oil type BMW 318i 1998 E36 Workshop Manual

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

Solt
Diameter
and
Wrench
Size
"
M5
.
...
............
....
......
.
.......
8
mm

"
M6
.
.
..............
.
.
...
...........
.10
mm

"
M8
.
.
..............
.
.
..
.....
12mmor13mm

"
M10
..
.............
.
.
...
...........
.17
mm

"
M12
...
...........
..
.
..
............
.19
mm

"
M14
.
..:
.
.........
..
.
..
.............
22
mm

Spark
Plug
Socket
.
A
special
socket
for
spark
plugs
is
the

correct
size,
is
deep
enough
to
accommodate
a
spark
plug's

length,
and
includes
a
rubber
insertto
both
protect
the
spark

plug
from
damage
and
grip
it
for
easier
removal
.
See
Fig
.
9
.

Fig
.
9
.



Spark
plug
socket
.

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THEDO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
9

B003FNG

Pliers
.
A
few
of
the
many
types
ofpliers
are
shown
in
Fig
.
10
.

Mostare
used
for
holding
irregularobjects,
bending,or
crimp-

ing
.
Some
have
special
applications
.

A
needlenose
plier
is
used
for
gripping
small
and
poorly
ac-

cessible
objects,
and
is
useful
for
wiring
and
other
electrical

work
.
A
locking
plier
suchas
theVise-Grip
®
is
useful
because

of
its
tightgrip
.

Snap-ring
and
circlip
pliers
withspecial
tipped
jacas
areused
lo
remove
and
install
snap-ringsor
circlips
.
A
Channel-lock®
or
water
pump
plier
has
adjustable
jacas
that
can
be
quickly

changed
to
match
the
size
of
the
object
being
held
to
give
great-
erleverage
.

An
adjustable
wrench
canbea
useful
addition
to
a
small
tool

kit
.
See
Fig
.
11
.
It
can
substitute
in
a
pinch,
if
two
wrenches
of

the
same
size
are
needed
lo
remove
a
nut
and
bolt
.
Use
extra
care
with
adjustable
wrenches,
as
they
tend
to
loosen,
slip,
and
damage
fasteners
.

Fig
.
11
.
Adjustable
wrench
.

B008FNG

Compared
to
a
wrench
of
the
correct
size,
an
adjustable

wrench
is
always
second
best
.
They
shouldonly
beused
when

the
correct
size
wrench
is
not
available
.
Choose
one
of
average

size
range,
about
6
to
8
inches
in
length
.

Jack
Stands

Strong
jack
stands
are
extremely
important
for
any
work
that

is
done
under
thecar
.
Use
onlyjack
stands
that
are
designed

for
the
purpose
.
Blocks
of
wood,
concrete,
bricks,
etc
.
arenot

safeor
suitable
substitutes
.

WARNING
-

A
jack
should
be
used
only
to
raise
the
vehicle
and
shouldnot
beused
to
support
the
car
for
a
long
pe-
riod
.
Always
use
jack
stands
to
support
a
raised
ve-
hicle
.

Jack
standsare
available
1n
severa¡
styles
.
A
typical
jack

stand
is
shown
in
Fig
.
12
.
The
best
ones
are
made
of
heavy
ma-

terial
for
strength,
have
a
wide
base
for
stability,
and
are

equipped
lo
positively
lock
in
their
raised
positions
.
Get
the
best

ones
available
.

Oil
Change
Equipment

Changing
engine
oil
requires
a
17mm
socket
or
wrench
to

BOO6FNG-



loosen
and
tighten
the
drain
plug
and
a
drain
pan
(at
least
8
qt
.

capacity)
.
An
oil
filter
wrench
is
not
required
.
These
items
are
Fig
.
10
.
Pliers
.
From
left,
snap-ring,



needlenose,
adjustable-joint



shown
in
Fig
.
13
.
A
wide,
loca
drain
pan
wíll
fit
more
easily
under

(Channellock©),
slip-joint,
and
locking(Vise-Grip®)
.



the
car
.
Use
a
funnel
lo
pour
the
new
oil
into
theengine
.

TOOLS

010-10



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-IT
YOURSELF
OWNER

TOOLS

Torque
Wrench

B021FNG

Fig
.
12
.
Jack
stand
for
safely
supporting
car
to
work
underneath
.

B022FNG

Fig
.
13
.
Oil
change
equipment
includesdrainplug
wrench
(17mm),
8
qt
.
drain
pan,
and
funnel
.

A
torque
wrench
is
used
to
precisely
tighten
threaded
fasten-



Fig
.
15
.
Feeler
gauge
set
.
ers
to
a
predetermined
value
.
Many
of
the
repair
procedures
in
this
manual
include
BMW-specified
torquevalues
in
Newton-
meters
(Nm)
and
the
equivalent
values
in
foot-pounds
(ft-Ib)
.



Digital
Multimeter

A
torque
wrench
with
a
range
up
to
about
150
Nm
(185
ft-lb)
has
adequate
capacity
for
most
of
the
repairs
covered
in
this
manual
.
For
recommended
torque
values
of
10
Nm
or
below,the
English
system
equivalent
is
given
in
inch-pounds
(in-lb)
.
These
small
values
may
be
most
easily
reached
using
a
torque
wrench
calibrated
in
inch-pounds
.
To
convert
inch-pounds
to
foot-pounds,
divide
by12
.

Fig
.
14
.
Torque
wrenches
.
Inexpensive
beam-type
(top)
is
adequate
but
must
be
read
visually
.
Ratchet-type
(bottom)
can
be
pre-
set
to
índicate
(click)
when
torquevalue
has
been
reached
.

Feeler
Gauges

B018FNG

Feeler
gauges
are
thin
metal
strips
of
precise
thickness,

used
to
measure
small
clearances
.
They
are
normally
available

as
a
set,
covering
a
range
of
sizes
.
See
Fig
.
15
.

Several
types
of
torque
wrenches
are
available
.
They
al¡
do



Many
of
the
electrical
tests
in
Chis
manual
cal¡
for
the
mea-
the
same
job,
bu¡
óffer
different
convenience
features
at
differ-



surement
of
resistance
(ohms)
or
voltage
values
.
For
safe
and
ent
prices
.
Two
typical
torque
wrenches
are
shown
in
Fig
.
14
.



accurate
tests
of
ignition,
fuel
injection,
and
emission
control
The
most
convenient
ones
have
a
built-in
ratchet,
and
can
be



systems,
the
multi-meter,
shown
in
Fig
.
16,
should
be
digital,
preset
to
indicate
when
a
specific
torque
value
has
been



with
high
(at
least
10,000
ohms)
input
impedance
.
Some
reached
.
Followthe
wrench
manufacturer's
directions
for
use



meters
have
automotive
functions
suchas
dweil
and
pulse
to
achieve
the
greatest
accuracy
.



width
that
are
useful
fortroubleshooting
ignition
and
fuel
injec-
tion
problems
.

CAUTION-

The
DME
system,
central
body
electronics,
and
other
electronic
systems
may
be
damaged
by
the
high
current
draw
of
a
test
fight
with
a
normal
in-
candescent
bulb
.
As
a
general
rule,
usea
high
ím-
pedance
digital
multimeter
or
an
LED
test
fightforall
electrfcal
testfng
.

B020FNG

If
steam
is
coming
from
the
engine
compartment
thenthere
is



With
the
engine
and
ignition
off,
check
for
loose
or
corroded
most
likely
a
burst
coolant
hose
or
a
large
leak
in
the
cooling



battery
cables
or
wires
at
the
battery
or
thealtemator
.
Discon-
system
.
To
find
the
leak,
look
for
signs
of
coolant
leakage
on



necting,
cleaning,
and
reinstalling
corroded
wires
and
connec-
hoses,
at
hose
connections,
or
on
the
radiator
.
Let
theengine



tors
may
solve
the
problem
.
Also
check
drive
belt
tension
as
cool
thoroughly,
then
add
coolant
or
water
to
fill
the
system
and



described
in
020
Maintenance
Program
.
start
the
engine
.
If
a
great
deal
of
water
or
coolant
flows
out
of
the
hole,
then
thecarshouldnot
be
driven
until
repairs
are
made
.
lf
there
is
slight
seepage,
then
it
may
be
possible
to
drive



TOWi
ng

a
short
distance,
adding
coolant
as
needed
.
The
cars
covered
by
this
manual
should
be
towed
witha
tow
truck
using
wheel
lift
or
flat
bed
equipment
.
Do
not
tow
thecar
on
all
four
wheels
except
for
very
short
distances
to
move
it
to
a
safe
place
.
If
thered
engine
oil
pressure
warning
light
illuminates,
imme-
diately
stop
thecar
and
turn
off
the
engine
.
Have
the
vehicle



A
towing
eye
is
provided
in
the
luggage
compartment
tool
kit
.
flat-bedded
or
towed
to
an
authorized
service
center
and
have



The
towing
eye
can
be
screwed
into
the
front
or
rear
bumper
.
the
engine
oil
pressure
checked
.



See
Fig
.
18
and
Fig
.
19
.

Low
Oil
Pressure

NOTE-

Detafed
information
on
checking
the
oil
pressure
is
covered
ín
119
Lubrication
System
.

Brake
Fluid
Leve¡

The
brake
fluid
leve¡
warning
light
may
bean
indicator
of
brake
fluid
loss
.
Problems
with
the
brakesystem
should
be
checked
and
repaired
immediately
.
See
340Brakes
for
more

information
.

Check
Engine
Warning
Light

Dim
Lights

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-IT
YOURSELF
OWNER



010-13

If
the
"CHECK
ENGI
NE"
warning
light
comes
on
or
flashes,
it
indicates
that
an
emissions-related
fault
has
occurred
.
Faults
suchas
a
failed
oxygen
sensor
or
a
faultyfuelinjector
can
tum

the
light
on,
causing
the
exhaust
or
evaporative
emissions
to

exceed
a
specified
limit
.
The
engine
can
be
safely
driven
with

the
light
on,
although
the
emission
systems
should
be
checked

assoonas
possible
.
See
100
Engine-General
for
more
infor-

mation
on
the
Check
Engine
Light
and
the
On-board
diagnostic

system
.

Headlights
and
instrument
panel
illuminationthat
are
dim
or

gradually
getting
dimmer
generally
indicate
a
problem
with
the

battery
or
charging
system
.
The
battery
charge
indicator
light

may
come
on
as
the
lights
are
dimming
.
In
either
case,
theen-

gine
and
accessories
are
running
off
of
the
battery
alone,
and

will
soon
discharge
it
altogether
.

If
possible,
do
not
stop
the
engine
unless
you
have
the
capa-

bility
to
jump
start
¡t
.
There
may
not
be
enough
power
in
the

starting
system
torestart
the
engine
.
Instead,turn
off
as
many

electrical
consumers
as
possible
.
This
will
reduce
the
current

drain
and
will
allow
thecar
to
be
driven
farther
before
you
lose

all
battery
power
.

Fig
.
18
.
Pry
open
rear
tow
lúg
access
panel
.

When
towingthecar
from
the
front
with
the
rear
wheelson

the
ground,
a
maximum
distance
of
20
miles
is
acceptable
.
If

thecar
needs
to
be
towed
further,
have
the
rear
wheels
placed
on
dollies
.

CA
UTION-

"
Do
not
tow
with
sling-type
equipment
The
front
spoilers
andbumper
covers
may
sustain
dam-
age
.

"
Towínga
BMW
with
an
automatic
transmission
with
the
rear
wheelson
the
ground
can
resuft
in
transmission
damage
due
to
lackof
lubrication
and
should
be
avoided
.

0013128

EMERGENCIES

020-
8



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

FLUID
AND
LUBRICANT
SPECIFICATIONS
The
fluids
and
lubricante
specified
by
BMW
are
listed
in
Ta-

ble
e
.
Shown
below
is
engine
oil
viscosity
(SAE
grade)
vs
.
oper-

ating
temperature
range
for
the
BMW
enginescovered
in
this

manual
.

Engine
Oil
Viscosity
Requirements

vs
.
Temperature

`S
EAVic
P
Q
SAE
swao

YCO

0

N

M42
engine



1
.1
I
(1
.2
US
qt
.)
M44
engine



1
.1
l(1.2
US
qt
.)
M50
engine



1
.1
1(1.2
US
qt
.)
M52
engine



1
.21(1.3
US
qt
.)
S50US
engine



1
.21(1.3
US
qt
.)
S52US
engine



1
.21(1.3
US
qt
.)

°F
80

-

1o-0
-
30
-----20

WARNING
-

The
use
of
fluids
that
do
not
meet
BMWs
specifica-
tions
may
impair
performance
and
refability,
and
may
void
warranty
coverage
.

Tablee
.
Fluids
and
Lubricants

0013227

Fluid
Approximate
Specification
capacity

Engine
oil
with
filter
change

M42
engine



5
.01
(5
.3
US
qt
.)
M44
engine



5
.0
I
(5
.3
US
qt
.)
M50
engine



6
.5
I
(6.9
US
qt
.)



API
service
SH
or
M52
engine



6
.51
(6.9
US
qt
.)



si
S50US
engine



6
.51
(6.9
US
qt
.)
S52US
engine



6.0
I
(6.3
US
qt
.)

Manual
transmission
oil

FLUID
AND
LUBRICANT
SPECIFICATIONS

See
230Manual
Transmission
for



NOTE-
fluid
specification

Tablee
.
Fluids
and
Lubricants
(continued)

Fluid
Approximate
Specification
capacity

Automatic
transmission
fluid
(ATF)
(drain
and
fill)
(additional
fluid
required
when
installing
a
drytorque
converter)

A4S
310R



See240
AutomaticTransmission
for
fluid
A4S
270R



specification
information
A5S
310Z

Final
drive
(drain
and
fill)
(Lifetime
fluid
;
no
fluid
change
required)

4-cylinder



1
.1
I
(1.2
US
qt
.)



BMW
SAF-XO
6-cylinder



1.7
l(1
.8
US
qt
.)



synthetic



oil



(ex
.
limited
slip)
BMW
SAF-X1-S
synthetic
oil
(limit-
ed
slip)

Power
steering
fluid

Al¡
modeis



permanentlysealed



Dexron
IIPATFno
drain
plug

rake
fluid

All
modeis



-
~
S
AE
Dot4

Engine
coolant

M42
engine



6
.51(6
.9
US
qt
.)
M44
engine



6
.51(6
.9
US
qt
.)
M50
engine



10
.51
(11
.1
US
qt
.)



50%
BMW
anti-
M52
engine



10
.5
1
(11
.1
US
qt
.)



freezel
50%
water
S50US
engine



10
.75
1(11
.4
qt
.)
S52US
engine



10
.75
I
(11
.4
qt
.)

CA
UTION-

Multi-viscosity
engine
oils
should
not
beused
in
the
manual
transmission
.
Use
of
such
an
oil
could
shorten
the
service
life
of
thetransmission
.

Manual
Transmission
Fluid

The
manual
transmissions
installed
in
the
E36
modeis
are

normallyfilled
with
automatic
transmission
fluid
(ATF),
although

alternative
synthetic
lubricants
may
havebeen
used
from
-
the

factory,
depending
on
transmission
type
and
model
year
.
Con-

sult
230
Manual
Transmission
for
additional
information
on

identifying
the
type
of
fluid
installed
.

Automatic
Transmission
Fluid

The
automatic
transmissions
installed
in
the
E36
modeis
are
normally
filled
with
Dexron
111
automatic
transmission
fluid

(ATF),
although
alternative
fluids
havebeen
installed
from
the

factory,
depending
on
transmission
type
and
model
year
.
Some
transmission
are
filled
with
a
special
BMW
"life-time"
automatic
transmission
fluid,
whích
does
not
requireperiodic
fluid
changes
.
Consult
240
Automatic
Transmission
for
ad-
ditional
fluid
specification
information
.

information



1



The



11-



11
lubrican
type
canbefound
on
ti
¡e
`Yype
plate"
on
the
side
of
the
transmission
.
Consult
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
foralternate
fluid
use
and
the
Continued



most-up-to-date
information
regarding
transmission
op-
erating
fluids
.

Final
Drive
Gear
Oil

BMW
recommends
using
only
a
specially
formulatedsyn-
thetic
gear
oil
that
is
available
through
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
parts
department
.
For
additional
information
on
this
¡u-
bricant
andany
other
lubricants
that
may
be
compatible,
con-
tact
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
senrice
department
.
See
331
Final
Drive
.

Brake
Fluid

Brake
fluid
absorbs
moisture
easily,
and
moisture
in
the
fluid
affects
brake
performance
and
reliability
.
This
is
why
brake
fluid
should
be
flushed
from
the
system
every
two
years
.
When
re-
placing
or
adding
brake
fluid,
use
only
new
(luid
from
previously
unopened
containers
.
Do
not
use
brake
fluid
that
has
been
bled
from
the
system,
even
ifit
is
brand
new
.
Use
only
DOT
4
brake
fluid
.
See340
Brakes
for
more
information
.

Engine
Coolant
(Anti-freeze)

BMW
recommends
coolant
that
is
a
50/50
mixture
of
distilled
water
and
phosphate/nítrate
freeanti-freeze
containing
ethyl-
ene
glycol
.
Anti-freezeraises
the
boiling
point
and
lowersthe
freezingpoint
of
the
coolant
.
It
alsocontains
additives
that
help
prevent
cooling
system
corrosion
.

Power
Steering
Fluid

The
power
steering
fluid
is
Dexron
II]®
ATF,
or
equivalent
.

The
system
is
permanently
filled
and
does
not
have
a
drain
.
Routinely
adding
ATF
is
not
required
unlessthe
system
is
leak-
i
n
g,

WARNING
-

Be
sure
to
check
the
fluid
specifications
on
the
pow-
er
steering
reservoir
to
confirm
the
fluid
type
in-
stalled
in
the
system
.
In
some
instances,
the
power
steering
system
may
be
filled
with
an
alternative
hy-
draulic
fluid
designated
CHF
7
.1
.

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM
020-

ENGINE
OIL
SERVICE



Engine
oil
and
fiiter,
changing

Fig
.
3
.



Engine
oil
level
dipsticklocation
on
4-cylinder
engine
(arrow)
.
Dipsfck
is
marked
with
mínimum
and
maximum
level
marks
.

Fig
.
4
.



Oil
filler
cap
(arrow)
.
6-cylinder
engine
shown
.
0012202

Engine
oii,
checking
leve¡



A
complete
oil
change
requires
new
oil
(see
Table
e),
a
new
oil
filter
insert
kit,
and
a
new
drain
plug
sealing
washer
.
The

The
engine
oil
leve]
is
checked
with
a
dipstick
in
the
engine



tools
needed,
a
drain
plug
socket
or
box
wrench
(17
mm
or19

block
.
Check
the
oii
leve¡
with
the
canon
a
level
surface,
after



mm)
and
a
drain
pan
(8-10
US
qt
.
capacity),
are
described
in

the
engine
has
been
stopped
for
atleast
a
few
minutes
.
Check



010
Fundamentals
for
the
Do-It-Yourself
Owner
.

the
leve¡
by
pulling
outthe
dipstick
and
wiping
it
clean
.
Reinsert

it
all
the
way
and
withdraw
it
again
.
The
oil
leve¡
is
correct
if
it
is



NOTE-
between
the
two
marks
near
the
end
of
the
stick
.
See
Fig
.
3
.



If
using
a
"fast-lube"
service
facility
for
oil
changes,
make
sure
the
technician
hand-starts
and
torques
the
Add
oil
through
the
filler
cap
on
thetop
of
the
cylinder
head
.



engine
oil
drain
plug
using
hand-tools
.
Power
tools
can
See
Fig
.
4
.
Add
only
the
amount
needed
to
bring
the
oil
leve¡to



strip
the
threads
of
the
plug
and
the
oil
pan
.

the
MAX
mark
on
the
dipstick,
using
an
oil
of
the
correctviscos-
ity
andgrade
.
Too
much
oil
canbe
just
as
harmful
as
too
little
.

ENGINE
OIL
SERVICE

020-
1
8



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

Fig
.
25
.
Inspect
brake
pads
with
the
caliper
removed
.
Minimum
brake
pad
thickness
shown
by
dimension
(A)
.

NOTE-

The
parking
brake
may
lose
some
of
its
effectiveness
if
it
is
not
used
frequently
.
This
is
due
to
corrosion
build-
up
on
the
parking
brake
drum
.
To
remove
corrosion,
ap-
plythe
parking
brake
just
until
it
begins
togrip,
then
pulí
the
lever
up
one
more
stop
(click)
.
Drive
thecar
approx-
imately
400
meters
(1,300
ft
.)
and
release
the
brake
.
To
recheck
the
adjustment
of
the
parking
brake
see340
Brakes
.

UNDER-CAR
MAINTENANCE

0011920

Manual
transmission
fluid,

checking
and
filling

The
manual
transmission
fluid
leve¡
should
be
checked
at

specified
intervals
.
Check
and
fill
the
transmission
with
the
car

ona
leve¡
surface
.
Transmission
(luid
leve¡
checking
and
re-

placement
procedures
are
covered
in
230
Manual
Transmis-

sion
.

Automatic
Transmission
Service

The
automatic
transmission
is
not
equipped
with
a
dipstíck
.

Therefore,
checking
the
ATF
level
is
an
ínvolved
procedure,

which
includes
measuring
and
maintaining
a
specified
ATF

temperature
during
the
checking
procedure
.

For
more
complete
ATF
service,
including
checking
ATF
lev-

e¡
and
ATF
filter
replacement
procedures,
see
240
Automatic
Transmission
.

Front
suspension
and
steering
linkages,

inspecting

Inspection
of
the
front
suspension'and
steering
includes
a
check
of
all
moving
parts
for
wear
and
excessive
play
.
Also
in-

spect
the
rubber
seals
and
boots
for
cracks
or
tears
that
could

allow
the
entry
of
dirt,
water,
and
other
contaminants
.
See
310

Front
Suspension
.

Exhaust
system,
inspecting



Rear
suspension,
inspecting
Exhaust
system
life
varies
widely
according
to
driving
habits



Final
drive
and
rear
drive
axle
service
consists
of
checking

and
environmental
conditions
.
If
short-distance
driving
pre-



and
changing
the
gear
oil,
inspecting
for
leaks,
and
checking
dominates,
the
moisture
and
condensation
in
the
system
will



the
rear
drive
axle
rubber
boots
for
damage
.
not
fully
dryout
.
This
will
lead
to
early
corrosion
damage
and
more
frequent
replacement
.
The
areas
where
leaks
are
most
likely
to
occur
are
around
the
driveshaft
and
drive
axle
mounting
flanges
.
For
more
infor

Scheduled
maintenance
of
the
exhaust
system
is
limitedlo



mation
on
ídentifying
oil
leaks
and
their
causes,
see330
Rear
inspection
.
Check
for
restrictions
due
to
dents
or
kinks
.
Check



Suspension
.
for
weakness
or
perforation
due
to
rust
.
Check
lo
see
that
all
the
hangers
are
in
place
and
properly
supporting
the
system
and
that
the
system
does
not
strike
the
body
.
Alignment
of
the
sys-



Final
drive
oil
leve¡,
checking

temand
the
location
of
the
hangers
aredescribed
in
180
Ex-
haust
System
.



Check
the
lubricant
leve¡
with
thecar
level
.
Remove
the
oil
filler
plug
.
The
leve¡
is
correct
when
the
fluidjust
reaches
the

edge
of
the
filler
hole
.
Install
and
tighten
the
oil
filler
plug
when
Manual
Transmission
Service



the
oil
level
is
correct
.
See
Fig
.
26
.

Manual
transmissionservice
consists
of
inspectingfor
leaks



The
final
drive
should
be
filled
with
a
special
BMW
lubricant
and
checking
and
changing
the
fluid
.



available
through
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.
In
addition,
the
lubricant
type
varies
depending
onwhether
or
nota
limited-slip
Evidence
of
transmissionleaks
is
fkely
to
beseenaround
the



differential
is
fitted
.
driveshaft
mounting
flange
and
at
the
bottom
of
the
bellhousing
.
For
more
information
on
identifying
oil
leaks
and
their
causes,
see230ManualTransmissionand210
Clutch
.



Tightening
Torque

"
Finaldrive
filler
plug
to
final
drive
housing
..................
70
Nm
(52
ft-Ib)

ignition

Table
b
.
Engine
Management
Systems



engine
has
high
mileage
.

Engine



1
System

4-cylinder
engines
M42
(1992-1995)



Bosch
DME
Ml
.7
M44
(1996-1998)



Bosch
DME
M5
.2
(OBD
II)

6-cylinder
engines
M50
(1992)



Bosch
DME
M3
.1
M50
VANOS
(1993-1995)



Bosch
DME
M3
.3
.1
M52
(1996-1998)



Siemens
MS41
.1
(OBD
II)
S50US
(1995)



Bosch
DME
M3
.3
.1
S52US
(1996-1998)



Siemens
MS41
.1
(OBD
II)

Both
the
4-cylinder
and
6-cylinder
engines
use
a
distributor-

less
ignition
system
with
individual
ignition
coils
for
each
cylin-

der
.

FuelDelivery

Pressurized
fuel
from
the
in-tank
fuel
pump
is
injected
via

solenoid-type
fuel
injectors
.
The
ECM
controls
the
opening

and
closing
of
the
injectors
by
switchingthe
ground
side
of

each
injector
circuit
.
The
exact
amount
of
fuel
injected
is
de-

termined
by
the
amount
of
timethe
injectors
are
open
.

Cooling
System

Whenever
the
engine
is
running,
acoolant
pump
circulates

coolant
through
the
engine
and,
if
either
heater
control
valves

are
open,
through
the
heater
core
in
the
passenger
compart-

ment
.
The
coolant
absorbs
excess
heat
and
carries
it
to
the
ra-

diator
where
it
is
transferred
into
the
passing
airstream
.
A

thermostat
controls
the
flow
of
coolant
through
the
radiator

based
on
engine
temperature
.

Lubrication
System

The
lubrication
system
is
pressurized
whenever
theengine

is
running
.
The
oil
pump
draws
oil
through
a
pickup
in
the
bot-

tom
of
the
oil
pan,thenforces
it
through
a
replaceable
oil
filter

and
finto
the
engine
oíi
passages
.

On
4-cylinder
engines,
the
oil
pump
is
mounted
to
the
front

engine
cover
.
On
6-cylinder
engines,thechain-driven
oil

pump
is
bolted
to
the
bottom
of
the
cylinder
block
.

A
pressure
relief
valve
limits
the
maximum
system
pres-

sure
.
A
bypass
valve
prevents
the
oil
filter
from
bursting
and

insures
engine
lubrication
should
the
filter
become
plugged
.

See
119
Lubrication
System
for
additional
information
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-
5

Various
versions
of
DME
systems
are
usedon
thecars
cov-



MECHANICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING
ered
by
this
manual
.
See
Table
b
.
Each
system
is
highly
adaptive
to
compensate
for
things
suchasengine
wear
and



When
troubleshooting
an
engine
that
fails
to
start
or
runs
vacuum
leaks
.



poorly,
first
check
its
mechanical
condition-particularly
if
the

Warnings
and
Cautions

For
personal
safety,
as
well
asthe
protection
of
sensitive
electronic
components,
the
following
warnings
and
cautions
must
be
adhered
to
during
all
troubleshooting,
maintenance,
and
repairwork
.

WARNING
-

"
The
ignition
system
produces
high
voltages
that
can
be
fatal
.
Avoid
contact
with
exposed
termi-
nals
anduse
extreme
caution
when
working
on
a
car
with
the
ignition
switched
on
or
the
engine
running
.

"
Do
not
touch
or
disconnect
any
high
voltage
ca-
bles
from
the
coil,
distributor,
orspark
plugs
while
the
engine
is
running
or
being
cranked
by
the
starter

"
Connect
and
disconnect
the
engine
manage-
ment
system
wiring
and
test
equipment
leads
only
when
the
ignition
is
switched
off
.

"
Gasoline
is
highly
flammable
and
its
vapors
are
explosive
.
Do
not
smoke
or
work
on
a
car
near
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
when
diagnosing
and
repairing
fuel
system
problems
.
Have
a
fire
extínguisher
available
in
case
of
an
emergency
.

"
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault
code(s)
stored
in
control
module
memory
.
Using
special
BMW
diagnosnnc
equipment,
check
for
fault
codes
prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery
cables
.
If
the
Check
Engine
lightis
illuminated,
see
On-

Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)
forfault
code
infor-
mation
.
If
any
other
system
faults
havebeen
de-tected
(indicated
byan
illuminated
warning
light),
see
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.

CAUTION-

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnection
cautions
gíven
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
viii
.

"
Do
notconnect
any
test
equipment
that
delivers
a
12-volt
power
supply
to
terminal15
(+)
of
the
ignition
coil
.
The
current
flow
may
damage
the

ECM
.
In
general,
connect
test
equipment
only
as
specified
by
BMW,
this
manual,
or
the
equip-
ment
maker
.

"
Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
with
the
engine
running
.
Do
notrunthe
engine
with
any
of
the
sparkplug
wires
disconnected
.

MECHANICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING

eiioo4

Fig
.
9
.



Remove
ignition
coils
on
6-cylinder
engine
by
disconnecting
harness
connector
and
removing
mounting
bolts
(arrows)
.

NOTE-

"
The
compression
gauge
reading
shoutd
increase
with
each
compression
stroke
and
reach
near
its
maxi-
mum
reading
in
about
4-6
strokes
.

"All
cylinders
shoutdreach
maximum
compression
in
the
same
number
of
strokes
.
If
a
cylinder
needs
sig-
nificantly
more
strokes
to
reach
maximum
compres-

sion,
there
is
a
problem
.

7
.
Release
the
pressure
at
the
compression
gauge
valve,

then
remove
the
gauge
from
the
spark
plughole
.
Re-

peat
the
test
for
each
of
the
other
cylinders
and
com-

pare
the
results
with
the
values
given
below
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
1
:00-
7

Compression
Pressure

"
Minimum
..........
.
.
..
..
10-11
bar
(142-156
psi)

"
Maximum
difference
between
cylinders
..
.....
.........
0
.5
bar
(7
psi)

Reinstall
the
spark
plugs
and
spark
plug
wires
or
ignition

cofs
.
The
remainder
of
installation
is
the
reverse
of
removal
.
Be
sure
to
reihstall
al¡
wires
disconnected
during
the
test,
especial-

¡y
ground
wires
at
the
coils
and
cylinder
head
cover
(where
ap-
plicable)
.

Tightening
Torque

"
Spark
plug
to
cylinder
head
.......
25
Nm
(18
ft-Ib)

Low
compression
indicates
a
poorly
sealed
combustion

6
.
With
the
parking
brake
set,
the
transmission
in
Park
or



chamber
.
Relatively
even
pressures
that
are
below
specification

Neutral,
and
the
accelerator
pedal
pressed
to
the
floor,



normally
indicate
worn
piston
rings
and/or
cylinder
walls
.
Erratic

crank
the
engine
with
the
starter
.
Record
the
highest



values
tend
to
indicate
valve
leakage
.
Dramatic
differences
be

value
indicated
by
the
gauge
.



tween
cylinders
are
often
the
sign
of
a
failed
head
gasket,

bumed
valve,
or
broken
piston
ring
.

Engine
Mechanical
Troubleshooting
Table

Table
c
lists
the
symptoms
of
common
engine
mechanical

problems,
their
probable
causes
and
the
suggested
corrective

actions
.
The
bold
type
indicates
the
repair
groups
where
appli-

cable
test
and
repair
procedures
can
befound
.

MECHANICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING

100-
1
4
ENGINE-GENERAL

0013131

Fig
.
13
.
Main
chassis
ground
(arrow)
inleft
front
of
engine
compart-
ment
.

Fuel
Supply

For
the
engine
tostart
and
run
properly,
the
injection
sys-

tem
must
deliver
fuel
in
precise
proportion
to
the
amount
of
air

entering
the
engine
.
Todo
this,
the
injection
system
requires

an
unrestricted
supply
of
fuel
from
the
fuel
pump
.

If
the
fuel
pump
is
not
working,
the
engine
will
notrun
.
If
the
fuel
filter
or
a
fuel
line
is
restricted,
the
engine
may
run
poorly
.
If
the
restriction
is
severe
enough
the
engine
will
not
start
.
lf

fuel
delivery
problemsare
suspected,
perform
the
tests
de-

scribed
in
160
Fuel
Tank
and
Fuel
Pump
.

The
fuel
pressure
created
by
the
fuel
pump
is
controlled
by
a
pressure
regulator
thatreturns
excess
fuelto
the
tank
.
Any
change
in
fuel
pressure
will
cause
a
change
in
the
base
air-fuel

mixture
delivered
to
the
engine
.
If
the
fuel
pressure
is
too
low,
the

base
air-fuel
mixture
will
be
lean
.
lf
the
fuel
pressure
is
too
high,
the
base
mixture
will
be
rich
.
Fuel
pressure
tests
aredescribed
in
160
Fuel
Tank
and
Fuel
Pump
and130
Fuel
Injection
.

NOTE-

Fuel
pressure
tests
require
a
pressure
gauge
.
If
thistoolís
not
avaílable,
the
tests
can
be
performed
byan
authorized
BMW
dealer
or
other
qualified
shop
.

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING

Properly
operating
fuel
injectors
play
amajor
role
in
fuel
de-

livery
.
The
DMEECM
switches
the
injectors
on
and
off
at
the

negative
(-)
or
ground
side
of
the
connectors
.
Posítíve
(+)
bat-

tery
voltage
is
always
present
at
the
connectors
when
theen-

gine
is
running
.
An
injector
that
fails
or
loses
power
will
not

open,
creating
a
lean
air-fuel
mixture
and
causing
the
engine
to

run
poorly
when
coldor
stumble
on
acceleration
.
An
injector

that
shorts
to
ground
will
remain
open
constantly
when
the
en-

gine
is
running,
creating
a
richair-fuel
mixture
that
can
dilute

engine
oil,
foul
the
spark
plugs,
cause
a
rough
idle,
and
damage

the
catalytic
converter
.

Table
e
lists
additional
symptoms
of
common
engine
drive-

ability
problems,
their
probable
causes,
and
the
suggested

corrective
actions
.
The
entries
in
boldtype
in
the
corrective

action
column
indicate
the
repair
groups
where
applicable
test

and
repair
procedures
can
befound
.

NOTE-

Most
of
the
symptoms
fisted
in
Table
e
will
also
cause
the
Check
Engine
light
to
come
on
.
If
the
light
is
on,

check
for
any
stored
faults
as
the
first
step
ín
trouble-
shooting
driveability
complaints
.