Messages

1

Off-topic discussion / Sold my red 1990 BMW 318i coupe

« on: January 12, 2012, 02:36:28 AM »

Bummer...After 220,000 km and $32,000 cost and some $12,000 in maintenance and repairs, I sold the bimmer for $3000 to a young fellow.
Car looked good, new interior and brillaint red after a good treatment of Finish.
However, it did not want to go - I think it was the Vision alarm system playing up.
But no further question from me - tks dave...
Sad day, hey?
But I could not drive 2 cars at once and did not like leaving it parked on the road in the hot aussie sun, unused. Hopefully, someone else can enjoy it.
A class is not the same as a bimmer, tho' but one gets to that stage in life where....

2

Engine management / How to fix a stopped km odometer

« on: January 02, 2012, 03:01:07 AM »

The small 12 tooth pinion gear on the odometer motor is plastic and after about 220,000km it will fracture causing the odometer to stop.

A HPI 72484 12 T Steel (micro) gear will fit. Remove the remaining broken  plastic gear and the brass centre and fit the steel replacement. It has a small locking insert that will screw onto the shaft that goes from from the motor to the cog. Make sure the motor shaft can move up and down (ie still has some play in it after fitting the new pinion. Make sure all cogs can move. I put the locking screw to the base of the new cog. Make sure u remove all broken bits. Gently clean out old grease.

 
getting the instrument panel out
2 thumb screws (7ml dia metal) behind the dash will allow the facia to be removed.
This will allow 4 screws in the bottom of the next facia to be removed - there are 2 in the top. Look for 2 v shaped side supports holding the instrument panel at the top sides. Slide the panel out to the left (RH drive) - pull up the 2 black plastic fittings holding the 2 wiring harnesses to the panel - this will allow the wiring harness ends to be pulled off the panel. Remove the 9 screws holding the back and remove the 4 screws holding the speedo to the panel. Look at the inside of the speed and you will see 3 cogs - 2 large (about 20ml in dia, black and yellow, these will be ok) and 1 small cog (about 5 ml dia and this will be broken). No need to remove the steering wheel.
Your odometer will now continue beyond 220,000 km and that will last the remaining life of the car.

3

How-To's / E30c M40 ICV test

« on: December 13, 2011, 02:40:52 AM »

And dont forgat the gasket.
When replacing that, there will also need to be a need to change the water cooler tree.
To test for a leak, spray some carburettor cleaner at the gasket/seals and the engine revs will immediately increase proving a leak.

4

Electrical / Horn, Lights, Blower Motor

« on: November 22, 2011, 03:24:55 AM »

Should the fuse blow then the fan wont work at all - i had the fan catch the side of its housing (out by less than a mil and this caused wear which, due to centrifical force, jammed the fan on the housing and blew the fuse)
solution - check fuse - take out fan - glue the split - replace - speed 3 and 4 may vibrate due to a now off balance fan or get new fan

Should the resistor fail - the fan only works in 2 modes - stopped and flat out
solution - replace resistor below the fan

I dont kno where the fan is accessed in a 1991 model but it is accessed from the engine bay in the 1990.

5

Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: November 17, 2011, 07:17:21 PM »

New Bosch starter (shiny aint it)
New inlet gasket
New plastic water junction T
New fuel hoses
New tie rods and alignment
$1000 later -
got a Road worthy done too in case I sell it - new earth wire on an indicator
Idles and runs sweet now

6

Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: November 15, 2011, 01:09:03 AM »

Near Nambour Qld

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Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: November 13, 2011, 07:08:48 PM »

Tks G
I did more work on diagnostics - hoses ok but sprayed alcohol around and found a crack in the gasket somewhere in the front of the inlet mainfold - 21 years is just far too long and I cant count how many times the manifold has been removed and put back - solution replace gasket.

As for the starter, could be a spring in the solonoid failing to engage/disengage, methinks and it is getting worse, turning the motor a few degrees just hopeful luck - solution replace starter.

So, both are a bit too hard for me to do so back to the shop
(BMW literate mechs - they will get the job if they can verify the 2 problems from fifty paces)

Good clean little red coupe with no rust and $11,900 spent on it over last 8 years so another $750 is not that much.

8

Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: November 09, 2011, 04:37:55 PM »

Tks G

Hole found at top of exhause pipe as it entered the rear muffler.
Shop indicated that there were no air leaks and the cat converter and front muffler were ok.
So rear pipe replaced with a little imaginery improvement(I think) in the idle - less noise mostlikes.

Starting problem still there and solonoid (?) click on start - move car 3 inches and car starts. HUH? But I can live with this until the starter fails proper like.
Mechanics at repair shop amazed at rev problem but are not BMW specialists and so had no possible solution to offer. Glad to see the end of me, methinks.

There is something (apart from the idle screw) that changes idle speed suddenly and I shall now search for that.
So ICV removed, cleaned and replaced. Oxy sensor changed about 15,000k ago, so these look ok. Plugs changed to new ones, too.

Ur right, starting and revs different issues.

and yes, i'm still waiting on that lotto win!!!

A quick jolt to the black box on top (behind) the air filter can alter the revs too.

9

Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: November 07, 2011, 05:53:13 PM »

tks G

I have a strange fuff fuff now as if there is a hole in the muffler but it comes from a muffler like section forward of the end of the coupe door and behind the o2 sensor. (is it a cat converter?)

Maybe the system treats a hole in the exhaust as an air hose leak and mucks up some other sensor like the sensor above the air filter.

Car runs ok at speed - plugs are white where they should be.

(I only get a starting problem sometimes [fixed by moving the car 20 cm or so] and the idle is a little fast - adjust the screw down too much and engine shudders too much and almost stops - then some sensor opens and revs increase just to drop off again - as the engine warms this problem gets better of course)

10

Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: November 05, 2011, 08:42:21 PM »

Ur right Goeff
Car failed to start again - click
But, once again I moved the fly wheel a couple of inches and it started ok.
Really weird problem which has only happened 6 times since 2006 - must be the age of the car at 21 years. Only the same problem with a VH commodore caused me to also try a fly wheel movement here.- does not seem to be a electrical problem as such - maybe a bad position for some sensor.
Also move the car a couple of feet, if that and all is ok again. Twice in one day now.

11

Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: October 27, 2011, 08:34:22 PM »

Thanks for the advice from both.
No buzzing from dash as the battery was new perhaps.
Motor in adequate shape.
Ground straps ok. beefy brown wire ok.
The car is now starting ok.
I shall look at the key switch but the internal wiring was renewed about 30,000k ago.

12

Electrical / Weird Starting Problem

« on: October 23, 2011, 03:15:03 AM »

E30 M40 1991 318i stopped and would not start.
Dash/service lights, head lights/high beam, fan did not come on
but low beam, wipers, indicators, break/interior lights and radio all worked.
I know the car is 21 years old and I am getting problems with exhaust (maybe a hole) and the idle.

New battery installed.
No change

Decided to move the fan, alternator and the engine a few degrees (by putting a screwdrive in the bolts holding the fan to the water pump and levering) -
guess what - dash/service lights come on and car starts.

Is there some location of a 'top dead centre' position (if I can call it that) which affects the location of something that needs to be moved slightly from the wrong (dead spot) position that the engine sat at when ignition was turned off?
NE1 have ne thoughts? Starter motor dead spot?

Had a similar problem with a Holden VH 1983 that needed a connection of positive to earth at the starter electrical connection point to move the starter or engine.

13

Engine management / Idle seems off

« on: September 02, 2011, 08:07:36 PM »

Tks for all of that - after screwing up every connector I could seen and disconnecting the screwed electrical connector going into the air intake and stopping the engine - reconnecting it, I adjusted the idle screw, the engine seems to be running a little smoother.

However, where is the co pot adjuster in the AFM?
Is it here -
hidden under a tamper-resistant plug on the Throttle body (has the air filter below it) To access the screw, first drill a small hole (typically 1/8") in the tamper-resistant plug and pry it loose.
ie in the black plastic rectangle which has the screwed electrical connector going into it.

14

Engine management / Idle seems off

« on: August 30, 2011, 04:02:56 AM »

BMW 318i 1990 E30c M40
Idle speed not good - when cold revs high then drops - engine shudders threatening to stop but picks up again for a repeat - gradually getting slightly better as engine warms.
When it warms a bit, revs stay high and I can drop them by adjusting the screw below the black plastic cover at top of engine. Helps but is not a long term fix, particularly when engine gets hotter and revs increase.
When Aircon turned on revs rise higher.
Cleaned the idle fuel control at top back of engine to no avail.
I think it may be the air flow control (black plastic box at top of air filter housing) with the screw-in sensor connector. There appears to be a tamper proof opening hole to the top side of the control with, I suspect, some sort of screw adjustment behind it, perhaps.
Is this a source of adjustment and if so how do i remove the centre of the opening? Drill a hole and insert a probe and slide it out, perhaps?
A rap with the hand to this black box momentarily helps adjusting idle speed, if I can say that.

15

How-To's / Wrong Fuel Injector Cleaner used

« on: August 24, 2011, 04:53:34 AM »

Added 340 ml of hydrocarbon oil treatment (friction proofing) to the petrol (20litre) instead of injector/petrol treatment. Silly me.
Should I empty the petrol tank and replace all petrol or just ignore this.
1990 E30 M40 318I