top BMW 325i 1994 E36 User Guide

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

010-14



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

Fig
.
19
.
Instaf
rear
tow
lug
into
threaded
hole
.

if
absolutely
necessary,
cars
with
automatic
transmissions
can
be
towed
with
the
rear
wheels
on
the
ground,
butthe
tow

should
not
exceed
25
miles
(40
km),at
speeds
at
or
below30
mph
(35
km/h)
.
Be
sure
the
transmission
fluid
hasbeen
topped

off
before
starting
the
tow
.
Always
tow
thecar
with
the
transmis-

sion
lever
in
"N"
(neutral)
.
If
the
tow
must
exceed25
miles
(40

km),
add
one
quart
of
ATF
to
the
transmission,
or
better
yet,
re-

move
the
driveshaft
.
Be
sure
to
drain
or
pump
outthe
added
flu-
id
once
the
tow
has
been
completed
.

NOTE-

"
ATF
draining
and
filling
is
covered
in
240
Automatic
Transmission
.

"
Driveshaft
removal
is
covered
in
260
Driveshaft
.

EMERGENCIES

úo1W¿b

Spare
Parts
Kit

Carrying
a
basic
set
of
spare
parts
can
prevent
a
minor

breakdown
from
turning
into
a
major
annoyance
.
Many
of
the

following
itemswon't
allow
you
todo
major
repair
workon
the

car,
but
they
will
help
in
the
event
of
the
failure
of
something
that

can
disable
thecar
or
compromise
its
safety
.

Spare
Parts
Kit
-
Basic
Contents

"
Drive
belt
(V-belt
or
poly-ribbed)

"
Engine
oil
(one
or
two
quarts)

"
Engine
coolant
(1
gallonof
premixed
50/50
anti-freeze

and
water)

"
Fuse
assortment
(7
.5A,
10A,
15A,
20A)

"
Radiator
hoses
(upper
and
lower)

Spare
Parts
Kit
-
Additional
Contents

"
Exterior
lighting
bulbs
(headlight,
brakelight,
turn
signal,

and
taillight)

"
Wiper
biades

"
Brake
fluid
(new
unopened
bottle,
DOT
4
specification)

"
Main
relay
for
DME
system

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

020-6



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

Group
310/330

Table
c
.
Inspection
II
Service

a
d

d



a



a>



0
d

a



r



.c



mm
L



m
y



L
E

ó
3
E
ó

Maintenance
ítem



l
o-



z



~



c

Engine
compartment
maintenance

Inspect
V-belt
/Poly-ribbeddrive
condition
.
Check
V-belt
tension,
if
applicable
.

Lubricate
throttle
linkage
.

Replace
air
filter
.

Change
oil
and
oil
filter
.

Replacespark
plugs
.
Repair
Group
120

Check
brake/clutch
fluid
leve¡
.

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

Check
engine
coolant
leve¡
and
anti-freeze
protection
and
add
asnecessary
.
Inspect
for
cooling
system
leaks
.
Repair
Group
170

Under
car
maintenance

Change
automatic
transmission
fluid
.
Repair
Group
240

Change
manual
transmission
oil
.
Repair
Group
230

Check
clutch
plate
for
wear
.
Repair
Group
210

Check
drive
axle
boots
for
leaks
.
Repair
Group
330

Change
final
drive
fluid
(1995
and
later
models
:
change
synthetic
oil
every
2nd
Inspection
II)
.

Replace
fuel
filter
.

Check
fuel
tank,
fuel
lines,
and
af
connections
for
leaks
.

Inspect
exhaust
system
.
Repair
Group
180

Check
steering
gear
and
steering
¡inkages
.
Check
power
steering
system
for
leaks
.
Check
fluidleve¡
.
Repair
Group
320

Inspect
brake
system
for
damaged
hoses
and
lines,
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
.
Check
thickness
of
parking
brake
lin-
ings
.
Repair
Group
340

Inspect
front
and
rear
suspension,
including
front
and
rear
wheel
bearings,
for
play
.
Repair

Inspect
wheels
and
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
asnecessary
.

Check
operation
of
headlights,
parking
lights,
back-up
lights,
licenseplate
lights,
interior
lights,
glove
box
light,
engine
compartment
light,
trunk
light,
instrument
panel
lights,
turn
signals,
emer-gency
flashers,
stop
lights,
horns,
headlight
flasher
anddimmer
switch
.

Check
active
check
control
panel
forfauits
(where
applicable)
.
6
Electrical
System

MAINTENANCE
TABLES

Continued
on
next
page

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
0



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

1.
Run
engine
for
afewminutes
to
warm
engine
oil
.
Shut



5
.
When
oil
flow
has
diminished
to
an
occasional
drip,
re-

engine
off
.



install
drain
plugwith
a
new
metal
sealing
washerand

torque
plug
.

2
.
With
car
on
level
ground,
place
drain
pan
under
oil
drain

plug
.
See
Fig
.
5
.



Tightening
Torques

"
Engine
oil
drain
plug

M12
bolt
(17mm
wrench)
.
...
.
..
.
25
Nm
(18
ft-Ib)



-

M22
bolt
(19mm
.
wrench)
...
.
...
.
60
Nm
(44
ft-Ib)

Fig
.
5
.



Engine
oil
drain
plug(arrow)
in
oil
pan
.

3
.
Remove
filter
housingcover
.
Remove
filter
cartridge

and
discard
any
O-rings
.
See
Fig
.
6
.

CAUTION-

Pulí
the
loose
plug
away
from
the
hole
quickly
to
avoidbeing
bumed
by
hot
oil
.
It
wíll
runout
quickly
when
the
plug
ís
removed
.
If
possible,
use
gloves
to
protect
your
hands
.

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

0012460

Fig
.
6
.



Engine
oil
filter
cartridge
.
Note
O-ring
locations
when
removing
cover
and
filter
.

4
.
Using
a
socket
or
box
wrench,
loosen
drain
plug
at
oil

drain
pan
.
By
hand,
remove
plug
and
letoil
drain
into

pan
.

6
.
Lubricate
and
install
new
O-rings
.
Install
a
new
filter

cartridge
and
housingcover
.
Tighten
cover
.
See
Fig
.
7
.

7



«
a~
.~~
fT~

iII~IIIi~
.

Fig
.
7
.



Oil
flter
housing
on
6-cylínder
engine
.
4-cylinder
engine
is

similar
.

Tightening
Torque

"
Engine
oil
filter
cover
to
oil

filter
housing
...................
25
Nm
(18
ft-Ib)

7
.
Refill
crankcase
with
oil
.'Approximate
oil
capacity
is
list-

ed
in
Tablee
.
Use
dipstick
to
check
correct
oil
level
.

8
.
Start
engine
and
check
that
oil
pressure
warning
light

immediately
goes
out
.

9
.
Allow
engine
to
run
for
a
few
minutes
to
círculate
new

oil,
then
check
for
leaks
at
drain
plug
and
oil
filter
.
Stop

engine
and
reclieck
oil
level
.

ENGINE
COMPAR



ENT
MAINTENANCE

The
information
underthis
heading
describes
routine
mainte-

nance-other
than
oil
change-done
in
the
engine
compart-

ment
.
It
is
not
necessary
for
the
car
to
be
raised
and
supported
off
the
ground
.
Information
on
oil
change
is
given
earlier
under

Engine
Oil
Change
.

Air
filter,
replacing



Spark
plugs,
replacing

The
specified
maintenance
intervals
for
the
air
filter
are



To
access
the
spark
plugs
on
4-cylinder
engines,
remove
the

based
on
normal
use
.
If
thecar
is
operated
primarily
in
dusty



cover
fromatop
the
sparkplugs
.
See
Fig
.
10
.
Using
the
special

conditions,
the
air
filter
should
be
serviced
more
frequently
.



spark
plug
wire
removal
tool
(attached
to
rear
of
cylinder
head

beneath
engine
cover),
gently
pull
the
spark
plugwire
from
the

To
replace
the
air
filter
on
6-cylinder
engines,
unclip
and
sude



spark
plug
.
See
Fig
.
11
.
Blow
away
any
dirt
from
around
the
the
filter
cartridge
assembly
out
of
the
air
boxand
remove
the



base
of
the
plug
to
prevent
it
from
entering
theengine
.
Remove

filter
from
the
frame
assembly
.
See
Fig
.
8
.



and
install
the
spark
plugs
one
at
a
time
.

0012625

Fig
.
8
.



To
remove
air
filter
cartridge
on
6-cylinder
engines,release
fil-
ter
cartridge
at
sides
(arrows)
and
then
remove
filter
element
insert
from
cartridge
.

To
replace
the
air
filter
elementon
4-cylinder
engines,
sepa-

rate
the
upper
air
filter
housing
section
from
the
lower
section
by

unfastening
the
spring
clips
.
Remove
the
air
filter
element
from

the
air
filter
housing
.
See
Fig
.
9
.
Wipe
the
inside
of
the
air
filter

housing
clean
and
install
the
new
element
.
Reinstall
the
upper

air
filter
housing,
making
sure
that
the
two
halves
are
mated

correctly
.
Refasten
the
spring-clips
.

Fig
.
9
.



Air
filter
element
being
removed
on
4-cylinder
engine
.

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-
11

NOTE-

Spark
plug
applications
are
often
updated
and
super-
seded
from
the
original
plug
specification
.
Consuff
an
authorized
BMW
parts
department
for
the
latest
parts
_'
information
.
The
sparkplug
fisted
in
the
owners
manu-
al
may
not
be
the
latest
recommend
spark
plug,
espgp
cially
on
older
cars
.

0012631

Fig
.
10
.
To
remove
engine
cover
above
sparkpiugs
on
4-cylinder
en-
gine,
turnretainers
90°
counterclockwise
and
lift
cover
off
.

0012630

Fig
.
11
.
To
remove
spark
plugwirefrom
spark
plug
on
4-cylinder
en-

gine,
sude
special
removal
tool
over
spark
plug
wire
end
(ar-

row)
and
pull
straightoff
.
Usea
screwdriver
for
added

leverage
.
Special
tool
is
stored
at
rear
of
cylinder
head
below

top
cover
.

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

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
.

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)