spark BMW M3 1995 E36 Workshop Manual

Please
read
these
warnings
and
cautions

before
proceeding
with
maintenance
and
repair
work
.

WARNING-



"
Friction
materials
(such
as
brake
pads
or
shorts
or
clutchdiscs)
contain
asbestos
fibers
or
other
friction
materials
.
Do
notcreate
"
See
also
Cautionson
page
viü



dustby
grinding,
sanding,
orby
cleaning
with
compressed
air
.

"
Some
repairs
may
be
beyond
your
capability
.
If
you
lack
the



Avoid
breathing
dust
.
Breathing
any
friction
material
dust
can
lead

skills,
tools
and
equipment,
or
a
suitable
workplace
for
any
proce-



to
serious
diseases
and
may
result
in
death
.

duredescribed
in
this
manual,
we
suggestyou
leave
such
repairs



"
Batteries
give
off
explosive
hydrogen
gas
during
charging
.
to
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
service
department
or
other
quali-



Keep
sparks,
lighted
matches
and
open
flame
away
from
the
top
fied
shop
.



of
the
battery
If
hydrogen
gas
escaping
from
the
cap
vents
is

"Do
not
re-use
any
fasteners
that
are
worn
or
deformed
in
normal



ignited,
it
will
ignite
gas
trapped
in
the
cells
and
cause
the
battery

use
.
Many
fasteners
are
designed
to
be
used
only
once
and



to
explode
.

become
unreliable
and
may
fail
when
used
a
second
time
.
This



"
Connect
and
disconnect
battery
cables,
jumper
cablesora
bat-
includes,
but
is
not
limited
to,
nuts,
bolts,
washers,
self-locking
nuts
or
bolts,
circlips
and
cotterpins
.
Always
replace
these
fasteners

with
new
parts
.
"Do
not
quick-charge
the
battery
(for
boost
starting)
for
longer
"
Never
work
under
a
lifted
car
unless
it
is
solidly
supportedon



than
one
minute
.
Wait
at
least
one
minute
before
boosting
the
bat-
stands
designed
for
the
purpose
.
Do
not
support
a
car
on
cinder



tery
a
second
time
.
blocks,
hollow
tiles
or
other
props
that
may
crumble
under
contin-

uous
load
.
Never
work
under
acar
that
is
supported
solely
by
a



"Do
not
allow
battery
charging
voltage
to
exceed
16
.5
volts
.
If
the

jack
.
Never
work
under
thecar
while
the
engine
is
running
.



battery
beginsproducing
gas
or
boiling
violently,
reduce
the
charg-
ing
rate
.
Boosting
a
sulfated
battery
at
a
high
charging
rate
can
"
If
you
are
going
to
work
under
acar
on
the
ground,
make
sure



cause
an
explosion
.
that
the
ground
is
level
.
Block
the
wheels
to
keep
the
carfrom
roll-

ing
.
Disconnect
the
battery
negative
(-)
terminal
(ground
strap)to



"
The
air-conditioning
system
is
filled
with
chemical
refrigerant,

prevent
others
from
starting
thecar
while
youare
under
it
.



which
is
hazardous
.
TheA/C
system
should
be
servicedonly
by

trained
technicians
using
approved
refrigerant
recovery/recycling
"
Never
run
the
engine
unless
the
work
area
is
well
ventilated
.



equipment,
trained
in
related
safetyprecautions,
and
familiar
with
Carbon
monoxide
kills
.



regulations
governing
the
discharging
and
disposal
of
automotive

"
Finger
rings,
bracelets
and
other
jewelry
shouldbe
removed
so



chemical
refrigerants
.

tery
charger
only
with
the
ignition
switched
off,
to
prevent
sparks
.

Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
while
the
engine
is
running
.

that
theycannot
cause
electrical
shorts,
get
caught
in
running



"
Do
not
expose
any
partof
the
A/Csystem
to
high
temperatures
machinery,
or
be
crushed
by
heavy
parts
.



suchas
open
flame
.
Excessiveheat
will
increase
system
pressure

"
Tie
long
hair
behind
your
head
.
Do
not
wear
a
necktie,
a
scarf,



and
may
cause
the
system
to
burst
.

loose
clothing,
or
a
necklace
when
you
work
near
machine
tools
or



"
Some
aerosol
tire
inflators
are
highly
flammable
.
Be
extremely
running
engines
.
If
your
hair,
clothing,
or
jewelry
were
to
get
caught



cautious
when
repairing
a
tire
that
may
havebeen
inflated
using
in
the
machinery,
severe
injury
could
result
.



an
aerosol
tire
inflator
.
Keep
sparks,
open
flame
or
other
sources

"
Do
not
attempt
to
work
onyourcar
if
you
do
not
feel
well
.
You



of
ignition
away
from
the
tire
repair
area
.
Inflate
and
deflate
the
tire

increase
the
danger
of
injury
toyourself
and
others
if
you
are
tired,



at
least
four
times
before
breaking
the
bead
from
therim
.
Com-

upset
or
have
takenmedication
or
any
other
substance
that
may



Pletely
remove
the
tire
from
the
rim
beforeattempting
any
repair
.

keep
you
from
being
fully
alert
.

"
Illuminate
your
work
areaadequately
but
safety
.
Use
a
portable

safety
light
for
working
inside
or
under
thecar
.
Make
surethe
bulb

is
enclosedbya
wire
cage
.
The
hot
filament
of
an
accidentally
bro-

ken
bulb
can
ignite
spilled
fuel
or
oil
.

"
Catch
draining
fuel,
oil,
orbrake
fluid
in
suitable
containers
.
Do

not
use
food
or
beverage
containers
that
mightmislead
someone

into
drínking
from
them
.
Store
flammable
fluids
away
from
fire
haz-

ards
.
Wipe
up
spills
at
once,
but
do
not
store
the
oily
rags,
which

can
ignite
and
burn
spontaneously
.

"
Always
observe
good
workshop
practices
.
Wear
goggles
when

youoperate
machine
tools
or
work
with
battery
acid
.
Gloves
or

other
protectioeclothing
should
be
worn
whenever
thejob
requires

working
with
harmful
substances
.

"
Greases,
lubricants
and
other
automotive
chemicals
contain

toxic
substances,
many
of
which
are
absorbed
directly
through
the

skin
.
Read
the
manufacturer's
instructions
and
warnings
carefully
.

Use
hand
andeye
protection
.
Avoid
direct
skin
contact

"
Cars
covered
by
this
manual
are
equipped
with
a
supplemental

restraint
system
(SRS),
that
automatically
deploys
an
airbag(s)
in

theevent
of
a
frontal
ímpact
.
The
airbag(s)
is
inflated
byan
explo-

sive
device
.
Handled
improperly
or
without
adequate
safeguards,

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
ona
car
with
the
engine
running
or
the
ígnition
switched
on
.

"
Place
jack
stands
only
at
locations
specified
bymanufacturer
.

The
vehicle
lifting
jacksupplied
with
the
vehicle
is
intended
for
tire

changes
only
.
A
heavy
duty
floor
jack
shouldbe
used
to
lift
vehicle

before
installing
jack
stands
.
See
010
Fundamentals
for
theDo-
.

it-Yourself
Owner
.

"
Battery
acid
(electrolyte)
can
cause
severeburns
.
Flush
contact

area
with
water,
seek
medical
attention
.

"
Aerosolcleaners
and
solvents
may
contain
hazardous
ordeadly
vapors
and
are
highly
flammable
.
Use
only
in
a
wellventilated

area
.
Do
not
use
on
hot
surfaces
(engines,
brakes,
etc
.)
.

"
Disconnect
the
battery
negative
(-)
terminal
(Ground
strap)



"
Do
not
remove
coolant
reservoir
or
radiator
cap
with
theengine

whenever
you
work
on
the
fuel
system
orthe
electrical
system
.
Do



hot
.
Danger
of
bums
and
engine
damage
.

not
smoke
or
work
near
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
.
Keep
an

approved
fire
extinguisher
handy
.



continued
on
next
page
vii

010-2



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

HOW
TO
USE
THIS
MANUAL

A
note
contains
helpfulinformation,
tipsthat
will
hefp
in
The
manual
is
divided
into
ninesections
:



doinga
better
job
and
completing
!t
more
easíly
.

0
GENERAL
DATA
AND
MAINTENANCE

1
ENGINE

2
TRANSMISSION

3
SUSPENSION,
STEERING
AND
BRAKES

4
BODY

5
BODY
EQUIPMENT

6
ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM

7
EQUIPMENTANDACCESSORIES

ELECTRICAL
WIRING
DIAGRAMS

0
GENERAL
DATA
AND
MAINTENANCE
coversthe
rec-

ommended
maintenance
schedules
and
service
procedures

needed
to
perform
BMW
scheduled
maintenance
work
.
Also

within
this
section
is
the
010
Fundamentals
for
the
Do-It-

Yourself
Owner
section,
which
contains
basic
instructions,
tips
and
helpful
hints
for
do-it-yourself
maintenance
and
repair
.

The
next
seven
sections
(1
through
7)
are
repair
based
and

are
further
broken
down
into
three
digit
repair
groups
.
Each
ma-

jor
section
begins
with
a
General
repair
group,
e
.g
.
100En-

gine-General
.
These
"00"
(doublezero)
groups
aremostly

descriptive
in
nature,
covering
topics
suchas
theory
of
opera-
tion
and
troubleshooting
.
The
remainder
of
the
repair
groups

contain
the
more
involved
repair
information
.
The
last
major

section
contains
detailed
electrical
wiring
diagram
schematics
.

A
master
listing
of
the
9major
sections
and
the
correspond-
ing
individual
repair
groups
can
befoundon
the
inside
front
cover
.

Each
repair
group
begins
with
a
Table
of
Contents
listing
the

majos
subject
headings
within
the
group
.
Page
numbers

throughout
the
manual
are
organizedaccording
to
the
repair
groupsystem
.
For
example,
youcan
expect
tofind
repair
infor-
mation
on
brakes
(Repair
Group
340)
beginning
on
page
340-
1
.
A
comprehensive
index
can
be
found
at
the
back
of
the
man-

ual
.

Warnings,
Cautions
and
Notes
Throughout
this
manualare
many
passages
with
the
head-
ings
WARNING,
CAUTION,
or
NOTE
.
These
very
important
headings
have
diflerent
meanings
.

WARNING
-

The
text
under
this
heading
warns
of
unsafe
practic-
es
thatare
very
likelyto
cause
ínjury,
eitherby
dírect
threat
to
the
person(s)
pertorming
the
work
or
by
in-
creased
risk
of
accident
or
mechanfcal
fallure
whíle
driving
.

CAUTION-

A
caution
calls
attention
to
important
precautions
to
beobserved
during
the
repair
work
that
will
helo
prevent
accidentally
damaging
the
caror
its
parts
.

GETTING
STARTED

Safety

NOTE-

Please
read
every
WARNING,
CAUTION,
and
NOTE
at
the

front
of
the
manual
and
as
they
appear
in
repair
procedures
.

They
are
very
important
.
Read
them
before
you
begin
any

maintenance
or
repair
job
.

Some
WARNINGs
and
CAUTIONs
are
repeated
wherever

they
apply
.
Read
them
all
.
Do
not
skip
any
.
These
messages
are
important,
even
to
the
owner
who
never
intends
to
workon

thecar
.

GETTING
STARTED

Most
of
the
necessary
maintenance
and
minor
repair
that
an

automobile
will
need
canbe
done
with
ordinary
tools,
evenby

owners
with
little
or
no
experience
in
car
repair
.
Below
is
some

important
information
on
how
to
work
safely,
a
discussion
of

what
tools
will
be
needed
and
how
to
use
them
.

Although
an
automobile
presents
many
hazards,
common

sense
and
good
equipment
can
helo
ensure
safety
.
Many
acci-

dents
happen
because
of
carelessness
.
Pay
attention
and
stick
to
these
few
important
safety
rules
.

WARNING
-

"
Never
run
the
engine
in
the
work
area
unless
it
is
well-ventflated
.
Theexhaustshouldbe
vented
to
the
outside
.
Carbon
monoxide
(CO)
in
theex-
haust
kilts
.

"
Remove
all
neckties,
scarts,
loose
clothing,
or
jewelry
when
working
near
running
engines
or
power
tools
.
Tuck
in
shirts
.
Tie
long
haír
and
se-
cure
it
under
a
cap
.
Severe
injury
can
result
from
these
things
beíngcaught
in
rotating
parts
.

"
Remove
ríngs,
watches,
and
bracelets
.
Asíde
from
the
dangersof
moving
parts,
metallic
jew-
elry
conducts
electricity
and
may
cause
shorts,
sparks,
bums,
or
damage
to
the
electrical
sys-
tem
when
accidentally
contacting
the
battery
or
other
electrical
terminals
.

"
Disconnect
the
battery
negative
()
cable
when-
ever
working
on
ornear
the
fuel
system
or
any-
thlng
that
is
electrically
powered
.
Accidental
electrícal
contact
may
damage
the
electrical
system
or
cause
a
fire
.

WARNING
-

"
Never
work
under
a
lifted
car
unless
it
is
solidly
supported
on
jack
stands
that
are
intended
for
that
purpose
.
Do
not
support
a
car
on
cinder
blocks,
bricks,
or
other
objects
that
may
shift
orcrumble
under
continuous
load
.
Never
work
un-
dera
car
that
is
supported
only
by
the
lifting
jack
.

"
Fuel
is
highly
flammable
.
When
working
around
fuel,
do
not
smoke
or
worknear
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
.
Keepan
approved
fire
extinguisher
handy
.

"
llluminate
the
work
area
adequately
and
safely
.
Use
a
portable
safety
light
for
working
inside
or
under
thecar
.
A
fluorescent
type
lightis
best
be-
cause
it
gives
off
less
heat
.
If
using
a
light
with
anormal
incandescent
butb,
use
rough
service
bulbs
to
avoid
breakage
.
The
hot
filamentof
an
accidentallybroken
bulb
can
ignite
spilled
fuel
or
oil
"
Keep
sparks,
lighted
matches,
and
any
open
llame
away
from
thetop
of
the
battery
.
Hydrogen
gas
emitted
by
the
battery
is
highly
flammable
.
Any
nearby
source
of
ignition
may
cause
the
battery
to
explode
.

"
Never
¡ay
tools
or
parts
in
the
engine
compart-
ment
or
on
top
of
the
battery
.
They
may
fall
into
confined
spaces
and
be
difficult
toretrieve,
be-
come
caught
in
beits
or
other
rotating
parts
when
the
engine
is
started,
or
cause
electrical
shorts
anddamage
to
the
electrical
system
.

"
The
fuel
system
is
designed
to
retain
pressure
even
when
the
ignition
is
off
.
When
working
with
the
fuel
system,
loosen
the
fuel
fines
slowly
to
al-

low
the
residual
pressure
to
dissipate
gradually
.

Take
precautions
to
avoid
spraying
fuel
.

Lifting
the
Car

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
3

For
those
repairs
that
require
raising
the
car,
theproper
jack-

ing
points
should
beused
to
raise
thecar
safely
and
avoid
dam-

age
.
There
are
four
jacking
points
from
which
thecar
can
be

safely
raised
.
The
jacksupplied
with
thecar
by
BMW
can
only

be
used
at
the
fourside
points
just
behindthe
front
wheel
or

just
in
frontof
the
rear
wheel
.
See
Fig
.
1.

WARNING
-

"
When
raising
the
car
using
a
floor
jack
ora
hy-

draulic
lift,
carefully
position
the
jack
pad
topre-

vent
damaging
the
car
body
.
A
suitable
liner

(wood,
rubber,
etc
.)
should
be
placed
between
the
jack
and
the
car
to
prevent
body
damage
.

"
Watch
the
jack
closely
.
Make
sure
ft
stays
stable

and
does
not
shift
or
tilt
.
As
the
car
is
raised,
the
car
may
rol¡
slightly
and
the
jack
may
shift
.

Fig
.
1
.



3-Seriesjacking
points
(arrows)
.

Raising
car
safely

1
.
Park
car
on
flat,
leve¡
su
rface
.

2
.
Remove
the
round
cover
from
jack
mount
using
a

screwdriver
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

0013126

Fig
.
2
.



Jack
mount
cover
being
removed
from
rocker
panel
.

3
.
Place
jack
fully
into
position
.
See
Fig
.
3
.
Make
sure
jack

is
resting
on
flat,
solid
ground
.
Use
a
board
or
other
sup-

port
to
provide
a
firm
surface
for
the
jack,
if
necessary
.

4
.
Raisecar
slowly
while
constantly
checking
position
of

jack
and
car
.

5
.
Once
car
is
raised,
block
the
wheel
that
is
opposite
and

farthest
from
jackto
prevent
car
fromunexpectedly
roll-

ing
.

GET77NG
STARTER

010-
4



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

Fig
.
3
.



BMW
supplied
jack
correctly
positioned
in
front
jacking
point
.



Most
of
the
repairs
and
maintenance
tasks
described
in
this

manual
can
be
successfully
completedby
anyone
with
basic

tools
and
abilities
.
To
prevent
getting
in
too
deep,
know
what

WARNING-



the
wholejob
requires
before
starting
.
Read
the
procedure
thor-

"
Do
not
rely
on
thetransmission
or
the
emergen-



oughly,
from
beginning
to
end,
in
order
to
know
just
what
to
ex
cybrake
to
keep
thecar
from
rolling
.
They
are



pect
and
what
parts
will
have
to
be
replaced
.

nota
substitute
for
positively
blocking
the
oppo-
site
wheel
.

"
Never
work
undera
car
that
is
supported
only
by
ajack
Use
jack
stands
that
are
properly
de-
signed
to
support
the
car
.
See
Tools
.

Working
under
car
safely

1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
cable
from
battery
so
that
no

one
else
can
start
thecar
.
Let
others
know
what
you
will

be
doing
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
vüi
.

2
.
Raisecar
slowly
as
described
above
.

3
.
Use
at
least
two
jack
stands
to
support
thecar
.
A
jack
is
atemporary
lifting
device
and
should
not
be
used
alone
to
support
the
car
while
you
are
under
it
.
Use
jack
stands
designed
for
the
purpose
of
supporting
a
car
.
For
more
information
on
jack
stands,
see
Toolsbelow
.

WARNING
-

Do
notusewood,
concrete
blocks,
orbricks
to
sup-
port
acar
.
Woodmay
split
.
Blocks
or
bricks,
while
strong,
are
not
designed
for
that
kind
of
load,
and
may
brakkor
collapse
.

ADVICE
FOR
THE
BEGINNER

4
.
Place
jack
stands
on
firm,
solid
surface
.
If
necessary,

use
a
flat
board
or
similar
solid
object
to
provide
a
firm

footing
.

5
.
Lower
car
slowly
until
its
weight
is
fully
supportedby

jack
stands
.
Watch
to
make
sure
that
the
jack
stands
do

not
tip
orlean
as
thecar
settles
on
them
.

6
.
Observe
all
jacking
precautions
again
when
raising
car

to
remove
jack
stands
.

ADVICE
FORTHE
BEGINNER

The
tips
in
the
paragraphs
that
follow
are
general
advice
to

help
any
do-it-yourself
BMW
owner
perform
repairs
and
main-

tenance
tasks
more
easily
and
more
professionally
.

Planning
Ahead

Cleanliness

Keeping
things
organized,
neat,
and
clean
is
essential
to
do-

ing
a
good
job
.
When
working
under
the
hood,
fender
covers

will
protect
the
finish
from
scratches
and
other
damage
.
Make
sure
the
car
is
relatively
clean
so
thatdi
rt
under
the
cover
does

not
scratch
the
finish
.

Any
repair
job
will
be
less
troublesome
if
the
parts
are
clean
.

For
cleaning
old
parts,
there
are
many
solvents
and
parts

cleaners
commercially
available
.

For
cleaning
parts
priorto
assembly,
commercially
available
aerosol
cans
of
parts
cleaner
or
brake
cleaner
are
handy
to
use,
and
the
cleaner
will
evaporate
completely
.

WARNING
-

Virtually
all
solvents
used
for
cleaning
parts
are
highly
flammable,
especially
in
aerosol
form
.
Use
wíth
extreme
care
.
Do
not
smoke
.
Do
not
use
these
products
near
any
source
of
heat,
sparksor
flame
.

Let
any
solvent
orcleaning
product
dry
completely
.
Low-
pressure,
dry
compressed
air
is
helpful
if
available
.
Also,
use
only
lint-free
rags
for
cleaning
and
drying
.

Solt
Diameter
and
Wrench
Size
"
M5
.
...
............
....
......
.
.......
8
mm

"
M6
.
.
..............
.
.
...
...........
.10
mm

"
M8
.
.
..............
.
.
..
.....
12mmor13mm

"
M10
..
.............
.
.
...
...........
.17
mm

"
M12
...
...........
..
.
..
............
.19
mm

"
M14
.
..:
.
.........
..
.
..
.............
22
mm

Spark
Plug
Socket
.
A
special
socket
for
spark
plugs
is
the

correct
size,
is
deep
enough
to
accommodate
a
spark
plug's

length,
and
includes
a
rubber
insertto
both
protect
the
spark

plug
from
damage
and
grip
it
for
easier
removal
.
See
Fig
.
9
.

Fig
.
9
.



Spark
plug
socket
.

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THEDO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
9

B003FNG

Pliers
.
A
few
of
the
many
types
ofpliers
are
shown
in
Fig
.
10
.

Mostare
used
for
holding
irregularobjects,
bending,or
crimp-

ing
.
Some
have
special
applications
.

A
needlenose
plier
is
used
for
gripping
small
and
poorly
ac-

cessible
objects,
and
is
useful
for
wiring
and
other
electrical

work
.
A
locking
plier
suchas
theVise-Grip
®
is
useful
because

of
its
tightgrip
.

Snap-ring
and
circlip
pliers
withspecial
tipped
jacas
areused
lo
remove
and
install
snap-ringsor
circlips
.
A
Channel-lock®
or
water
pump
plier
has
adjustable
jacas
that
can
be
quickly

changed
to
match
the
size
of
the
object
being
held
to
give
great-
erleverage
.

An
adjustable
wrench
canbea
useful
addition
to
a
small
tool

kit
.
See
Fig
.
11
.
It
can
substitute
in
a
pinch,
if
two
wrenches
of

the
same
size
are
needed
lo
remove
a
nut
and
bolt
.
Use
extra
care
with
adjustable
wrenches,
as
they
tend
to
loosen,
slip,
and
damage
fasteners
.

Fig
.
11
.
Adjustable
wrench
.

B008FNG

Compared
to
a
wrench
of
the
correct
size,
an
adjustable

wrench
is
always
second
best
.
They
shouldonly
beused
when

the
correct
size
wrench
is
not
available
.
Choose
one
of
average

size
range,
about
6
to
8
inches
in
length
.

Jack
Stands

Strong
jack
stands
are
extremely
important
for
any
work
that

is
done
under
thecar
.
Use
onlyjack
stands
that
are
designed

for
the
purpose
.
Blocks
of
wood,
concrete,
bricks,
etc
.
arenot

safeor
suitable
substitutes
.

WARNING
-

A
jack
should
be
used
only
to
raise
the
vehicle
and
shouldnot
beused
to
support
the
car
for
a
long
pe-
riod
.
Always
use
jack
stands
to
support
a
raised
ve-
hicle
.

Jack
standsare
available
1n
severa¡
styles
.
A
typical
jack

stand
is
shown
in
Fig
.
12
.
The
best
ones
are
made
of
heavy
ma-

terial
for
strength,
have
a
wide
base
for
stability,
and
are

equipped
lo
positively
lock
in
their
raised
positions
.
Get
the
best

ones
available
.

Oil
Change
Equipment

Changing
engine
oil
requires
a
17mm
socket
or
wrench
to

BOO6FNG-



loosen
and
tighten
the
drain
plug
and
a
drain
pan
(at
least
8
qt
.

capacity)
.
An
oil
filter
wrench
is
not
required
.
These
items
are
Fig
.
10
.
Pliers
.
From
left,
snap-ring,



needlenose,
adjustable-joint



shown
in
Fig
.
13
.
A
wide,
loca
drain
pan
wíll
fit
more
easily
under

(Channellock©),
slip-joint,
and
locking(Vise-Grip®)
.



the
car
.
Use
a
funnel
lo
pour
the
new
oil
into
theengine
.

TOOLS

010-12



FUNDAMENTALSFOR
THE
DO-IT
YOURSELF
OWNER

Jump
Starting
Car

Cars
with
discharged
or
dead
batteries
can
be
jump-started
using
the
good
battery
from
another
car
.
When
jump-starting

the
engine,
always
note
the
following
warnings
.

WARNING
-

"
Battery
acid
(electrolyte)
can
cause
severe
burns,
and
will
damage
the
car
and
clothing
.
lf
electrolyte
is
spilled,
wash
the
surface
with
large
quantities
of
water
.
lfit
gets
finto
eyes,
flush
them
with
water
for
severa¡
minutes
and
cal¡
a
doctor
.

"
Batteries
produce
explosive
and
noxious
gas-
ses
.
Keep
sparks
and
flames
away
.
Do
not
smoke
near
batteries
.

"
Do
not
jump-start
the
engine
if
you
suspect
that
the
battery
is
frozen
.
Trapped
gas
may
explode
.
Allow
the
battery
to
thaw
first
.

"
Do
not
quick-charge
the
battery
(for
boost
start-
ing)for
longer
than
one
minute,
and
donot
ex-
ceed
15
volts
at
the
battery
with
the
boosting
cables
attached
.
Wait
at
least
one
minutebefore
boosting
the
battery
a
second
time
.

"
Some
electrical
system
'comfort"
features
may
not
function
correctly
once
battery
power
is
restored
.
For
example,
the
front
window
one-touch-up
func-
tion
may
be
disabled
.
Some
electrical
systems
will
need
to
be
reinitialized
Consult
the
appropriate
re-
pairgroup
formore
specific
information
.

1
.
Place
cars
close
together,
but
do
not
allow
them
to'touch
each
other
.
Turn
off
the
engine
of
thecar
with
the
good
battery
.

2
.
Connect
oneend
of
the
positive
(+)
cable
to
the
positive
(+)
post
of
the
good
battery
.
Remove
the
coverfromthe

positive
(B+)
junction
post
in
the
engine
compartment
of
the
dead
car
and
connect
the
other
end
of
the
posi-
tive
(+)
cable
to
the
junction
post
.
See
Fig
.
17
.

EMERGENCIES

3
.
Connect
one
end
of
the
negative
(-)
cable
to
the
nega-

tive
(-)
battery
post
of
the
good
battery
.
Connect
oppo-

site
end
of
the
negative
cable
(-)
to
the
engine
block
of

thecar
with
the
dead
battery
.

4
.
Start
thecar
with
the
good
battery
and
runthe
engine

at
about2,000
rpm,
then
start
the
car
with
the
dead
bat-
tery
.

5
.
With
the
engine
at
¡dle,
switch
on
the
headlights,
blower

motor
and
rear
window
defogger
to
avoid
damaging
the

cars
electrical
system
.
Carefully
disconnect
the
jumper

cables,
starting
with
the
negative
cable
on
the
engine

block
.
Turn
all
electrical
consumers
off
.

NOTE-

The
engineshould
be
run
for
at
least
an
hour
to
re-
charge
the
battery
.

Overheating

lf
the
temperature
gauge
needle
goes
into
the
red
band
on
the
gauge
face,
the
coolant
temperature
is
too
high
.
Find
a
safe
place
to
stop
and
turn
the
engine
off
.
Open
the
hood
and
allow

the
engine
to
cool
until
the
temperature
gauge
needle
is
at
the

lower
thirdof
the
scale
.
Continuing
to
drive
an
overheated
car

can
cause
extensive
engine
damage
.

WARNING
-

Do
not
remove
the
coolant
reservoir
or
radíator
cap
with
the
engine
hot
.
Undoing
either
couldspray
hot
coolant
and
cause
burns
or
damage
the
engine
.

CAUTION-

Do
not
add
cold
water
or
coolant
to
a
hot
engine
.
Engine
damage
could
result
from
the
sudden
tem-
perature
change
.

NOTE-

If
the
enginecannot
be
safely
tumed
off,
make
sure
the
air
condifioner
isoff
and
turn
the
heater
to
high
.
This
will
helo
cool
the
engine
until
a
salestopping
place
canbe
reached
.

Overheating
may
be
caused
bylow
coolant
leve¡
or
a
dam-aged
engine
drive
belt
.
Visually
check
the
coolant
leve¡
and
en-
gine
belts
as
described
in
020
Maintenance
Program
.
lf
the
coolant
leve¡
is
low,
check
the
filler
cap,hoses,
clamps
and
ra-
diator
for
signs
of
leakage
.
Check
for
leaks
at
the
water
pump
on
the
frontof
theengine
.

lf
no
leaks
are
found,
add
coolant
after
the
engine
has
cooled
.
The
carcan
be
driven,
but
have
the
cooling
system
thoroughly
checked
assoonas
possible
.
lf
replacement
cool
0013245



-



ant
is
not
available,
then
plain
water
canbe
used,
butthe
cool-
antshould
later
be
drained
and
refilled
with
theproper
mixture
Fig
.
17
.
Battery
jump
starting
posts
(arrows)
behind
right
frontstrut



of
anti-freeze
and
water
.
tower
.
Lift
cover
to
access
positive
post
.

020
Maintenance
Program

GENERAL
.
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
..
020-2

BMW
Service
Indicator
......
..
....
..
...
..
.
020-2

Oil
Service
.....
.
..........
..
...
...
...
..
.
020-2

Inspection
I
and
Inspection
II
.
..
....
..
...
..
.
020-2

Resetting
Service
Indicator
....
.
....
..
...
..
.
020-3

MAINTENANCE
TABLES
..
.
.
.
.
.
........
020-3

FLUID
AND
LUBRICANT

SPECIFICATIONS
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
....
.
...
020-8

Manual
Transmission
Fluid
..
.
.
.
.
.
....
.
.
.
.
020-8

Automatic
Transmission
Fluid
.
.
.
.
.
....
.
.
.
.
020-8

Final
Drive
Gear
Oil
................
.
.
.
.
020-9
Brake
Fluid
.
.
.
.
.
................
.
.
.
.
020-9
Engine
Coolant
(Anti-freeze)
.
.
...
.
....
.
.
.
.
020-9

Power
Steering
Fluid
........
..
......
.
.
.
.
020-9

ENGINE
OIL
SERVICE
.
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
020-9

Engine
oil,
checking
leve¡
..
...
...
..
........
020-9
Engine
oil
and
filter,
changing
....
.
......
.
..
020-9

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT

MAINTENANCE
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
......
020-10

Air
filter,
replacing
.
...
...
.
.....
.
.....
.
...
020-11

Spark
plugs,
replacing
...
.
......
.
...
..
...
020-11

¡dle
Speed
.
..
...
...
....
.
......
.
...
..
...
020-12

Battery,
checking
and
cleaning
.......
..
...
020-12

Battery,
replacing
.
.....
.
.....
.
.....
..
...
020-12

Accelerator
and
Throttle
Linkage
.
.....
..
...
020-13

Engine
DriveBelts
.....
.
....
..
...
...
...
.
020-13

V-belt,
replacing

(4-cylinder
engines
built
up
to
1/94)
..
....
.
020-13

Poly-ribbed
belt,
replacing

(4-cylinder
engines
built
from
1194

and
all
6-cylinder
engines)
.
.
....
..
......
020-13

Cooling
System
Service
.
...
..
....
..
....
..
020-14

Power
steering
fluid,
checking
leve¡
.
..
....
.
.
020-14

Oxygen
Sensors
....
...
..
..
....



.
.....
.
.
020-15

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-1

UNDER-CAR
MAINTENANCE
.
..
.
...
.
.
.020-16
'

Fuel
filter,
replacing
...
.
.....
..
.....
..
..
.020-16

Tires,
checking
inflation
pressure
.
.....
.
....
020-17

Tires,
rotating
...
..
.....
..
....
..
....
.
....
020-17

Wheels,
aligning
..
.....
.
...........
.
....
'020-17

Brake
system,
inspecting
.
.
....
.
.....
..
...
020-17

Brake
pad/rotor
wear,checking
.
......
.
....
020-17

Brake
fluid,
replacing
.........
..
.



..
..



.
020-17

Parking
brake,
checking
......
.
.....
..
....
020-17

Exhaust
system,
inspecting
....
..
.....
.
...
.020-18

Manual
Transmission
Senrice
..
..
.....
.
....
020-18

Manual
transmission
fluida

checking
and
filling
..
.
....
..



.
.
..
..
....
020-18

AutomaticTransmission
Service
.
....
...
....
020-18

Front
suspension
and
steeringlinkages,
inspecting
..
.
:.....
.
....
..
.....
..
...
.
.020-18

Rear
suspension,
inspecting
.
..
...
...
....
..
020-18

Final
drive
oil
leve¡,
checking
.
.
.
...
....
...
..
020-18

Fuel
tank
and
fuel
lines,
inspecting
.
.....
....
020-19

Clutch
fluid,
checking
...
...
...
...
....
.....
020-19

Drive
axle
joint
boots,
inspecting
...
..
.....
..
020-19

BODY
AND
INTERIOR

MAINTENANCE
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.020-19
Windshield
Wiper
Blade
Maintenance
....
.
.
020-19

Body
and
hinges,
lubricating
.
.....
..
......
.
020-19

Seat
Belts
...
..
...
...
...
..
.....
..
.....
.
.
020-20

Exterior
Washing
..
...
...
..
.
.
...
..
......
.020-20

Waxing
.....
..
...
...
...
..
.....
..
.......
020-20

Polishing
..
...
...
...
....
..
..........
..
.
.'020-20

Washing
Chassis
.
...
....
.
....
..
.....
.
...
020-20

Special
Cleaning
.
.
.....
..



...
.
.....
..
..
.020-20

Interior
Care
.
....
..
....
..
..



.
.
......
.
...
020-20

Leather
Upholstery
and
Trim
...
..
....
...
...
020-20

TABLES

a
.
Oil
Service
......
...
.
..
.............
...
---
020-4

b
.
Inspection
1
Service
..
.
.
.............
....
...
020-5

c
.
Inspection
11
Service
.
.
...
...........
..
.
..
..
020-6

d
.
Scheduled
Maintenance-Time/Mileage
Intervals
..
020-7

e
.
Fluids
and
Lubricants
..
...
...........
.....
..
020-8

020-6



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

Group
310/330

Table
c
.
Inspection
II
Service

a
d

d



a



a>



0
d

a



r



.c



mm
L



m
y



L
E

ó
3
E
ó

Maintenance
ítem



l
o-



z



~



c

Engine
compartment
maintenance

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

Lubricate
throttle
linkage
.

Replace
air
filter
.

Change
oil
and
oil
filter
.

Replacespark
plugs
.
Repair
Group
120

Check
brake/clutch
fluid
leve¡
.

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

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

Under
car
maintenance

Change
automatic
transmission
fluid
.
Repair
Group
240

Change
manual
transmission
oil
.
Repair
Group
230

Check
clutch
plate
for
wear
.
Repair
Group
210

Check
drive
axle
boots
for
leaks
.
Repair
Group
330

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

Replace
fuel
filter
.

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

Inspect
exhaust
system
.
Repair
Group
180

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

Inspect
brake
system
for
damaged
hoses
and
lines,
leaks
or
damage
.
Remove
calipers
and
check
brake
pad
wear
.
Check
brake
rotors
for
scoring
damage
.
Repair
Group
340

Check
parking
brake
operation,
adjust
cable
if
necessary
.
Check
thickness
of
parking
brake
lin-
ings
.
Repair
Group
340

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

Inspect
wheels
and
tires,
including
spare,
check
tire
pressure
and
condition
.

Body
and
Interior
Maintenance

Lubricate
door
hinges
and
hood
latch,
hood
hinges
.

Check
headlight
and
driving
light
aiming
and
adjust
asnecessary
.

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

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

MAINTENANCE
TABLES

Continued
on
next
page

Air
filter,
replacing



Spark
plugs,
replacing

The
specified
maintenance
intervals
for
the
air
filter
are



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

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



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

conditions,
the
air
filter
should
be
serviced
more
frequently
.



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

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

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



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



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

filter
from
the
frame
assembly
.
See
Fig
.
8
.



and
install
the
spark
plugs
one
at
a
time
.

0012625

Fig
.
8
.



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

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

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

unfastening
the
spring
clips
.
Remove
the
air
filter
element
from

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

housing
clean
and
install
the
new
element
.
Reinstall
the
upper

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

correctly
.
Refasten
the
spring-clips
.

Fig
.
9
.



Air
filter
element
being
removed
on
4-cylinder
engine
.

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-
11

NOTE-

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

0012631

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

0012630

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

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

row)
and
pull
straightoff
.
Usea
screwdriver
for
added

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

top
cover
.

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

020-
1
2



MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM

6-cylinder
engines
use
a
coil-on-plug
configuration,
and
re-



Battery
cablesshould
be
tight
.
The
terminals,
the
cable
moval
of
thetop
engine
cover
(between
the
camshafts)
and
ig-



clamps,
and
the
battery
case
should
be
freeof
the
white
deposits
nition
cofs
are
necessary
.
See
Fig
.
12
.
Blow
away
any
dust
or



that
indicate
corrosion
and
acid
salts
.
Even
a
thin
¡ayer
of
dust
dirt
around
the
ignition
coils,
and
then
remove
the
coils
.
Blow



containing
conductive
acid
salts
can
cause
battery
discharge
.
away
any
dustor
dirt
around
the
sparkplugs
.
Remove
the
spark

plugs
.



To
remove
battery
corrosion,
begin
by
disconnecting
theca-

bles
.
Disconnect
the
negative
(-)
cable
first
.
Clean
the
terminal

posts
and
the
cable
clamps
with
a
wire
brush
.
Clean
the
main
chassis
ground
terminal
next
to
the
battery
.
Corrosion
can
be
washedaway
with
a
baking
soda
and
water
solution
that
will
neutralize
the
acid
.
Apply
the
solution
carefully,
though,since
ít
will
also
neutralize
the
acid
inside
the
battery
.
Reconnect
the
ca-
ble
clamps,
positive
(+)
cable
first
.
Lightly
coat
the
outside
of
the

terminals,
hold
down
screws,
and
clamps
with
petroleum
jelly,
grease,
or
a
commercial
battery
terminal
corrosion
inhibitor
.

Fig
.
12
.
Ignition
coil
being
removed
from
spark
plug
on
M52
engine
.

NOTE-

If
necessary,
see
120
Ignition
System
for
more
details
on
coil
removal
.

B11004

Lightlylubricate
the
new
spark
plug
threads
with
a
small
amount
of
anti-seize
compound
.
Thread
the
plugs
into
the
cyl-
inder
head
byhand
to
prevent
cross-threading
.

Tightening
Torque

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

Idie
Speed

Engine
¡dle
speed
canchange
due
to
a
number
of
factors,
in-
cluding
normal
wear
.
The
idle
speed
is
electronically
adaptive
and
non-adjustable
.
See
130
Fuel
Injection
for
more
information
.

Battery,
checking
and
cleaning

The
battery
is
located
in
the
right
side
of
the
luggage
com-
partment
.
Simple
maintenance
of
the
battery
and
its
terminal
connections
will
ensure
maximum
starting
performance,
espe-
cially
in
winter
when
colder
temperaturesreduce
battery
power
.

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
MAINTENANCE

WARNING
-

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manualonpage
viii
.

"
Battery
acid
is
extremely
dangerous
.
Take
care
to
keep
it
from
contacting
eyes,
skin,
or
clothing
.
Wear
eye
protection
.
Extinguish
all
smoking
ma-
terials
and
do
not
worknear
any
oyen
flames
.

Battery
electrolyte
should
be
maintained
at
the
correct
level
just
above
the
battery
plates
and
their
separators
.
The
correct
leve¡
is
approximately
5
mm
(
1
/4
in
.)
above
thetop
of
battery
plates
orto
thetop
of
the
indicator
marks
(if
applicable)
.
The
battery
plates
and
the
indicator
marks
can
beseen
once
the
fill-
er
caps
are
removed
.
If
the
electrolyte
level
is
low,
replenish
it
by
adding
distilled
water
only
.

Battery,
repiacing

Batteries
are
rated
by
ampere
hours
(Ah),
the
number
of
hoursa
specific
current
draín
can
be
sustained
before
complete
discharge,
or
by
cold
cranking
amps
(CCA),
the
number
of
amps
available
to
crank
the
engine
in
cold
weather
conditions
.
In
general,
replacement
batteries
should
alwaysbe
rated
equal
or
higherthan
the
original
battery
.

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
thls
manual
on
page
viii
.

The
battery
is
held
in
place
bya
single
hand
screw
and
píate
.
A
secure
battery
hold-down
is
important
in
order
to
prevent
vi-
brations
and
road
shock
from
damaging
the
battery
.

NOTE-
NOTE-
"
Always
disconnect
the
negative
()
cable
first,
and
Design
characteristics
of
the
convertible
body
cause
vi-



connect
ft
last
While
changing
batteries,
clean
away
brations
in
the
trunk
area
.
Therefore,
E36
convertibles



any
corrosion
in
or
around
the
battery
tray
.
require
a
specialbattery
designed
for
constant
vibra-
tion
.
When
repiacing
the
battery,
be
sure
the
replace-



"
Design
characteristics
of
the
convertible
body
cause
ment
is
designed
specffically
for
the
convertible
.



vibrations
to
oscillate
in
the
trunk
area
.
Therefore,
the
convertible
model
uses
a
specialbattery
designed
for
this
constant
vibration
.