
.



O

Many
reputable
tool
manufacturers
offer
good
quality,
mod-
erately
priced
tools
with
a
lifetime
guarantee
.
These
are
your
best
buy
.
They
cost
a
little
more,
but
they
are
good
quality
tools
that
will
dowhat
is
expected
of
them
.
Sears'
Craftsman®
line
is
one
such
source
of
good
quality
tools
.

Some
of
the
repairs
covered
in
this
manual
require
the
use
of
special
tools,
suchas
a
custom
puller
or
specialized
electrical
test
equipment
.
These
special
tools
are
called
out
in
the
text
andcan
be
purchased
through
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.
As
an
alternative,
some
special
tools
mentioned
may
be
pur-
chased
from
the
following
tool
manufacturers
andlor
distribu-
tors
:

"
Assenmacher
Specialty
Tools
6440
Odell
Place,Boulder,
CO
80301
(303)
530-2424

"
Baum
Tools
Unlimited
.
Inc
.
PO
.
Box
87,
Longboat
Key,
FL
34228
(800)
848-6657

"
Schley
Products
Inc
.
5350
E
.
Hunter
Ave
.,
Anaheim
Hills,
CA
92807
(714)
693-7666

"
Zelenda
Machine
and
Tool
Corp
.
66-02
Austin
Street,
Forest
Hills,
NY
11375
(718)
896-2288

Basic
Tool
Requirements

The
basic
hand
tools
described
below
canbe
used
to
accom-
plish
most
of
thesimple
maintenance
and
repair
tasks
.

Fig
.
8
.



Types
of
wrench
heads
.
From
left,
open-end,
12-point
box-
Screwdrivers
.
The
common
fíat-blade
type
and
the
Phillips



end,6-point
box-end,
fiare
nut
.
type
will
handlealmost
all
screws
used
on
BMWs
.
Two
orthree
different
sizes
of
each
type
will
be
required,
since
a
screwdriver



The
cómbination
wrench
is
the
most
universal
.
It
hasone
of
the
wrong
size
will
damage
the
screw
head
.
See
Fig
.
7
.



open-end
andone
box-end
.
10mm
and
13mm
wrenches
arethe
most
common
sizes
needed
.
A
more
complete
set
of
A
complete
set
of
screwdrivers
should
also
include
Torx@



wrenches
would
inciude
6mm
through
19mm
sizes
.
typescrewdrivers
.

Wrenches
.
Wrenches
come
in
different
styles
for
different
uses
.
Fig
.
8
shows
several
.
The
basic
open-end
wrench
is
the
most
widely
used,
but
grips
on
only
two
sides
.
It
can
spread
apart
and
slip
off
more
easily
.
The
box-end
wrench
has
better
grip,
on
al¡
six
sides
of
a
nut
or
bolt
.

A
12-point
box-end
can
loosen
a
nut
or
bolt
where
there
is
less
room
for
movement,
while
a
6-point
box-end
provides
bet-
ter
grip
.
Forhex
fasteners
on
fluid
lines,
like
brake
lines
and
fuel
lines,
a
fiare-nut
wrench
offers
the
acivantages
of
a
box-end
wrench
with
a
slot
that
ailows
it
to
fit
over
the
line
.

TOOLS

B005FNG

Fig
.
7
.



Common
flat-blade
(top)
and
Phillips
(bottom)
screwdrivers
.
Offset
screwdríver
(right)
is
used
for
screws
with
limited
ac-
cess
.

B002FNG

Sockets
.
Socketsperform
the
same
job
asbox-end
wrench-
es,
but
offer
greater
flexibility
.
They
are
used
with
a
ratchet
han-
dle
for
speed
and
conveniente
and
can
be
combined
with
extensions
and
universal
joints
(swivels)
to
reach
fasteners
more
easily
.
Sockets
come
with
different
size
connections
to
drive
handies
or
extensions,
called
the
drive
size
.
The
most
common
drive
sizes
are
1
/4
in
.,
318
in
.,
and
1
/2
in
.

Sockets
come
in
6-point
and
12-point
styles
.
For
use
with
a
ratchet,
the
6-point
offers
a
better
grip
on
tight
nuts
and
bolts
.
6mm
to
19mm
sockets
arethe
most
needed
sizes
.
Below
is
a
list
oftypical
bolt
diameters
and
the
corresponding
wrench
siz-
es
.

Fig
.
16
.
Multimeter
or
Digital
Volt/Ohmmeter
(DVOM)
.

BMW
Special
Tools

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-11

0012223

Some
of
the
more
challenging
repairs
covered
in
this
manual

cal¡
for
the
use
of
BMW
special
tools
.
This,
however,
does
not

automatically
mean
that
thejob
is
too
complicated
or
out
of

reach
of
thenovice
.

Many
of
the
BMW
special
tools
mentioned
in
this
manual
are
simplythe
best
thing
to
use
to
do
thejob
correctly
.
In
these
cas-

es,
the
tool
is
identified
with
a
BMW
part
number
.
See
your
au-

thorized
BMW
dealer
parts
department
for
information
on
how

to
order
special
tools
.

There
are
some
jobs
for
which
expensive
special
tools
are

essential,
and
not
a
cost-effective
purchase
for
one-time
repair

by
the
do-it-yourself
owner
.
This
manual
includes
such
repairs

for
the
benefit
of
these
with
the
necessary
experience
and
ac-

cess
to
tools
.
For
the
do-it-yourselfer,
the
need
for
special
tools

is
noted
in
the
text,
and
whether
or
not
BMW
dealer
service
is

recommended
.

EMERGENCIES

Changing
a
Tire

Stop
thecar
onas
flat
a
surface
as
possible,
in
a
place
where

you
canbe
easily
seen
by
other
drivers
.
Avoid
stopping
just

over
the
crest
of
a
hill
.
Turnon
the
emergency
flashers,
and
set

out
(lares
or
emergency
markers
well
behindthecar
.
Chock
the

wheel
(wheel
chock
located
in
trunk)
diagonally
opposite
to
the
one
being
changed
.
Passengers
shouldgetout
of
thecar
and

stand
well
away
from
the
road
.
Remove
the
spare
tire
from
the
spare
tire
storage
tray,
as
described
later
.

WARNING
-

If
a
tire
goes
fíat
while
drtving,
pull
well
off
the
road
.
Changing
a
tire
ona
busy
street
or
highway
is
very
dangerous
.
If
necessary,
drive
a
short
distance
on
the
fíat
tire
to
get
to
a
sale
place
.
tt
is
much
better
to
ruin
a
tire
or
rim
than
to
risk
being
hit
.

Take
the
jack
and
tools
from
the
tool
area
beneath
the
trunk

mat
.
Remove
the
spare
tire
from
the
tire
storage
tray
.

Loosen
the
wheel
bolts
while
the
car
is
on
the
ground,
but

leave
them
a
little
snug
.
Placethe
jack
in
the
lifting
point
nearest

the
wheel
beingchanged,
lifting
points
are
shown
in
Fig
.
1
and

Fig
.
2)
.
Use
a
board
to
provide
a
firm
footing
for
the
jack
if
the

ground
is
soft
.
Raise
the
car
only
lar
enough
so
that
the
wheel
is

fully
off
the
ground
and
then
remove
the
wheel
nuts
and
the

wheel
.

Insta¡¡
the
spare
wheel
.
Install
the
wheel
nuts
and
tighten

them
by
hand,
then
lower
the
car
.
With
all
wheelson
the

ground,
fully
tighten
the
nuts
in
a
crisscross
pattern
.
Torque
the

wheel
nuts
when
installing
the
wheel
.
Check
the
inflation
pres-

sure
of
the
spare
tire
.

Tightening
torques

"
Wheel
to
wheel
hub
.....
100
t
10
Nm
(74
t
7
ft-Ib)

Car
Will
Not
Start

If
the
engine
tucos
over
slowly
or
not
at
all,
especially
on
cold

mornings,
the
battery
may
not
be
sufficiently
charged
.
Jump-

starting
the
battery
from
another
car
may
help
.

WARNING
-

On
carswith
manual
transmisston,
push
starting
(or

tow
starting)
acar
ts
not
recommended
by
BMW
.

NOTE-

Be
sure
to
read
the
cautions
underJump
Starting
Car
prior
boosting
a
low
battery
.
Fatlure
to
followthe
cau-

tions
may
result
in
damage
to
the
electronic
compo-
nents
in
the
car
.

If
the
engine
is
turning
over
at
normal
speed
with
the
starter

motor,
the
battery
and
starter
are
fine
.
Check
to
make
sure
that

there
is
fuel
in
the
tank
.
Do
not
rely
on
the
fuel
gauge,
it
may
be

faulty
.
Instead,
remove
the
gas
filler
cap
and
rock
thecar
.
If

there
is
gas
in
the
tank,
you
should
hear
a
sloshing
sound
at
the

filler
neck
.
lf
there
is
plenty
offuel
in
the
tank,
see100
Engine-

General
for
in-depth
diagnostics
and
troubleshootingproce-

dures
.

EMERGENCIES

020-2



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

GENERAL

The
information
given
in
this
repair
group
includes
the
routine

checks
and
maintenance
steps
that
are
both
required
by
BMW

under
the
terms
of
the
vehicle
warranty
protection
and
recom-

mended
by
BMW
to
ensure
long
and
reliable
vehicle
operation
.

GENERAL

NOTE-

Aside
from
keeping
yourcar
in
the
bestpossible
condi-
tion,
proper
maintenance
plays
a
role
in
maintaining
full
protection
under
BMWs
new-car
warranty
coverage
.
If
in
doubtabout
the
terms
and
conditions
of
yourcark
warranty,
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
should
be
able
to
explain
them
.

NOTE-

BMW
is
constantly
updating
their
recommended
main-
tenance
procedures
and
requirements
.
The
informa-
tion
contained
here
is
as
accurate
as
possible
at
the
time
of
publication
.
If
hhere
is
any
doubt
aboutwhat
pro-
cedures
apply
to
a
specific
model
or
model
year,
or
what
intervals
should
be
followed,
remember
that
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
has
the
latest
information
on
factory-recommended
maintenance
.

BMW
Service
Indicator

The
BMW
Service
Indicator
notifies
the
driver
when
mainte-
nance
is
required
.
The
service
indicator
consístsof
multiple
light
emitting
diodes
(lEDs)-typically
five
green,
one
yellow,
andone
red-as
well
as
OIL
SERVICE
and
INSPECTION
indi-
cators
.

When
the
ignition
is
tumed
on,the
green
LEDs
come
on
.
They
go
out
when
the
engine
is
started
.
After
the
Service
Indi-
cator
is
reset,
al¡
green
LEDs
will
be
illuminatedwith
the
keyon
.
As
thecar
is
driven
in
normal
use,
fewer
and
fewer
green
LEDs
will
be
illuminated
before
start-up,indicating
that
the
next
main-
tenance
interval
is
approaching
.

When
thecar
has
accumulated
sufficient
use
to
require
the
next
maintenance
interval,
the
yellow
LED
will
come
on
along
with
either
the
OIL
SERVICE
indicator
or
the
INSPECTION
in-
dicator
.
These
LEDs
will
stay
on
after
the
engine
is
started
.
If
maintenance
service
is
delayed,
thered
LED
will
also
illuminate
as
a
reminder
that
maintenance
service
is
overdue
.

An
OIL
SERVICE
interval
will
alwaysbe
followed
by
an
IN-
SPECTION
interval,
which
will
then
be
followed
byan
OIL
SER-VICE
interval,
andsoon
.
See
Fig
.
1
.

'
80
100/

60
II

"
1

,



ló
1
,
4
`20
140s



#
X120
100
leo
A
O
,



80



km/h`F



*101
200
,
,
~60

BMW
has
taken
a
unique
approach
to
establishing
mainte-

nance
intervals
.
BMW's
Service
Indicator
System
computes

maintenance
intervais
based
not
only
on
elapsed
mileage,
but



Fig
.
1
.



Service
indicator
display
in
lower
section
of
speedometer
.
also
on
such
inputs
as
enginespeed,engine
temperature,
number
of
starts,
and
length
oftrips
.
At
the
appropriate
time,
the
system
indicates,
through
lights
in
the
instrument
cluster,
when



Oil
Service

the
next
routine
maintenance
is
due
.

The
Oil
Service
indicator
signals
the
need
for
the
most
basic
levelof
routine
maintenance
.
BMW's
required
oil
service
speci-
fies
changing
the
engine
lubricating
oil
and
the
engine
oil
filter

after
the
engine
has
been
warmed
up
.
BMW-recommended
ad-

ditional
maintenance
for
this
service
is
listed
in
Table
a
.

NOTE-

For
reference,
the
BMW
Oil
Service
requirements
are
approximately
equivalent
to
the
maintenance
that
other
European
manufacturers
specify
at
intervals
with
a
maximum
of
every
7,500
miles
or6
months
.

CAUTION-

Be
sure
to
follow
the
ínstructions
forresetting
the
Oil
Service
indicator
fight
.
The
Inspection
indica-
tor
can
be
accidentally
reset
rendering
its
function
inaccurate
.

Inspection
l
and
Inspection
II

The
Inspection
indicator
signals
the
need
for
more
compre-
hensive
maintenance
and
Inspection
.
There
are
two
sets
of
in-
spection
requirements,
Inspection
I
and
Inspection
ll
.
These
inspections
alternate
throughout
a
car's
maintenance
history
.
If
the
last
Inspection
interval
was
Inspection
I,
the
next
Inspection
interval
(following
an
Oil
Service)
will
be
Inspection
ll,
the
next
after
that
will
be
Inspection
I,
and
so
on
.

Inspection
I
tasks
are
listed
in
Table
b
.
Inspection
II
in-
cludes
most
of
the
tasks
from
Inspection
I
with
additional
In-
spection
11
tasks
.
A
complete
listing
of
Inspection
II
tasks
are
listed
in
Table
c
.

Air
filter,
replacing



Spark
plugs,
replacing

The
specified
maintenance
intervals
for
the
air
filter
are



To
access
the
spark
plugs
on
4-cylinder
engines,
remove
the

based
on
normal
use
.
If
thecar
is
operated
primarily
in
dusty



cover
fromatop
the
sparkplugs
.
See
Fig
.
10
.
Using
the
special

conditions,
the
air
filter
should
be
serviced
more
frequently
.



spark
plug
wire
removal
tool
(attached
to
rear
of
cylinder
head

beneath
engine
cover),
gently
pull
the
spark
plugwire
from
the

To
replace
the
air
filter
on
6-cylinder
engines,
unclip
and
sude



spark
plug
.
See
Fig
.
11
.
Blow
away
any
dirt
from
around
the
the
filter
cartridge
assembly
out
of
the
air
boxand
remove
the



base
of
the
plug
to
prevent
it
from
entering
theengine
.
Remove

filter
from
the
frame
assembly
.
See
Fig
.
8
.



and
install
the
spark
plugs
one
at
a
time
.

0012625

Fig
.
8
.



To
remove
air
filter
cartridge
on
6-cylinder
engines,release
fil-
ter
cartridge
at
sides
(arrows)
and
then
remove
filter
element
insert
from
cartridge
.

To
replace
the
air
filter
elementon
4-cylinder
engines,
sepa-

rate
the
upper
air
filter
housing
section
from
the
lower
section
by

unfastening
the
spring
clips
.
Remove
the
air
filter
element
from

the
air
filter
housing
.
See
Fig
.
9
.
Wipe
the
inside
of
the
air
filter

housing
clean
and
install
the
new
element
.
Reinstall
the
upper

air
filter
housing,
making
sure
that
the
two
halves
are
mated

correctly
.
Refasten
the
spring-clips
.

Fig
.
9
.



Air
filter
element
being
removed
on
4-cylinder
engine
.

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-
11

NOTE-

Spark
plug
applications
are
often
updated
and
super-
seded
from
the
original
plug
specification
.
Consuff
an
authorized
BMW
parts
department
for
the
latest
parts
_'
information
.
The
sparkplug
fisted
in
the
owners
manu-
al
may
not
be
the
latest
recommend
spark
plug,
espgp
cially
on
older
cars
.

0012631

Fig
.
10
.
To
remove
engine
cover
above
sparkpiugs
on
4-cylinder
en-
gine,
turnretainers
90°
counterclockwise
and
lift
cover
off
.

0012630

Fig
.
11
.
To
remove
spark
plugwirefrom
spark
plug
on
4-cylinder
en-

gine,
sude
special
removal
tool
over
spark
plug
wire
end
(ar-

row)
and
pull
straightoff
.
Usea
screwdriver
for
added

leverage
.
Special
tool
is
stored
at
rear
of
cylinder
head
below

top
cover
.

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

020-
1
6



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

Fuel
filter,
replacing

Oxygen
sensor

(regulating)
\
Catalytic



Oxygen
sensor
convertor
(monitoring)

Fig
.
21
.
Typical
1996
and
later
exhaust
system
showing
oxygen
sensor
locations
.

UNDER-CAR
MAINTENANCE

convertor

On
early
4-cylínder
cars,
the
fuel
filter
is
mounted
under
the
caron
the
left
front
bulkhead
.
On
early
6-cylínder
cars,
the
fuel
filter
is
mounted
to
the
front
left
motor
mount
in
theengine
com-
partment
.
See
Fig
.
22
.

0013139
Fig
.
22
.
Fuel
filter
location
(arrow)
on
bulkheadunder
left
side
of
vehi-
cle
.
Filter
for
M42
engine
shown
.

On
later
cars,
the
fuel
filter
is
located
beneath
the
centerof
the
car,
approximately
under
the
driver's
seat
.
See
Fig
.
23
.
A
protective
cover
is
installed
overthe
fuel
filter,
which
must
be
re-
moved
to
access
the
filter
.

UNDER-CAR
MAINTENANCE

Exhaust
flap

actuator

(monitoring)

NOTE-

Drain
the
fuel
filter
trom
the
inlet
side
into
a
container
and
inspect
the
drained
fuel
.
Check
for
rust,
moisture
and
contamination
.

WARNING
-
Fuel
will
be
expelled
when
the
filter
is
removed
.
Do
not
smoke
or
worknear
heaters
or'other
fire
haz-ards
.
Keep
a
tire
extinguisher
handy
.

CAUTION-

Clean
thoroughly
around
the
filter
connections
be-
fore
removing
them
.

0012726
Fig
.
23
.
Fuel
filter
location
under
center
of
car
(arrow)
.
Filter
for
M52
engine
shown
.

Catálytic
\
Oxygen
sensor

When
replacing
the
fuel
filter,
disconnect
the
battery
negative
(-)
cable
and
clamp
the
filter
inlet
and
outlet
hoses
to
lessen
fuel
spillage
.
Loosen
thecenter
clamping
bracket
and
the
two
hoseclampson
either
end
of
the
filter
.
Note
the
arrow
or
mark-
ings
indicating
direction
of
flow
on
the
new
filter
.
Install
the
filter
anduse
new
hose
clamps
.