Ground connections BMW M3 1995 E36 Workshop Manual

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-
1
2



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

6-cylinder
engines
use
a
coil-on-plug
configuration,
and
re-



Battery
cablesshould
be
tight
.
The
terminals,
the
cable
moval
of
thetop
engine
cover
(between
the
camshafts)
and
ig-



clamps,
and
the
battery
case
should
be
freeof
the
white
deposits
nition
cofs
are
necessary
.
See
Fig
.
12
.
Blow
away
any
dust
or



that
indicate
corrosion
and
acid
salts
.
Even
a
thin
¡ayer
of
dust
dirt
around
the
ignition
coils,
and
then
remove
the
coils
.
Blow



containing
conductive
acid
salts
can
cause
battery
discharge
.
away
any
dustor
dirt
around
the
sparkplugs
.
Remove
the
spark

plugs
.



To
remove
battery
corrosion,
begin
by
disconnecting
theca-

bles
.
Disconnect
the
negative
(-)
cable
first
.
Clean
the
terminal

posts
and
the
cable
clamps
with
a
wire
brush
.
Clean
the
main
chassis
ground
terminal
next
to
the
battery
.
Corrosion
can
be
washedaway
with
a
baking
soda
and
water
solution
that
will
neutralize
the
acid
.
Apply
the
solution
carefully,
though,since
ít
will
also
neutralize
the
acid
inside
the
battery
.
Reconnect
the
ca-
ble
clamps,
positive
(+)
cable
first
.
Lightly
coat
the
outside
of
the

terminals,
hold
down
screws,
and
clamps
with
petroleum
jelly,
grease,
or
a
commercial
battery
terminal
corrosion
inhibitor
.

Fig
.
12
.
Ignition
coil
being
removed
from
spark
plug
on
M52
engine
.

NOTE-

If
necessary,
see
120
Ignition
System
for
more
details
on
coil
removal
.

B11004

Lightlylubricate
the
new
spark
plug
threads
with
a
small
amount
of
anti-seize
compound
.
Thread
the
plugs
into
the
cyl-
inder
head
byhand
to
prevent
cross-threading
.

Tightening
Torque

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

Idie
Speed

Engine
¡dle
speed
canchange
due
to
a
number
of
factors,
in-
cluding
normal
wear
.
The
idle
speed
is
electronically
adaptive
and
non-adjustable
.
See
130
Fuel
Injection
for
more
information
.

Battery,
checking
and
cleaning

The
battery
is
located
in
the
right
side
of
the
luggage
com-
partment
.
Simple
maintenance
of
the
battery
and
its
terminal
connections
will
ensure
maximum
starting
performance,
espe-
cially
in
winter
when
colder
temperaturesreduce
battery
power
.

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

WARNING
-

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manualonpage
viii
.

"
Battery
acid
is
extremely
dangerous
.
Take
care
to
keep
it
from
contacting
eyes,
skin,
or
clothing
.
Wear
eye
protection
.
Extinguish
all
smoking
ma-
terials
and
do
not
worknear
any
oyen
flames
.

Battery
electrolyte
should
be
maintained
at
the
correct
level
just
above
the
battery
plates
and
their
separators
.
The
correct
leve¡
is
approximately
5
mm
(
1
/4
in
.)
above
thetop
of
battery
plates
orto
thetop
of
the
indicator
marks
(if
applicable)
.
The
battery
plates
and
the
indicator
marks
can
beseen
once
the
fill-
er
caps
are
removed
.
If
the
electrolyte
level
is
low,
replenish
it
by
adding
distilled
water
only
.

Battery,
repiacing

Batteries
are
rated
by
ampere
hours
(Ah),
the
number
of
hoursa
specific
current
draín
can
be
sustained
before
complete
discharge,
or
by
cold
cranking
amps
(CCA),
the
number
of
amps
available
to
crank
the
engine
in
cold
weather
conditions
.
In
general,
replacement
batteries
should
alwaysbe
rated
equal
or
higherthan
the
original
battery
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
thls
manual
on
page
viii
.

The
battery
is
held
in
place
bya
single
hand
screw
and
píate
.
A
secure
battery
hold-down
is
important
in
order
to
prevent
vi-
brations
and
road
shock
from
damaging
the
battery
.

NOTE-
NOTE-
"
Always
disconnect
the
negative
()
cable
first,
and
Design
characteristics
of
the
convertible
body
cause
vi-



connect
ft
last
While
changing
batteries,
clean
away
brations
in
the
trunk
area
.
Therefore,
E36
convertibles



any
corrosion
in
or
around
the
battery
tray
.
require
a
specialbattery
designed
for
constant
vibra-
tion
.
When
repiacing
the
battery,
be
sure
the
replace-



"
Design
characteristics
of
the
convertible
body
cause
ment
is
designed
specffically
for
the
convertible
.



vibrations
to
oscillate
in
the
trunk
area
.
Therefore,
the
convertible
model
uses
a
specialbattery
designed
for
this
constant
vibration
.

GENERAL
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
100-1

Cylinder
Block
and
Crankshaft
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
100-1

Connecting
Rods
and
Pistons
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-1

Cylinder
Head
and
Valvetrain
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-2

VANOS
(Variable
Valve
Timing)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
100-2

DISA
(Dual
Resonance
Intake
System)
.
.
.
.
.
100-3

Engine
Management
System
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-3

Ignition
......
.
.
.
.........
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

Fuel
Delivery
..
.
.
.
.....
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

Cooling
System
.
...........
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
100-5

Lubrication
System
.........
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

MECHANICALTROUBLESHOOTING
.
.
.
.
100-5

Warnings
and
Cautions
..
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

Cylinder
compression,
checking
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-6

EngineMechanical
Troubleshooting
Table
.
.
.
100-7

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING
...
100-8

GENERAL

There
are
various
engíne
configurations
used
in
the
1992-

1998
E36
cars
.
See
Table
a
.

On
both
four-
and
6-cylinder
engines,
the
cylinder
block
is

cast
¡ron
with
integral
cyiinders
.
The
cyiinders
are
exposed
on

all
sides
to
circulating
coolant
.

The
fully
counterweighted
crankshaft
rotates
in
replaceable

split-shell
main
bearings
.
Oiiways
drilled
into
the
crankshaft
pro-

vide
bearing
lubrication
.
O¡I
seals
pressed
into
alloy
sea¡
hous-

ings
are
installedat
both
ends
of
the
crankshaft
.

100
Engine-General

Tablea
.
Engine
Specifications

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-1

On-Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-8

Basic
Requirements
....
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
....
.100-11

Preventive
Maintenance
......
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-11

Basic
Engine
Settings
..
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-11

Oxygen
Sensors
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
....
.100-11

Air
Flow
Measurement
and
Vacuum
Leaks
.
.100-12

Battery
Voltage
.
.
...........
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-12

Wiring
and
Harness
Connections
.
.
.
.
.....
100-13

Ground
Connections
...
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-13

Fue¡
Supply
....
.
...........
.
.
..
.....
.100-14

TABLES

a
.
Engine
Specifications
...
...
...........
.
..
..
.100-1

b
.
Engine
Management
Systems
..
..
...........
..
100-5

c
.
Engine
Mechanical
Troubleshooting
..........
.
.
100-8

d
.
OBD
1
Fault
(Blink)
Codes
(1992-1995
models
only)
.
...
..
..
..........
..
.100-9
e
.
Engine
Driveability
Troubleshooting
...........
.100-15
Model



Engine
code



No
.
of



Dispiacement



Compression



Horsepower
cyiinders



liters
(cu
.
in
.)



ratio



SAE
net
@
rpm

318i/is/¡C
1992-1995



M42



4



1
.8
(109
.6)



10
.0
:1



100
@
6000
1996-1998



M44



4



1
.9
(115
.6)



~
10
.0
:1



103
@
6000

323ís/iC
1998



M52



6



2
.5
(152
.2)



10
.5
:1



168
@
5,500

325i/is/iC
1992-1995



M50



6



2
.5
(152
.2)



10
.0
:1



110
@
5,900

328i/is/iC
1996-1998



M52



6



2
.8
(170
.4)



10
.2
:1



190
@
5,300

M3
1995



S50US



6



3
.0
(182
.5)



10
.5:1



240
@
6,000
1996-1998



S52US



6



3
.2
(192
.3)



10
.5:1



240
@
6,000
Cylinder
Block
and
Crankshaft



Connecting
Rods
and
Pistons

The
forged
connecting
rods
use
replaceable
split-shell

bearings
at
the
crankshaft
endand
solid
bushings
at
the
pis-

ton
pin
end
.
The
pistonsare
of
the
three-ring
typewith
two
up-
per
compression
rings
and
a
lowerone-piece
o¡i
scraper
ring
.

Fui¡-floating
piston
pins
are
retained
with
circlips
.

GENERAL

If
a
battery
cableconnection
hasno
visible
faults,
but
is
still
suspect,
measure
the
voltage
drop
across
the
connection
.
A
large
drop
indicates
excessive
resistance,
meaning
the
con-
nection
is
corroded,
dirty,
or
damaged
.
Clean
or
repair
the
connection
and
retest
.

NOTE-

For
instructions
on
conducting
a
voltage
drop
test,
and
other
general
electrical
troubleshooting
information,
see600
Electrical
System-General
.

Wiring
and
Harness
Connections

The
electronic
fuel
injection
and
ignition
systems
operate
at

low
voltage
and
current
values,
making
them
sensitive
to

small
increases
in
resistance
.
The
electrical
system
is
routine-

ly
subjected
to
corrosion,
vibration
and
wear,
so
faults
or
cor-

rosion
in
the
wiring
harness
and
connectors
are
common
causes
of
driveability
problems
.

Visually
inspect
all
wiring,
connectors,
switches
and
fuses
in
the
system
.
Loose
or
damaged
connectors
can
cause
inter-

mittent
problems,
especially
the
smallterminals
in
the
ECM

connectors
.
Disconnect
the
wiring
harness
connectors
to

check
for
corrosion
;
and
use
electrical
cleaning
spray
to
re-

move
contaminants
.
Often,
simply
disconnecting
and
recon-

necting
a
dirty
connector
several
times
will
clean
the
terminals
and
help
to
reestablish
good
electrical
contact
.

If
a
wiring
harnessconnectorhasno
visible
faults,
but
is
still

suspect,
measure
the
voltage
drop
across
the
connector
.
A

large
drop
indicates
excessive
resistance,
meaning
the
con-

nector
is
corroded,
dirty
or
damaged
.
Clean
or
repair
the
con-

nector
and
retest
.

Ground
Connections

For
any
electrical
circuit
to
work,
it
must
make
acomplete

path,
beginning
at
the
positive
(+)
battery
terminal
and
ending

at
the
negative
(-)
terminal
.
The
negative
(-)
battery
cable
is

attached
to
the
car's
chassis
.
Therefore,
any
wireor
metal

part
attached
to
the
chassis
provides
a
good
ground
path
back

to
the
negative
(-)
battery
terminal
.

Poorground
connections
are
amajor
source
of
driveabílity

problems
.
If
any
of
themainground
connections
for
the
igni-
tion
system
or
the
fuelinjection
system
are
faulty,
the
in-

creased
resistance
in
that
circuit
will
cause
problems
.

Visually
inspect
al¡
ground
wires
and
connections
for

breaks,
looseness
or
corrosion
.
Be
careful
because
wires

sometimes
break
internally
or
in
areas
not
easily
visible
.
The

main
grounds
for
the
DME
system
are
shown
in
Fig
.
11,Fig
.

12,
and
Fig
.
13
.
Also
check
the
main
fuel
pump
ground
in
the
center
console,
below
the
emergency
brake
handle
.

If
a
ground
connection
has
no
visiblefaults,
but
is
still
suspect,

measure
the
voltage
drop
acrossthe
connection
.
A
large
drop

indicates
high
resistance,
meaning
the
connection
is
corroded,

dirty
or
damaged
.
Clean
or
repair
the
connection
and
retest
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-
1
3

UU,~uyi

Fig
.
11
.
Mainground
(arrow)
for
engine
management
system
.
Grounds
are
in
right
rear
of
engine
compartment
.

Fig
.
12
.
Mainground
for
ignition
coils
on
MS
41
.1
engine
manage-
ment
system
(arrow)
.

DRIVEABILITY
TROLIBLESHOOTING

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

Alternator
brushes,



STARTER
SERVICE
inspecting
and
replacing

Regulator
brushesarenot
available
as
replacement
parts
from
BMW
.
Replacement
brushes
may
be
available
from
af-

termarket
sources,
however
.

1
.
Remove
voltage
regulator
as
described
above
.

2
.
Clean
brush
contact
sürfaces
and
measure
brush
pro-trusion
.
See
Fig
.
7
.

Check
for
battery
voltage
at
terminal
50
of
the
starter
motor
Fig
.
7
.



Regulator
brush
protrusion
(A)
.



with
the
key
in
the
start
position
.
See
Fig
.
8
.
If
voltage
is
not
present,
check
the
wiring
between
the
ignition
switch
and
the
starter
terminal
.
If
voltage
is
present
and
no
other
visible
wir
Voltage
Regulator



ing
faults
can
be
found,
the
problem
is
most
likely
interna¡in

"
Brush
protrusion
(minimum)
.......
.
..
5
mm
(
1
/4
in
.)



the
starter
motor
.

3
.
To
replace
brushes,
carefully
and
as
quickly
as
possi-

ble,
unsolder
brush
lead
from
brush
holder
termina¡,

withdrawing
brush
from
holder
at
same
time
.

4
.
Remove
any
traces
of
solder
frombrush
holder
termi-
nal
using
solder
wick
.

5
.
Fit
spring
into
brush
holder
and
inserí
new
brush
.

6
.
Guide
brush
lead
into
terminal
and
solder
into
place
.

Check
for
free
movement
of
brushes
when
solder

cools
.

7
.
Check
brush
slip
rings
in
alternator
for
wear
.
Lightly
clean
slip
rings
using
fine
abrasive
cloth
.

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-
7

Starter
Troubleshooting

If
the
starter
tucos
the
engine
slowlyor
fails
to
operate
when
the
ignition
isin
the
start
position,
check
the
battery
first
.
In-
spect
the
starter
wires,
terminals,
and
ground
connections
for
good
contact
.
In
particular,
make
sure
the
ground
connections
between
the
battery,
the
body
and
the
engine
are
completely
clean
and
tight
.
If
no
faults
can
be
found,
the
starter
may
be
faulty
and
should
be
replaced
.

NOTE
-

"
Starting
in1194,
a
factory-installed
drive-away
protec-
tion
system,
alsoreferred
to
as
EWS
or
EWS
11,
was
used
on
all
E36
cars
.
This
system
prevenís
operation
of
the
starter
when
the
system
is
engaged
.
See
515
Central
Locking
and
Anti-theft
.

"
On
cars
with
automatic
transmission,
a
starter
relay
and
a
neutral
safetyswitchare
used
to
present
theen-
ginefrom
starting
in
gear
positions
other
than
park
or
neutral
.
ff
voltage
is
not
present
atterminal
50
with
the
key
in
the
startposition,
check
these
components

To
make
the
most
accurate
check
of
the
battery
cables
and
starterwiring,
make
a
voltage
drop
test
on
the
cables
and
wir-

ing
as
described
in
600
Electrical
System-General
.

Terminal
30
'
\



/
Terminal
30h

0012518

8
.
Reinstall
regulator
and
alternator
.



Fig
.
8
.



Typical
starterwiring
terminal
identification
.
Large
wireat
ter-
minal
30
is
direct
battery
voltage
.
Smaller
wire
at
terminal
50
operates
starter
solenoid
via
ignition
switch
.

STARTER
SERVICE

Fig
.
9
.



Fuel
pump
relay
terminal
identification
.

Fuel
Pump
Electrical
Tests

Troubleshooting
of
any
fuel
pump
fault
should
begin
with

checking
the
fuel
pump
fuse
and
the
fuel
pump
relay
.
The
DME
main
relay
should
also
be
checked
.

NOTE-

Special
tools
are
requíred
for
some
of
the
tests
de-
scribed
here
.

Fuel
pump
electrical
circuit,
testing

The
fuel
pump
electrical
circuit
diagram
is
shown
in
Fig
.
10
.

3
.
If
fuel
pump
does
not
run,
disconnect
black
harness

connector
from
tank
sender
unit
.
With
jumper
wire
con-

nectedas
described
in
step
2
above,
check
for
positive

(+)
batteryvoltage
at
harness
connector
terminals
.
See
Fig
.
11
.

FUEL
TANK
AND
FUEL
PUMP



160-
7

From
Main
Relay
(+15
power
with
key
in
run



From
B+juretion
point
orstartposition)
(batteryvoRageatalltirnes)

'
.5
RD/Nrr



1
.5
RD

1
.5
GNNI

From
Engine



2
.5
GNNI
Control
Module



15
2
.5
GNNI

Ground
(below
center
console)

Fig
.
10
.
Fuel
pump
electrical
circuit
.

30

-~
Relay
Fuel
Pump

8~T

I



1

s
ám
61
Front
Power
I



a
1
Distribution
Box
I_
16

WIRING
COLOR
CODE

BK
-
BLACK
BR
-
BROWN
Fuel
Pump



RD



-



RED
(in-tank)
M
YL
YELLOWGN
-
GREENBU
-
BLUE
1
VI
-
VIOLET
GY
-
GREY
WT
-
WHITE
PK
-
PINK

0011946

4
.
If
voltage
and
groundare
present,
fuel
pump
is
proba-
bly
faulty
.
If
there
is
no
voltage,
check
wiring
From
fuel
pump
Reay
and
make
sure
Reay
is
functioning
correctly
.

CAUTION-

Fuseandrelaylocationsmayvary
.
Usecara
when



Fuel
pump
power
consumption,
testing

troubleshooting
the
electrical
system
at
the
fuselrelay
panel
.
To
resolve
problems
in
identify-



NOTE-
ing
a
relay,
see
en
authorízed
BMW
dealer
.



"
To
achieveaccurate
testresults,
fhe
battery
voltage
at
the
connector
should
be
approximately
13
volts
.
1.
Remove
rearseat
cushion,
pull
right
side
insulation
mat



Charge
the
battery
asnecessary
.

back
to
expose
fuel
tank
accesscover
.
Remove
cover



.
q
higher
than
normal
power
consumption
usually
fin-
to
expose
wiring
connections
.



dicates
a
worn
fuel
pump,
which
may
cause
intermit-
tentfuel
starvation
due
lo
pump
overheating
and
2
.
Remove
fuel
pump
relay
and
opérate
fuel
pump
as
de-



seizure
.
The
only
remedy
is
pump
replacement
.
Be
scribed
under
Operating
fuel
pump
for
tests
earlier
.



sure
to
check
that
thereturn
fine
and
the
pump
pickup
Pump
should
run
.
Disconnect
jumper
wire
when
fin-



are
not
obstructed
before
replacing
the
pump
.

ished
.
1
.
Remove
rear
seat
cushion,
pull
right
side
insulation
mal
back
to
expose
fuel
tank
accesscover
.
Remove
cover
to
expose
wiring
connections
.

2
.
Disconnect
(black)
harness
connector
from
fuel
pump
.

3
.
Connect
an
ammeter
and
an
insulated
jumper
wire
be-

tween
terminals
in
connector
and
corresponding
pump

terminals
.
See
Fig
.
12
.

FUEL
PUMP

260-
4
DRIVESHAFT

CAUTION
-

The
maximum
allowable
change
in
height
of
the

center
bearing
or
transmission
support
using

shims
is
3
mm
(0
.12
in
.)
.

Driveshaft,
removing

WARNING
-

"
Be
sure
the
wheels
are
off
the
ground
before
re-

moving
the
driveshaft
.
Set
the
parking
brake
be-

fore
removing
the
driveshaft
.

"
Once
the
driveshaft
has
been
removed,
the
vehi-
cle
can
roll
regardless
of
whether
the
transmis-
sion
isin
gear
or
not
.

"
The
driveshaft
fs
mounted
to
thetransmission
and
final
drive
with
self-locking
nuts
.
These
nuts

are
designed
to
be
used
only
once
and
should
be

replaced
during
reassembly
.

1.
Disconnect
oxygen
sensor
electrical
connectors
and
remove
complete
exhaustsystem
.
See
180
Exhaust

System
.

4
.
Remove
driveshaft
mounting
bolts
.
See
Fig
.
3
.
Discard

old
nuts
.

JG

Fig
.
3
.



Front
driveshaft
totransmission
mounting
bolt
being
re-
moved
.
Note
open-end
wrench
(arrow)
being
used
to
coun-
terhold
bolt
.

5
.
Loosen
threaded
clamping
sleeve
on
driveshaft
a
few
tucos
.
See
Fig
.
4
.

DRIVESHAFT
SERVICE

Fig
.
4
.



Threaded
clamping
sleeve
nut
being
loosened
.

0012037

6
.
Support
driveshaft
andremove
center
support
bearing

mounting
bolts
.

7
.
Remove
driveshaft
but
do
not
separate
two
halves
.
Pull

down
on
center
of
driveshaft
to
facilitate
removal
.

2
.
Remove
exhaust
heat
shield
and
heat
shieldcross-

member
.



NOTE-

If
driveshaft
halves
were
separate
and
not
match-

3
.
Matchmark
front
and
rear
driveshaft
connections
at



marked,
assemble
driveshaft
as
shown
in
drawing
.
If
a

transmissíon
and
final
drive
.



vibration
occurs,
disassemble
driveshaftand
rotate
one

section
180°
.
See
Fig
.
5
.

Driveshaft,
installing

Fig
.
5
.



Driveshaft
alignment
.
Centerlinesof
universal
joints
(arrows)

must
be
parallel
or
at
90°
to
each
other

1
.
Align
driveshaft
matchmarks
at
final
drive
and
then
at

transmission
flange
.
Start
attaching
nuts
.
Use
new
self-

locking
nuts
.

2
.
Position
center
support
bearing
and
start
attaching

nuts
.
Use
new
self-locking
nuts
.

3
.
Tighten
flangenuts
while
preventing
bolts
from
twisting

in
coupling
.
Tighten
final
drive
flange
first,
then
tighten

coupling
at
transmission
.

4
.
Preload
center
support
bearing
by
pushing
bearing
for-
ward4-6
mm
(0
.16-0
.24
in
.)
from
center
.
See
Fig
.
6
.
Tighten
attaching
bolts
.

NOTE
-

Sometimes
the
color
of
en
installed
wire
may
be
differ-
ent
than
the
one
on
the
wiring
diagram
.
Don't
be
con-
cerned
.
Just
be
sure
lo
confirm
that
the
wire
connects
lo
the
proper
terminals
.

Wire
color
codes

"
BLU
.........
.
..
..
...
.
.................
Blue

"
BRN
....:....
.
..
..
...
..
...............
Brown

"
YEL
.........
.
..
..
...................
.Yellow

"
GRN
.........
.
..
..
...
.
................
creen

"
G
RY
.......
.
.
.
..
..
.....................
G
ray

"
ORG
.........
.
..
..
...
.
..............
.Orange

"
RED
......
...
.
.
..
.....................
.Red

"
BLK
.........
.
..
..
...
.
................
Black

"
VIO
..........
.
..
...
..
..
.......
.
.......
Violet

"
WHT
.........
.
.
....
.
...
:..............
White

Table
a
.
Terminal
and
Circuit
Numbers

Number



1
Circuít
description

1



j
Low
voltage
switched
terminal
of
coi¡

4



1
High
voltage
center
termina¡
of
coi¡

+x



Originates
atignition
switch
.
Supplies
powerwhen
the
ignition
switch
is
in
the
PARK,
RUN,
or
START
position

15



Originates
atignition
switch
.
Supplies
powerwhen
ignition
switch
is
in
RUN
or
START
position

30



Battery
positive
(+)
voltage
.
Supplies
power
whenever
battery
is
connected
.
(Not
dependent
on
ignition
switch
position,
unfused)

31



1
Ground,
battery
negative
(-)
terminal

50



Supplies
power
from
battery
to
starter
solenoid
when
ignition
switch
isin
START
position
only

+54



Originates
atignition
switch
.
Supplies
power
when
ignition
switch
isin
the
RUN
position
only

85



1
Ground
side
(-)
ofrelay
coil

86



1
Power-in
side
(+)
ofrelay
coil

87



1
Relay
actuatedcontact

D



Alternator
warning
light
and
field
energizing
circuit

ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM-GENERAL
600-
3

Additional
abbreviations
shown
in
the
wiring
diagrams
are

given
below
.

Abbreviations

"
ABS
........
.
...
.
...
.
..........
antilock
brakes

"
A/C
........
.
...
..
..
.
.........
.airconditioning

"
AST/ASC+T
.......
...
.
.
.......
al¡
season
traction

"
CONV
.......
.
.
...
.................
convertible

"
DME
........
.
.
...
.......
digital
motor
electronics

"
ECM



.......
.
...
..
..
.
..
electronic
control
module

"
EWS/EWS
II
......
...
.
.
coded
driveaway
protection

"
SRS
........
.
supplemental
restraint
system-airbag

"
TCM
........
.
..
....
.
transmission
control
module

"
ZKE
(94-98
models)
..
..
.
...
central
body
electronics

"
ZVM
(92-93
models)
...
.
.
..
.
.......
central
locking

ELECTRICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING

Most
terminals
are
identified
by
numbers
on
the
compo-

nents
and
harness
connectors
.
The
terminal
numbers
for
ma-



Four
things
are
required
for
current
toflow
in
any
electrical

jor
electrical
connections
are
shown
in
the
diagrams
.
Though



circuit
:
a
voltagesource,
wires
or
connections
to
transport
the

many
terminal
numbers
appear
only
once,
severa¡other
num-



voltage,
a
load
or
device
that
uses
the
electricity,
and
a
con-
bers
appear
in
numerous
places
throughout
the
electrical
sys-



nection
to
ground
.
Most
problemscanbefound
using
a
digital

tem
and
identify
certain
types
ofcircuits
.
Some
of
the
most



multimeter
(volt/ohm/amp
meter)to
check
for
voltage
supply,

common
circuit
numbers
are
listed
below
in
Table
a
.



for
breaks
in
the
wiring
(infinite
resistance/no
continuity),
orfor

a
path
to
ground
that
completesthe
circuit
.

Electric
current
is
logical
in
its
flow,
always
moving
from
the

voltage
sourcetoward
ground
.
Electricalfaults
can
usually
be

located
through
a
process
of
elimination
.
When
troubleshoot-

ing
a
complex
circuit,
separate
the
circuit
into
smaller
parts
.

The
general
testsoutlined
below
may
be
helpful
in
finding

electrical
problems
.
The
information
is
most
helpful
when

used
with
the
wiring
diagrams
.

Be
sure
to
analyze
the
problem
.
Use
the
wiring
diagrams
to

determine
the
most
likely
cause
.
Getan
understanding
of
how

the
circuit
works
by
following
the
circuit
from
groundback
to

the
power
source
.

When
making
test
connections
at
connectors
andcompo-

nents,
use
care
to
avoidspreading
or
damaging
the
connec-

tors
or
terminals
.
Some
tests
may
require
jumper
wires
to

bypass
components
or
connections
in
the
wiring
harness
.

When
connecting
jumper
wires,
use
bladeconnectors
at
the

wire
ends
that
match
the
size
of
the
terminal
being
tested
.
The

small
interna¡
contacts
are
easily
spread
apart,
and
this
can

cause
intermittent
or
faultyconnections
that
can
leadto
more

problems
.

ELECTRICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING