121 BMW 540i 1997 E39 Workshop Manual

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YOU are now in Volume I
I
Foreword ................... .. ........................................................................\
.......... v
Index
........................ .. ................................................................ rear of manual
General, 001 General Warnings and Cautions 002 Vehicle Identification and VIN Decoder
Maintenance OiO 020 Maintenance
Engine
100 Engine-General 110 Engine Removal and Installation
113 Cylinder Head Removal and
Installation
116 Cyiinder Head and Valvetrain 117 Camshaft Timing Chain
119 Lubrication System
200 Transmission-General
2 Transmission 210 clutch 230 ManualTransmission
I20 Ignition System
121 Battery, Starter, Alternator
130 Fuel Injection
160 Fuel Tank and Fuel Pump 170 Radiator and Cooling System
180 Exhaust System
240 Automatic Transmission
250 Gearshift Linkage 260 Driveshaft
Suspension, 300 Suspension, Steering and 330 Rear Suspension
Brakes-General 331 Final Drive
Steering and No Front Suspension 340 Brakes
320 Steering and Wheel Alignment
400 Body-General
410 Fenders, Engine Hood 411 Doors
412 Trunk Lid, Tailgate
510 Exterior Trim, Bumpers 512 Door Windows
Equipment 513 Interior Trim
7
Equipment and 720 seat Belts
Accessories 721 Airbag System (SRS)
OBD On-Board Diagnostics
. ............ ..
515 Central Lociting and
Anti-Theft
520 Seats 540 Sunroof
.................................................................... Foreword .............................. .. v
Index ................... .. ................................................................ rear of manual
Electrical
6 system
600 Electrical System-General 620 Instruments
610 Electrical Comoonent Locations 630 Liohts
611 wipers and washers 612 Switches eati in^ and Air Conditioning
Radio
. ........... ........ .........................
Electrical Wiring Diagrams

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--- -
Maintenance
Table b. Inspection I Service (continued)
I I I I
Warm engine Dealer service
required recommended
Check windshield
washer fluid level and
antifreeze protection.
Add washer fluid as necessary.
Replace ventilation
microfilter. (Note:
reduce replacement intervals in dusty
operation conditions)
Reset Service interval Indicator
(Sil).
Additional
repair
information
Tools Required
*
eck aim of washer jets and adjust if
necessary.
covers, obvious damage or attachment o
s or accessories.
Road test
Check braking performance, steering,
heating and air conditioner operation.
Check manual transmission and clutch
operation or automatic transmission
operation. New
parts
required
*
Bodylelectrical
121
630
630
Checic battery state of charge
Check operation of:
headlights,
parking iights, back-up lights.
license plate lights, interior lights,
glove box
illumination, engine compartment light,
trunk light, turn signals, emergency
flashers, stop iights.
Check operation of horn and headlight
dimmer switch
:i:

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020-1 1
Maintenance
Table g. Differential oil
(Lifetime fluid; no fluid change required)
Differential
/Approximate. capaclty (in~t~al fill) I Spec~f~cat~on , , .
G 1.6 liter
(1.7 US
at) I
188 Compact I .O liter BMW SAF-XO
(1 .I US ql) synthetic oil
1.4
liler 220 1215 Compact US qt) I
Table h. Engine Coolant
Year, model
latent heater:
V-8 13.5 liter
1997:
6-cylinder
V-8
Table
i. Brake fluid
Bralte system fiuld BMW hlgh
performance, DOT 4
Approximate
capacity
9.9 liter (10.5 US qt)
11.4 liter (12.0 US qt)
With the introduction of synthetic oil and extended oil change
intervals, a new oil filterwith improved filter paper design was
introduced. The new filter paper resists deterioration caused
by high oil temperatures over an extended time.
Specification
Use BMW specified oil to top off the engine oil level between
oil changes.
BMW recommends the following engine oils:
Table
j. Engine Oil Specification
Years
IOii description I BMW part no.
1999 and later mineral
oil
BMW
HP 5W-30
svnthetic oil 07
51 0 017 866

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020-24
Maintenance
tions. In general, replacement batteries should always be
rated equal or higher than the original battery.
The battery is held in place by a single hand screw and plate.
A secure battery hold-down is important in order to prevent
vibrations and road shoclt from damaging the battery.
CAUTION-
Prior to disconnecting the baitem read the battery discon-
nection cautions given in
001 General Cautions and
Warnings.
NOTE-
Always disconnect the negative (-) cable first, and connect
it last. While changing the battery, clean away any corro-
sion in or around the battery tray
More battery and charging system information is in 121
Battery, Alternator, Starter.
Brake fluid, replacing
Brake fluid absorbs moisture easily, and moisture in the fluid
affects bralte performance and reliability. This is why
BMW
strictly recommends replacing the bralte fluid every two
years. When replacing or adding bralte fluid, use only new
fluid from previously unopened containers. Do not use brake
fluid that has been bled from the system, even
if it is brand
new. Use only DOT
4 brake fluid.
NOTE-
See 340 Brakes for brake fluid flushing procedures.
Brake pad 1 rotor wear, checking
Disc brakes are fitted at all four wheels. Although the brakes
are equipped with a brake pad warning system, the system
only monitors one wheel per axle. Pad thickness should be
checked whenever wheels are off or brake
worlt is being
done.
4 Disc brake pad wear can be checked through opening in
caliper:
Measure distance
(A) of brake pad "eai' to bralte rotor.
See
340 Brakes. Compare to specification below.

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Two common causes of driveability problems are incorrect
system voltage and bad grounds.
System voltage
Digital motor electronics (DME) requires that the system (bat-
tery) voltage be maintained within a narrow range of DC volt-
age.
DC voltage levels beyond or below the operating range,
or any
AIC voltage in the electrical system can cause havoc.
When troubleshooting an illuminated MIL, make sure the bat-
tery is fully charged and capable of delivering all its power to
the electrical system. An undercharged battery can amplify
AIC alternator output ripple.
To
make a quick check of the battery charge, measure the
voltage across the battery terminals with all cables attached
and the ignition off.
Afully charged battery will measure 12.6
volts or slightly more, compared to 12.1 5 volts for a battery
with a 25% charge.
The DME system operates at low voltage and current levels,
making it sensitive to small increases in resistance. The elec-
trical system is routinely subjected to corrosion, vibration and
wear, so faults or corrosion in the wiring harness and connec-
tors are not uncommon. Check the battery terminals
forcorro-
sion or loose cable connections. See 121 Battery, Starter,
Alternator for additional information.
If a battery cable connection has no
v~sible faults but is still
suspect, measure the voltage drop across the connection. A
large drop indicates excessive resistance, meaning that the
connection is corroded, dirty, or damaged. Clean or repairthe
connection and retest.
NOTE-
For instructions on conducting a voltage drop test and other
general electrical troubleshooting information, see
600 Elec-
trical System-General.
Visually inspect all wiring, connectors, switches and fuses in
the system. Loose or damaged connectors can cause inter-
mittent problems, especially the small terminals in the ECM
connectors. Disconnect the wiring harness connectors to
check for corrosion, and use electrical cleaning spray to re-
move contaminants.
Main grounds
Good grounds are critical to proper DME operation. If a
ground connection has no visible faults but is still suspect.
measure the voltage drop across the connection. A large volt-
age drop means high resistance. Clean or repair the connec-
tion and retest.
LBuntr.yP~sbhnllcn.can#-AII A,~iltl Rcsrwsd

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I Engine Removal and Installation
Engine removal and installation are covered in this repail
group.
See 100 Engine-General for engine identification details
and engine codes.
Transmission removal is required for all models before the
engine can be removed. This is best accomplished with the
car raised on an automotive lift. For additional procedures re-
quired during engine removal, refer to the following repair
groups:
020 Maintenance
0 121 Battery, Alternator, Starter
170 Radiator and Cooling System
180 Exhaust System
4 230 Manual Transmission
0 240 Automatic Transmission
410 Fenders, Engine Hood
Special tools
Some special tools are required for engine removal and in-
stallation. Be sure to have the necessary equipment on hand
before starting the job.
Engine lifting tool
(Tool No. BMW
11 0 000)
4 Cooling fan counterhold tool
(Tool No. BMW
11 5 030)
< Cool~ng fan wrench
(Tool No. BMW
11 5 040)

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1 17-2
Camshaft Timing Chain
This repair group covers timing chain and VANOS repair
information for the following engines:
M52 (Single VANOS 6-cylinder engine)
M52
TU and M54 (Double VANOS engines)
M62 (Non VANOS
V-8 engine)
NOTE-
The M62 TU V-8 engine with VANOS Variable Camshaft
Timing repair information is not included.
NOTE-
See 100 Engine General for engine code and application
information.
Worn timing chains and sprocltets can lead to noisy operation
and erratic valve timing. Afaulty tensionercan also cause tim-
ing chain noises.
For specific repair procedures, refer to the appropriate repair
group:
020 Maintenance
113 Cylinder Head Removal and Installation
119 Lubrication System
121 Ignition System
170 Radiator and Cooling System
Special tools
Special BMW service tools are needed to perform the service
and repairs procedures covered in this repair group. Many of
these tools are expensive and only available through an au-
thorized BMW dealer. Be sure to read each procedure thor-
oughly before starting a job to determine which special tools
will be necessary.
In addition, Double VANOS system diagnosis can only be
carried out by using BMW specific electronic scan tools, such
as BMW
DISplus, MoDiC or equivalent.
4 Torque wrench wl flex extension
(Tool No. BMW 00
9 250)

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I Camshaft Timins Chain
4 Using special tool 11 2 450, rotate engine clocltwise to TDC
with number one cylinder cam lobes facing each other (ar-
rows)
as shown.
4 Lock crankshaft in TDC position with BMW special tool 11 3
200 (arrow).
- Remove BMW special tool 11 2 450 and remove hub.
- Remove upper engine oil pan. See 119 Lubrication.
- Remove alternator. See 121 Battery, Starter, Alternator.
- Remove retaining bolt for oil dipstick tube from upper timing
chain cover on right side.
- Remove camshaft position sensor from right upper timing
chain cover.
< Remove right upper timing chain cover:
Remove chain tensioner
(A).
CAUTIOG
Tensioner is under spring tension. Release slowly. 1
Release fasteners (arrows) and remove cover

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121-1
121 Battery. Starter. Alternator
General ........................... .I2 1.2
Special tools ........................ .I2 1.2
Engine electrical system ............... .I2 1.2
Battery Safety Terminal ............... .I2 1.3
Warnings and cautions ................. 121 -4
Battery ............................ 121-5
Battery testing ...................... .I2 1.5
Hydrometer testing ................... .I2 1.5
Battery open-circuit voltage test ......... .I2 1.6
Battery load voltage test ................ 121 -6
Closed-circuit current measurement ..... .I2 1.7
Battery charging ...................... 121 -9
Battery safety terminal, replacing ......... 121-9
Alternator (generator) ............. .I2 1.10
Alternator. basic .................... .I2 1.11
Alternator with multi-function
control (MFR)
...................... .I2 1.11
Water-cooled alternator ............... 121 -12
Charging System Troubleshooting . 121-12
Charging system quick-check .......... 121-13
Charging system. checking ............ 121-13
Alternator. removing and installing
(6-cylinder engine)
.................. 121 -1 5
Alternator. removing and installing
(M62 engine. air cooled)
.............. 121-16
Alternator. removing and installing
(M62 TU engine. water cooled) ......... 121-1 8
Starter ........................... 121 -1 9
Starter troubleshooting ............... 121 -1 9
Starter. removing and installing
(6-cylinder engine)
.................. 121-20
Starter. removing and installing
(V-8 engine)
........................ 121 -21
Solenoid switch. removing and installing . . 121-23

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121-8
/Battery, Starter, Alternator
NOTE-
Automatic transmission cars: ambershifier LED willgo out at
consumer cut-off.
4 Attach closed-circuit current measurement adaptor
(BMW special tool
61 2 300):
Connect red clamp (marked A -BATT (+)) to positive bat-
tery terminal.
Connect
black clamp (marked B -CHASSIS) to chassis
ground point.
NOTE-
Green LED will light up to indicate correct installation of
closed-circuit current measurement
adaotor.
< Connect blaclc clamp (marked B - BATT (-)) to negative bat-
tery terminal. Green
LED light will go out.
NOTE-
Any electrical overloading will be indicated at this point by
lighting the red
LED. If the red LED lights up, check the adap-
tor connections.
< Set multimeter (A) to 10 amp measuring range and connect
it to adaptor.
NOTE -
Set multimeter to record average readings.
Ifpossible, turn offpowersaving features of multimeter
which prevent a long term (overnight) test by automatically
powering down
meter.
- Disconnect battery ground strap (B) at chassis mounting
point.
- Measure closed-circuit current using multimeter.
- Typical average closed-circuit current for E39 vehicles is
40 mA. Readings over 50 mA must be further investigated.