Symptom BMW 323i 1998 E36 Workshop Manual

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

100-8
ENGINE-GENERAL

Symptom



1



Probable
cause
and
correctiveaction

1
.
Engine
will
not
start
or
run
.
Starter
cranks



a
.



No
fuel
reaching
engine
.
Check
forfuelin
tank
.

engine
at
normal
speed
.



Fuel
pump
notoperating
.
Repair
Group
160

b
.
No
spark
.
Check
ignition
system
.
Repair
Group
120

c
.
Incorrect
valve
timing
.
Check
timing
chain
.
Repair
Group
117

2
.
Check
Engine
warning
light
illuminated
.



a
.
DME
engine
management
system
self-diagnostic
fault
detected
.
Sea
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
or
other
qualified
shop
for
OBD
II
fault
code
diagnosis
.
See
also
On-
board
Diagnostics(OBD),
given
later
inthis
repair
group
.

3
.
White
exhaust
smoke
(steam)
.



a
.
Failed
cylinder
head
gasket
(probably
accompanied
bylowcompression
readings)
.

Replace
gasket
and
resurface
cylinder
head
if
necessary
.
Repair
Group
113
4
.
Blue-gray
exhaust
smoke
and
oily
spark



a
.
Contaminated
or
gasoline-diluted
engine
oil
.
Change
engine
oil
and
replace
oil
filter
.
plugs
.
Indicates
oii
burning
in
combustion
.



Repair
Group
020

b
.
Faulty
valve
guide
seals
or
valve
guides
.
Replace
valve
guide
oil
seals
or
overhaul
cylinder
head
.
Repair
Group
116

5
.
Pinging
or
rattling
when
under
load,



a
.
Ignition
timing
too
advanced
.
Ignition
knocksensors
faulty
(CheckEngine
light
traveling
uphill,
or
accelerating,
especially



illuminated)
.
Repair
Group
120fromlow
speeds
.
Indicates
pre-ignition
or



b
.
Fuel
octane
leve¡
toolow
.
detonation
.



c
.
Engine
running
too
hot
or
overheating
.
Check
cooling
system
.
Repair
Group
170

6
.
Light
metallic
tapping
that
varies
directly
with
engine
speed
.
Oil
pressure
warning
light
not
illuminated
.

7
.
Light
metallic
knock
that
varies
directly
with
enginespeed
.
Oil
pressure
warning
light
blinking
or
fully
illuminated
;
may
be
most
noticeable
during
hard
stops
or
cornering
.

8
.
Screeching
or
squealing
under
load
that



a
.
Loose,worn,
or
damaged
drive
belt
.
Inspect
belt(s)
.
Repair
Group
020
goesaway
when
coasting
.

9
.
Growling
or
rumbling
that
varieswith
engine



a
.
Remove
drive
belt(s)toidentifyfaulty
component
.
Check
for
play,
bearing
roughness,
rpm
.
Indicates
abad
bearing
or
bushing
in



and
loose
mountings
.
Refer
to
appropriate
repair
group
for
repair
procedures
.
an
engine-driven
accessory
.

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING



On-Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)

On-Board
Diagnostics
is
incorporated
into
al¡
engine
man-



Two
generations
of
OBD
are
usedon
thecars
covered
by
agement
systems
used
on
the
cars
covered
by
this
manual
.



this
manual
:
Therefore,
checking
for
fault
codes
should
be
the
first
step
in
troubleshootinga
driveability
problem
.
For
additional
informa-



On-Board
Diagnostics
tion
on
engine
management
and
repair
see130
Fuel
Injec-
tion
.



"
1992-1995models
....
.
..
....
.
..
.......
OBD
I

"
1996-1998models
.
....
..
.
.
.
..
.
........
OBD
II

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING

Tablec
.
Engine
Mechanical
Troubleshooting

b
.
Warped
or
cracked
cylinder
head
.
Resurface
or
replace
cylinder
head
.
Repair
Group
113

c
.
Cracked
cylinder
block
.
Replace
engine
or
short
block
.

c
.
Worn
piston
rings
.
Overhaul
or
replace
engine
.

d
.
Failed
cylinder
head
gasket
.
Replace
gasket
.
Repair
Group
113

d
.
Air/fuel
mixture
too
lean
(Check
Engine
light
illuminated)
.
Repair
Group
130

a
.
Valveclearances
excessive
.
Check
hydraulic
valve
adjusters
.
Repair
Group
116

b
.
Low
oil
pressure
orpossibly
defective
warning
light
circuit
.
Check
oil
pressure
andwarning
light
circuit
.
Repair
Group
119
c
.
Dirty
oil
.
Change
oil
.
Repair
Group
020
.

a
.
Low
oil
leve¡
.
Check
and
correct
oil
leve¡
.

b
.
Low
oil
pressure/worn
or
faulty
oil
pump
.
Oil
pump
pickup
restricted/clogged
.
Check
oil
pressure
.
Repair
Group
119

The
OBD
system
detects
emissions-related
engine
manage-
ment
malfunctions
and
tucos
on
the
Check
Engíne
lightin
the
in-
strument
cluster
.
TheCheck
Engine
light
will
stay
on
until
the
code(s)are
called
up
and
the
memory
is
erased
.
When
faulty
are
detected,
the
OBD
system
stores
a
Diagnostic
Trouble
Code
(DTC)
in
the
system
ECM
.
In
addition,
the
Check
Engine
warn-
ing
light
will
come
on
if
an
emissions-related
fault
is
detected
.

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
.

al
Icld

Table
e
.
Engine
Driveability
Troubleshooting

c
l



1



I



f



I



I
Oxygen
sensor
faulty



Test
oxygen
sensor
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-
1
5

SYMPTOMS

a
.
Engine
fafs
tostart

b
.
Engine
startsbut
stops
immediately

c
.
Erratic
engine
idle

d
.
Poor
engine
responseon
acceleration

e
.
Erratic
engine
operation
in
al¡
speed
ranges

f
.
Excessive
fuel
consumption
g
.
Poor
enginepower,
fails
to
rev
up
h
.
CO
content
toolow

i.
CO
content
too
high

CAUSES



CORRECTIVE
ACTION

a



Fuel
pump
faulty



Test
fuel
pump
.
Repair
Group
160

a



e



Ignition
system
faulty



Test
ignition
system
.
Repair
Group
120
a



Main
relay
or
fuel
pump
relay
faulty



Test
main
relay
.
Repair
Group
130
a



Crankshaft/rpm
position
sensor
faulty



Test
crankshaft/rpm
sensor
.
120
b



c



h



i



ldle
speed
control
valve
faulty



Test
idle
speed
control
valve
.

c



d



e



Throttle
position
sensor
faulty
or
idle
signal
to



Test
throttle
position
sensor
.
DME
control
module
missing
.

c



d



h



i



Mass
air
flow
sensor
faulty



Test
mass
air
flow
sensor
Repair
Group
130
a



b



c



d



e



h



Large
air
intake
system
leak



Check
for
major
intake
air
leaks
downstream
of
mass
air
flow
sensor
.

a



c



d



e



g



h



Fuel
pressure
too
low



Test
fuel
pressure
.
Repair
Group
130

?



I



F
ue
l
pr
essu
r
e
t
oo
high



T
est
f
u
el
pressure
.
Repair
Group
130
d



e



g



h



Fuel
pump
delivery
volume
too
low



Test
fuel
pump
delivery
volume
.
Repair
Group
160
a



c



e



f



h
q
C
oo
l
a
nt
t
e
mp
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
se
n
so
r
f
au
lty



--]
T
est
coo
l
a
n
t
temp
erature
sensor
.

c



e



~



f



i



~
Fuel
injectors
leaking



Check
fuel
injectors
and
replace
leaking
injectors
.

~
Repair
Group
130

Throttle
plate
binding
or
incorrectly
adjusted



Check
throttle
plate
and
adjust
if
necessary
.

a



c



Electrical
connections
loose,
broken,
or
cor-



Visually
inspect
connectors
and
correct
any
roded



faults
.
Repair
Group
600
Ground
connections
loose,
broken,
or
corroded



Visually
inspect
ground
connections
and
correct
any
faults
.
Repair
Group
600

c



e
~



f



CO
content
too
high



Test
air
flowor
mass
air
flow
sensor
.
Repair

~
Group
130
a



b



c



d



e



CO
content
too
low



Test
mass
air
flow
sensor
.
gb



c



d



e



f



g



h



i



Inputsignals
to
ECM
missing,
ECM
in
limp



Make
electrical
tests
at
DMEECM
relay
.
Repair

home
mode



Group
130
a
~
b
~
c
~
d



e]



f



g



h



i



ECM
faulty



Test
DMEECM
inputs
.
If
all
inputs
are
correct,
replace
ECM
.

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING

121-2



BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR

CHARGING
SYSTEM
TROUBLESHOOTING



Static
currentdraw,
checking

Charging
system
diagnostics
requires
special
test
equip-

ment
.
If
the
test
equipment
is
not
available,
charging
system

fault
diagnosis
can
be
performedby
an
authorized
BMW
deal-

eror
other
qualified
repair
shop
.
A
general
troubleshooting

guide
is
given
in
Table
a
.

Charging
System
Quick-Check

As
a
quick-check,
use
a
digital
multimeter
lo
measure
volt-



2
.
Disconnect
battery
negative
(-)
cable
.

age
across
the
battery
terminals
with
the
key
off
and
then

again
with
the
engine
running
.
The
battery
voltage
should
be



CAUTION-
about12
.6
volts
with
key
off
and
approximately
14
.0
volts
with



Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery
the
engine
running
.
If
the
voltage
does
not
increase
when
the



disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
engine
is
running,there
is
a
fault
in
the
charging
system
.



manual
onpaga
viii
.

NOTE
-

The
regulated
voltage
(engine
running)
should
be
be-
tween
13
.5
and
14
.5,
depending
on
temperatura
and
operating
conditions
.
If
the
voltage
is
higher
than
14
.8,
the
voltage
regulator
is
most
Mely
faulty
.

Check
for
clean
and
tight
battery
cables
.
Check
the
ground

cable
running
from
the
negative
(-)
battery
terminal
lo
the

chassis
and
the
ground
cable
running
from
the
engine
lo
the

chassis
.
Check
the
alternator
drive
belt
condition
and
tension
.

If
the
battery
discharges
over
time,
there
may
be
a
constant

drain
or
current
draw
on
the
battery
.
A
small
static
drain
on
the

battery
is
normal,
but
a
largedrain
will
cause
the
battery
lo

quickly
discharge
.
Make
a
static
current
draw
test
asthe
first

step
when
experiencing
battery
discharge
.

1
.
Make
sure
ignition
and
al¡
electrical
accessories
are

switched
off
.

3
.
Connect
a
digital
ammeter
between
negative
battery

post
and
negative
battery
cable
lo
measure
current
.

See
Fig
.
1
.
Wait
at
least
one
minuta
lo
get
an
accurate

reading
.

A
range
of
about
0
lo
100
milliamps
is
normal,
dependingon

the
number
of
accessories
that
need
constant
power
.
A
current

of
400
milliamps
(0.4
amp)
or
more
may
indicate
a
problem
.

Table
a
.
Battery,
Starter
and
Charging
System
Troubleshooting

Symptom



1



Probable
Cause



1



Correctiva
Action

1
.
Engine
cranks
slowlyor
not



a
.
Battery
cables
loose,
dirty
orcor-



a
.
Clean
or
replace
cables
.
See020
Maintenance
Program
.
a
tall,
solenoíd
clicks
when



roded
.
starter
is
operated
.



b
.
Battery
discharged
.



b
.
Charge
battery,
test
and
replace
if
necessary
.
c
.
Body
ground
straploose,
dirty
or



c
.
Inspect
ground
strap,
clean,
tighten
or
replace
if
necessary
.
corroded
.
d
.
Poor
connection
at
starter
motor



d
.
Check
connections,
test
for
voltage
at
starter
.
Test
for
voltage
at
terminal
30
.



neutral
safety
or
clutch
interlock
switch
.
e
.
Starter
motor
or
solenoid
faulty
.



e
.
Test
starter
.

2
.
Battery
will
not
stay



a
.
Short
circuit
draining
the
battery
.



a
.
Test
for
excessive
current
drainwith
everything
electrical
in
the
charged
more
than
a
few



vehicle
off
.
days
.



b
.
Short
driving
trips
and
high
elec-



b
.
Evaluate
driving
style
.
Where
possible,
reduce
electrical
con
trical
drain
on
charging
system



sumption
when
making
short
trips
.
does
not
allow
battery
to
re-
charge
.
c
.
Drive
belt(s)
worn
or
damaged
.



c
.
Inspect
or
replace
multi-ribbed
belt(s)
.
See
020
Maintenance
Program
.
d
.
Battery
faulty
.



d
.
Test
battery
and
replace
íf
necessary
.
e
.
Battery
cables
loose,
dirty
orcor-



e
.
Clean
or
replace
cables
.
See
020
Maintenance
Program
.
rodad
.
f
.
Alternatoror
voltage
regulator



f
.
Test
alternator
and
voltage
regulator
.
faulty
.

3
.
Battery
losing
water
.



1
a
.
Battery
overcharging
.



1
a
.
Test
voltage
regulator
for
proper
operation
.

4
.
Lights
dim,
light
intensity



a
.
Drive
belt(s)
worn
or
damaged
.



a
.
Inspect
or
replace
multi-ribbed
belt(s)
.
See
020
Maintenance
varies
with
engine
speed
.



Program
.
b
.
Alternatoror
voltage
regulator



b
.
Test
alternator
and
voltage
regulator
.
faulty
.
c
.
Body
ground
straps
loose,
dirty
or



c
.
Inspect
ground
straps,
clean,
tighten
or
replace
as
necessary
.
corroded
.

CHARGING
SYSTEM
TROUBLESHOOTING

260-2
DRIVESHAFT

Further
inspection
requires
removal
of
the
driveshaft
.

Check
the
front
centering
guide
on
the
transmission
output
flange
for
damage
or
misalignment
.
Also
check
runoutatthe

transmission
outputflange
and
output
shaft,
and
at
the
final

drive
input
flange
.
Check
the
bolt
hole
bores
in
theflange
for

wear
and
elongation
.

Driveshaftflange
runout
(max
.
allowable)

"
Transmission
outputflange

axial
play
...
.
..
...
..
.
.......
0
.10
mm
(0
.004
in
.)

radial
play
.......
...
.
.
.......
0
.07
mm
(0
.003
in
.)

"
Final
driveinput
flange
radial
play
(measured
at

driveshaft
centering
lip)
..
......
0
.07
mm
(0
.003
in
.)

Spinthe
center
bearing
and
check
for
the
smooth
operation

without
play
.
Check
that
thesplines
of
the
sliding
coupling

move
freely
.
Clean
and
lubricate
the
splines
with
molybdenum

disulfide
grease
(Molykote
®
Longterm
2
or
equivalent)
.

Check
the
universal
joints
for
wear
or
binding
.
If
any
joint
isdif-

ficult
to
move
or
binds,
the
driveshaft
section
should
be
replaced
.

Table
a
.
Driveshaft
Troubleshooting

NOTE-

With
the
driveshaft
installed,
theactual
amount
that
the
universal
joints
pivot
is
limited
.
For
the
most
accurate

test,
check
universal
joints
in
their
normal
range
of

movement
.

If
inspection
revealsnothing
wrong
with
the
driveshaft,
it

may
need
to
be
rebalanced
.
This
can
be
done
by
a
speciality

driveshaft
repair
shop
.
Also,
check
the
alignment
ofthe
drive-

shaft
as
described
below
.

NOTE-

Minor
driveshaftvibrations
can
often
be
correctedsim-

ply
by
disconnecting
the
driveshaftat
the
finaldrive,

and
repositíoning
the
driveshaft
90°,
180°
or270°
inre-
lationto
the
final
drive
input
flange
.

Table
a
lists
symptoms
of
driveshaft
problems
and
their

probable
causes
.
Most
of
the
repair
information
is
contained

within
this
repair
group
.

Symptom



Probable
cause



Corrective
action

1
.
Vibration
when



a
.
Incorrect
preload
of
center
bearing
.



a
.
Check
preload
of
center
bearing
.
Readjust
preload
.
See
Fig
.
6
.

starting
off
(forward



b
.
Center
bearing
rubber
deteriorated
.



b
.
Inspect
center
bearing
and
rubber
.
Replace
if
necessary
.
orreverse)
.



c
.



Flex-disc
damaged
or
worn
.



c
.



Inspect
flex-disc
.
Replace
if
necessary
.

TROUBLESHOOTING

d
.
Engine
or
transmission
mounts
faulty
.
I
d
.
Inspect
engine
and
transmission
mounts
.
Align
or
replace,
if
nec-

essary
.

e
.
Front
centering
guide
worn,
or



e
.
Check
front
centering
guide
and
replace
if
necessary
.
Check

driveshaft
mounting
flanges
out
of



runout
of
driveshaft
flanges
.

round
.

f
.



Universal
joints
worn
or
seized
.



f
.



Check
universal
joint
play
and
movement
.
Replace
driveshaft
if

necessary
.

g
.
Sliding
coupling
seized
.



g
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
movement
of
sliding
coupling
.

Clean
coupling
splines
and
replace
parts
asnecessary
.

h
.
Driveshaft
misaligned
.



h
.
Check
driveshaft
alignment
.

2
.
Noise
during
on/off



a
.
Finaldrive
components
worn
or



a
.
Remove
final
drive
and
repair
.

throttle
or
when



damaged
(excessive
pinion-to-ring-

engagíng
clutch
.



gear
clearance)
.

b
.



Drive
axleor
CV
joint
faulty
.



b
.



Inspect
drive
axles
and
CV
joints
.
Repair
or
replace
as
neces-
sary
.

c
.
Sliding
coupling
seized
.



c
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
movement
of
sliding
coupling
.

Clean
coupling
splines
and
replace
parts
as
necessary
.

3
.
Vibration
at
25
to
30



a
.
Front
centering
guideworn,
or



a
.
Check
front
centering
guide
and
replace
if
necessary
.
Check
mph
(40
to
50



driveshaft
mounting
flanges
out
of



runout
of
driveshaft
mounting
flanges
.
km/h
).



round
or
damaged
.

b
.
Universal
joints
worn
or
seized
.



b
.
Check
universal
joint
play
and
movement
.
Replace
driveshaft
if
necessary
.

c
.



Flex-disc
damaged
or
worn
.



c
.



Inspect
flex-disc
.
Replace
if
necessary
.

d
.
Center
bearing
rubber
deteriorated
.



d
.
Inspect
center
bearing
.
Replace
if
necessary
.

e
.
Sliding
coupling
seized
.



e
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
movement
of
sliding
coupling
.
Clean
coupling
splines
and
replace
parts
asnecessary
.

f
.



Misaligned
installed
position
.



f
.



Check
driveshaft
alignment
.

Symptom



1



Probable
cause

4
.
Vibration,
audible



a
.
Front
centering
guide
worn,
or



a
.
Check
front
centering
guide
and
replace
if
necessary
.
Check
rumble
over35
mph



driveshaft
mounting
flanges
out
of



runout
of
driveshaft
mounting
flanges
.
(60
km/h)
.



round
or
damaged
.

b
.
Mounting
flange
bolts
loose
or
holes



b
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
transmissionoutput
flange
and
worn
.



final
drive
input
flange
.
Replace
if
necessary
.
c
.
Driveshaft
unbalanced
.



c
.
Check
driveshaft
for
loose
or
missing
balance
weights
.
Have
driveshaft
rebalanced
or
replace
if
necessary
.

DRIVESHAFT
SERVICE

Driveshaft,
aligning

d
.
Universal
joints
worn
or
seized
.



d
.
Check
universal
joint
play
and
movement
.
Replace
driveshaft
if
necessary
.

e
.
Sliding
coupling
seized
.



e
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
movement
of
sliding
coupling
.
1



Clean
coupling
splines
or
replace
parts
asnecessary
.

f
.



Incorrect
preload
of
center
bearing
.



f
.



Check
preload
of
center
bearing
.
Readjust
if
necessary
.
g
.
Center
bearing
faulty
.



g
.



Replace
center
bearing
.

h
.
Final
drive
rubber
mount
faulty



h
.
Inspect
final
drive
rubber
mount
and
replace
if
necessary
.i.



Driveshaft
misaligned
.



i.



Check
driveshaft
alignment
.

Repair
kits
for
the
universal
joints
are
not
available,
and
it
is
not
common
practice
to
repair
the
universal
joints
on
BMW
driveshafts
.
Worn
or
damaged
universal
joints
usually
require
replacement
of
that
section
of
the
driveshaft
.

The
driveshaft
is
balanced
to
cose
tolerances
.
Whenever
it
is
to
be
removed
or
disassembied,
the
mounting
flanges
and
driveshaft
sections
should
bemarked
with
paint
or
a
punch

before
proceeding
with
work
.
This
will
ensure
that
the
drive-
shaft
can
be
reassembled
or
installed
in
exactlythe
same
ori-
entation
.

Universal
joint
play

"
Maximum
allowable
...........
0.15
mm
(0.006
in
.)

The
alignment
of
the
driveshaft
does
not
normally
need
to
be
checked
unless
the
engine/transmission
orthe
final
drive
havebeen
removed
and
installed
.
If,
however,
all
other
parts
of
the
driveshaft
havebeen
inspected
and
found
to
be
okay,
butthere
is
still
noise
or
vibration,
driveshaft
alignment
should

be
checked
.

There
aretwo
important
driveshaft
alignment
checks
.
The
first
is
to
make
sure
that
the
driveshaft
runs
straight
from
the
transmission
to
the
final
drive
;
without
any
variation
from
side-

to-side
caused
by
misalignment
ofthe
engine/transmission
in
its
mounts
.
Make
a
basic
check
by
sighting
along
the
drive-

shaft
from
back
lo
front
.
Any
misalignmentshould
be
apparent
from
the
center
bearingforward
.
To
adjustthe
side-to-side
alignment,
loosen
the
transmission
or
engine
mounts
to
repo-

sition
them,
then
retighten
the
mounts
:
The
driveshaft
should

be
exactly
centered
in
the
driveshaft
tunnel
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

Table
a
.
Driveshaft
Troubleshooting
(continued)

DRIVESHAFT
260-3

Corrective
action

b
:izó
Fig
.
2
.



Driveshaft
side-to-side
alignment
.
Driveshaft
should
be
cen-
tered
in
driveshaft
tunnel
.

The
second
important
driveshaft
alignment
check
is
more
complicated
.
It
checks
the
amount
the
driveshaft
is
angled
vertically
at
the
joints
.
This
angle
is
known
as
driveshaft
de-
flection
.

In
general,
there
should
be
little
deflection
in
the
driveshaft
between
the
engine,
thecenter
bearing,
and
the
final
drive
.
Precise
checks
require
theuse
of
a
large
protractor
or
some
other
means
of
measuring
the
angle
of
the
engine
and
the
fi-

nal
drive
and
comparing
these
angles
to
the
angle
of
the
drive-

shaft
sections
.

To
change
the
deflection
angle,
shims
can
be
placed
between
the
center
bearing
and
the
body
or
between
the
transmission

and
íts
rear
support
.
When
using
shims
to
change
a
deflection

angle,
keep
in
mind
that
the
angle
of
adjacent
joints
will
also
change
.
Deflection
anglesshould
beas
small
as
possible
.

DRIVESHAFTSERVICE

increased
power
output
and
road-handling
demands
.

The
steering
geometry
is
modified
by
changing
the
cast-

er/camber
angles
slightly
.
This
is
accomplishedby
reposition-

ing
the
upper
strut
mounting
holes
in
the
frontstrut
towers
and

through
different
front
and
rear
control
arms
.

M3
Brake
System
Improvements

"
Vented
directionalfront
rotors
:
315
mm
dia
.
x
28
mm
thick
.

"
Vented
directional
rear

rotors
:
312
mm
dia
.
x20
mm
thick
.

"
Larger
brake
pads
and
calipers
.

"
Modified
Teves
ABS
system
.

SUSPENSION,
STEERING
AND
BRAKES-GENERAL



300-
7

M3
SUSPENSION
AND
BRAKES



NOTE-

M3
brake
rotors
are
directional,
having
a
different
part

TheE36
M3
was
introduced
in
late
1994
as
a
1995
model
.



number
for
each
side
.
Rotors
with
an
odd
part
number

The
design
of
the
M3
suspension,
steering
and
brakes
is
a



go
on
the
left
while
rotors
with
en
even
part
numbergo

modification
of
existing
E36
systems
which
accommodates



on
the
right
.

M3
Front
SuspensionImprovements

"
Reinforced
spring
plates,control
arms,
control
arm
bush-

ings,
steering
arms
.

"
Recalibrated
struts,
firmer
springs
.

"
Stiffer
stabilizerbar,
larger
stabilizer
bar
bushings
.

"
Front
stabilizer
linked
to
struts
.

M3
Wheels/Tires

"
Front
wheels
1992-1998
:.....
7
.5J
x
17
in
.
light
alloy

"
Rear
wheel
1992-1997
.......
7
.5J
x17
in
.
light
alloy

"
Rear
wheel
(option)
........
.8
.5
Jx17
in
.
light
alloy

"
Front
and
rear
tire

1992-1997
.............
.
.
.
...
...
235/40
x
17
in
.

"
Front
tire
1998
only
......
...
.
.
.
...
225/45
x
17
in
.

"
Rear
tire
1998
only
.......
.
.
.
...
...
245/40
x
17
in
.

CAUTION-

In
en
emergency,
an
M3
front
wheel/tire
assembly
may
be
mounted
on
the
rearaxle
.
However
a
rear
wheel/tire
assemblymust
not
be
mounted
on
the
front
axle
.

M3
RearSuspensionImprovements

"
Reinforced
trailing
arms
.

"
Recalibrated
shock
absorbers,
firmer
springs
.



SUSPENSION
AND
STEERING

TROUBLESHOOTING

Stable
handling
and
ride
comfort
both
depend
on
the
integ-

rity
of
the
suspension
and
steering
components
.
Any
symp-

tom
of
instability
or
imprecise
road
feel
may
be
caused
by

worn
or
damaged
suspension
components
.

When
troubleshooting
suspension
and
steering
problems,

also
consider
the
condition
of
tires,
wheels,
and
their
align-

ment
.
Tire
wear
and
incorrect
inflation
pressures
can
dramati-

cally
affect
handling
.
Subtie
irregularities
in
wheel
alignment

angles
also
affect
stabílity
.
Mixing
different
types
or
sizes
of

tires,
particularly
on
the
same
axle,
can
affect
alignment
and

may
unbalancea
car's
handling
.

Table
b
lists
the
symptoms
of
common
suspension
and

steering
problems
and
their
probable
causes,
and
suggests

corrective
actions
.
Bold
type
indicates
the
repair
groups

where
applicable
test
and
repair
procedures
can
befound
.

SUSPENSION
AND
STEERING
TROUBLESHOOTING

300-8



SUSPENSION,
STEERING
AND
BRAKES-GENERAL

Tableb
.
Suspension
and
Steering
Troubleshooting

Symptom



1



Probable
cause
Repairs
(Repair
Groups
shown
in
bold)

Car
pulís
to
one
side,
wanders



a
.
Incorrect
tire
pressure



a
.
Check
and
correct
tire
pressures
.
020
b
.
Incorrect
wheel
alignment



b
.
Check
and
adjust
wheel
alignment
.
320
c
.
Faulty
brakes
(pulls
only
when
braking)



I
c
.
Check
for
sticking/damaged
front
caliper
.
340

Steering
heavy,
poor
return-



a
.
Worn
upper
strut
bearing(s)



a
.
Replace
strut
bearings
.
310
to-center



b
.
Incorrect
tire
pressure



b
.
Check
and
correct
tire
pressures
.
020
c
.
Power
steering
system
faulty



c
.
Check
power
steering
fluid
level
.
Test
system
pressure
.
320

Front-end
or
rear-end
vibra-



a
.
Worn
strut
cartridgesor
shock
absorbers



a
.
Replace
strut
cartridges
.
310,
330
tion
or
shimmy



b
.
Worn
suspension
bushings
(control
arm
or
trail-



b
.
Replace
worn
bushings
.
310,
330
ing
arm)
c
.
Worn
front
suspension
ball
joints
(control
arm,



c
.
Replace
worn
ball
joints
.
310
steering
arm
orsteering
tie-rod
end)d
.
Unbalanced
or
bent
wheels/tires



d
.
Balance
tires
.
Check
tiresfor
uneven
wear
pat-
terns
.
Check
wheels
for
damage
.
e
.
Loose
wheel
lug
boits



e
.
Tighten
lug
boits
to
proper
torque
.

Poor
stability,
repeated
bounc-
I
a
.
Worn
strut
cartridgesor
shock
absorbers



I
a
.
Replace
strut
cartridges
.
310,
330
ing
after
bumps,
suspension
bottoms
outeasily

Suspension
noise
(especially



a
.
Worn
front
upper
strut
bearings



a
.
Replaceupper
strut
bearings
.
310
over
bumps)



b
.
Loose
front
strut
cartridge



b
.
Check/tighten
strut
cartridge
collar
nut
.
310
c
.
Worn
suspensionbushings
(control
arm
or
trail-



c
.
Replace
worn
bushings
.
310,
330
ing
arm)d
.
Worn
stabilizer
bar
rubber
mounts



d
.
Replace
stabilizer
bar
rubber
mounts
.
310,
330
e
.
Loose
suspension
crossmember



e
.
Check
crossmember
for
damage
.
Tighten
mounting
boits
.

Uneven
ride
height



a
.
Incorrect
coil
springs



a
.
Measure
ride
height
and
replacesprings
as
re-
quired
.
310,
330
b
.
Bent
or
damaged
suspension
components



b
.
Inspect,
repair/replace
asnecessary
.
310,
330
c
.
Sagging
coil
springs



c
.
Measure
ride
height
and
replace
springs
as
re-
quired
.
310,
330

Wheel
noise,
continuous



I
a
.
Worn
wheel
bearing



I
a
.
Replacewheel
bearing
.
310,
330
growling,
may
be
more
notíce-
able
when
turning

Steering
loose,
imprecise



a
.
Incorrect
tire
pressure



a
.
Check
and
correct
tire
pressures
.
020
-



b
.
Loose
steering
gearmounting
bolt(s)



b
.
Inspect
and
tighten
boits
.
320
c
.
Worn
tie
rodend(s)



c
.
Replace
tie
rod(s)
and
align
wheels
.
320
d
.
Faulty
front
wheel
bearing



d
.
Replace
wheel
bearing
.
310
e
.
Worn
or
damaged
steering
gear



e
.
Adjust
or
replace
steering
gear
.
320
f
.
Worn
tires



f
.
Replace
tires
.
010

SUSPENSION
AND
STEERING
TROUBLESHOOTING

340-2
BRAKES

When
troubleshooting,
keep
in
mind
that
tire
inflation,
wear

and
temperature
can
affect
braking
and
suspension
.
See310

Front
Suspension
for
more
information
on
front
suspension

parts
inspection
.

Table
a
lists
symptoms
of
brake
problems,
their
probable

causes,
and
suggested
corrective
actions
.

Table
a
.
Brake
System
Troubleshooting

Symptom



1



Probable
cause



1



Repairs

Brake
squeal



a
.
Incorrectly
installed
brake
pads
or



a
.
Check
component
installation
.
parking
brake
shoes
b
.
Brakepad
carriers
dirty
or
corroded



b
.
Remove
brake
pads
and
clean
calipers
.
c
.
Brake
pad
anti-rattle
springs
faulty
or



c
.
Install/replace
anti-rattle
springs
.
missing
d
.
Brakepads
heat-glazed
or
oil-soaked



d
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
calipers
as
required
.
e
.
Wheel
bearings
worn
(noise
most



e
.
Replace
worn
bearings
.
See310
Front
Suspension
pronounced
when
turning)



or
330
Rear
Suspension
.

Pedal
goes
to
f
loor
when
braking



a
.
Brake
fluid
leve¡
low
due
to
system



a
.
Check
fluidlevel
and
inspect
hydraulic
system
for
leaks



signs
of
leakage
.
Fill
and
bleed
system
.
b
.
Master
cylinder
faulty



I
b
.
Replacemaster
cylinder
.

Low
pedal
after
system
bleeding



1
a
.
Master
cylinder
faulty



1
a
.
Replace
master
cylinder
.

Pedal
spongy
or
brakes
work
only



a
.
Air
in
brake
fluid



a
.
Bleedsystem
.
when
pedal
is
pumped



b
.
Master
cylinder
faulty
(interna¡
return



b
.
Replacemaster
cylinder
.
spring
weak)
c
.
Leaking
line
or
hose
unions



c
.
Repair
or
replace
lines
and
hoses
.
Bleed
system
.

Excessive
braking
effort



a
.
Brake
pads
wet



a
.
Use
light
pedal
pressure
to
dry
pads
while
driving
.
b
.
Brake
pads
heat-glazed
oroil-soaked



b
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
calipers
.
c
.
Vacuum
booster
or
vacuum
hose
con-



c
.
Inspect
vacuum
lines
.
Test
vacuum
booster
and
re
nections
to
booster
faulty



place
as
required
.
Test
vacuum
non-return
valve
for
one-way
air
flow
.

Brakes
pulsate,
chatter
or
grab



a
.
Warped
brake
rotors



a
.
Resurface
or
replace
rotors
.
b
.
Brake
padsworn



b
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
c
.
Brake
pads
heat-glazed
or
oil-soaked



c
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
calipers
.

Uneven
braking,
car
pulís
to
one



a
.
Incorrect
tire
pressures
or
worn
tires



a
.
Inspect
tire
condition
.
Check
and
correct
tire
pres-
side,
rear
brakes
lock



sures
.
b
.
Brake
pads
on
one
side
of
car
heat-



b
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
glazed
or
oil-soaked



calipers
.
c
.
Caliper
or
brake
pads
binding



c
.
Clean
and
recondition
brakes
.
d
.
Worn
suspension
components



d
.
Inspect
for
worn
or
damaged
suspension
compo-
nents
.
See
310
Front
Suspension
or
330
Rear
Sus-
pension
.

Brakes
drag,
bind
or
overheat



a
.
Brake
caliper
or
brake
pads
binding



a
.
Clean
or
replace
caliper
.(
b
.
Master
cylinder
faulty



b
.
Replacemaster
cylinder
.

WARNING
-

On
cars
with
All
Season
Traction
(AST),
special
BMW
service
equipment
is
required
to
properly
bleed
the
ABS/AST
system
.
For
safety
reasons,
the
brake
system
on
carswith
ABS/AST
must
not
be
bled
using
the
procedures
described
inthis
repair
group
.

BLEEDING
BRAKES

Brake
bleeding
is
usually
done
for
one
of
two
reasons
:
Ei-
ther
to
replace
oíd
brake
fluid
as
part
of
routine
maintenance
or
to
expel
trapped
air
in
the
system
that
resulted
from
open-
ingthe
brake
hydraulic
system
during
repairs
.

BLEEDING
BRAKES

Alwaysuse
new
brake
fluid
from
an
unopened
container
.It

is
important
to
bleed
the
entire
system
when
any
part
of
the

hydraulic
system
has
been
opened
.
On
cars
not
equipped
with
traction
control
(AST),
brake
system
bleeding
should
be

done
with
a
pressure
bleeder
.
On
cars
with
AST,
brake
bleed-

ing
should
be
done
by
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.

WARNING
-

On
cars
with
All
Season
Traction
(AST),
special
BMW
service
equipment
is
requíred
to
properly
bleed
the
ABS/AST
system
.
For
safetyreasons,
the
brake
system
on
carswith
ABS/AST
must
not
be
bled
using
the
procedures
described
inthís
repair
group
.