ind BMW M3 1993 E36 Workshop Manual

310-
8



FRONT
SUSPENSION

FRONT
WHEEL
BEARINGS

The
front
wheel
bearings
are
permanently
sealed
and
re-

quire
no
maintenance
.
The
bearing
is
integral
with
the
wheel

hub
and
pressed
onto
the
steering
arm
stub
axle
.

Special
press
tools
are
requiredto
replace
the
front
wheel

bearings
.
Read
the
procedure
through
before
beginning
the

job
.

Front
wheel
bearing,
replacing

1
.
Raise
car
and
remove
wheel
.

WARNING-

Make
sure
that
the
car
is
firmly
supportedon
jack

stands
designed
for
the
purpose
.
Place
the
jack

stands
beneatha
structural
chassis
point
.
Do
not

place
jack
stands
under
suspension
parts
.

2
.
Pry
off
dust
cap
from
centerof
wheel
hub
.
Bend
back

staked
part
of
wheel
hub
(axle)
collar
nut
.
See
Fig
.
13
.

Fig
.
13
.
Staked
part
of
wheel
hub
collar
nut
to
be
bent
back
(arrow)
.

3
.
Remount
wheel
and
lug
bolts
.

4
.
Lower
canto
ground
.
With
an
assistant
applying
brakes,

loosen
collar
nut
.
Do
not
remove
completely
.

NOTE-

The
wheel
hub
collar
nut
is
tightened
to
a
torque
of
290
Nm
(214
ft-Ib)
.
Make
sure
the
car
is
firmly
on
the
ground
.

FRONT
WHEEL
BEARINGS

6
.
Remove
ABS
wheel
speed
sensor
.
Refer
to
Fig
.
3
.

7
.
Remove
brake
caliper
assembly
and
brake
rotor
as
de-

scribed
in
340
Brakes
.
Leave
brakehose
connected
to

caliper
.
Suspend
caliper
assembly
from
chassis
using

stiff
wire
.

8
.
Remove
wheel
hub
collar
nut
.

9
.
Remove
wheel
hub
with
integral
wheel
bearing
from

steering
arm
using
a
puller
.
See
Fig
.
14
.

0011200

Fig
.
14
.
Wheel
hub
with
integral
wheel
bearing
being
removed
using
a

puller
.

NOTE-
If
bearing
inner
race
stays
on
steering
arm,
remove
splash
guard
and
usetwo
jaw
puller
to
remove
race
.

10
.
Insta¡¡
splash
guard
and
new
dust
shield
behind
bear-

ing
.
Press
new
wheel
hub/bearing
assembly
on
using

appropriate
press
tools
.

NOTE-

When
pressing
the
wheel
hublbearing
on,
apply
force
only
to
the
bearing
inner
race
.

11
.
Install
new
collar
nut
.
Do
not
tighten
nut
to
its
final

torque
atthis
time
.

"
Install
brake
rotor
and
brake
caliper
.
See
340
Brakes
.

"
Mount
wheel
and
lug
boits
.
Lower
canto
ground
to
gain

leverage
.

12
.
With
an
assistant
applying
brakes,
tighten
collar
nut

and
then
stake
nut
toaxle
.

5
.
Raise
car
and
remove
wheel
.



13
.
Raisecar
and
remove
wheel
.

320-2



STEERING
AND
WHEEL
ALIGNMENT

3
.
Carefully
remove
airbag
from
front
of
steering
wheel
.

See
721
Airbag
System
(SRS)
.
Store
airbag
unit
in
a

safe
place
.

WARNING-

Improper
handling
of
theaírbag
could
cause
seri-
ous
ínjury
.
Store
theaírbag
with
the
horn
pad
facing
up
.
If
stored
facing
down,
accidental
deployment
could
propel
it
vlolently
into
the
air,
causíng
ínjury
.

4
.
Remove
steering
wheel
center
bolt
.
Lightly
punch
mark

or
scribe
position
of
steering
wheel
to
steering
column

shaft
.
See
Fig
.
1
.

0012687
Fig
.
1
.
Steering
wheel
center
bolt
(arrow)
.



Power
steering
pump,

removing
and
installing

POWER
STEERING
SYSTEM

5
.
Unlock
steering
wheel
by
turning
ignition
key
on
.
Re-
move
steering
wheel
.

WARNING-

The
SRS
contact
reel
ís
mounted
to
the
rear
of
the
steering
wheel
hub
.
The
contact
reel
ís
a
wound
coil
ofwirethat
ensures
continuous
electrícal
contact
for
the
air
bag
unit
Once
the
steering
wheel
mounting
nut
or
bolt
is
removed
the
contact
reel
is
locked
in
the
center
position
and
its
position
must
not
be
al-
tered
.

6
.
Insta¡¡
steering
wheel
while
aligning
matching
marks
.
Make
sure
airbag
contact
ring
locking
pin
engages
cutout
in
contact
reel
.
Insta¡¡
steering
column
center
nut
.
Do
not
over-torque
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

7
.
The
remainder
ofinstallation
is
reverse
of
removal
.
Carefully
install
airbag
from
front
of
steering
wheel
.
See
721
Airbag
System
(SRS)
.

Tightening
Torque

"
Steering
wheel
to
steering
column
spindle
...
..
..
.
..........
63
Nm
(46
ft-Ib)

Fig
.
2
.



Insta¡¡
steering
wheel
so
that
locking
pin
in
column
aligns
with
cutout
in
contact
reel
(arrow)
.
Contact
reel
on
late
model
steering
wheel
may
vary
from
that
shown
.

POWER
STEERING
SYSTEM

Power
assist
is
províded
by
a
belt-driven
pump
on
the
lower

left
front
of
the
engine,
just
below
the
alternator
.
The
power

steering
fluid
resenroir
is
located
on
the
lower
left
front
of
the
engine
.

1
.
Empty
power
steering
fluid
reservoir
usingclean
sy-

ringe
.
Do
not
reuse
fluid
.

2
.
Raise
front
of
car
.

WARNING

Make
sure
thecar
is
firmly
supportedon
jack
stands
designed
for
the
purpose
.
Place
the
jack
stands
be-
neatha
structural
chassis
point
.
Do
not
place
jack
stands
undersuspension
parts
.

3
.
Remove
fluid
hoses
frbm
pump
.
Plug
openings
in
pump
and
in
hose
ends
.

4
.
Remove
drive
belt
from
power
steering
pump
.
See
020
Maintenance
Program
.

5
.
Remove
pump
mounting
bolts
and
remove
pump
.
See
Fig
.
3
.

330-2



REAR
SUSPENSION

Table
a
.
Rear
RideHeight
Specifications

Wheel
size



318,323,
325,



M3
modeis
328
modeis

17inch
std
.
suspension



546
mm
(21.69
in)
sport
suspension



~
535
mm
(21.06
in)



1
540
mm
(21
.26
in)

Maximum
variation
between
sides
:
10
mm
(0
.4in)
Maximum
deviation
from
specifications
:
10
mm
(0
.4in)

SHOCK
ABSORBERS
AND
SPRINGS

The
BMW
E36
independent
rear
suspension
is
shown
in

Fig
.
2
.
Refer
tothis
illustration
while
performing
repairs
on

components
covered
in
this
repair
group
.

NOTE-

Shock
absorbers
andlor
springs
shouldalways
be
re-
placed
in
pairs

i

Stabilizer
bar
link

Trailing

arm
-

bushing

Fig
.
2
.



BMW
E36
rear
suspension
.

SHOCK
ABSORBERS
AND
SPRINGS

Lower
control
arm

Trailing
arm

front
bracket

WARNING
-

"
Do
not
reuse
self-locking
nuts
.
They
arede-

signed
to
beused
only
once
and
may
fail
if
re-

used
.
Always
replace
them
with
new
self-locking

nuts
.

"
Personal
injury
may
result
if
procedures
de-
scribed
here
are
undertaken
without
the
proper
service
tools
and
equipment
.
Be
sure
to
have
the
right
tools
onhand
before
beginning
the
job
.

"
Do
not
install
bolts
and
nuts
coated
with
under-
coating
wax,
as
correct
tightening
torque
cannot

be
assured
.
Always
clean
the
threads
with
sol-

vent
before
installation,
or
ínstall
new
parts
.
"
Do
not
attempt
to
weld
or
straighten
any
suspen-
sion
components
.
Replace
damaged
parts
.

Rear
shock
absorber,

removing
and
installing

1.
Raisecar
and
remove
rear
wheels
.

WARNING
-

Make
sure
that
thecar
is
firmly
supportedon
jack
stands
designed
for
the
purpose
.
Place
the
jack
stands
beneatha
structural
chassis
point
.
Do
not
place
jack
stands
undersuspension
parts
.

2
.
Remove
rear
speakers
.
See
650
Radio
.

3
.
Pryoutluggage
compartment
liner
retaining
clips
and
peel
back
liner
to
gain
access
to
upper
shock
absorber
mounting
nuts
.
See
Fig
.
3
.

Fig
.
3
.



Rear
shock
upper
mounting
nuts
(arrows)
in
luggage
com-
partment
.
Liner
hasbeen
peeled
back
.

NOTE-

On
convertible
models,
the
uppershock
absorber
mount
is
in
the
convertible
top
compartment
behind
the
rear
seat
.

4
.
Support
trailing
arm
from
below
using
a
transmission

jack
orequivalent
.
See
Fig
.
4
.
Remove
shock
absorber

uppermounting
nuts
.

CAUTION-

The
shock
absorber
prevenís
the
drive
axle
and
trailing
arm
from
drooping
too
far,
so
always
sup-port
the
trailing
arm
before
removing
the
shock
.
Damage
to
drive
axle
CV
joints
can
result
.

0013224

5
.
While
supporting
shock
absorber,
carefully
remove

lower
mounting
bolt
.
Lower
shock
absorber
out
of

wheel
well
.

Fig
.
4
.



Support
rear
trailing
arm
from
below
before
removing
upper
or
lower
(arrow)
shock
mounting
.

6
.
Transfer
shocktopmounting
plate,
dust
coverand
relat-

ed
components
to
new
shock
absorber
.
See
Fig
.
5
.

'
Protective
cap

Upper
mounting
nut
14
Nm
(10
ft-Ib)

1120



Shock
upper
mount
,~,--~to
body
nuts
(renew)



I
-



'



~



24
Nm
(17
ft-Ib)



I
1
-Gasket
(renew)



I
1
pper
mount



I



Rear
I
shock
I
absorber
I
I
---spacer

REAR
SUSPENSION



330-
3

Rubber
bumper

Dust
shield

Fig
.
5
.



Rear
shock
absorber
assembly
.

Lower
mounting
bolt
77
Nm
I



(57
ft-Ib)

i

I

I
1
I

0013220
0013236

SHOCKABSORBERS
AND
SPRINGS

330-
4



REAR
SUSPENSION

7
.
Installation
is
reverse
ofremoval,
noting
the
following
:

"
Make
sure
all
threaded
bolts,
nuts
and
makng
surfaces

are
clean
.

"
Instan
shock
absorber
finto
shock
tower
using
a
new

uppermounting
gasket
and
new
self-locking
nuts
.

"
Tighten
lower
boltto
its
final
torque
oncecar
is
on
ground
.

Tightening
Torques

"
Road
wheel
to
hub
.........
100±10
Nm
(74±7
ft-Ib)

"
Shock
absorber
to
trailing
arm

(car
in
normalloaded
position)
......
77
Nm
(57
ft-Ib)

"
Shock
absorber
to
upper
mount
.....
14
Nm
(10
ft-Ib)

"
Shock
absorber
upper
mount
to
body
(M8
self-locking
nuts)
.............
24
Nm
(17
ft-Ib)

Coil
spring,
removing
and
installing

WARNING
-

"
The
coil
spring
is
undercompressive
force
and
ís
extremely
dangerous
until
compression
isre-
moved
.

"
lt
is
recommended
that
a
restraining
chain
be
in-
stalled
between
the
bottomof
the
coil
spring
and
the
upper
control
arm
to
retain
the
spring
in
case
of
accidental
release
.
Personal
injury
can
result
if
the
compressed
coil
spring
is
not
released
slowly
and
carefully
.

"
Make
sure
that
the
car
is
firmly
supported
on
jack
standsdesigned
for
the
purpose
.
Place
the
jack
standsbeneatha
structural
chassis
point
.
Do
not
place
jack
stands
under
suspension
parts
.

1
.
Raise
car
and
remove
rear
wheel
.

2
.
Support
suspension
arm
from
below
using
a
transmis-

sion
jack
orequívalent
.
Tightening
Torques

3
.
Remove
drive
axle
from
final
drive
.
See
Fig
.
6
.
Suspend



"
Drive
axle
to
final
drive
flange

drive
axle
from
chassis
using
stiff
wire
.



M8
Torx
bolt
.
..
...
.
.............
64
Nm
(47
ft-Ib)

M10
Torx
bolt
...................
83
Nm
(62
ft-Ib)

4
.
Disconnect
shock
absorber
from
traíling
arm
.



"
Road
wheel
to
hub
.........
100±10
Nm
(74±7
ft-Ib)

"
Shock
absorber
to
trailing
arm
......
77
Nm
(57
ft-Ib)
5
.
Lower
suspension
slowly
and
carefully
until
the
com-
pressed
coil
spring
is
fully
unloaded
.

CAUTION
-

The
shock
absorber
prevents
the
drive
axle
and
trailíng
arm
from
drooping
too
far,
so
always
sup-port
the
trailing
arm
before
removing
the
shock
.
Damage
to
drive
axle
CV
joints
can
result
.

6
.
Remove
restraining
chain
and
remove
coi¡
spring
.

REAR
WHEEL
BEARINGS

Fig
.
6
.



Driveaxle
to
final
drive
mounting
bolts
(arrows)
.

0012103

7
.
If
spring
is
to
be
reused,
carefully
inspect
it
for
any
sur-

face
damage
or
corrosion
.
Inspect
spring
mounts
for

any
signs
of
damage
.
Replace
any
parts
showing
evi-

dence
of
wear
or
damage
.

8
.
Fit
coil
springtospring
mountsand
insta¡¡
restraíning

chaina

9
.
Slowly
lift
suspensionback
into
position,
making
sure

coil
spring
is
correctly
seated
in
upper
and
lower
coil

spring
mounts
.

10
.
When
suspension
has
been
lifted
sufficiently,
instan

shock
absorber
to
trailing
arm
.
Remove
restraining

chain
.

11
.
The
remainder
of
installation
is
reverse
of
removal
.

REAR
WHEEL
BEARINGS

The
rear
wheel
bearing
is
a
unitized
assembly
and
is
not
re-

pairable
separately
.
See
Fig
.
7
.

Special
press
tools,
to
be
used
with
the
trailing
arm
at-
tached
to
the
car,
are
requiredto
replace
the
wheel
bearings
.
Read
the
procedure
through
before
beginning
thejob
.

330-
8



REAR
SUSPENSION

CV
boot,
replacing

NOTE-

"
The
outer
CV
joint
cannot
be
removed
from
the
axle
shaft
.
In
order
to
replace
the
outer
CV
boot,
it
is
nec-
essary
to
remove
the
inner
joint
and
boot
first
.

"
If
the
CV
joints
are
worn
or
defective,
acomplete
re-

built
axle
shaft
is
available
from
an
authorized
BMW
dealerparts
department
.

1
.
Remove
drive
axle
from
car
as
described
above
.

2
.
Remove
inner
and
outer
CV
boot
clamping
bands
and

cut
old
boots
off
joints
and
shaft
.
Clean
grease
from

joints
.

3
.
Lift
off
dust
cover
from
inner
CV
joint
and
remove
circlip



5
.
Clean
all
old
lubricantoff
shaftsplines
and
inner
joint's

retaining
joint
inner
hub
to
axle
shaft
.
See
Fig
.
14
.



splines
.

DRIVE
AXLES

-0
1
,
1
1,1
1
L
"I
C
OYA

Drive
axle-"
e
:>,



)



0006560

CV
joint

Fig
.
15
.
Support
CV
joint
at
inner
hub
duringpressing
operation
(ar-
rows)
.

NOTE-

To
inspect
a
CV
joint,
clean
away
the
grease
and
look
for
galling,pittihg
and
othersigns
of
wear
or
physical
damage
.
Polished
surfaces
or
visible
ball
tracks
alone

are
not
necessarily
cause
for
replacement
.
Discolora-

tion
due
to
overheating
indicates
lackof
lubrication
.

6
.
Place
new
clamping
bands
and
CV
boots
over
drive
ax-

le
.

NOTE-

When
replacing
CV
joint
boots,
usecomplete
CV
joint

boot
repair
kits
.
A
kit
will
include
a
new
boot,
clamping

bands,
special
lubricant,
and
anew
inner
CV
joint
cir-
clip
.
The
kit
is
available
from
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
parts
department
.

7
.
Apply
Loctite
®
270
or
an
equívalent
heavy-duty
lockíng

compound
to
drive
axlesplines
.
Position
new
CV
joint

on
shaft
so
that
raisedor
taller
side
of
hub
is
facing
shaft
.

WARNING
-

Fig
.
14
.
Dust
cover
shown
removed
from
inner
CV
joint
.
Clean
away



Do
not
let
the
locking
compound
contact
the
balls
in

grease
and
remove
circlip
(arrow)
from
shaft
end
.



the
joint
.
Apply
only
a
thin
coat
to
cover
the
splines
.

4
.
While
supporting
inner
hub,
press
axle
shaft
out
of
joint
.



8
.
While
supporting
axle
shaft,
press
inner
hub
of
CV
joint

See
Fig
.
15
.



onto
shaft
.
Install
new
circlip
.

NOTE-

Do
not
let
the
ball
hub
pivot
more
than
20°
in
the
outer
ring
of
the
joint
.
The
halls
will
fall
out
if
the
hub
ís
pivoted
too
far
.

GENERAL
......
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
331-1



Final
Drive
Oil
Seals



.
.
...
.
.
.
.......
.
.
.
.
.
331-1

Finaldrive
flange
oil
sea¡,
replacing
....
.
.
.
..
331-2

FINAL
DRIVE
SERVICE
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
331-1



Finaldrive
inputshaft
oil
seal,
replacing
.
.
.
.
.
331-3

Final
drive
oí¡,
draining
and
filling
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
331-1



Finaldrive
unit,
removíng
and
installing
.
.
.
.
.
.
331-3

GENERAL

This
repa¡r
group
covers
repair
operations
that
do
not
re-

quire
complicated
disassembly
of
the
final
drive
.
Internal
re-

pairs
and
final
drive
disassembly
are
not
covered
in
this

manual
.

FINAL
DRIVE
SERVICE

Al¡
final
drive
work
requires
some
method
of
raising
thecar

and
supporting
it
securely
while
the
work
is
performed
.
Jack

stands
and
a
floor
jack
can
easily
be
used,
but
use
extreme

caution
when
working
beneath
the
car
.
See010
Fundamen-

tais
for
the
Do-It-Yourself
Owner
.

NOTE-

Removal
of
final
drive
carrier
is
covered
in
330
Rear
Suspension
.

Final
drive
oil,
draining
and
filling

1
.
Drive
car
to
warm
final
drive
fluid
.

2
.
Raise
car
and
support
safely
.

WARNING
-

Make
sure
that
thecar
is
firmly
supported
on
jack
standsdesigned
for
the
purpose
.
Place
the
jack
standsbeneatha
structural
chassis
point
.
Do
not
place
jack
stands
under
suspension
parts
.

5
.
Fill
final
drive
with
appropriate
type
and
quantity
of
lu-

bricant
.
Insta¡¡
and
tighten
fill
plug
.

331
Final
Drive

0

Fig
.
1
.



Final
drivedrain
plug
(A)
and
fill
plug
(B)
.

D

NOTE-

The
final
drive
fluid
level
is
correct
when
the
fluid
begins
to
spill
from
the
fill
plug
.

Final
Drive
Oil
Seals

FINAL
DRIVE



331-1

0013113

Final
DriveDrain
and
Fill

"
Oil
specifications

w/o
limited
slip



.
.......
BMW
SAF-XO
Synthetic
Oil

with
limited
slip
.
......
BMW
SAF-XIS
Synthetic
Oil

"
Final
drive
oil
capacity

4-cylinder
.
.
.
...
................
1
.1
liters
(1
.2
qt)

6-cylinder
.
.
.
...
................
1
.7liters(1.8
qt)

3
.
Place
a
drain
pail
below
final
drive
andremove
drain

and
fill
plugfrom
final
drive
.
See
Fig
.
1
.



Low
oil
level
caused
by
faulty
oil
seals
may
be
the
cause
of

noisy
final
drive
operation
or
limited-slip
chatter
.
The
drive

NOTE-



flange
(side)
and
inputshaft
(front)
oil
seals
can
be
replaced

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



while
the
final
drive
is
installed
.

Alternatively,
cut
approximately
30
mm
(1
.2
in)
from

an
alíen
key
and
usea
box
end
wrenchon
the
key



NOTE-
stub
.
Do
not
mistake
leaking
CV
joints
for
flangeseal
leaks
.

4
.
Install
and
tighten
drain
plug
.



It
may
be
helpful
to
degrease
the
final
drive
to
pinpoint
the
source
of
the
leak
prior
to
replacing
seals
.

FINAL
DRIVE
SERVICE

Final
driveinputshaft
oil
sea¡,
replacing

1
.
Raise
car
and
support
safely
.

2
.
Drain
final
drive
oil
as
described
earlier
.

3
.
Remove
driveshaft
from
final
drive
inputshaft
flange
.

See
260
Driveshaft
.

4
.
Make
matching
marks
on
input
shaft
and
inputshaft
collar
nut
.
See
Fig
.
4
.

Fig
.
4
.



Make
matching
marks
on
input
shaft
collar
nut
and
flange
.

5
.
Pry
lockplate
from
nut
.
Hold
input
flange
andremove

collar
nut
.
If
necessary,
usea
pullerto
remove
input

flange
.

6
.
Remove
final
drive
front
dust
cover
.

8
.
Install
new
final
drivefront
dust
cover
.

9
.
Lightly
lubricate
inputshaft
and
press
input
flange
back

on
.
Insta¡¡
collar
nut
and
slowly
tighten
until
matching

marks
line
up,
coming
as
close
aspossible
to
specified

torque
.

Tightening
Torques

"
Final
driveinputshaft
flange
to
pinion

with
4
bolt
side
covers
.



.........
175
Nm
(129
ft-Ib)

(or
until
match
marks
line
up)

"
Finaldriveinputshaft
flange
to
pinion
with
6
bolt
side
covers
...........
185
Nm
(137
ft-Ib)

(or
until
match
marks
line
up)

CA
UTION-

If
the
input
flange
nuttorque
is
exceeded,
or
the
nut
is
tightened
past
the
marks,
the
crushable
col-
lar
sleeve
behind
theflange
will
need
to
be
re-
placed
.
This
operation
requires
disassembly
of
the
final
drive
unit
.

10
.
Install
a
new
lockplate
and
refill
final
drive
with
lubri-

cant
.

11
.
Remaining
assembly
is
reverse
of
disassembly
.

Tightening
Torques

"
Driveshaftto
final
dríve
flange
...
See260
Driveshaft

"
Flex-disc
to
driveshaft
or
transmission
flange
...........
See260
Driveshaft

"
Finaldrivedrain
and
fill
plugs
...
.
..
.
70
Nm
(52
ft-Ib)

Final
drive
unit,

removing
and
installing

FINAL
DRIVE



331-
3

1
.
Raise
rear
end
of
car
and
support
it
securely
on
jack
stands
.
Remove
rear
wheels
.

2
.
Remove
driveshaft
from
final
drive
input
flange
.
See
7
.
Pry
faulty
sea¡
from
its
recess
using
a
hooked
sea¡
re-



260
Driveshaft
.
moval
toolor
a
large
screwdriver
.
Dip
new
sea¡
in
final

drive
lubricant
and
drive
it
into
position
.



3
.
Remove
both
drive
axles
from
final
drive
unit
.
Suspend

axle
using
stiff
wire
.
See
330
Rear
Suspension
.

CAUTION
-

ee
careful
not
to
mar
the
housing
when
removing



4
.
Disconnect
stabilizer
bar
from
upper
control
arms
.
Re-

the
seas
.



move
left
and
rightstabilizer
bar
mounts
.

5
.
Disconnect
speedometer
harness
connector
on
final

drive
(where
applicable)
.

6
.
Support
final
drive
with
transmission
jack
.
Remove

mounting
bolts
atfront
and
rear
.
See
Fig
.
5
.

7
.
Slowly
lower
final
drive
unit
and
remove
towards
rear
.

FINAL
DRIVE
SERVICE

Brake
rotor,
removing
and
installing
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
340-7

MASTER
CYLINDER
............
.
.
.
.
.
.
.340-7

Master
cylinder,
removing
and
installing
.
...
.
340-7

GENERAL



TROUBLESHOOTING

WARNING
-

"
Although
semi-metallic
and
metallic
Brake
friction
materials
in
Brake
pads
or
shoes
no
longer
con-
tain
asbestos,
they
produce
dangerous
dust
.
"
Brake
fluid
is
poisonous,
highly
corrosive
and
dangerous
to
the
environment
Wear
safety
glasses
and
rubber
gloves
when
working
with
Brake
fluid
.
Do
not
siphonBrake
fluid
with
your
mouth
.
Immediately
clean
away
any
fluid
spilled
on
painted
surfaces
and
wash
with
water,
asBrake
fluid
will
remove
paint
.

"
Always
use
new
Brake
fluid
froma
fresh,
un-
opened
container
.
Brake
fluid
will
absorb
mois-
ture
from
the
air
.
This
canlead
to
corrosion
problems
in
the
brakingsystem,
and
will
also
low-
er
the
Brake
fluid's
boiling
point
.
Dispose
of
Brake
fluid
properly
.

"
Do
notreuse
self-locking
nuts,bolts
or
fasteners
.
They
are
designed
to
be
used
only
once
and
may
failif
reused
.
Always
replace
them
with
new
self-
locking
fasteners
.

BMW
E36
models
areequipped
with
vacuum
power-assist-

ed
four-wheel
disc
brakes
with
an
integral
Antilock
Brake
Sys-

tem
(ABS)
.
Single-pistoncalipers
act
on
solid
or
vented
front
rotors
and
solid
rear
rotors
.
A
brake
pad
wear
sensor
for
each

axle
indicates
when
brake
padsneed
replacement
.
The
dual

drum-type
parking
brakesystem
is
integrated
with
the
rear
brake
rotors
.

NOTE-

M3
models
havevented
directional
Brake
rotors
on
the
rearaxle
as
well
ason
the
front
.

340
Brakes

BRAKES
340-1

GENERAL
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
.
.
.
..........
340-1



BRAKE
BOOSTER
.........
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
340-8

TROUBLESHOOTING
.......
.
......
.
...
340-1



Brake
booster,
removing
and
installing
....
.
.
340-8

PARKING
BRAKE
.
.....
.
...
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
340-10
BLEEDING
BRAKES
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..........
340-3



Parking
brake,adjusting
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
340-10
Pressure
bleeding
brakes



Parking
brake
shoes,
removing
and
installing
.
340-11(except
cars
with
AST)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.340-3



Parking
Brake
cable,
replacing
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
340-11

BRAKE
PADS,
CALIPERS,



ANTILOCK
BRAKE
SYSTEM
(ABS)
.
.
.
.340-11
AND
ROTORS
..........
.
.......
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
340-3



ABS
System
Inspection
.
...
.
.......
.
.
.
..
340-12
Brake
pads,
replacing
............
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
340-4
ABS
wheel
speed
sensors,
replacing
.
.
.
.
..
340-12
Brake
caliper,
removing
and
installing
.
..
..
.
340-6

TABLES

a
.
Brake
System
Troubleshooting
.....
...
.
.
.....
.340-2
b
.
Brake
Rotor
Reconditioning
Specifications
.
.....
.340-7

Brakeperformance
is
mainly
affected
by
three
things
:
the
leve¡
and
condition
of
the
brake
fluid,
the
system's
abilíty
to
create
and
maintain
hydraulic
pressure,
and
the
condition
of
the
friction
components
.

Air
in
the
Brake
fluid
will
make
the
Brake
pedal
feel
spongy

during
braking
or
will
increase
the
Brake
pedalforce
required

to
stop
.
Fluid
contaminated
by
moisture
or
dirt
can
corrode
the

system
.
Inspect
the
Brake
fluid
inside
the
reservoir
.
Ifit
is
dirty
or
murky,
or
is
over
a
year
old,
the
fluid
should
be
replaced
.

Visually
check
the
hydraulic
system
startingat
the
master

cylinder
.
To
check
the
function
of
the
master
cylinder
hold
the

brake
pedal
down
hard
with
the
engine
running
.
The
pedal

should
feelsolid
and
stay
solid
.
If
the
pedal
slowly
falls
to
the

floor,
either
the
master
cylinder
is
leaking
internally,
or
fluid
is
leaking
externally
.
If
no
leaks
canbe
found,
the
master
cylin-
der
is
faulty
and
should
be
replaced
.
Check
all
Brake
fluid
lines

and
couplings
for
leaks,
kinks,
chafing
and
corrosion
.

Check
the
Brake
booster
by
pumping
the
Brake
pedal
ap-

proximately
10
times
with
the
engine
off
.
Hold
the
pedal
down
and
start
the
engine
.
The
pedal
should
fa¡¡
slightly
.
If
not,
check

for
any
visiblefaults
before
suspecting
a
faulty
brake
booster
.

Check
for
strong
vacuum
at
the
vacuum
hose
fitting
at
the

booster,
and
check
the
non-retum
valve
for
one-way
flow
.

Worn
or
contaminated
brake
pads
will
cause
poor
braking

performance
.
Oil-contaminated
or
glazed
pads
will
cause

stopping
distances
to
increase
.
Inspect
the
rotors
for
glazing,

discoloration
and
scoring
.
Steering
wheel
vibration
while

braking
at
speed
is
often
caused
by
warped
rotors,
but
can
also
be
caused
byworn
suspension
components
.

TROUBLESHOOTING

340-2
BRAKES

When
troubleshooting,
keep
in
mind
that
tire
inflation,
wear

and
temperature
can
affect
braking
and
suspension
.
See310

Front
Suspension
for
more
information
on
front
suspension

parts
inspection
.

Table
a
lists
symptoms
of
brake
problems,
their
probable

causes,
and
suggested
corrective
actions
.

Table
a
.
Brake
System
Troubleshooting

Symptom



1



Probable
cause



1



Repairs

Brake
squeal



a
.
Incorrectly
installed
brake
pads
or



a
.
Check
component
installation
.
parking
brake
shoes
b
.
Brakepad
carriers
dirty
or
corroded



b
.
Remove
brake
pads
and
clean
calipers
.
c
.
Brake
pad
anti-rattle
springs
faulty
or



c
.
Install/replace
anti-rattle
springs
.
missing
d
.
Brakepads
heat-glazed
or
oil-soaked



d
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
calipers
as
required
.
e
.
Wheel
bearings
worn
(noise
most



e
.
Replace
worn
bearings
.
See310
Front
Suspension
pronounced
when
turning)



or
330
Rear
Suspension
.

Pedal
goes
to
f
loor
when
braking



a
.
Brake
fluid
leve¡
low
due
to
system



a
.
Check
fluidlevel
and
inspect
hydraulic
system
for
leaks



signs
of
leakage
.
Fill
and
bleed
system
.
b
.
Master
cylinder
faulty



I
b
.
Replacemaster
cylinder
.

Low
pedal
after
system
bleeding



1
a
.
Master
cylinder
faulty



1
a
.
Replace
master
cylinder
.

Pedal
spongy
or
brakes
work
only



a
.
Air
in
brake
fluid



a
.
Bleedsystem
.
when
pedal
is
pumped



b
.
Master
cylinder
faulty
(interna¡
return



b
.
Replacemaster
cylinder
.
spring
weak)
c
.
Leaking
line
or
hose
unions



c
.
Repair
or
replace
lines
and
hoses
.
Bleed
system
.

Excessive
braking
effort



a
.
Brake
pads
wet



a
.
Use
light
pedal
pressure
to
dry
pads
while
driving
.
b
.
Brake
pads
heat-glazed
oroil-soaked



b
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
calipers
.
c
.
Vacuum
booster
or
vacuum
hose
con-



c
.
Inspect
vacuum
lines
.
Test
vacuum
booster
and
re
nections
to
booster
faulty



place
as
required
.
Test
vacuum
non-return
valve
for
one-way
air
flow
.

Brakes
pulsate,
chatter
or
grab



a
.
Warped
brake
rotors



a
.
Resurface
or
replace
rotors
.
b
.
Brake
padsworn



b
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
c
.
Brake
pads
heat-glazed
or
oil-soaked



c
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
calipers
.

Uneven
braking,
car
pulís
to
one



a
.
Incorrect
tire
pressures
or
worn
tires



a
.
Inspect
tire
condition
.
Check
and
correct
tire
pres-
side,
rear
brakes
lock



sures
.
b
.
Brake
pads
on
one
side
of
car
heat-



b
.
Replace
brake
pads
.
Clean
rotors
.
Replace
leaking
glazed
or
oil-soaked



calipers
.
c
.
Caliper
or
brake
pads
binding



c
.
Clean
and
recondition
brakes
.
d
.
Worn
suspension
components



d
.
Inspect
for
worn
or
damaged
suspension
compo-
nents
.
See
310
Front
Suspension
or
330
Rear
Sus-
pension
.

Brakes
drag,
bind
or
overheat



a
.
Brake
caliper
or
brake
pads
binding



a
.
Clean
or
replace
caliper
.(
b
.
Master
cylinder
faulty



b
.
Replacemaster
cylinder
.

WARNING
-

On
cars
with
All
Season
Traction
(AST),
special
BMW
service
equipment
is
required
to
properly
bleed
the
ABS/AST
system
.
For
safety
reasons,
the
brake
system
on
carswith
ABS/AST
must
not
be
bled
using
the
procedures
described
inthis
repair
group
.

BLEEDING
BRAKES

Brake
bleeding
is
usually
done
for
one
of
two
reasons
:
Ei-
ther
to
replace
oíd
brake
fluid
as
part
of
routine
maintenance
or
to
expel
trapped
air
in
the
system
that
resulted
from
open-
ingthe
brake
hydraulic
system
during
repairs
.

BLEEDING
BRAKES

Alwaysuse
new
brake
fluid
from
an
unopened
container
.It

is
important
to
bleed
the
entire
system
when
any
part
of
the

hydraulic
system
has
been
opened
.
On
cars
not
equipped
with
traction
control
(AST),
brake
system
bleeding
should
be

done
with
a
pressure
bleeder
.
On
cars
with
AST,
brake
bleed-

ing
should
be
done
by
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.

WARNING
-

On
cars
with
All
Season
Traction
(AST),
special
BMW
service
equipment
is
requíred
to
properly
bleed
the
ABS/AST
system
.
For
safetyreasons,
the
brake
system
on
carswith
ABS/AST
must
not
be
bled
using
the
procedures
described
inthís
repair
group
.