No spark at coil BMW 328i 1998 E36 Workshop Manual

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
.

ignition

Table
b
.
Engine
Management
Systems



engine
has
high
mileage
.

Engine



1
System

4-cylinder
engines
M42
(1992-1995)



Bosch
DME
Ml
.7
M44
(1996-1998)



Bosch
DME
M5
.2
(OBD
II)

6-cylinder
engines
M50
(1992)



Bosch
DME
M3
.1
M50
VANOS
(1993-1995)



Bosch
DME
M3
.3
.1
M52
(1996-1998)



Siemens
MS41
.1
(OBD
II)
S50US
(1995)



Bosch
DME
M3
.3
.1
S52US
(1996-1998)



Siemens
MS41
.1
(OBD
II)

Both
the
4-cylinder
and
6-cylinder
engines
use
a
distributor-

less
ignition
system
with
individual
ignition
coils
for
each
cylin-

der
.

FuelDelivery

Pressurized
fuel
from
the
in-tank
fuel
pump
is
injected
via

solenoid-type
fuel
injectors
.
The
ECM
controls
the
opening

and
closing
of
the
injectors
by
switchingthe
ground
side
of

each
injector
circuit
.
The
exact
amount
of
fuel
injected
is
de-

termined
by
the
amount
of
timethe
injectors
are
open
.

Cooling
System

Whenever
the
engine
is
running,
acoolant
pump
circulates

coolant
through
the
engine
and,
if
either
heater
control
valves

are
open,
through
the
heater
core
in
the
passenger
compart-

ment
.
The
coolant
absorbs
excess
heat
and
carries
it
to
the
ra-

diator
where
it
is
transferred
into
the
passing
airstream
.
A

thermostat
controls
the
flow
of
coolant
through
the
radiator

based
on
engine
temperature
.

Lubrication
System

The
lubrication
system
is
pressurized
whenever
theengine

is
running
.
The
oil
pump
draws
oil
through
a
pickup
in
the
bot-

tom
of
the
oil
pan,thenforces
it
through
a
replaceable
oil
filter

and
finto
the
engine
oíi
passages
.

On
4-cylinder
engines,
the
oil
pump
is
mounted
to
the
front

engine
cover
.
On
6-cylinder
engines,thechain-driven
oil

pump
is
bolted
to
the
bottom
of
the
cylinder
block
.

A
pressure
relief
valve
limits
the
maximum
system
pres-

sure
.
A
bypass
valve
prevents
the
oil
filter
from
bursting
and

insures
engine
lubrication
should
the
filter
become
plugged
.

See
119
Lubrication
System
for
additional
information
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-
5

Various
versions
of
DME
systems
are
usedon
thecars
cov-



MECHANICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING
ered
by
this
manual
.
See
Table
b
.
Each
system
is
highly
adaptive
to
compensate
for
things
suchasengine
wear
and



When
troubleshooting
an
engine
that
fails
to
start
or
runs
vacuum
leaks
.



poorly,
first
check
its
mechanical
condition-particularly
if
the

Warnings
and
Cautions

For
personal
safety,
as
well
asthe
protection
of
sensitive
electronic
components,
the
following
warnings
and
cautions
must
be
adhered
to
during
all
troubleshooting,
maintenance,
and
repairwork
.

WARNING
-

"
The
ignition
system
produces
high
voltages
that
can
be
fatal
.
Avoid
contact
with
exposed
termi-
nals
anduse
extreme
caution
when
working
on
a
car
with
the
ignition
switched
on
or
the
engine
running
.

"
Do
not
touch
or
disconnect
any
high
voltage
ca-
bles
from
the
coil,
distributor,
orspark
plugs
while
the
engine
is
running
or
being
cranked
by
the
starter

"
Connect
and
disconnect
the
engine
manage-
ment
system
wiring
and
test
equipment
leads
only
when
the
ignition
is
switched
off
.

"
Gasoline
is
highly
flammable
and
its
vapors
are
explosive
.
Do
not
smoke
or
work
on
a
car
near
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
when
diagnosing
and
repairing
fuel
system
problems
.
Have
a
fire
extínguisher
available
in
case
of
an
emergency
.

"
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault
code(s)
stored
in
control
module
memory
.
Using
special
BMW
diagnosnnc
equipment,
check
for
fault
codes
prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery
cables
.
If
the
Check
Engine
lightis
illuminated,
see
On-

Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)
forfault
code
infor-
mation
.
If
any
other
system
faults
havebeen
de-tected
(indicated
byan
illuminated
warning
light),
see
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.

CAUTION-

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnection
cautions
gíven
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
viii
.

"
Do
notconnect
any
test
equipment
that
delivers
a
12-volt
power
supply
to
terminal15
(+)
of
the
ignition
coil
.
The
current
flow
may
damage
the

ECM
.
In
general,
connect
test
equipment
only
as
specified
by
BMW,
this
manual,
or
the
equip-
ment
maker
.

"
Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
with
the
engine
running
.
Do
notrunthe
engine
with
any
of
the
sparkplug
wires
disconnected
.

MECHANICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING

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

eiioo4

Fig
.
9
.



Remove
ignition
coils
on
6-cylinder
engine
by
disconnecting
harness
connector
and
removing
mounting
bolts
(arrows)
.

NOTE-

"
The
compression
gauge
reading
shoutd
increase
with
each
compression
stroke
and
reach
near
its
maxi-
mum
reading
in
about
4-6
strokes
.

"All
cylinders
shoutdreach
maximum
compression
in
the
same
number
of
strokes
.
If
a
cylinder
needs
sig-
nificantly
more
strokes
to
reach
maximum
compres-

sion,
there
is
a
problem
.

7
.
Release
the
pressure
at
the
compression
gauge
valve,

then
remove
the
gauge
from
the
spark
plughole
.
Re-

peat
the
test
for
each
of
the
other
cylinders
and
com-

pare
the
results
with
the
values
given
below
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
1
:00-
7

Compression
Pressure

"
Minimum
..........
.
.
..
..
10-11
bar
(142-156
psi)

"
Maximum
difference
between
cylinders
..
.....
.........
0
.5
bar
(7
psi)

Reinstall
the
spark
plugs
and
spark
plug
wires
or
ignition

cofs
.
The
remainder
of
installation
is
the
reverse
of
removal
.
Be
sure
to
reihstall
al¡
wires
disconnected
during
the
test,
especial-

¡y
ground
wires
at
the
coils
and
cylinder
head
cover
(where
ap-
plicable)
.

Tightening
Torque

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

Low
compression
indicates
a
poorly
sealed
combustion

6
.
With
the
parking
brake
set,
the
transmission
in
Park
or



chamber
.
Relatively
even
pressures
that
are
below
specification

Neutral,
and
the
accelerator
pedal
pressed
to
the
floor,



normally
indicate
worn
piston
rings
and/or
cylinder
walls
.
Erratic

crank
the
engine
with
the
starter
.
Record
the
highest



values
tend
to
indicate
valve
leakage
.
Dramatic
differences
be

value
indicated
by
the
gauge
.



tween
cylinders
are
often
the
sign
of
a
failed
head
gasket,

bumed
valve,
or
broken
piston
ring
.

Engine
Mechanical
Troubleshooting
Table

Table
c
lists
the
symptoms
of
common
engine
mechanical

problems,
their
probable
causes
and
the
suggested
corrective

actions
.
The
bold
type
indicates
the
repair
groups
where
appli-

cable
test
and
repair
procedures
can
befound
.

MECHANICAL
TROUBLESHOOTING

113-10



CYLINDER
HEAD
REMOVAL
AND
INSTALLATION

Tightening
Torques

"
Coolant
drain
plug
to
cylinder
block
.
.
25
Nm
(18
ft-1b)

"
Intake
manifold
support
to
manifold
.
.
15
Nm
(11
ft-Ib)

"
Lower
intake
manifold

to
cylinder
head
.
..........
.
..
...



15
Nm
(11
ft-Ib)

"
Lower
intake
manifold

to
upper
manifold
..........
.
..
...
15
Nm
(11
ft-Ib)

"
Radiator
cooling
fan
to
coolant
pump
.
40
Nm
(30
ft-Ib)

"
Radiator
drain
screw
to
radiator
...
.
2
.5
Nm
(22
in-lb)

CYLINDER
HEAD,
6-CYLINDER

For
ease
of
use
this
procedure
is
broken
into
subsections,

as
follows
:

General
Coolingsystem,
draining
Cyiinder
head
cover,
removing

Intake
manifold,
removing

Timing
chains,
uncoupling

Cylinder
head
assembly,
removing

WARNING
-

Allow
the
engine
to
cool
before
beginning
this
pro-
cedure
.

General

1
.
Working
inside
luggage
compartment,
disconnect
neg-
ative
(-)
battery
cable
.

CAUTION-

"
Prior
to
disconnectiog
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
vi¡¡
.

"
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault
code(s)
stored
in
control
module
memory
.
Check
for
fault
codes
using
special
BMW
diagnostic
equipment

2
.
Remove
front
exhaust
pipes
from
manifolds
.
Discard
nuts
.

3
.
Remove
air
filter
housing
complete
with
mass
air
flow
sensor
and
intake
air
ducting
.
Disconnect
vacuum
hos-
es
from
throttle
housing
.

4
.
On
M52
and
S52US
engines
:
Remove
secondary
air
injection
check-valve
from
front
of
engine
and
set
aside
.

CYLINDER
HEAD,
6-CYLINDER

Coolingsystem,
draining

5
.
Drain
engine
coolant
and
Rmove
coolant
hoses
from

thermostat
housing
.
Drain
engine
block
by
removing

block
drain
.
See
170
Radiator
and
Cooling
System
.

NOTE-

The
block
drain
is
on
the
exhaust
side
of
the
engine,
near
cylinder
no
.
5
.

6
.
Remove
radiator
cooling
fan
and
fan
shroud
.
See
170

Radiator
and
Cooling
System
.

NOTE-

The
radiator
cooling
fannut(32
mm
wrench)
has
left-
hand
threads
.

Cylinder
head,
removing

(6-cylinder
engine)



7
.
Disconnect
heater
hoses
at
rear
of
cylinder
head
.
See

Fig
.
26
.

'i

8
.
Remove
alternator
cooling
duct
.

Cylinder
head
cover,
removing

0012687

Fig
.
26
.
Disconnect
heater
hoses
at
heater
valve
(A)
and
heater
core
(B)
.

9
.
Remove
air
plenum
from
rear
of
engine
compartment
.

See640
Heating
and
Air
Conditioning
.

10
.
Remove
plastic
cylinder
head
covers
from
above
fuel
injectors
and
ignition
coils
.
Pull
larger
cover
forward

when
removing
.
See
Fig
.
27
.

11
.
Disconnect
crankcase
ventílation
hose
fitting
from
cyl-
inder
head
cover
.

12
.
Disconnect
ignition
coil
harness
connectors
from
coiis
.

Remove
ignition
coiis
and
spark
plugs
.
See
120
Igni-
tion
System
.

GENERAL
.
........
.
...........
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-1



Camshaft
Position
(CMP)
Sensor
....
.
.
.
...
120-6

Disabling
Ignition
System
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-2



Camshaft
position
(CMP)
sensor,
replacing

Warnings
and
Cautions
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-2



(4-cylinder
engine)
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
120-6

Camshaft
position
(CMP)
sensor,
replacing

IGNITION
SYSTEM
DIAGNOSTICS
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-3



(6-cylinder
engine)
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-7
Basic
Troubleshooting
Principles
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-3



Knock
sensors,
replacing
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-7

Ignition
Firing
Order
.....
.
...
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
.120-7

IGNITION
SYSTEM
SERVICE
.
.........
.
120-3

Checking
for
Spark
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.......
.
.
.
120-3

Ignition
coil,
testing
and
replacing

(4-cylinder
engine)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
.
120-3

Ignition
coil,
testing
and
replacing

(6-cylinder
engine)
.........
.
..........
120-4

Crankshaft
Positionlrpm
Sensor
.......
.
...
120-5

Crankshaft
position/rpm
sensor,
testing
and

replacing
(front
mounted)
.........
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-6

Crankshaft
position/rpm
sensor,replacing

(rear
mounted)
.....
.
.....
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
120-6

GENERAL



Troubleshooting
and
testing
of
the
engine
management

system
should
be
carried
out
using
the
BMW
specialized
ser

This
repair
group
covers
repair
andcomponent
replace-



vice
tester
(scan
tool)
.

ment
information
for
the
ignition
system
.
All
engines
use
a
distributorless
ignition
system
with
indívid-

ual
ignitioncoils
for
each
cylinder
.
There
is
no
distributor
cap

NOTE-



or
ignition
rotor
.
Each
coil
can
be
selectively
controlled
by
the

"
Spark
plug
replacement
is
covered
in
020
Mainte-



engine
control
module
on
a
cylinder-by-cylinder
basis
.
On
later

nance
Program
.



systems,
knock
sensors
are
used
to
monitor
and
control
igni-

"
For
fuel
related
troubleshooting
and
testing,
see
130



tion
knock
(ping)
and
adjusttiming
accordingly
.

Fuel
lnjection
.
Ignition
timing
is
electronically
controlled
and
not
adjust-

All
engines
covered
by
this
manual
use
an
advanced
en-



able
.
The
engine
control
module
(ECM)
usesengine
load,
en-

gine
management
system
.
The
engine
management
system



gine
speed,
coolant
temperature,
and
intake
air
temperature

incorporates
on-board
diagnostics,
fuel
injection,
ignition
and



as
the
basic
inputs
for
timing
control
.
Knock
detection
is
also

other
advanced
engine
control
functions
.



an
input
to
the
control
module,
where
applicable
.

Table
a
.
Engine
Management
System
Variants

Engine
code



1
System

4-cylinder
M42
(1.8
I)



Bosch
DME
Ml
.7
M44
(1
.9
I)



Bosch
DME
M5
.2
(OBD
II)

6-cylinder
M50
1992
(2.5
I)



Bosch
DME
M8
.1
1993-1995
(2
.5
I)



Bosch
DME
M33
.1
M52
1996-1998
(2.8
I)



Siemens
MS
41
.1
(OBD
II)

1998
(2
.5
I)



Siemens
MS
41
.1
(013D
11)
S50US
(3.0
I)



Bosch
DME
M3
.3.1
S52US
(3.2
I)



Siemens
MS
41
.1
(OBD
II)

120
Ignition
System

IGNITION
SYSTEM



120-1

IGNITION
SYSTEM
SCHEMATICS
...
.
.
.
.120-7

TABLES

a
.
Engine
Management
System
Variants
......
120-1

b
.
Ignition
Coil
Resistance
(M42
engine)
......
120-4

c
.
Ignition
Coil
Resistance
(M44
engine)
......
120-4

d
.
Ignition
Coil
Resistance

(6-cylinder
engine)
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
..
120-5

NOTE-

All
engines
coveredby
this
manual,
with
theexception

of
the
1992
M50,
incorporate
knocksensors
as
part
of

the
engine
management
system
.

The
initial
ignition
point
is
determined
by
the
crankshaft
po-

sition/rpm
sensor
during
cranking
.
Once
the
engine
is
run-

ning,
timing
is
continually
adjusted
based
on
operating

conditions
.
A
characteristic
ignition
map
is
shown
in
Fig
.
1
.
A

map
similar
to
the
one
shown
is
digitally
stored
in
the
engine

control
module
.

GENERAL

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

130-
6



FUEL
INJECTION

Warnings
and
Cautions

For
personal
safety,
as
well
as
the
protection
of
sensitive

electronic
components,
the
following
warnings
and
cautions

should
be
adhered
to
when
working
on
the
engine
manage-

ment
system
.

GENERAL
WARNING
-

"
The
ignition
system
produces
high
voltages
that

can
be
fatal
.
Avoid
contact
with
exposed
termi-

nals
.
Use
extreme
caution
when
working
onacar
with
the
ignition
switched
on
or
the
engine
run-
ning
.

"
Do
not
touch
or
disconnect
any
high
voltage
ca-

bles
from
the
coils
or
spark
plugs
while
the
engine

is
running
or
beingcranked
by
the
starter
.

"
Connect
and
disconnect
the
DME
system
wiring
and
test
equipment
leads
only
when
the
ignition
is
switched
off
.

"
Gasoline
is
highly
flammable
and
fts
vaporsare

explosive
.
Do
not
smoke
or
work
on
a
car
near
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
when
diagnosing
and
repalring
fuel
system
problems
.
Have
a
tire
extinguisher
avaílable
in
case
of
an
emergency
.

"
When
working
onan
open
fuel
system,
wear
suit-
able
hand
protection,
asprolonged
contact
wfth
fuel
can
cause
illnesses
and
skin
disorders
.

"
Renew
fuel
system
hoses,
clamps
and
O-rings
any
timethey
are
removed
.

"
Before
makingany
electrical
tests
that
require
the
engine
to
be
cranked
using
the
starter,
disable
the
ignition
system
as
described
in
120
Ignition
System
.

CAUTION-

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnectinn
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
onpage
vifi
.

"
Do
not
connect
any
test
equipment
that
delivers

a
12-volt
power
supply
to
terminal
15
(+)
of
the
ig-

nitioncoil
.
The
current
flow
may
damage
the

ECM
.
In
general,
connect
test
equipment
only
as

speclfied
by
BMW,
this
manual,
or
the
equipment

maker
.

"
Only
use
a
digital
multlmeter
for
electrical
test
.

"
Only
use
an
LED
test
light
for
quick
tests
.

"
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault

code(s)
stored
in
memory
.
Check
for
fault
codes

prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery
cables
.
ff
the

Check
Engine
light
ís
illuminated,
see100En-
gine-General
for
DME
fault
code
information
.
ff
any
other
system
faults
have
been
detected
(indi-
catedbyan
illuminated
warning
light),
see
an
au-
thorized
BMW
dealer
.
Additional
systems
with
self-diagnostic
capabilities
include,
ABS
(Anti-
lock
brakes),
SRS
(Airbags),
EML
and
ASC+T
and
AST
(Traction
Control)
.

"
Do
not
run
the
engine
wfth
any
of
the
spark
plug
wires
dlsconnected
.
Catalytic
converter
damage
may
result
.

"
Always
waitat
least
40
seconds
afterturning
off
the
ignition
before
removing
the
engine
control
module
(ECM)
connector
.
ff
the
connector
isre-
moved
before
this
time,
residual
power
in
the
sys-
tem
relay
may
damage
the
control
module
.

"
Cleanliness
is
essential
when
working
onan
open
fuel
system
.
Thoroughly
clean
fuel
line
con-
nections
and
surroundlng
areas
before
loosen-
ing
.
Avoid
moving
the
car
.
Only
fnstall
cleanparts
.

"
Fuel
system
cleaners
and
other
chemical
addi-
tives
other
than
those
specifically
recommended
by
BMW
may
damage
the
catalytic
converter,
the
oxygensensor
or
other
fuel
supply
components
.

6
INDEX

Ignition
system
general
information
120-1basictroubleshooting
principies
120-3camshaft
position
(CMP)
sensor
120-
6

camshaft
positíon
(CMP)
sensor,
replacing
(4-cylinder
engine)
120-6camshaft
position
(CMP)
sensor,
replacing
(6-cylinder
engines)
120-7
checking
for
spark
120-3
crankshaftposition/rpm
sensor
120-5
crankshaft
position/rpm
sensor,
testing/replacing
(front
mounted
sensor)
120-6
crankshaft
positíon/rpm
sensor,
testing
(rear
mounted
sensor)
120-6
disabling
ignition
system120-2
ignition
coil,
testing
and
replacing
(4-
cylinder
engines)
120-3
ignition
coil,
testing
and
replacing
(6-
cylinder
engines)
120-4
ignítion
firing
order
120-7
ignition
system
diagnostics
120-3
ignition
system
schematics
120-7
ignition
system
service
120-3knock
sensors,
replacing
120-7warnings
and
cautions
120-2
Inspectíon
I
and
Inspection
II
See
Maintenanceprogram
Instrumentpanel
See
interior
trim
Instruments
general
information
620-1
instrument
cluster,
removinglinstalling
620-1
instrument
cluster,
self-testing
620-1
instrument
cluster
bulbs,
replacing
620-2
multi-information
display
(MID),
620-4
multi-information
display
(MID),
removing/installing
620-4
odometer
coding
plug,
replacing
620-
2
vehicle
speed
sensor,
replacing
620-3
Intake
manifold
4-cylinder
engíne,
removing
113-3
6-cylinder
engine,
removing
113-11
See
alsoCylinder
head
removal
and
installation
Intake
air
temperaturesensor
See
Fuel
injection
Interior
trim
general
information
513-1
center
console,
removing/installing
513-1
dashboard,
removing/installing
513-3
glove
compartment,
removing/
installing
513-2
lower
left
dash
panel,
removing/
installing
513-2

J

Jump
startíng
010-12

K

Knock
sensor
See
Ignition
system
L

Leather
upholstery
See
Maíntenance
program
Leve¡
sender
See
Fuel
pump
Lubrication
system
general
information
119-1
oil
pan,
removing/installing
(4-cylinder
engines)
119-2
oil
pan,
removing/installing
(6-cylinder
engine,
1992models)119-4
oil
pan
119-2
oil
pan,
removing/installing
(6-cylinder
engine,
1993
and
later
models)
119-6
oil
pressure,
checking
119-1
oil
pressure
warningsystem,
testing
119-2
oil
pump
119-8
oil
pump,
removing/installing
(4-cylinder
engine)
119-8
oil
pump,
removing/installing
(6-cylinder
engine)
119-9
troubleshooting
119-1

M

Maíntenance
program
general
information
020-2
accelerator
and
throttle
linkage
020-13
air
filter,
replacing
020-11
automatic
transmission
fluid
020-8
automatic
transmission
service
020-18
battery,
checking
and
cleaning
020-12
battery,
replacing
020-12
BMW
service
indicator
020-2
body
and
hinges,
lubricating
020-19
brake
fluid
020-9
brake
fluid,
replacing
020-17
brake
pad/rotor
wear,
checking
020-17
brake
system,
inspecting
020-17
clutch
fluid,
checking
020-19
cooling
system
service
020-14
drive
axle
joint
boots,
inspecting
020-19
engine
coolant
(anti-freeze)
020-9
engine
drive
belts
020-13
engine
oil,
checking
leve¡
020-9

Maintenance
program
(cont
.)
engine
oil
and
filter,
changing020-9engine
oil
service
020-9
exhaust
system,
inspecting
020-18
exterior
washing020-20
final
drive
gear
oil
020-9
final
drive
oil
level,
checking
020-18
front
suspension
and
steering

linkages,
inspecting
020-18
fuel
filter,
replacing
020-16
fuel
tank
and
fuel
lines,
inspecting
020-19
¡dle
speed
020-12
inspection
I
and
inspection
11
020-2
interior
care020-20
leather
upholstery
and
trim
020-20
maintenance
tables
020-3
manual
transmission
fluid,
checking
and
filling
020-18manual
transmission
fluid
020-8
manual
transmission
service
020-18oxygensensors
020-15
parking
brake,
checking
020-17
polishing
020-20
poly-ribbed
belt,
replacing
020-13
power
steering
fluid
020-9
power
steering
fluid,
checking
leve¡
020-14
rear
suspension,
inspecting
020-18
resetting
service
indicator
020-3
seat
belts
020-20
spark
plugs,
replacing
020-11
special
cleaning
020-20
tires,
checking
inflation
pressure
020-17
tires,
rotating
020-17
v-belt,
replacing
020-13
washing
chassis
020-20waxing020-20
windshield
wiperblade
maintenance
020-19
wheels,
aligníng
020-17
Manual
transmission
See
also
Maintenance
program
See
also
Transmission-general
general
information
230-1
back-up
light
switch,
replacing
230-2
inputshaft
sea¡,
replacing
(transmission
installed)
230-5
output
shaftsea¡,
replacing
(transmission
installed)
230-4
selector
shaft
sea¡,
replacing
(transmission
installed)
230-3
transmission
fluid,
replacing
230-2
transmission
fluidlevel,
checking
230-2
transmission
fluid
service
230-1
transmission
removal
and
installation
230-5
transmission,
removing/installing
230-
6
transmission
service
230-2
Mass
air
flow
sensor
See
Fuel
Injection

N

WARNING

Your
common
sense,
good
judge-
ment,
and
general
alertness
are
cru-
cial
to
safe
and
successful
service
work
.
Before
attempting
any
workonyour
BMW,
read
the
warnings
and
cautions
on
page
vi¡
and
the
copyright
page
at
the
front
of
the
manual
.
Review
these
warningsand
cautions
each
time
you
prepare
to
work
on
your
BMW
.
Please
also
read
any
warnings
and
cautions
that
accom-
pany
the
procedures
in
the
manual
.

Master
cylinder
See
Brakes
See
also
Clutch
Mechanical
troubleshooting
See
Engine-general
Microfilter
See
Air
conditioning
Mirror
See
Exterior
trim,
bumpers
Muffler

See
Exhaustsystem
Multi-information
display
(MID)
See
Instruments

Neutral
safetyswitch
See
Gearshift
linkage

O

Oil,
changing
See
Maintenance
program
Oil
panSee
Lubrication
system
Oil
pressure
See
Lubrication
system
Oil
pump
See
Lubrication
systemOn-board
diagnostics
(OBD)
See
Engine-general
See
alsoFuel
injection
See
also
Ignition
system
On-board
trip
computer
See
Multi-information
display
620-4
Oxygen
sensor
See
Engine-general
See
alsoFuel
injection
See
also
Maintenance
program

P

Parking
brake
See
Brakes
See
also
Maintenance
program
Parts
See
Fundamentals
for
the
do-it-
yourself
owner
Poly-ribbed
belt
See
Maintenance
program
Power
steering
See
Steering
and
wheel
alignment
Power
steering
(luid
See
Maintenance
program

R

Radiator
See
Cooling
system
Radio
general
information
650-1audio
system
650-1
radio
connector
650-6
removing/installing
650-2speakersdoor
panel
speaker,
removing/
installing
650-5
left
footwell
speaker,
removing/
installing
650-3
rear
speaker,
removing/installing
650-5
right
footwell
speaker,
removing/
installing
650-4Rearsuspension
See
also
Maintenance
program
general
information
330-1
coil
spring,
removing/installing
330-4
CV
boot,
replacing
330-8
drive
axle,
removing/installing
330-6
drive
axles
330-6
final
drive
carrier
330-12
final
drive
carrier,
removing/installing
330-12
lower
control
arm,
removing/installing
330-12
rear
shock
absorber,
removing/
installing
330-3
rear
suspension
arms
330-9
ride
heíght
330-1
shock
absorbers
and
springs
330-2
trailing
arm,
removing/installing
330-10
trailing
arm
bushing,
replacing
330-11upper
control
arm,
removing/installing
330-12
rear
wheel
bearing,
replacing
330-5

rear
wheel
bearings
330-4
Rear
view
mirror
See
Exterior
trim,
bumpers
Receiver/drivr
See
Air
conditioning
Relays
See
Electrical
component
locations

INDEX
7

Ride
height
See
Front
suspension
or
Rearsuspension
Ring
antenna
See
Central
locking
and
anti-theft
Roof
See
Convertible
top
See
also
Sunroof
Roundel
See
Exterior
trim,
bumpers

S

Seat
belts
general
information
720-1
automatic
front
seat
belt
lock
tensioners
720-2
center
rear
lap-belt,
removing/
installing
720-5
front
seat
beltreel,
removing/installing
720-3
mechanical
spring
tensioner,
disarming
720-2
rear
seat
belt,
removing/installing
(fixed
seat
back
models)
720-4
rear
seat
belt,
removing/installing
(fold-down
seat
back
models)
720-5Seats
general
information
520-1
front
seats520-1
manual
front
seat
assembly
520-3
power
front
seat
assembly
520-4
removing/installing
520-1
rear
seats
520-5
rear
seat
cushion
and
backrest,
removing/installing
(fixed
seat
backmodels)
520-5
rear
seat
cushion
and
backrest,
removing/installing
(fold-down
seat
back
models)520-5
rear
seat
backrest
side
section,
removing/installing
(fold-down
seat
back
models)520-6
Shiftinterlock
See
Gearshift
linkage
Shiftlever
See
Gearshift
linkage
Shíftlock
See
Gearshift
linkage
Shock
absorber
See
Front
suspension
See
also
Rear
suspension
Side-impact
airbag
See
Airbag
system
(SRS)
Slave
cylinder
See
Clutch
Service
indicator
See
Maintenanceprogram
Solenoid
See
Battery,
starter,
alternator
Spark
See
Ignition
system
Spark
plugs
See
Maintenance
program