key battery BMW 318i 1997 E36 Workshop Manual

010-
6



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

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

ingout
past
the
rotating
shaft
.
Seals
should
never
be
reused

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

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

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

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

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

Electrical
Testing

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



BVYING
PART$

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



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



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

shows
a
basic
circuit
schematic
.
See600
Electrical
System-



other
materials
when
reinstalling
parts
.
Most
often,
the
parts

General
for
electrical
troubleshooting
.



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

B029ELG

Fig
.
5
.



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

BVYING
PARTS

Wire
Repairs

Repairs
to
a
wiring
harness
requirespecial
care
to
make
the

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

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

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

Use
connectors
that
are
designed
for
the
purpose
.
Crimped-

on
or
soldered-onconnectors
are
best
.
Crimp
connectors
and

special
crimping
pliers
are
widely
available
.
If
soldering,
use

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

NOTE-

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

NOTE-

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

Genuine
BMW
Parts

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

Table
b
.
Inspection
I
Service

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM
020-5

ad

d
d
ID

a



r



c



d
a~
;v
a
:
Q~
wE
y
a
r
E
R
:
L-



0
Maintenance
ítem



1



z



3
~



c
d

Engine
compartment
maintenance

Change
oil
and
oil
filter
.

Check
brake/clutch
fluid
leve¡

Check
battery
acid
leve¡
and
correct
asnecessary
.
Repair
Group
121

Check
engine
coolant
level
and
anti-freeze
protection
and
addasnecessary
.
Inspect
for
cooling
system
leaks
.
Repair
Group
170

Lubricate
throttie
linkage

Under
car
maintenance

Check
transmission
for
externa¡
leaks
.

Check
manual
transmission
oil
leve¡
andadd
asnecessary
.
Repair
Group
230

Check
final
drive
lubricant
and
addasnecessary
.

Check
fue¡
tank,
fuel
lines,
and
all
connections
for
leaks
.

Inspect
exhaust
system
.
Repair
Group
180

Check
steeringrack
and
steeringlinkages
.
Check
power
steering
system
for
leaks
.
Check
(luid
leve¡
.
Repair
Group
320

Inspect
brake
system
for
damaged
hoses
and
fines,
leaks
or
damage
.
Remove
calipers
and
check
brake
pad
wear
.
Check
brake
rotors
for
scoring
damage
.
Repair
Group
340

Check
parking
brake
operation,
adjust
cable
if
necessary
Repair
Group
340

Inspect
front
and
rear
suspension,
including
wheel
bearings,
for
play
.
Repair
Group
320/330

Inspect
wheelsand
tires,
including
spare,
check
tire
pressure
and
condition

Body
and
Interior
Maintenance

Lubricate
door
hinges
and
hood
latch,
hood
hinges

Check
headlight
and
driving
light
aiming
and
adjust
as
necessary
.

Check
operation
of
headlights,
parking
lights,
back-up
fights,
licenseplate
lights,
interior
lights,
glove
box
light,
engine
compartment
light,
trunk
light,
instrument
panel
lights,
turnsignals,
emer-gency
flashers,
stop
fights,
horas,
headlight
flasher
and
dimmer
switch

Replace
ventilation/A/C
micro-filter
.
Check
functionof
air
conditioning
.
Repair
Group
640

Check
function
of
seat
belts
.
Repair
Group
720

Check
tightness
of
mountfng
screws
on
airbag
front
crash
sensors
(Airbag
I)
.
Repair
Group
721

Check
windshield
washer
fluid
leve¡
and
concentration,
add
as
necessary
Check
operation
of
washer
system
.
Check
condition
of
wiperblades
.
Repair
Group
611

Tighten
nuts
and
bolts
for
door
locks
and
striker
plates

Replace
batteries
for
alarm/remote
control
in
masterkey(where
applicable)
.

Road
Test

Check
braking
performance,
steering,
HVAC,
manual
or
automatic
transmission,
and
mirrors

Service
Interval
Reset

Reset
service
indicator
using
specialreset
tool
.

MAINTENANCE
TALES

NOTE-

"
On
carswith
OBD
ti,
specialized
OBD
11
scan
tool
equipment
must
be
used
to
access
the
DTCs,
either
using
the
BMW
special
tool
ora
`generic"
OBD
11
scan
tool
.
See
130
Fuel
Injection
.

"
The
08D
11
fault
memory
(including
an
iiluminated
Check
Engine
light)
can
only
be
reset
using
the
spe-
cial
scan
tool
.
Removing
the
connector
from
the
ECM
or
disconnecting
the
battery
will
not
erase
the
fault
memory
.

Table
d
.
OBD
1
Fault
(Blink)
Codes

(1992-1995
modeis
only)

Graphic
representation
of
flashing
Check
Engine
light
fault
code
:
1221
5
Seconds
.
:-



2
.5~-

--05--

Fault
code
and
meaning



1
Corrective
action

Code
1216
:
Throttle
potentiometer

Code
1218
:
Output
stage,
group#1
(DME
3
.3
.ionly)

Code
1219
:
Output
stage,
group
#2
(DME
3
.3.1
only)

Code
1221
:
Oxygen
sensor
#1

Code
1224
:
Air
temperature
sensor
(NTC)

Code
1226
:
Knock
sensor
#2
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)

130

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-
9

2
.5
seconds,
then
go
off
for
2
.5
seconds
.
At
thispoint,
the
fault
codes
will
begin
to
flash
.
See
Table
d
.

If
more
than
one
fault
has
been
detected,
eachcode
will
be
separated
by
a2
.5
second
pause
.
When
al¡
fault
codes
havebeen
displayed,
there
will
be0
.5
second
flash
and
thenthe
light
will
remain
off
.
To
read
the
codes
again,
turn
the
key
off
and
then
on
again
.
Depress
theaccelerator
pedal
to
the
floor
five
times
quickly
(within
5
seconds)
.
The
codes
will
begin
to
repeat
.

On
cars
with
OBD
I,
fault
codes
can
be
read
by
turning
the



To
erase
the
fault
code
memory,
first
make
sure
the
fault

ignition
key
on
and
fully
depressing
theaccelerator
pedal
to



code
1000
(short
blink
and
then
light
goes
out
for
long
period)

the
floor
five
times
within
five
seconds
.
TheCheck
Engine



is
present,
then
depress
the
throttle
fully
for
at
least
10
sec-

light
will
then
remain
on
for
five
seconds,
blink
off,
come
on
for



onds
.
Read
the
fault
codes
as
described
earlier
and
check
for
the
1444
code
(no
faults
stored)
.

-,--------------
Check
Engine
light
on

Check
Engine
light
off

Code
1211
:
DM
E
Control
Module



DME
control
module
may
be
faulty
.
This
code
appears
if
the
control
module
fails
the
self
test
.
Check
inputsto
control
module
.
Repair
Group
130

Code
1215
:
Mass
air
flow
sensor



Check
air
flow
or
mass
air
flow
sensor
and
wiring
to
sensor
.
Repair
Group
130

Test
throttle
potentiometer
resistance
and
wiring
.
Repair
Group
130

Test
DME
control
module
input/outputs
.
Repair
Group
130

Test
DME
control
module
input/outputs
.
Repair
Group
130

Check
sensor
output
signal
to
DME
control
module
.
Repair
Group

Code
1222
:
Oxygen
sensor
lean/rich
control
stop



Check
for
intake
air
leaks
or
reasons
forrich
míxture
.
See
Driveabil-
ity
Troubleshooting
given
earlier
in
this
repair
group

Code
1223
:
Coolant
temperaturesensor
(NTC)



1
Test
coolant
temperature
sensor
.
Repair
Group
130

Test
intake
air
temperature
sensor
.
Repair
Group
130

Code
1225
:
Knock
sensor#1
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



1
Check
knocksensorand
sensor
wiring
.
Repair
Group
120

Check
knocksensor
and
sensor
wiring
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1231
:
Batteryvoltage
monitor



Test
battery
voltage
and
battery
check
charging
system
and
starter
.
Repair
Group
121

Code
1234
:
Speedometer
"A"signal
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Check
wiring
between
instrument
cluster
and
DME
control
module
.
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams

Code
1237
:
A/C
compressor
cutoff
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Test
DME
control
module
inputs/outputs
from
A/C
system
.
Repair
Group
130

Code
1242
:
A/C
compressor
signal
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Test
DME
control
module
inputs/outputs
from
A/C
system
.
Repair
Group
130

DRIVEABILITY
TROLIBLESHOOTING

IGNITION
SYSTEM
DIAGNOSTICS



IGNITION
SYSTEM
SERVICE

Poor
driveability
may
have
a
variety
of
causes
.
The
fault



On
4-cylinder
engines,
an
ignition
coil
pack
is
mounted
to

may
lie
with
the
ignition
system,
the
fuel
system,
parts
of
the



the
passenger
side
strut
tower
in
the
engine
compartment
.

emission
control
system,
or
a
combination
of
the
three
.
Be-



The
coil
pack
integrates
4
individual
coils
.

cause
of
these
interrelated
functions
and
their
effects
oneach

other,
it
is
often
difficult
to
know
where
to
begin
looking
for



On
6-cylinder
engines,
an
ignition
coil
is
located
directly

problems
.



above
each
spark
plug
.

For
this
reason,
effective
troubleshooting
should
alwaysbe-

gin
with
an
interrogation
of
the
On-Board
Diagnostic
(OBD)

system
.
The
OBD
system
detects
certain
emissions-related

engine
management
malfunctions
.
When
faults
are
detected,

the
OBD
system
stores
a
Diagnostic
Trouble
Code
(DTC)
in

the
system
ECM
.
In
addition,
the
Check
Enginewarning
light

will
come
on
if
an
emissions-related
fault
is
detected
.

Two
generations
of
OBD
areusedon
the
cars
coveredby

this
manual
.
See
100
Engine-General
for
OBD
information
.

On-Board
Diagnostics

"
1992-1995
models
............
...
.
..
...



OBD
I

"
1996
and
later
models
.........
.......
..
OBD
II

NOTE-

"
On
carswith
OBD
ti,
specialized
OBD
11
scan
tool

equipment
mustbeused
to
access
DTCs,
either
using

the
BMW
special
tool
or
a
`generic"
OBD
11
scan
tool
.

"
The
OBD
11
fault
memory
(including
an
illuminated

Check
Engine
light)
can
only
be
reset
using
the
spe-

cial
scan
tool
.
Removing
the
connector
from
the
ECM

or
dísconnecting
the
battery
will
not
erase
the
fault

memory
.

Basic
Troubleshooting
Principies

An
engine
that
starts
and
runs
indicates
the
ignition
system

is
fundamentally
working-delivering
voltage
toat
least
some

of
the
sparkplugs
.
A
hard-starting
or
poor-running
engine,

however,
may
indicate
ignition
coil
problems,
cracked
or
dete-

riorated
spark
plug
wires
(4-cylinder
engines
only),
and
worn

or
fouled
spark
plugs
.

WARNING
-

Inefficient
combustion
(richair/fuel
mixture)
can

cause
the
catalytic
converter
to
overheat
and
plug
.

An
overheated
catalytic
converter
can
also
bea
tire

hazard
.

Checking
for
Spark

IGNITION
SYSTEM



120-
3

WARNING
-

If
a
spark
test
is
done
incorrectly,
damage
to
theen-
gine
control
module
(ECM)
or
the
ignitioncoil(s)
may
result
.

Checking
for
spark
is
difficult
onengines
with
distributorless

ignition
systems
.

Try
Rmovng
the
plugs
and
inspecting
for
differences
be-

tween
them
.
A
poor-firing
plug
may
be
wet
with
fuel
and/or

black
and
sooty,
butnot
always
.
If
a
coil
is
not
operating,
the

engine
management
system
will
electrically
disable
the
fuel
injectorto
that
cylinder
.
The
key
is
to
look
for
differences
be-

tween
cylinders
.

Ignition
coil,
testing
and
replacing

(4-cylinder
engine)

1.
Disconnect
mainharness
connector
from
coils
:

"
On
M42
engine,
remove
plastic
covering
from
coils
and

disconnect
individual
harness
connectors
.

"
On
M44
engine,
disconnect
main
harness
connectorat

end
of
coil
pack
.
See
Fig
.
3
.

Fig
.
3
.



Ignition
coil
pack
for
M44
engine
(arrow)
.
Coil
harness
con-

nector
shown
at1
.

IGNITION
SYSTEM
SERVICE

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

121-
4



BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR

BatteryOpen-Circuit
Voltage
Test



Battery
Charging

Before
making
the
test,
load
the
battery
with
15
amperes
for



Discharged
batteries
can
be
recharged
using
a
battery

one
minute
with
a
batteryload-tester
or
turn
on
the
headlights



charger
.
The
battery
should
be
removed
from
the
luggage

for
about
one
minute
without
the
engine
running
.Then
discon-



compartment
during
charging
.

nect
the
battery
negative
(-)
cable
and
connect
a
digital
volt-

meter
acrossthe
battery
terminals
.
Open-circuit
voltage



Prolonged
charging
causes
electrolyte
evaporation
to
a
lev

levels
are
given
in
Table
c
.



el
that
can
damage
the
battery
.
Itis
bestto
use
a
low-current

charger
(6
amperes
or
less)
to
prevent
battery
damage

If
the
open-circuit
voltage
ís
OK
butthe
battery
still
lacks



caused
by
overheating
.

power
for
starting,
make
a
load
voltage
test
.
If
the
open-circuit

voltage
is
below
12
.4
volts,
recharge
the
battery
and
retest
.



WARNING
-

Hydrogen
gas
given
off
by
the
battery
duringcharg-

Table
c
.
Open-Circuit
Voltage
and
Battery
Charge



ing
is
explosive
.
Do
not
smoke
.
Keep
open
llames

away
from
the
top
of
the
battery,
and
prevent
elec
Open-circuit
voltage



State
of
charge



trical
sparks
by
turning
offthe
battery
charger
be-

12
.6
V
or
more



Fully
charged



fore
connecting
or
disconnecting
it
.

12
.4
V



1



75%
charged

12
.2
V



50%
charged



CAUTION-

12
.0
V



25%
charged



"
Battery
electrolyte
(sulfuric
acid)
can
damage
the
car
.
If
electrolyte
isspilled,
clean
the
area
11
.7
V
or
less



Fully
discharged



with
a
solution
of
baking
soda
and
water
.

Battery
Load
Voltage
Test

A
battery
load
tester
is
required
for
a
load
voltage
test
.
The



-
Always
disconnect
both
battery
cables
and
re-

test
is
made
by
applying
a
high
resistive
load
to
the
battery
ter-



move
battery
from
vehicle
during
battery
charg-
ing
.
Do
not
exceed
16
.5volts
at
the
battery
.
minals
and
then
measuring
battery
voltage
.
The
battery
should

be
fully
charged
for
the
most
accurate
results
.
The
battery
ca-

bles
mustbe
disconnected
before
making
the
test
.
If
the
volt-



ALTERNATOR
$ERVICE
age
is
below
that
listed
in
Table
d,
the
battery
should
be

replaced
.

WARNING
-

Always
wear
protective
goggles
and
clothing
when
performing
aload
test
.

Table
d
.
Battery
Load
Test-Minimum
Voltage

(apply
200
amp
load
for
15
seconds)

Ambient
temperature



Voltage

80°F
(27°C)



9
.6
V

60°F
(16°C)



9
.5
V

40°F
(4°C)



9
.3
V

20°F
(-7°C)



8
.9
V

0°F
(-18°C)



8
.5
V

ALTERNATOR
SERVICE

"
Always
allow
a
frozen
battery
to
thaw
before
at-
tempting
to
recharge
it
.

Before
checking
the
alternator
and
regulator,
make
sure
the

battery
is
fully
charged
and
capable
of
holding
acharge
.
Check
that
the
battery
terminals
are
clean
and
tight
and
the
al-

ternator
drive
belt
is
properly
tensioned
and
not
severely

worn
.

Charging
system,
checking

CAUTION-

Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
while
the
engine
is
running,
.
Damage
to
the
alternator
andlorengine
electronic
systems
may
result
.

1.
Turn
ignition
key
on
.
Check
that
the
chargewarning

lamp
comes
on
.

NOTE-

If
the
warning
light
does
not
come
on,
repair
any
wiring
or
bulb
faults
before
continuing
to
check
the
charging
system
.

2
.
Remove
cooling
duct
or
terminal
cover
from
rear
of
al-



2
.
Remove
air
cleaner
upper
section
with
mass
air
flow
ternator
.



sensor
.

3
.
Check
for
battery
voltage
between
ground
and
terminal



3
.
Remove
terminal
cover
from
rear
of
alternator
.
Discon
B+
at
back
of
alternator
.
Then
turn
ignition
on
and



nect
wiring
.
check
for
battery
voltage
between
terminal
D+
and
ground
.
See
Fig
.
3
.
lf
voltage
is
not
present
at
either



4
.
Remove
drive
belt
from
alternator
pulley
.
See
020
point,
check
wiring
for
faults
.



Maintenance
program
.

001
¡987
Fig
.
3
.



Terminal
B+
is
supplied
battery
voltage
directly
from
the
bat-
tery
.
Terminal
D+
is
supplied
battery
voltage
via
the
charge
warning
bulb
when
thekey
is
on
or
the
engine
is
running
.

4
.
lf
no
faults
are
foundup
to
thispoint,test
alternator
out-

put
using
a
load
tester
.

5
.
If
a
load
tester
is
not
available,
a
crude
output
test
can
be
done
by
running
engine
at
about
2000
rpmand
turn-
ing
on
electrical
loads
(fans,
lights
and
rear
window
de-
froster,
wipers)
.
With
al¡
accessories
on,
battery
voltage
should
be
above
12
.0
VDC
.

A
replacement
alternator
should
have
the
same
rating
as
the
original
.
Alternator
manufacturer
and
ampere
rating
are
normally
marked
on
the
alternator
housing
.
1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
battery
cable
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
vi¡¡
.

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-
5

6
.
Remove
upper
and
lower
mounting
bolts
and
lift
out
al-
ternator
.
See
Fig
.
4
.

NOTE
-

If
reusing
drive
belt,
mark
direction
of
rotation
on
belt
before
removing
.

5
.
On
M44
engine
with
hydraulic
belt
tensioner
:
Remove
tensioner
idler
pulley
(upper
roller)
from
alternator

bracket
.

Fig
.
4
.



Alternator
mounting
bolts
(arrows)
.

O



u
J
S
v~~

U

I



1
i
n
-12
.22

Alternator,
removing
and
installing



7
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.
Install
drive
belt
as

(4-cylinder
engine)



described
in
020
Maintenance
Program
.

Tightening
Torques

"
D+
vire
to
alternator
(M6
nut)
.
...
.
.
.
7
Nm
(53
in-lb)

"
B+
wire
to
alternator
(M8
nut)
..
.
.
.
.
.
13
Nm
(10
ft-Ib)

"
Pulley
to
alternator
(M16
nut)
...
..
..
60
Nm
(44
ft-Ib)

ALTERNATOR
SERVICE

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

121-
8



BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR

1f
the
solenoid
audibly
cliicks
but
the
motor
does
not
turn,



Starter,
removing
and
installing
switch
on
the
lights
andtum
the
key
to
the
start
position
.
lf
the



(6-cylinder
engine
with
lights
go
out
while
attempting
to
start,
the
battery
cable
may
be



manual
transmission)
loose
or
the
starter
may
have
a
short
circuit
.
If
the
lights
stay

on,the
solenoid
is
most
likely
atfault
.
The
starter
on
a
6-cylinder
car
with
manual
transmission
is

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(4-cylinder
engine)



1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
battery
cable
.

1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
cable
from
battery
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery

disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this

manual
on
page
viii
.

2
.
Remove
guide
tube
for
oil
dipstick
.

3
.
Raise
vehicle
.

WARNING
-

Make
sure
the
car
ís
stable
and
wefl
supported
at
all
times
.
Use
a
professional
automotive
lift
or
jack
stands
designed
forthe
purpose
.
A
floor
jack
is
not
adequate
support
.

4
.
Disconnect
wiring
from
starter
.

5
.
Remove
top
and
bottom
starter
bolts
.
Bottom
bolt
must

be
removed
from
below
car
.
Remove
starter
support

bracket,
if
applicable
.

removed
from
below
.

2
.
Raise
vehicle
.

3
.
Remove
reinforcing
cross
bracefromunder
transmís-

sion,
if
applicable
.

4
.
Remove
cover
from
fuel
filter
and
fuel
lines
on
left
side

underneath
car,
if
applicable
.
Detach
fuel
lines
and
har-

ness
connectors
from
retainingbrackets,
as
necessary

5
.
Disconnect
wiring
from
starter
.

6
.
Loosen
andremove
bolts
and
nuts
fastening
starter
to

transmission
bell
housing
and/or
engine
block
.
Remove

starter
supportbracket
.

7
.
Remove
starter
from
below
.

8
.
Check
starter
pinion
gear
and
flywheel
teeth
for
dam-

age
.

9
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.

6
.
Pull
starter
downward
and
turn
until
solenoid
is
at
top,



Tightening
Torques

then
remove
from
car
.



"
Re¡
nforcing
cross
brace

to
chassis
(M10)
..
...............
42
Nm
(31
ft-Ib)

7
.
>Check
starter
pinion
gear
and
flywheel
teeth
for
dam-



"
Starter
to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
...
50
Nm
(37
ft-Ib)

age
.



"
Support
bracket
to
starter
(M5
nut)
...
5
Nm
(44
in-lb)

"
Support
bracket

8
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.



to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
.........
47
Nm
(35
ft-Ib)

"
Wire
to
terminal
50
(M6
nut)
.........
6
Nm
(53
ín-Ib)

"
Wire
to
terminal
30
(M8
nut)
.........
12
Nm
(9
ft-lb)

Tightening
Torques

"
Starter
to
engine
block
(M10
bolt)
...
50
Nm
(37
ft-lb)

Wire
to
terminal
50
(M6
nut)
........
6
Nm
(53
in-lb)

"
Wire
toterminal
30
(M8
nut)
...
,
..:.
12
Nm
(9
ft-Ib)

STARTER
SERVICE

ELECTRICAL
CHECKS
AND
COMPONENT
TESTING

Main
relay,
testing

The
main
relay
is
energized
via
the
engine
control
module

and
supplies
plus
(+)
power
to
the
many
of
the
engine
man-

agement
components
and
subsystems,
including
the
fuel

pump
relay
.
If
this
relay
is
faulty,
the
engine
will
not
start
.

1
.
With
ignition
off,
remove
main
relay
.
See
Fig
.
6
.

.

iommooommmoi



~
"""

Fuel
DME
sensor

CA
UTION-

Relay
positions
can
vary
.
Be
sure
to
confirm
relay
position
by
identífyíng
the
wiring
in
the
socket
us-
ingthe
wiring
diagramsfound
at
the
rearof
this

manual
.

0013034)
Fuel
pump
relay,
testing

FUEL
INJECTION



130-
7

87

851186

30
~j

1
.
Remove
fuel
pump
relay
from
its
socket
.

87661

Fig
.
7
.



Check
for
battery
voltage
at
main
relay
terminals
30
and
86
.
Voltage
should
be
present
at
all
times
.

4
.
With
ignition
on
and
relay
installed,
check
for
battery

voltage
at
terminals
87
.

"
If
battery
voltage
is
present,relay
has
energized
and
is

functioningcorrectly
.

"
lf
battery
voltage
is
not
present
and
al¡
earlier
tests
are

OK,
relay
is
faulty
and
should
be
replaced
.

Fig
.
6
.



Engine
management
relays
in
the
power
distribution
box,
left
rear
of
engine
compartment
.



The
fuel
pump
relay
is
located
in
the
power
distribution
box
.

Refer
to
Fig
.
6
.

The
ECM
supplies
power
to
the
coil
side
of
the
fuel
pump
re-

lay
.
During
starting,
the
fuel
pump
runs
as
long
as
the
ignition

switch
isin
the
start
position
and
continues
to
run
once
theen-

gine
starts
.
If
the
relay
ís
faulty
the
fuel
pump
will
notrun
.

2
.
Check
for
voltage
at
terminal
30
and
terminal
86
of
re-

¡ay
socket
.
See
Fig
.
7
.



2
.
With
key
off,
check
for
batteryvoltage
at
socket
terminal

"
If
battery
voltage
is
present
continue
testing



30
.
See
Fig
.
8
.

"
lf
battery
voltage
is
not
present
at
either
point,
check

large
red
wire
in
relay
socket
.
See
Electrical
Wiring



3
.
With
ignition
key
in
start
position
check
for
battery
volt-

Diagrams
.



age
at
terminal
86
.

NOTE-



4
.
With
ignition
key,
use
digital
multimeter
to
check
for

The
wiring
to
terminals
85
and
86
in
the
main
relay
may



ground
at
terminal
85
.

be
reversed
.
Electrically,
the
relay
functions
either
way
.

lf
voltage
ís
not
present
at
terminal
86,
check
for
volt-



NOTE-
age
at
terminal
85
.



The
ground
atterminal
85
is
switched
by
the
ECM
.
The

ECM
hamess
must
be
connected
to
check
the

3
.
Reinstall
relay
and
turn
ignition
on
.
Gainaccess
to
un-



switched
ground
connection
.

derside
of
relay
socket
and
check
for
ground
at
terminal

85
(brown
wire)
.



5
.
If
no
faults
are
found
up
tothis
point,
testfuel
pump
op-

"
lf
ground
is
present
continue
testing
.



eration
as
described
in
160
Fuel
Tank
and
Fuel
Pump
.

"
If
ground
is
not
present,
signal
from
ECM
is
missing
.

Check
wire
between
ECM
and
relay
.
If
no
faults
can

be
found,
ECM
may
be
faulty
.

ELECTRICAL
CHECKS
AND
COMPONENT
TESTING