checking oil BMW 323i 1995 E36 Workshop Manual

WARNING
-

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

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

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

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

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

low
the
residual
pressure
to
dissipate
gradually
.

Take
precautions
to
avoid
spraying
fuel
.

Lifting
the
Car

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
3

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

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

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

safely
raised
.
The
jacksupplied
with
thecar
by
BMW
can
only

be
used
at
the
fourside
points
just
behindthe
front
wheel
or

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

WARNING
-

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

draulic
lift,
carefully
position
the
jack
pad
topre-

vent
damaging
the
car
body
.
A
suitable
liner

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

"
Watch
the
jack
closely
.
Make
sure
ft
stays
stable

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

Fig
.
1
.



3-Seriesjacking
points
(arrows)
.

Raising
car
safely

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

2
.
Remove
the
round
cover
from
jack
mount
using
a

screwdriver
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

0013126

Fig
.
2
.



Jack
mount
cover
being
removed
from
rocker
panel
.

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

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

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

4
.
Raisecar
slowly
while
constantly
checking
position
of

jack
and
car
.

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

farthest
from
jackto
prevent
car
fromunexpectedly
roll-

ing
.

GET77NG
STARTER

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
Maintenance
Program

GENERAL
.
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
..
020-2

BMW
Service
Indicator
......
..
....
..
...
..
.
020-2

Oil
Service
.....
.
..........
..
...
...
...
..
.
020-2

Inspection
I
and
Inspection
II
.
..
....
..
...
..
.
020-2

Resetting
Service
Indicator
....
.
....
..
...
..
.
020-3

MAINTENANCE
TABLES
..
.
.
.
.
.
........
020-3

FLUID
AND
LUBRICANT

SPECIFICATIONS
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
....
.
...
020-8

Manual
Transmission
Fluid
..
.
.
.
.
.
....
.
.
.
.
020-8

Automatic
Transmission
Fluid
.
.
.
.
.
....
.
.
.
.
020-8

Final
Drive
Gear
Oil
................
.
.
.
.
020-9
Brake
Fluid
.
.
.
.
.
................
.
.
.
.
020-9
Engine
Coolant
(Anti-freeze)
.
.
...
.
....
.
.
.
.
020-9

Power
Steering
Fluid
........
..
......
.
.
.
.
020-9

ENGINE
OIL
SERVICE
.
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
020-9

Engine
oil,
checking
leve¡
..
...
...
..
........
020-9
Engine
oil
and
filter,
changing
....
.
......
.
..
020-9

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT

MAINTENANCE
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
......
020-10

Air
filter,
replacing
.
...
...
.
.....
.
.....
.
...
020-11

Spark
plugs,
replacing
...
.
......
.
...
..
...
020-11

¡dle
Speed
.
..
...
...
....
.
......
.
...
..
...
020-12

Battery,
checking
and
cleaning
.......
..
...
020-12

Battery,
replacing
.
.....
.
.....
.
.....
..
...
020-12

Accelerator
and
Throttle
Linkage
.
.....
..
...
020-13

Engine
DriveBelts
.....
.
....
..
...
...
...
.
020-13

V-belt,
replacing

(4-cylinder
engines
built
up
to
1/94)
..
....
.
020-13

Poly-ribbed
belt,
replacing

(4-cylinder
engines
built
from
1194

and
all
6-cylinder
engines)
.
.
....
..
......
020-13

Cooling
System
Service
.
...
..
....
..
....
..
020-14

Power
steering
fluid,
checking
leve¡
.
..
....
.
.
020-14

Oxygen
Sensors
....
...
..
..
....



.
.....
.
.
020-15

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-1

UNDER-CAR
MAINTENANCE
.
..
.
...
.
.
.020-16
'

Fuel
filter,
replacing
...
.
.....
..
.....
..
..
.020-16

Tires,
checking
inflation
pressure
.
.....
.
....
020-17

Tires,
rotating
...
..
.....
..
....
..
....
.
....
020-17

Wheels,
aligning
..
.....
.
...........
.
....
'020-17

Brake
system,
inspecting
.
.
....
.
.....
..
...
020-17

Brake
pad/rotor
wear,checking
.
......
.
....
020-17

Brake
fluid,
replacing
.........
..
.



..
..



.
020-17

Parking
brake,
checking
......
.
.....
..
....
020-17

Exhaust
system,
inspecting
....
..
.....
.
...
.020-18

Manual
Transmission
Senrice
..
..
.....
.
....
020-18

Manual
transmission
fluida

checking
and
filling
..
.
....
..



.
.
..
..
....
020-18

AutomaticTransmission
Service
.
....
...
....
020-18

Front
suspension
and
steeringlinkages,
inspecting
..
.
:.....
.
....
..
.....
..
...
.
.020-18

Rear
suspension,
inspecting
.
..
...
...
....
..
020-18

Final
drive
oil
leve¡,
checking
.
.
.
...
....
...
..
020-18

Fuel
tank
and
fuel
lines,
inspecting
.
.....
....
020-19

Clutch
fluid,
checking
...
...
...
...
....
.....
020-19

Drive
axle
joint
boots,
inspecting
...
..
.....
..
020-19

BODY
AND
INTERIOR

MAINTENANCE
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.020-19
Windshield
Wiper
Blade
Maintenance
....
.
.
020-19

Body
and
hinges,
lubricating
.
.....
..
......
.
020-19

Seat
Belts
...
..
...
...
...
..
.....
..
.....
.
.
020-20

Exterior
Washing
..
...
...
..
.
.
...
..
......
.020-20

Waxing
.....
..
...
...
...
..
.....
..
.......
020-20

Polishing
..
...
...
...
....
..
..........
..
.
.'020-20

Washing
Chassis
.
...
....
.
....
..
.....
.
...
020-20

Special
Cleaning
.
.
.....
..



...
.
.....
..
..
.020-20

Interior
Care
.
....
..
....
..
..



.
.
......
.
...
020-20

Leather
Upholstery
and
Trim
...
..
....
...
...
020-20

TABLES

a
.
Oil
Service
......
...
.
..
.............
...
---
020-4

b
.
Inspection
1
Service
..
.
.
.............
....
...
020-5

c
.
Inspection
11
Service
.
.
...
...........
..
.
..
..
020-6

d
.
Scheduled
Maintenance-Time/Mileage
Intervals
..
020-7

e
.
Fluids
and
Lubricants
..
...
...........
.....
..
020-8

Final
Drive
Gear
Oil

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

Brake
Fluid

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

Engine
Coolant
(Anti-freeze)

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

Power
Steering
Fluid

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

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

WARNING
-

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

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM
020-

ENGINE
OIL
SERVICE



Engine
oil
and
fiiter,
changing

Fig
.
3
.



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

Fig
.
4
.



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

Engine
oii,
checking
leve¡



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

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



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

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



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

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



010
Fundamentals
for
the
Do-It-Yourself
Owner
.

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

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



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



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



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



strip
the
threads
of
the
plug
and
the
oil
pan
.

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

ENGINE
OIL
SERVICE

020-
1
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
.

Accelerator
and
Throttle
Linkage

The
accelerator
and
throttie
linkage
should
be
lubricated
pe-
riodically
.
Use
a
general
purpose
oil
on
the
joints
and
bearings

of
the
linkage
.
Use
a
multipurpose
grease
on
the
bearing
points

of
the
throttie
plate
.

Engine
Drive
Belts

Drive
belts
and
pulleys
transfer
power
from
theengine
crank-

shaft
to
various
accessories
.
See
Fig
.
13
.
Depending
on
model

and
model
year,
engine
driven
accessories
are
driven
by
V-

belts,
poly-ribbed
(serpentine)
belts,
or
a
combination
of
the

two
.
For
example,
early
4-cylinder
engines,
usetwo
V-belts
and
one
poly-ribbed
belt
.

Inspect
drivebelts
with
the
engine
off
.
lf
the
belt
shows
signs

of
wear,
cracking,
glazing,
or
missing
sections,
it
should
be
re-

placed
immediately
.

V
belt,
replacing

(4-cylinder
engines
built
up
to
1194)

0012472

Fig
.
13
.
Drive
belt
and
tensioner
assembly
for
late
4-cylinder
engine
wíth
poly-ribbed
drive
belt
.

V-belts
should
be
inspected
during
regular
maintenance
in-

tervais
.
Incorrect
tension
can
decrease
the
life
of
the
belt
and

the
component
it
drives
.
The
V-belt
tension
is
adjusted
through

a
toothed-rack
mechanism
.

Inspect
belts
with
the
engine
off
.
Twist
the
beltto
inspect
its

sidewalls
and
bottom
.
Beltstructural
damage,
glazed
or
shiny

sidewaljs
caused
by
a
loose
belt,
orseparation
are
al¡
reasons

to
replace
a
belt
.

Replacement
of
the
V-belts
every
four
years
is
recommend-

ed
.
Loosen
the
mounting
bolts
and
adjust
the
belt-driven
unit

until
the
belt
tension
is
as
loose
aspossible
.
Remove
the
belt
by

slipping
it
over
the
pulleys
.
In
some
cases
it
may
be
necessary

to
removeone
V-belt
to
get
to
another
.
Use
a
torque
wrench
and

a
crowfoot
wrench
to
turn
the
tensioning
gear
bolt
and
set
belt

tension
.
Hold
the
wrench
steady
and
tighten
the
locknut
on
the

rear
of
the
tensioning
gear
bolt
.
Tighten
al¡
other
mounting
nuts
.

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-
1
3

NOTE-

"
For
the
most
accurate
check,
V-belt
tension
should
be
checked
using
a
V-belt
tension
gauge
.

"
Belt
squealing
is
normally
caused
by
loose
beltten-sion
.
Belt
dressings
should
not
be
used
.

Tightening
Torques

"
Tensioning
gear
(alternator

belt
tensioning)
.
.
.
...............
7
Nm
(62
in-lb)

"
Tensioning
gear(power
steering

belt
tensioning)
...
..
...
8
to
8
.5
Nm
(71
to
75
in-lb)

"
Tensioning
gear
locking
nut
.......
24
Nm
(18
ft-Ib)

NOTE-

When
belts
are
replaced
with
new
ones,
store
the
old
set
in
the
luggage
compartment
for
emergency
use
.

When
installing
a
new
belt,
gently
pry
it
over
the
pulleys
.
Too

much
force
may
damage
the
belt
or
the
accessory
.
Tension
the

belt(s),
runthe
engine
for
a
few
minutes
(at
least
1500
rpm),

then
recheck
the
belt
tension
.

CAUTION-

Do
not
over
tighten
the
V-belts
.
Overtightening
will
cause
shaft
bearings
to
fail
prematurely
.

Poly-ribbed
belt,
replacing

(4-cylinder
engines
buiit
from
1194

and
all
6-cylinder
engines)

An
automatic
belt
tensioner
is
used
to
keep
the
belts
ten-

sioned
properly
.
Unless
the
tensioner
mechanism
malfunc-

tions,
the
poly-ribbed
belts
do
not
require
tension
adjustment
.

To
reduce
the
chance
ofbelt
failure
while
driving,
replace-

ment
of
the
belts
every
four
years
is
recommended
.
Mark
drive

belt
rotationdirectíon
if
removing
and
reusing
an
old
belt
.

To
remove
the
belt,
it
is
necessary
toretract
the
self-tension-

er
.
Using
a
breaker
bar
or
other
long
socket
assembly,
rotate

the
tensioner
to
loosenthe
belt
.
See
Fig
.
14
or
Fig
.
15
.
On
4-cyl-

inder
engines,
it
will
benecessary
to
remove
the
A/C
compres-

sor
belt
to
remove
the
main
drive
belt
.

WARNING
-

Observe
care
when
replacing
the
belt
.
Personal
in-
jury
could
result
if
the
tensioner
springs
back
into
position
uncontrollably
.

With
the
belt
removed
from
the
pulleys,
inspect
the
pulleys

for
wear
or
damage
that
may
cause
early
failureof
the
new
belt
.

This
is
also
a
good
opportunity
to
inspect
the
belt-driven
acces-

sories,
checking
for
bearing
wear
and
excess
play
.
Drive
belt

routing
is
shown
in
Fig
.
16
and
Fig
.
17
.

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

020-
1
4



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

uu11989

Fig
.
14
.
Engine
drive
belt
tensíoner
being
released
on
late
4-cylinder
engine
.
Pry
off
tensioner
cover
and
then
lever
tensioner
in
clockwise
direction
(as
facing
engine)
and
slip
beltoff
pulleys
.



Fig
.
17
.
Engine
drive
belt
routing
for
late
4-cylinder
engine
with
poly-
ribbed
drivebelts
.

CA
UTION-

Use
only
BMW
approved
phosphate-free
anti-
freeze
when
filling
the
cooling
system
.
Use
of
anti-

B11177



freeze
containing
phosphates
!s
considerad
to
be

Fig
.
15
.
Engine
drive
belt
tensioner
being
released
on
6-cylinder
en-



harmful
to
the
cooling
system
.

gine
.
Pry
off
tensioner
cover
and
then
lever
tensioner
in
clock-
wise
direction
(as
facing
engine)
and
slipbelt
off
pulleys
.



A
translucent
expansion
tank,
or
overflow
resenroir,
providesmonitóring
of
coolant
leve¡
.
Because
the
expansion
tank
is
translucent,
thecoolant
level
can
be
checked
visually
without
opening
the
system
.
Always
check
thecoolant
leve¡
with
theen-gine
cold
.
The
coolant
leve¡
should
be
at
the
maximum
mark
on
O



o
'~
I



the
expansion
tank,
as
shown
in
Fig
.
18
.

OO



Hose
connectionhld
b
tiht
s
soueg



an
ddry
.
Coolánt
seepage
indicates
either
that
the
hose
clamp
is
loose,
that
the
pose
is

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

0012470

Fig
.
16
.
Engine
drive
belt
routing
for
6-cylinder
engine
.
A/C
compres-
sor
drive
belt
not
shown
.

'92

irá
Alternator
belt

Coolant~
0
pp



o0o



Belt
tensioner

Cooling
System
Service

0013000

Cooling
system
maintenance
consists
of
maíntaining
thecoolant
leve¡,
inspecting
hoses
.
Because
the
coolant's
anti-cor-

rosion
and
anti-freeze
additives
gradually
lose
their
effective-
ness,
replacement
of
thecoolant
every
two
years
up
to
1996
models,
and
every
three
years
from
1996
is
recommended
.
Asa
preventive
measure,
replacement
of
the
cooling
system
hos-
es
every
four
years
is
also
recommended
.

damaged,
or
that
the
connection
is
dirty
or
corroded
.
Dried
cool-
ant
has
a
chalky
appearance
.
Hoses
should
be
firm
and
springy
.
Replace
any
hose
that
is
cracked,
that
has
become
soft
and
limp,
or
has
been
contaminated
by
oil
.
See
Fig
.
19
.

Power
steering
fluid,
checking
leve¡

Check
the
power
steering
fluid
level
in
the
fluid
reservoir
.
Park
thecar
on
leve¡
ground
with
the
engine
off
.
The
level
is
cor-
rect
if
it
is
between
the
MIN
and
MAX
marks
on
the
dipstick
.
See
Fig
.
20
.
If
the
leve¡
is
below
the
MIN
mark,
start
the
engine
andadd
fluid
to
the
reservoir
to
bríng
the
leve¡
up
.
Stop
the
engine
and
recheck
the
leve¡
.
Hand-tighten
the
reservoir
cap
.

020-
1
8



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

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

NOTE-

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

UNDER-CAR
MAINTENANCE

0011920

Manual
transmission
fluid,

checking
and
filling

The
manual
transmission
fluid
leve¡
should
be
checked
at

specified
intervals
.
Check
and
fill
the
transmission
with
the
car

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

placement
procedures
are
covered
in
230
Manual
Transmis-

sion
.

Automatic
Transmission
Service

The
automatic
transmission
is
not
equipped
with
a
dipstíck
.

Therefore,
checking
the
ATF
level
is
an
ínvolved
procedure,

which
includes
measuring
and
maintaining
a
specified
ATF

temperature
during
the
checking
procedure
.

For
more
complete
ATF
service,
including
checking
ATF
lev-

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

Front
suspension
and
steering
linkages,

inspecting

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

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

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

Front
Suspension
.

Exhaust
system,
inspecting



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



Final
drive
and
rear
drive
axle
service
consists
of
checking

and
environmental
conditions
.
If
short-distance
driving
pre-



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



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

Scheduled
maintenance
of
the
exhaust
system
is
limitedlo



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



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



Final
drive
oil
leve¡,
checking

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



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

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



the
oil
level
is
correct
.
See
Fig
.
26
.

Manual
transmissionservice
consists
of
inspectingfor
leaks



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



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



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



Tightening
Torque

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

NOTE-

Use
a14
mm
or17
mm
alíen
bit
socket
to
remove
the
drain
plug
.

"
If
thecar
is
raised
in
the
air,
it
shouldbe
leve¡
.

Fuel
tank
and
fuel
fines,
inspecting

0012474

Inspect
the
fuel
tank,
fuel
lines,
and
fuel
system
for
damage

or
leaks
.
Check
for
fuel
leaks
in
the
engine
compartment
or

fuel
odors
in
the
passenger
compartment
.
Check
for
faultyfuel

lines
bybending
them
.
If
any
leaks
are
present,
fuel
should
be

expelled
.
Check
for
any
evaporative
emissions
hoses
that

may
have
become
disconnected,
checking
carefully
at
the

charcoal
canister
and
evaporative
emissionspurge
system
.

See130
Fuel
Injection
and
160
Fuel
Tank
and
Fuel
Pump

for
component
locations
and
additional
information
.

WARNING
-

When
checking
for
fuel
leaks,
the
engine
must
be
cold
.
A
hot
exhaust
manifold
or
exhaust
system
could
cause
the
fuel
to
ignite
or
explode
causing
se-
rious
personal
injury
.
Uentilate
the
workarea
and
clean
up
spilled
fuel
immediately
.

Clutch
fluid,
checking

The
hydraulic
clutch
and
the
brake
system
share
the
same

reservoir
and
the
same
brake
fluid
.
Clutch
fluid
leve¡
and
brake

fluid
level
are
checked
at
the
same
time
.
See340
Brakes
for

more
information
.
See210
Clutch
for
information
on
the
clutch

and
the
hydraulic
clutch
operating
system
.

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-19

Drive
axie
joint
boots,
inspecting

100
Engine-General

The
protective
boots
must
be
closely
inspected
for
cracks
andany
other
damage
that
will
allow
contaminants
to
get
ínto
the
joint
.
If
the
rubber
boots
faf
,
the
water
and
dirt
that
enter
the
joint
will
quickly
damage
¡t
.
Replacement
of
the
drive
axle
joint
boots
and
inspection
of
the
joints
are
described
in
330
Rear
Suspension
.

BODY
AND
INTERIOR
MAINTENANCE

Windshield
Wiper
Biade
Maintenance

Common
problems
with
the
windshield
wipers
include

streaking
or
sheeting,
water
drops
after
wiping,
and
blade
chat-

ter
.
Streaking
is
usually
caused
when
wiper
blades
are
coated

with
road
film
or
car
wash
wax
.
Clean
the
blades
using
soapy
water
.
If
cleaning
theblades
does
not
cure
the
problem
then

they
should
be
replaced
.
BMW
recommends
replacing
the
wip-
er
blades
twice
a
year,
before
and
after
the
cold
season
.
Onold-

er
cars,
check
the
tension
spring
that
holds
the
wiper
to
the

glass
.
Replace
the
wiper
arm
if
the
springs
are
weak
.

Drops
that
remainbehind
after
wipingare
caused
by
oil,
road

film,
or
diesel
exhaust
coating
the
windshield
.
Use
an
alcohol
or

ammonia
solution,
or
a
non-abrasive
cleanser
to
clean
the

windshield
.

Wiper
blade
chatter
may
be
caused
by
dirty
or
worn
blades,

bya
dirty
windshield,
or
by
bentor
twisted
wiper
arms
.
Clean

the
blades
and
windshield
as
described
above
.
Adjust
the
wiper

arm
so
that
there
is
even
pressure
along
the
blade,
and
so
that

the
blade
is
perpendicular
to
the
windshield
atrest
.
Lubricate

the
wiper
linkage
with
a
light
oil
.
The
linkage
is
located
under

the
hood
on
the
drivers
side
.
If
the
problem
persists,
theblades
are
excessively
aged
or
worn
and
should
be
replaced
.
See
611
Wipers
and
Washers
.

Body
and
hinges,
lubricating

The
door
locks
and
lock
cylinders
canbe
lubricated
with
an

oil
that
contains
graphite
.

The
body
and
door
hinges,
the
hood
latch,
and
the
door

check
rods
should
be
lubricated
with
SAE
30
or
SAE
40
engine

oil
.
Lubricate
the
seat
runners
with
multipurpose
grease
.
Do
not

apply
any
oil
to
rubber
parts
.
If
door
weatherstrips
are
sticking,

lubricate
them
with
silicone
spray
or
talcum
powder
.
The
hood

release
cable
should
be
lubricated
as
well
.

The
use
of
winter
lock
de-icer
spraysshould
be
kept
to
an
ab-

solute
minimum,
as
the
alcohol
in
the
de-icer
will
wash
the

grease
out
of
the
lock
assemblies,
and
may
cause
the
locks
to

corrode
internally,
or
become
difficult
to
operate
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-1

100-6
ENGINE-GENERAL

Cylinder
compression,
checking

A
compression
tester
is
needed
to
make
a
compression
test
.

To
obtain
accurate
test
results,
the
battery
and
starter
must
be
capable
of
cranking
the
engine
at
250-300
rpm,
and
theen-

gine
should
be
at
normal
operating
temperature
.
Use
com-

pressed
air
to
clean
aroundthe
spark
plugs
before
removal
.

1
.
Disable
the
ignítion
system
by
removing
the
engine

management
system
main
relay
and
the
fuel
pump
re-
¡ay
.
See
Fig
.
6
.

WARNING
-

The
ignítion
system
produces
high
voltages
that
canbe
fatal
.
Avoid
contact
with
exposed
termínals
and

useextreme
caution
when
working
on
acar
wíth
the
ignítion
switched
on
or
the
engine
running
.

Fuel



DM
E
pump
main
re
ay



rel
ay
o
oa
ooa

.,
o00
oao

Fig
.
6
.



Engine
management
relays
in
power
distribution
box
inleft
rear
of
engine
compartment
.

CAUTION-

"
On
OBD
11
cars,
making
a
compression
test
may
causea
faultto
set
in
the
ECM
and
may
also
il-
luminate
the
Check
Engine
light
.
The
light
can
only
be
tumed
out
using
special
scan
tool
equip-
ment,using
eíther
the
BMW
specialservíce
tool
or
using
a
"generic"
OBD
11
scan
tool
.
Discon-
necting
the
battery
will
not
erase
the
fault
mem-
orynor
turn
outthe
light
.

0013034,

0012630

Fig
.
7
.



Remove
spark
plug
wires
from
spark
plugs
on
4-cylinder
en-
gine
using
special
tool
.
Tool
is
stored
under
cover
at
rear
of
cylinder
head
(arrow)
.

Fig
.
8
.



Remove
engine
cover
on
6-cylinder
engine
byprying
off
nut
covers
and
removing
nuts
(A)
.
Be
careful
not
to
let
rubber
in-
sulators
fall
off
as
cover
is
removed
(arrows)
.

4
.
On
6-cylinder
engines,
disconnect
the
harness
connec-
tors
from
the
ignítion
coils
by
lifting
the
retaining
clip
.

Remove
the
coil
mounting
nuts
andremove
the
six
coils
.
See
Fig
.
9
.
Remove
the
sparkplugs
.
"
Failure
to
remove
the
main
relay
or
attempting
to
disable
the
ignítion
system
by
other
methods
may
resultin
damage
to
the
engine
control
module
.



NOTE-

Used
sparkplugs
should
be
reinstalled
in
the
same
cyl-

2
.
On
4-cylinder
engine
:
Remove
plastic
engine
cover
from



inder
fromwhich
they
were
removed
.

top
of
cylinder
head
.
Disconnect
spark
plug
wires
and
re-
move
spark
plugs
.
See
Fig
.
7
.



5
.
Insta¡¡
the
compression
gauge
in
the
first
cylinder's

3
.
On
6-cylinder
engine
:
Remove
top
engine
coverby
pry-



spark
plug
hole,
tight
enough
to
form
a
good
seal
.

ing
off
nut
covers
and
removing
mounting
nuts
.
See
Fig
.
8
.

MECHANICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING