Front seat 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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I General Warnings and Cautions
WARNINGS (continued)
. The air conditioning system is filled with chemical refrigerant,
which is hazardous. The AIC system should be serviced only by
trained technicians using approved refrigerant recoverylrecycling
equipment, trained in related safety precautions, and familiar with
regulations governing the discharging and disposal of automotive
chemical refrigerants.
. Do not expose any part of the AIC system to high temperatures
such as open flame. Excessive heat will increase system pres-
sure and may cause the system to burst.
Some aerosol tire inflators are highly flammable. Be extremely
cautious when repairing a tire that may have been inflated using
an aerosol tire inflator. Keep sparks, open flame or other sources
of ignition away
from the tire repair area. Inflate and deflate the
tire at least four
times before breaking the bead from the rim.
Completely remove the tire from the rim before attempting any re-
pair.
Cars covered by this manual are equipped with a supplemental
restraint system (SRS), that automatically deploys
airbags and
pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners
In the event oi a frontal or side
impact. These are explosive devices. Handled improperly or with-
out adequate safeguards, they can be accidently activated and
cause serious injury.
- The ignition system produces high voltages that can be fatal.
Avoid contact with exposed terminals and use extreme care when
working on a car with the engine running or the ignition switched
on.
. Place jack stands only at locations specified by the manufacturer.
The vehicle
illtino iack su~olied with the vehicle is intended fortire -. , . changes only. A heavy duty floor jack should be used lo lift vehicle
before installing
jacl( stands. See 010 General.
- Battery acid (electrolyte) can cause severe burns. Flush contact
area
with water, seek medical attention.
Aerosol cleaners and solvents may contain hazardous or deadly
vapors and are highly flammable. Use only in a well ventilated ar-
ea. Do not use on hot surfaces (engines, brakes, etc.).
Do not remove
coolant reservoir or radiator cap with the engine
hot. Danger of burns and engine damage.
CAUTIONS-
See also WARNINGS
- if you lack the slqills, tools and equipment, or a suitable worl(shop
for any procedure described in this manual, leave such repairs to
an authorized BMW dealer or other qualified shop.
BMW is constantly improving its cars and sometimes these
changes, both in parts and specifications, are made applicable to
earlier models. Therefore, part numbers listed in this manual are
for reference only. Always check with your authorized BMW deal-
er parts department for the latest information.
Before starting a job, make certain that you have all the neces-
sary tools and parts on hand. Read ail the instructions thorough-
ly, and do not attempt shortcuts. Use tools appropriate to the
work and use only replacement parts meeting BMW specifica-
tions.
Use pneumatic and electric tools only to loosen threaded parts
and fasteners. Never use these tools to tighten fasteners, espe-
cially on light alloy parts. Always use a torque wrench to tighten
fasteners to the tightening torque specification listed.
Be mindful of the environment and ecology. Before you drain the
crankcase, find out the proper way to dispose of the
oil. Do not
pour
oil onto the ground, down a drain, or into a stream, pond or
lake. Dispose of waste in accordance with Federal, State and
Local laws.
The control module for the anti-lock brake system
(ABS) cannot
withstand temperatures from a paint-drying booth or a heat
lamp
in excess of 203" F (95°C) and should not be subjected to tem-
peratures in excess of 185°F
(8S°C) for more than two hours.
- Before doing any electrical welding on cars equipped with ABS,
disconnect the battery negative
(-) terminal (ground strap) and
the ABS control module connector.
- Always make sure ignition is off before disconnecting battery.
Label battery cables before disconnecting. On some models, bat-
tery cables are not color coded.
Disconnecting the battery may erase fault code@) stored in control
module memory. Using special BMW diagnoslic equipment, check
lor
iauit codes prior to disconnecting the battery cables. If the mal-
I.mct on ndicator Ignt (MIL) s I. ..minaled. see OBD On-Board
Diaanostics
Tl11s iant is iuenlfted as lne Check Ena~ne oht
(1997-2000 models jor~ervlce Engine Soon light (2061 andlater
models). If any other system iaults have been detected (indicated
by an illuminated warning light), see an authorized BMW dealer.
If a normal
or rapid charger is used to charge battery, the battery
must be disconnected and removed from the vehicle in order to
avoid damaging the vehicle.
- Do not quick-charge the battery (for boost starting) for longer
than one minute. Wait at least one minute before boosting the
battery a second time.
* Connect and disconnect a battery charger only with the battery
charger switched off.
- Sealed or "maintenance free" batteries should be slow-charged
only, at an amperage rate that is approximately 10% of the bat-
tery's ampere-hour (Ah)
rating.
. Do not allow battery charging voltage to exceed 16.5 volts. If the
battery begins producing gas or boiling violently, reduce the
charging rate.
Boosting a sulfated battery at a high charging rate
can cause an explosion.

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020 Maintenance
General ........................... .02 0.2
Special tools ........................ .02 0.2
Service Interval Indicator (Sll) ........... .02 0.3
Service Interval Indicator (Sll), resetting ... .02 0.3
Inspection I, Inspection 11 ............... .02 0.5
Maintenance Tables ................ .02 0.6
Fluid and Lubricant Specifications .. .02 0.9
Fluids and lubricants ................. .02 0.10
Engine Oil Service ................ .02 0.1 I
Engine oil. checking level ............. .02 0.12
Engine oil and filter. changing .......... .02 0-13
Engine Compartment Maintenance . .02 0.14
Accelerator and linkage ............... .02 0.14
Air filter. replacing ................... .02 0.1 4
Cooling system service ............... .02 0.15
Engine drive belt service .............. .02 0.16
Idlespeed .......................... 020-19
Catalytic converter and oxygen sensors .. .02 0.19
Power steering fluid, checking level ..... .02 0.20
Spark plugs ........................ .02 0.20
Spark plugs, replacing ................ .02 0.21
Interior ventilation microfilter, replacing ... .02 0.22
Other Mechanical Maintenance ..... .02 0.22
Battery, checking. cleaning. and replacing .02 0-22
Brake fluid. replacing ................. .02 0-24
Brake pad 1 rotor wear. checking ........ .02 0.24
Brake system, inspecting ............. .02 0.25
Parking brake. checking ............... 020-25
Clutch fluid. checking ................. 020-26
Differential oil level. checking ........... 020-26
Drive axle joint (CV joint) boots. inspecting 020-27
Exhaust system. inspecting ............ 020-27
Fuel filter. replacing .................. 020-27
Fuel tank and fuel lines. inspecting ...... 020-28
Suspension. front. inspecting ........... 020-29
Suspension. rear. inspecting ........... 020-29
Tires. checking inflation pressure ........ 020-29
Tires. rotating ....................... 020-29
Transmission service. automatic ........ 020-29
Transmission service. manual .......... 020-30
Transmission fluid. checking and filling
(manual transmission)
................ 020-30
Wheels. aligning ..................... 020-30
Body and Interior Maintenance ..... 020-31
Body and hinges. lubricating ........... 020-31
Exterior washing ..................... 020-31
Interior care ........................ 020-31
Leather upholstery and trim ............ 020-31
Polishing ........................... 020-32
Seat belts .......................... 020-32
Special cleaning ..................... 020-32
Washing chassis ..................... 020-32
Waxing ............................ 020-32
Windshield wiper blade maintenance ..... 020-33

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- -.
Cylinder Head Removal and lnstallation
NOTE-
Be Sure the secondary timing chain tensioner is locked down
and the exhaust
camshaif mounting bolts are loose before
proceeding.
- Install VANOS control unit. See VANOS control unit, install-
ing
(M52 engine) in 117 Camshaft Timing Chain.
CAUTION--
Incorrect installation ofthe VANOS control may result in dam-
age to the engine valvefrain.
- Install exhaust manifolds using new gaskets and nuts. Coat
manifold studs with copper paste prior to installing nuts.
Install intake camshaft cover and cylinder
head cover.
Check for correct seating of half-moon seals
(A) in back of
cylinder head cover.
Use a small amount of Three Bond 1209
O or equivalent
sealant at corners
(6) of half-moon cutouts.
Seat gasket and seal corners in front of cylinder head at
VANOS unit.
- Installation of remaining parts is reverse of removal, noting
the following:
Reinstall electrical harness connectors for oil pressure
switch and coolant temperature sensor before installing in-
take manifold.
Refill cooling system as described in 170 Radiator and
Cooling System.
Change engine oil and filter as described in 020 Mainte-
nance.
If necessary, adjust accelerator cable.
Reconnect battery last.
Tightening Torques
VANOS oil line
32 Nm (24
ft-lb)
VANOS solenoid to control unit 30 Nm (22 ft-lb)
Coolant drain plug to cylinder
block 25 Nm (18 ft-lb)
Cylinder head cover to cylinder head
10 Nrn (89 in-lb)
(M6 bolts)
intake manifold to cylinder head 15 Nm (I 1 ft-lb)
Radiator cooling fan to coolant pump
40 Nm (30 ft-lb) - . .
Radiator drain screw to radiator 2.5 Nm (22 in-lbl

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. ." ".
[Cylinder Head Removal and Installation - .. - -1 -
4 Insert and secure VANOS sealing plugs (arrows) with new
sealing O-rings.
Tightening torque Sealing
plug to VANOS 50
Nm (37 ft-lb)
4 Install coolant pipe fasteners at base of cylinder head and
tighten fasteners (arrows).
NOTE-
Use new sealing O-ring on coolant pipe.
- lnstall VANOS oil line banjo bolt with new seals. Attach oil
line to VANOS unit.
Tightening torque Oil line to VANOS unit
(banjo bolt) 32
Nm (24 ft-ib)
- Remove adjustable timing chain tensioner tool and reinstall
chain tensioner.
Tightening torque Primary chain tensioner cylinder to
cylinder head 70
Nm
(52 fi-ib)
- Remove flywheel locking tool from transmission bell housing.
Replace special tool bore sealing plug.
- Remove camshaft locking tools from cylinder head
4 lnstall intake camshaft cover and cylinder head cover.
0 Check for correct seating of half-moon seals (A) in back of
cylinder head cover.
Use a small amount of Three Bond
1209 8 or equivalent
sealant at corners
(B) of half-moon cutouts.
Seat gasket and seal corners in front of cylinder head at
VANOS unit.
Tightening torque
Cylinder head cover to cylinder head
(M6) 10 Nm (89 in-lb)

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Cylinder Head and Valvetrain
4 Install intake camshaft oil baffle cover and cylinder head cov-
er:
= Checlc for correct seating of half-moon seals (A) in back of
cylinder head cover.
Use a small amount of Three Bond 1209
@or equivalent
sealant at corners
(B) of half-moon cutouts and corners in
front of cylinder head at joint to timing chain cover.
Align cover at front and rear, then alternatively tighten fas-
teners from inside to outside.
Tightening torque
Sparic plug to cylinder head 25 Nm (18 it-lb)
Ignition coils to cylinder head 10 Nrn (7.5 ft-lb)
Cylinder head cover to cylinder iiead 10 Nrn (89 in-lb)
fM6 screws)
CAMSHAFT AND LIFTER REMOVAL
AND ~NSTALLATION
The camshafts can be removed with the cylinder heads
mounted on the engine (in the car).
On 6-cylinder engines there are two different procedures giv-
en, depending on whether the engine is equipped with single
VANOS (M52 engine) or double VANOS
(M52TU or M54 en-
gine).
For V-8 engines, camshaft removal and installation proce-
dures are
only included for the non-VANOS (M62) engine.
Camshaft removal and installation for the
VANOS eq;ipped
V-8 (M62TU) is not covered in this manual.
Special BMW service tools should always be used to remove
and install the camshafts. Removal of the camshafts without
the special tools can result in cylinder head damage and cam-
shaft breakage.

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Camshaft Timing Chain
- Connect electrical harness connectors to camshaft position
sensors and VANOS solenoid valves.
- Remove BMW special locking tools from rear of cylinder
head.
- Remove cranltshaft locking tool and replace sealing plug.
Install intake camshaft baffle and cylinder head cover.
Checlc for correct seating of half-moon seals (A) in back of
cylinder head cover.
Use a small amount of Three Bond 1209
O or equivalent
sealant at corners
(B) of half-moon cutouts.
Similarly, seat gasket and
seal corners in front of cylinder
head, at VANOS control unit.
Tightening torque
Cylinder head cover to cylinder head
(M6) 10 Nm (89 in-lb)
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal.
Tightening torques
Radiator fan (viscous clutch) to
coolant pump 40
Nm (30 ft-lb)
Spark plug to cylinder head
25 Nrn (18 ft-lb)
VANOS timing, checking and adjusting
(M52 TU and M54 engines)
Use this procedure to check and, if necessary, adjust cam-
shaft timing. This procedure assumes that the cylinder head
cover and intake
camshaft plastic baffle have been removed.
Also, be sure the cooling fan and the spark plugs have been
removed.
Remove primary camshaft chain tensioner cylinder
(arrow).
~~ ~ ~~ ~--~
CA UTlOAC
Primary camshaft chain tensioning piston is under spring
pressure.

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11 7-66
I Camshaft Timing Chain
4 install cylinder head cover:
Check for correct seating of half-moon seals
(A) in back of
cylinder head cover.
Use a small amount of Three Bond
1209 8 or equivalent
sealant at corners
(B) of half-moon cutouts. Seal corners
in front of cylinder head at VANOS control unit.
Tightening torque
Cylinder head cover to cylinder head
10 Nm (89 in-lb)
- Remainder of reassembly is reverse of removal, noting the
following:
Secure all coolant hoses, thermostat housing, engine cool-
ant drains.
Install new engine oil filter and oil. See
119 Lubrication
System.
Refill and bleed cooling system as described in
170 Radi-
ator and Cooling system.
Use scan tool to check VANOS operation with engine
idling.
Tightening torques Coolant drain plug to cylinder block
25 Nm (18 ft-lb)
Radiator cooling fan (viscous clutch)
to coolant pump
40 Nm (30 ft-lb)
Radiator drain screw to radrator 2.5 Nm (22 in-lb)
Vibration damper hub to crankshaft 41 0 Nm
(300 ft-ib)
TIMING CHAIN
(M62 ENGINE TO 911998)
Timing chains, removing
(M62 engine to 911 998)
Camshaft timing chain removal requires that the engine oil
pan be removed.
Special
BMW service tools are needed for timing chain re-
moval and installation procedures. The special tools assure
propertiming of thevaivetrain. Precise marks to set the timing
on the camshafts are not provided for reassembly. Read the
procedures through before beginning the job.
CAUTION-
Special BMW service tools are needed for this procedure.
Read the procedure through before beginning the job. If the
camshafts are notproperly timed, the pistons can contact the
valves.

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Camshaft Timing Chain1
lnstall timing chain and intake sprocket to intake camshaft on
right cylinder head. While pressing in on chain tensioner rail,
confirm camshaft flange bores (arrows) are centered in
sprocket mounting slots.
NOTE-
Pressing in on rail will remove slack and reposition sprockets.
If
necessarx remove sproclets and align bores centrally.
lnstall intake camshaft sensor gear with notch upward (ar-
row) at right cylinder head.
- Finger tighten mounting screws.
- lnstall remaining sprocket bolts to intake camshaft finger tight
at left cylinder head.
- Press timing chain tensioning rail against timing chain. lnstall
plastic wire
tie, to hold rail against chain.
- lnstall lower timing chain cover:
Clean sealing surfaces and check sleeves are properly
seated.
Apply a thin coat of Three Bond 1209
8 to front and back
of new seal. Also coat joints where block meets cylinder
heads and oil pan.
Initially hand tighten bolts in alternate sequence to firmly
seat cover.
Tighten fasteners to final specification in alternate
sequence.
Tightening torques Lower timing cover
M6 bolts 10 Nrn (89 in-lb)
M7 bolts 15 Nm (1 1 ft-lb)
ME bolts 22 Nm (1 6 ft-lb)
M10 bolts 47 Nm (35 ft-lb)
- Replace radial seal in lower timing chain cover, then reinstall
crankshaft hub, center bolt, and vibration damper. See
Crankshaft oil seal, replacing
(M62 and M62 TU engines).
- lnstall oil pan with new gasket. See 119 Lubrication Sys-
tem.
- Lock crankshaft in place with BMW special tool 11 2 300

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130-72
Fuel Injection
I Oxygen sensors, replacing
4 Four Bosch oxygen sensors (2 precatalytic converter sen-
sors and
2 post-catalytic converter sensors) provide a vary-
ing voltage signal
[0.2 vdc (max. lean) to 0.8 vdc (max. rich)]
to the ME
7.2 ECM representing oxygen content in the ex-
haust gas.
WARNING-
Exhaust manifolds and pipes can be hot enough to cause se-
rious burns. Wear suitable heavy gloves and other appropri-
ate protection.
- Using a special oxygen sensor socltet, remove the threaded
sensors from the exhaust system.
- If not already applied, coat the new oxygen sensor threads
with an anti-seize compound before installation. Do not get
compound on the sensor tip.
Tightening torque
Oxygen sensor to exhaust system
50 Nm (37 ft-lb)
Fuel injectors, removing and installing
The ME 7.2 system uses ball seat type fuel injectors. This de-
sign
prov:des precise seal'ng when the iniector is closed
therebv eiminalinq raw HC (unb~rned fue ) formalion in tne
intake.-~he fuel inkctors areswitched on and off by the ECM
at the ground side.
- Remove plastic cover from above fuel rail. See100 Engine
Removal and Installation.
- Disconnected battery negative (-) cable.
CAUTION-
Prior to disconnecting the battea read the battery discon-
nection cautions given at the front of this manual. See 001
General Warnings and Cautions.
- Remove both ignition coil covers.
Disconnect ignition coil connectors.
Remove left and right ignition coil ground wires,
4 Remove fuel injector loom boxes.
Loosen mounting fasteners
(A).
Disconnect electrical plugs (B and D).