The BMW UUC Digest Volume 2 : Issue 850 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: More on my NOxious E30... Re: [E36] ECU gone mad? What else could it be?/ Re: [E36] ECU gone mad? What else could it be?/ Just bought 95 M3, couple of questions <E36> euro headlight pins Re: <E36> euro headlight pins Re: <E36> euro headlight pins Re: <E36> euro headlight pins <E36> Back Seat Removal FS: Racing Dynamics Front Strut Brace for All E36 Even More NOxious E30... Re: Even More NOxious E30... E-32 740i tansmission problem
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2005 23:28:33 -0500 (EST) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] (bmw list) Subject: More on my NOxious E30... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Today was nice and warm so I attacked the car. I reset the valves to 0.012 cold. I verified that all my vacuum lines were nice and fresh and tight. That includes the big accordion from the AFM to the throttle plate. I even checked the charcoal canister purge lines. All nice and tight. I pulled the cap and rotor and looked at them. No cracks or carbon tracks. Wear doesn't look excessive (but would it?) but I cleaned up the cap and rotor as best I could anyway. I did find that the upper timing cover was slightly loose and the cap did show signs of the rotor tracking out of plane. Rotor resistance is 1k just as the book says it should be. Plug wires were all inspected and show no signs of arcing, pinholes, abrasions, or other damage, unlike the plugs... Plugs read as "too hot" with light brown to white fluffy ash and deposits. There is some glazing on the insulators. The 3# plug was actually missing a piece of insulator indicating some serious detonation. That can't be good. The temperature sensor checks mostly Ok. I pulled it and checked it with a meter and a thermometer in a pan of ice water on the stove. The resistance reads consistently on the high side of the readings, but it tracks nice and linear like it should. If anything, the slightly higher than correct readings would make the car think the engine was colder and make the mix richer... The coil reads perfectly 0.5 ohm primary and 5k secondary. I found an older set of plugs I had pulled back when the car passed emissions and they too read as "too hot" but without the physical damage. They were in better shape than the ones I pulled out, so I gapped them to 0.030 inch and installed them. I used a torque wrench to tighten the plugs this time (I previously used the "run them in all the way by hand and then do 1/8 turn with the wrench" trick) and they ended up much tighter than the way I had done them before. I took a meter to the O2 sensor while I was there. I have a 4 wire sensor. I got 3 ohms across two pins to the sensor and nothing across the others. I asssume this is the heater and sounds right. I checked each of the sensors pins to ground and found nothing. I expected one of them to read to ground, but perhaps not as I assume the ground lead was added to the sensor to fix problems with the exhaust system being a poor signal ground. On the car side of things, I found 1 pin that read continuity to ground, One that was many, many K ohms to ground, and the others open. I turned the ignition on and went looking for 12v for the heater but found nothing. I need to investigate this more. With everything hooked back up the car started right up, but ran rough for a little while. It has since adapted. It is a little clattery, but not bad. The idle is still slightly rough when warm, but it isn't surging anymore. I can still hear some pinging under load at about 2000-2500 RPM but it is less than before and seems to be getting better with each trip (only two so far, so I assume Motronic is adapting). I will be getting a new set of plugs (perhaps a step colder?) to put in and investigating the O2 sensor some more. If everything checks out, roll the dice on my free retest, I guess... -- Joe -- Joseph M. Krzeszewski Network Operations [EMAIL PROTECTED] Worcester Polytechnic Institute ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2005 22:38:22 -0800 From: "Marco Romani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [E36] ECU gone mad? What else could it be?/ Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I really think your ECU is wet. EXACT same thing happened to me once after a wash. Pulled the ECU out and let it dry out for a few days. Worked fine ever since. Marco -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Pavel Tcholakov Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 10:49 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [UUC] [E36] ECU gone mad? What else could it be?/ Ok, here's the latest. It started just fine this morning - no trouble at all. I'm sure I got somethign wet what I shouldn't have. I've no idea how, but that's the only feasible explanation. I think it will spend a few days with a trusty mechanic just to be on the safe side... One thing that's still misbehaving is the rev counter - it overreads by about 500 RPM, the revs go up in "steps", and after ~ 3500 RPM it goes totally beserk - jumping up and down all over the place. I disconnected the battery for about half an hour but it made no difference. Have I fried my rev counter? Cheers, P. On 10/30/05, Marc Plante <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I know on the E36 2.5s in the US, the crank sensor can go bad. The ECU loses a sense of whether the motor is running since it uses the crank sensor to count revoluitons. If it loses track, it dumps fuel into the motor to keep it from stalling. This can result in the engine flooding, stalling it and making it very hard to start afterwards (wait til this happens to you in a crowded intersection. If the car sputters and stalls like this, try holding your foot to the floor while turning the key. Holding your foot down actually kills the fuel injection, allowing the motor to catch up and start. It takes a bit of cranking (15-20 secs). > > Not sure if you have the diagnostics built into your car (pumping the pedal 5 times in 5 secs right after you turn on ignition). this might give you insight as to whether you're getting bad readings from that specific sensor. > > Maybe something to try, though your mention of the Fuel pump running with the keys out of the ignition is a data point I can't account for. > > Marc Plante > 1997 E36M3/4 67k > 2005 Child 63pd > Vienna, VA > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Pavel Tcholakov" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Subject: [UUC] [E36] ECU gone mad? What else could it be?/ > Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 12:08:35 +0200 > > > > > Hi list, > > > > While I was washing my car (1994 320i, M50B20TU) yesterday , I noticed > > something very worrying - the fuel pump was switching itself on and > > off, at random intervals, for random periods of time - and the keys > > weren't even in the ignition. I washed it just like I wash it every > > other time, I specifically checked later for water around the > > fuse/relay box, ECU - it was all dry. I have an after-market > > immobiliser system (required by insurance co.) but that seems to be > > working fine. > > > > Needless to say, the car wouldn't start after the wash. It cranked but > > wouldn't catch on. Exhaust smelled like fuel, I suspected the engine > > was flooded. I pulled the fuel pump fuse and left it till this morning > > - when I managed to start it briefly, but it sounded like it was > > running on very few cylinders and could barely idle. I left it running > > for about 10 min, after which it died and I can't re-start. I tried to > > re-start and it did very briefly, but sounded like it was running on > > even fewer cylinders - either that, or the fuel pressure was extremely > > low. It died almost immediately. After that, the fuel pump started > > doing weird things again - turning on and off, and the rev counter was > > jumping around like mad (key in ignition) while engine was off. > > > > I suspect fried ECU, what else could it be? Faulty relay? Fuel pump > > itself? As far as I know, my immobiliser does cut off the power to the > > fuel pump, but it definitely can't *make it* switch on. > > > > Any hints would be most appreciated. > > > > Best regards, > > Pavel > > > > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com > > > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] __________________________________________________________________________ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:22:09 -0800 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [E36] ECU gone mad? What else could it be?/ Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Just throwing out ideas: Ignition switch? -Kevin ---------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail communication is confidential and is intended only for the individual(s) or entity named above and others who have been specifically authorized to receive it. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, use or disclose the contents of this communication to others. Please notify the sender that you have received this e-mail in error by replying to the e-mail. Please then delete the e-mail and any copies of it. Thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 05:15:48 -0800 (PST) From: P Kroon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Just bought 95 M3, couple of questions Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I just bought a 95 M3 with 71k miles (red, vader interior) which is stock save a set of BBS RK wheels. Couple of quick questions. I've currently got a 96 328i. Can either the radio and/or the ac controls be swapped from the 96 into the 95? Is there any advantage/disadvantage to this? I've already fixed the ac controller in the 96. The only reason I'm even considering this switch is because the ac controls in the 95 look a little "dated" compared to the 96+. At the same time, I've never really been a huge fan of the 96 controller. The seat warmers in the 95 don't work. Is it possible to repair them using the parts from the 96? If not, how expensive and difficult is it to repair them? Lastly, the 95 makes a noise when you turn the wheel all the way to the right. Any ideas what this is? The guy I'm buying it from is going to have it fixed before I pick it up. Thanks, Paul 95 M3 96 328i (for now) __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 09:34:22 -0500 From: Thomas Philip <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: <E36> euro headlight pins Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I'm trying to install a set of euro headlights on my E36. I have connector: PLUG HOUSING 4-POL 61 13 1 392 222 and I'm trying to find proper pins that lock into it and fit the light. I suspect the right pin is: BUSHING CONTACT 0,2- 0,5MM 61 13 0 005 197 but I'm wondering if it might be: CABLE SOCKET FEMALE 1-2 MM 61 13 1 382 194 can anyone shed any light? tom philip 94 325is ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 10:34:12 -0500 From: "Marc Plante" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: <E36> euro headlight pins Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I just ordered a Plug and Play connector from a vendor for my E36 ZKW Ellipsoids. Some potential options that I located are Umnitza and Understeer.com. My connectors cost $235 delivered. Figure it savres ugly splicing into wiring. Marc Plante 1997 E36M3/4 67k 2005 Child 113 pd Vienna, VA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Philip" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: [UUC] <E36> euro headlight pins Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 09:34:22 -0500 > > I'm trying to install a set of euro headlights on my E36. I have connector: > > PLUG HOUSING > 4-POL > 61 13 1 392 222 > > and I'm trying to find proper pins that lock into it and fit the > light. I suspect the right pin is: > > BUSHING CONTACT > 0,2- 0,5MM > 61 13 0 005 197 > > but I'm wondering if it might be: > > CABLE SOCKET FEMALE > 1-2 MM > 61 13 1 382 194 > > can anyone shed any light? > > tom philip > 94 325is > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:47:04 -0500 From: "Marc Plante" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Tom Melton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [email protected] Subject: Re: <E36> euro headlight pins Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Yeah, I'm a little sleep deprived these days...One fat finger. Marc 1997 E36 M3/4 67k 2005 Child 115pd Vienna, VA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Melton" To: "Marc Plante" , [email protected] Subject: Re: [UUC] euro headlight pins Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:09:49 -0500 Wow $235 for a connector? Did you get a set of lights for free??? -Tom >>> "Marc Plante" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 10/31/2005 10:34 AM >>> I just ordered a Plug and Play connector from a vendor for my E36 ZKW Ellipsoids. Some potential options that I located are Umnitza and Understeer.com. My connectors cost $235 delivered. Figure it savres ugly splicing into wiring. Marc Plante 1997 E36M3/4 67k 2005 Child 113 pd Vienna, VA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Philip" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: [UUC] <E36> euro headlight pins Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 09:34:22 -0500 > > I'm trying to install a set of euro headlights on my E36. I have connector: > > PLUG HOUSING > 4-POL > 61 13 1 392 222 > > and I'm trying to find proper pins that lock into it and fit the > light. I suspect the right pin is: > > BUSHING CONTACT > 0,2- 0,5MM > 61 13 0 005 197 > > but I'm wondering if it might be: > > CABLE SOCKET FEMALE > 1-2 MM > 61 13 1 382 194 > > can anyone shed any light? > > tom philip > 94 325is > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] __________________________________________________________________________ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:38:13 -0500 From: Thomas Philip <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: <E36> euro headlight pins Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> On Oct 31, 2005, at 10:34 AM, Marc Plante wrote: > I just ordered a Plug and Play connector from a vendor for my E36 > ZKW Ellipsoids. > Some potential options that I located are Umnitza and > Understeer.com. My connectors cost $235 delivered. Figure it > savres ugly splicing into wiring. Did your connectors come with the factory twist-lock connector? The PnP connectors I got from understeer.com were simply insulated pins that friction fit the pins on the headlight connectors. It seemed less than secure, so I'm trying to fab up a PnP connector that would be a bit more ideal by using stock-style parts. tom ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 12:40:04 -0500 (EST) From: "C. Craig Eller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: <E36> Back Seat Removal Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Kudos to Jim Bassett for the correct answer and many thanks to Peter for the pictures. To help others who may run into this problem, on the 1997 ///M3 sedan with fixed back seat, the seat back is removed in the same manner as the seat bottom. There are two spring clips high on the seat back at opposite corners (10 o'clock and 2 o'clock). You have to work your hands in from the top middle to the outboard edge and give it a good tug. Once these clips are released, you must pull the seat up vertically to release the two bottom (non-spring) brackets. There are no screw-in fasteners to remove. Bentley's is totallly wrong on this issue, although the information may be correct for earlier E36 models. For those following my escapades, the Soundgate adapter is in and working ok, I occasionally get some distortion in the CD position, but the two auxillarys sound great. No more hunting for free FM frequencies for my XM unit. I've also installed the Garmin GTM10 traffic advisor for anyone who needs help with that PITA. Best wishes. Craig Eller 97 ///M3 Sedan BMW CCA Everglades Chapter ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 09:19:45 -0800 From: "Michael Wylie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: "Michael Wylie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: FS: Racing Dynamics Front Strut Brace for All E36 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Like new, RD sells for $250. Will sell for $150. For pick up or drop off around the North or East San Francisco Bay Area. http://www.racdyn-usa.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=19 6.99.36.011 Feel free to email with questions. Mike Novato 95 M3 03 525 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:29:30 -0500 (EST) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] (bmw list) Subject: Even More NOxious E30... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I was able to put a meter on the O2 sensor and I either found the problem, or am really confused... Engine fully warmed up and idling, I disconnected the sensor and measured the output. I got about .2v and fairly steady. When I shut down, the output went to about .002v by the time I got over to the meter. I hooked up the sensor and back probed the connnector. With the engine idling I saw it slowly clocking up from about 0.4v and up and up to about 0.8 where it sat. I blipped the throttle and it shot up to 1.1v and then started fluctuating between 0.4v and 0.8v. I opened the oil fill cap (at which point the engine almost died) and the reading fell to 0.5v and then started slowly clocking down, taking several seconds to reach 0.3v. When I placed the oil cap back on the engine, the reading shot to 1.1v and then fell to 0.5 where it paused for a second and then started fluctuating between 0.4 and 0.8v again. A fast idle blip wouldn't do anything to the fluctuations (my meter may have been too slow to see it). I thought it was supposed to drive the readings lean then rich. I didn't see it. Sooo... The fluctuations I am seeing sound like the sensor is good... except that they are sitting on the high side... but the part where the sensor seems to get stuck and respond slowly, that doesn't seem right. I also thought that with the cap open I should have seen less than 0.3v and with the sensor disconnected, I should have seen more than 0.45v. Is this sensor good, bad, contaminated, slow, or possessed? -- Joe -- Joseph M. Krzeszewski Network Operations [EMAIL PROTECTED] Worcester Polytechnic Institute ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:04:44 -0500 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "bmw list" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Even More NOxious E30... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Looks like the sensor is OK, or at least working, but when you disconnect the sensor, the engine runs open loop and can't control the mixture via feedback, Stick some thin wires in the sockets and close the connector on them. A piece of Cat 5 is good for that. Then run the wires inside the car and attach your meter. It must have a high input impedance to not suck the volts out. Drive around with the meter and see what it does. After prolonged idling, if the signal gets sluggish the sensor is cooling down. Is this a 1 wire or 4 wire? Gary Derian ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "bmw list" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 7:29 PM Subject: [UUC] Even More NOxious E30... >I was able to put a meter on the O2 sensor and I either found the problem, > or am really confused... > > Engine fully warmed up and idling, I disconnected the sensor and measured > the output. I got about .2v and fairly steady. When I shut down, the > output > went to about .002v by the time I got over to the meter. > > I hooked up the sensor and back probed the connnector. With the engine > idling I saw it slowly clocking up from about 0.4v and up and up to about > 0.8 where it sat. I blipped the throttle and it shot up to 1.1v and then > started fluctuating between 0.4v and 0.8v. I opened the oil fill cap (at > which point the engine almost died) and the reading fell to 0.5v and then > started slowly clocking down, taking several seconds to reach 0.3v. When I > placed the oil cap back on the engine, the reading shot to 1.1v and then > fell to 0.5 where it paused for a second and then started fluctuating > between 0.4 and 0.8v again. > > A fast idle blip wouldn't do anything to the fluctuations (my meter may > have > been too slow to see it). I thought it was supposed to drive the readings > lean then rich. I didn't see it. > > Sooo... > > The fluctuations I am seeing sound like the sensor is good... except that > they are sitting on the high side... but the part where the sensor seems > to > get stuck and respond slowly, that doesn't seem right. I also thought that > with the cap open I should have seen less than 0.3v and with the sensor > disconnected, I should have seen more than 0.45v. > > Is this sensor good, bad, contaminated, slow, or possessed? > > -- Joe > > -- > Joseph M. Krzeszewski Network Operations > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Worcester Polytechnic Institute > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 20:02:16 -0500 From: Ed MacVaugh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [email protected] Subject: E-32 740i tansmission problem Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Wife reports that our Dinan7 is displaying a transmission code when shifting in the higher gears or to and from overdrive. Car was a stock 93 740i modified by Dinan with a high stall torque converter and transmission programming. At 30,000 miles, car had valve body work in the transmission due to a sticking check ball problem. Car has 107,000 miles on it now. Wife says a clunk is heard inside the car (which is normally very quiet) just before the message appears on the display. Sound and a discernable sensation was heard and felt by the driver when the car is decelerating, once for a stop sign and again for slower traffic on the beltway. My TIS CD doesn't have this car on it. I have the factory manual which doesn't have this transmission or engine in it. Any help would be appreciated. Ed ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(13 messages) **********
