1994 BMW 318i warnings

B
-
1
ROBERT
BENTLEY,
INC
.
I
AUTOMOTIVE
PUBLISHERS

Information
that
makes



1734
Massachusetts
Avenue
the
difference
o
Cambridge,
MA
02138
USA
800-423-45951617-547-4170
www
.rb
.co
m



e-mail
:
sales@rb
.co
m

WARNING-Important
Safety
Notice

Technical
Contact
Information

We
value
your
feedback
.
Technical
comments
and
suggestions
are
helpful
to
us
.
Please
send
your
comments
and
thoughts
to
Bentley
Publishers
e-mail
:
tech
.bmw@rb
.co
m

From
timeto
time,
updates
may
be
made
tothis
manual
.
A
listing
of
updates
canbe
found
on
the
web
Iat
www
.rb
.com/update
s

Do
not
use
this
manual
unless
you
are
familiar
with
basic
automotive
repair
procedures
and
safe
workshop
practices
.
This
manual
illustrates
the
workshop
procedures
required
for
most
service
work
.
It
is
not
a
substitute
for
fui¡
and
up-to-dateinformation
from
the
vehicie
manufacturer
or
for
proper
training
asan
automotive
technician
.
Note
that
it
is
not
possible
for
us
to
anticipate
al¡
of
the
ways
or
conditions
under
which
vehicles
may
be
serviced
or
to
provide
cautions
as
to
all
of
the
possible
hazards
that
may
result
.

The
vehicie
manufacturer
will
continue
to
issue
service
information
updates
and
parts
retrofits
after
the
editorial
closing
of
this
manual
.
Some
of
those
updates
and
retrofits
will
apply
to
procedures
and
specifications
in
this
manual
.
We
regret
that
we
cannot
supply
updates
to
purchasers
of
this
manual
.

We
haveendeavored
to
ensure
the
accuracy
of
the
information
in
this
manual
.
Please
note,
however,
that
considering
thevast
quantity
and
the
complexity
of
the
service
information
involved,
we
cannot
warrant
the
accuracy
or
completeness
of
the
information
contained
in
this
manual
.

FORTHESE
REASONS,NEITHERTHEPUBLISHER
NORTHE
AUTHOR
MAKES
ANY
WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS
OR
IMPLIED,THATTHE
INFORMATION
IN
THIS
BOOK
IS
FREE
OF
ERRORS
OR
OMISSIONS,
AND
WE
EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMTHE
IMPLIED
WARRANTIESOF
MERCHANTABILITY
AND
OF
FITNESS
FOR
A
PARTICULAR
PURPOSE,
EVEN
IF
THE
PUBLISHER
OR
AUTHOR
NAVEBEEN
ADVISED
OF
A
PARTICULAR
PURPOSE,
AND
EVEN
IF
A
PARTICULAR
PURPOSE
IS
INDICATED
IN
THE
MANUAL
.
THE
PUBLISHER
AND
AUTHOR
ALSO
DISCLAIM
ALL
LIABILITY
FOR
DIRECT,
INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL
OR
CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES
THAT
RESULT
FROM
ANYUSE
OF
THE
EXAMPLES,
INSTRUCTIONS
OR
OTHER
INFORMATION
IN
THIS
BOOK
.I
N
NO
EVENTSHALL
OUR
LIABILITY
WHETHER
INTORT,
CONTRACT
OR
OTHERWISE
EXCEEDTHECOST
OFTHIS
MANUAL
.

Your
common
sense
and
good
judgment
are
crucial
to
safe
and
successful
service
work
.
Read
procedures
through
before
starting
them
.
Thinkabout
whether
the
condition
of
your
car,
your
leve¡
of
mechanical
skill,
or
your
leve¡
of
reading
comprehension
might
result
in
or
contribute
in
some
way
to
an
occurrence
which
might
cause
you
injury,
damage
your
car,or
result
in
an
unsafe
repair
.
lf
you
have
doubts
for
these
or
other
reasons
about
your
ability
to
perform
safe
repair
workon
your
car,
have
the
work
done
at
an
authorized
BMW
dealeror
other
qualified
shop
.

Part
numbers
listed
inthis
manual
are
for
identification
purposes
only,
not
for
ordering
.
Always
check
with
your
authorized
BMW
dealer
toverifypart
numbers
and
availability
beforebeginning
service
work
that
may
requíre
new
parts
.

Before
attempting
any
work
on
your
BMW,
read
the
wamings
and
cautions
on
pages
vi¡
and
vi¡¡,
andany
waming
or
caution
that
accompanies
a
procedure
in
the
service
manual
.
Review
the
warnings
and
cautions
on
pages
vi¡
and
viü
each
time
you
prepare
to
workon
your
BMW
.

Special
tools
required
to
perform
certain
service
operations
are
identified
in
the
manual
and
are
recommended
for
use
.
Use
of
tools
other
than
those
recommended
inthis
service
manual
may
be
detrimental
to
the
car's
safe
operation
as
well
as
the
safety
of
the
person
servicing
thecar
.

Copies
of
this
manual
may
be
purchased
from
most
automotiveaccessories
and
parts
dealers
specializing
in
BMW
automobiles,
from
selected
booksellers,
or
directly
from
the
publisher
by
mail
.

The
publisher
encourages
comments
from
the
reader
of
this
manual
.
These
communications
havebeen
and
will
be
carefully
considered
in
the
preparation
of
this
and
other
manuals
.
Please
write
to
Robert
Bentley,
Inc
.,
Publishers
at
the
address
listed
on
the
top
of
this
page
.

This
manual
was
published
byRobert
Bentley,
Inc
.,
Publishers
.
BMW
has
not
reviewed
and
does
not
vouch
forthe
accuracy
of
thetechnical
specifications
and
procedures
described
in
this
manual
.

Libraryof
Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication
Data

BMW
3
SeriesService
ManualM3,
318i,
323i,3251,
328i,
Sedan,
Coupe
and
Convertible
:
1992,
1993,
1994,
1995,
1996,1997,
1998
.
p
.
c
m
.
Includes
index
.
ISBN
0-8376-0326-9
1
.
BMW
3
Series
automobile--Maintenance
and
repair--Handbooks,
manuals,
etc
.
I
.
Robert
Bentley,
inc
.
TL215
.13251356
1999
629
.28'
722--cic21



99-17179
CIP
Bentley
Stock
No
.
B398

Editorial
closing
01/99

0302010099
1098765432

The
paper
used
in
this
publication
is
acidfree
and
meets
the
requirements
of
the
National
Standard
for
Information
Sciences-
Permanence
of
Paper
for
PrintedLibrary
Materials
.
O

©Copyright
1999
Robert
Bentley,
Inc
.

All
rights
reserved
.
All
information
contained
in
this
manual
is
based
onthe
information
available
to
the
publisher
at
the
time
of
editorial
closing
.
The
right
is
reserved
to
make
changes
at
any
time
without
notice
.
No
partof
this
publication
may
be
reproduced,
stored
in
a
retrieval
system,
or
transmitted
in
any
form
orby
any
means,
electronic,
mechanical,
photocopying,
recording,
or
otherwise,
without
the
prior
written
consent
of
thepublisher
.
This
includes
text,
figures,
and
tables
.
All
rights
reserved
underBerne
andPan-American
Copyright
conventions
.
Manufactured
in
the
UnitedStates
of
America

General
Data
and



010
FundamentalsfortheDo-lt-YourselfOwner

Maintenance



020
Maintenance
Program

Engine

Transmission

Suspension,

Steering
and

Brakes

4
Body

100
Engine-General

110



Engine
Removal
and
Installation
113



Cylinder
Head
Removal
and
Installation
116



Cylinder
Head
and
Valvetrain
117



Camshaft
Timing
Chain

119



Lubrication
System

200
Transmission-General
210
Clutch
230
Manual
Transmission

510



Exterior
Trim,
Bumpers



520



Seats

Bo
y
Equipment



512
DoorWTdws



540



nr
t

513



InteriorTrim



541



Convertible
Top

515



Central
Locking
and
Anti-Theft

600



Electrical
System-General



620



Instruments

Electrical
S



stem
610
Electrical
Component
Locations



630
Exterior
Lighting

611



Wipers
and
Washers



640



Heating
and
Air
Conditioning

6



612



Switches
and
Electrical
Accessories



650



Radio

Equipment
and



720
SeatBelts

Accessories



721
Airbag
System
(SRS)

Electrical
Wiring

Diagrams

Foreword
.
...
.
.
.
..................
.
.
.
.....
.
............
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
................
.
.
.
.....
.
......
.
................
.
.
.
.....
v

Warnings
and
Cautions
.....
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
..........
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
......
.
.........
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
......
.
.
.
.
.
............
.
.
.
.
.
.
.vii

Index
..............
.
.
.
.....
.
............
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
........
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.......
.
......
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
........
.
.
.
..
back
of
book

300



Suspension,
Steering
and



330



RearSuspension

Brakes-General



331



Final
Drive

310



Front
Suspension



340



Brakes

320



Steering
and
Wheel
Alignment

400
Body-General



411
Doors

410



Fenders,
Engine
Hood



412



Trunk
Lid

120



Ignition
System
121



Battery,Starter,
Alternator
130



Fue¡
Injection
160



Fuel
Tank
and
Fuel
Pump
170



Radiator
and
Cooling
System180



Exhaust
System

240



Automatic
Transmission
250



Gearshift
Linkage

260
Driveshaft

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

Please
read
these
warnings
and
cautions

before
proceeding
with
maintenance
and
repair
work
.

CAUTION-

"
See
also
Warnings
onpage
vi¡



"
Beforedoing
any
electrical
welding
on
cars
equipped
with
ABS,
disconnect
the
battery
negative
(-)
terminal
(ground
strap)
and
the
"
If
you
lack
the
skills,
tools
and
equipment,
ora
suitable
work-



ABS
control
unit
connector
.
shop
for
any
procedure
described
in
this
manual,
we
suggest
you
leave
such
repairs
to
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
or
other
qualified



"
On
cars
equipped
with
anti-theft
radios,
make
sureyou
know
the
shop
.



correct
radio
activation
code
before
disconnecting
the
battery
or
removing
the
radio
.
lf
the
wrong
code
is
entered
into
the
radio
"
BMW
is
constantly
improving
its
cars
and
sometimes
these



when
power
is
restored,
that
radio
may
lock
up
and
be
renderedchanges,
both
in
parts
and
specifications,
are
made
applicable
to



inoperable,
even
if
the
correct
code
is
thenentered
.
earlier
models
.
Therefore,
part
numbers
listed
in
this
manual
are
for
reference
only
.
Always
check
with
your
authorized
BMW
dealer



"
Always
make
sure
ignition
is
off
before
disconnecting
battery
.
parts
department
for
the
latest
information
.
"
Label
battery
cablesbefore
disconnecting
.
Onsome
models,
"
Before
starting
a
job,
make
certain
that
you
have
all
the
neces-



battery
cablesarenot
color
coded
.
sary
tools
and
parts
on
hand
.
Read
al¡
the
instructions
thoroughly,
do
not
attempt
shortcuts
.
Use
tools
appropriate
to
the
work
and



"
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault
code(s)
stored
in
con-

use
only
replacement
parts
meeting
BMW
specifications
.
Make-



trol
module
memory
Using
special
BMW
diagnostíc
equipment,
shift
tools,
parts
and
procedures
will
not
make
good
repairs
.



check
forfault
codes
prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery
cables
.If
the
Check
Engine
light
is
illuminated,
see100
Engine-General
for
"
Use
pneumatic
and
electric
tools
only
to
loosenthreaded
parts



On-Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)
fault
code
information
.
lf
any
other
and
fasteners
.
Never
use
these
tools
to
tighten
fasteners,
espe-



system
faults
have
been
detected
(indicated
by
an
ílluminated
cially
on
light
alloy
parts
.
Always
use
a
torque
wrench
to
tighten



warning
light),
see
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.
fasteners
to
the
tightening
torque
specification
listed
.
"
If
a
normal
or
rapid
charger
is
used
to
charge
battery,
the
battery
"Be
mindful
of
the
environment
and
ecology
.
Before
you
drain
the



mustbe
disconnected
and
removed
fromthe
vehicle
in
order
to
crankcase,
find
outthe
proper
way
to
dispose
of
the
oil
.
Do
not



avoid
damaging
paint
and
upholstery
pour
oil
onto
the
ground,
down
a
drain,
or
into
a
stream,
pond
orlake
.
Dispose
of
in
accordance
withFederal,
State
and
Local
laws
.



"Do
not
quick-chargethe
battery
(for
boost
starting)
for
longer
than
one
minute
.
Wait
at
least
one
minute
before
boosting
the
bat-
e
If
battery
power
is
lost
or
the
battery
has
been
disconnected,
the



tery
a
second
time
.
powerwindows
must
be
re-initialized
.
Both
one
touch
up/down
and
pinch-protection
will
be
inactive
until
windows
are
re-initial-



"
Connect
and
disconnect
a
battery
charger
only
with
the
battery
ized
.
See
512
Door
Windows
.



charger
switched
off
.

"
The
control
module
for
the
anti-lock
brake
system
(ABS)
cannot
withstand
temperatures
from
a
paint-drying
booth
or
aheat
lamp
in
excess
of
203°F
(95°C)
and
should
not
be
subjected
to
temper-
atures
in
excess
of
185°F
(85°C)
for
more
than
twohours
.

"
Sealed
or
"maintenance
free"
batteries
shouldbeslow-charged
only,
at
anamperage
ratethat
is
approximately
10%
of
the
bat-
tery's
ampere-hour
(Ah)
rating
.

"
Do
not
allow
battery
chargingvoltage
to
exceed
16
.5
volts
.
If
the
battery
begins
producing
gas
or
boiling
violently,
reduce
the
charg-
ing
rate
.
Boosting
a
sulfated
battery
at
a
high
charging
rate
can
cause
an
explosion
.

GENERAL

FUNDAMENTALS
FORTHE
DO-IT
YOURSELF
OWNER



010-1

010
Fundamentals
for
the

Do-lt-Yourself
Owner

GENERAL
.......
.
.
.
......
.
.........
.
.
.010-1



TOOLS
.
.
...
.
............
.
............
010-8

Basic
Tool
Requirements
......
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
010-8
HOW
TO
USE
THIS
MANUAL
.
...
.
...
.
.
.
010-2



JackStands
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.......
.
.
.



.
...
.
.
010-9

Warnings,
Cautions
and
Notes
.........
.
.
.
010-2



Oil
Change
Equipment
.
....
.
......
.
...
.
.
010-9

GETTING
STARTED
.
.......
.
.
.
.
.
......
.010-2



Torque
Wrench
....
.
.
.
....
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
010-10

Feeler
Gauges
.
...
.
.
.
.......
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
010-10
Safety



....
.
.....



.....
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
010-2



Digital
Multimeter



.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
010-10
Lífting
the
Car
...........
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
010-3



gMW
Special
Tools
...
.
....
..
.....
.
...
.
010-11
Raising
car
safely
...
..
...
.



...
.
.....
.
...
010-3

Working
under
car
safely
...
..
....
.
.....
.
...
010-4



EMERGENCIES
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
010-11

ADVICE
FOR
THE
BEGINNER
.......
.
.
.
010-4



Changing
a
Tire
.
.
.
.
.
.
....
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.010-11
Car
Will
Not
Start
....
.
....
.
.
.
........
.010-11
Planning
Ahead
....
.
...........
.
....
.
.
.
010-4



Jump
Starting
Car
..
.
.
.
....
.
...........
010-12
Cleanliness
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
010-4



Overheating



.
.....
.
.
.
.........
.
.
.
...
.
010-12
Non-reusable
Fasteners
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
010-5



Low
Oil
Pressure
...
...
.
.
...
.
.
.
..
...
....
010-13
Tightening
Fasteners
.....
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
010-5



Brake
Fluid
Level



.
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.....
010-13
Gaskets
and
Seals
.......
.
.
.
...
.
.....
.
.
.
010-5



Check
Engine
Warning
Light
.
.
.
...
.
.....
010-13
Electrical
Testing
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
010-6



pim
Lights
.....
.
..
.
.
.
....
.
.
.
.........
010-13Wire
Repairs



.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
......
010-6



Towíng



.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.010-13

BUYINGPARTS



.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
010-6



Spare
Parts
Kit
.
.
.
.
.
.
.......
.
.
.
.
.
.....
010-14

Genuine
BMW
Parts
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
......
010-6

Non-returnable
Parts
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
......
010-7



TABLES

Information
You
Need
to
Know
.
.
.
.
.
.
......
010-7



a
.
General
Bolt
Tightening
Torques

SERVICE
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.......
.
..........
010-7

Although
the
BMW
is
a
sophisticated
and
complex
machine,

basic
maintenance
can
be
accomplished
byan
interested
own-

er
with
mechanical
skills
and
the
right
information
.
Most
of
the

preventive
maintenance
that
is
required
in
the
lifetime
of
theav-

erage
BMW
is
weil
within
the
capabilitiesof
the
do-it-yourseifer
.

WARNING
-

Do
not
use
this
manual
unless
you
are
familiar
with

basicautomotive
repair
procedures
and
sale
work-
shop
practices
.
This
manual
illustrates
the
work-
shop
procedures
required
for
most
service
work
;it

is
not
a
substitute
for
full
and
up-to-date
information

from
the
vehicle
manufacturer
or
for
proper
training

asan
automotive
technician
.
Note
that
it
is
not
pos-

sible
for
us
to
anticipate
al¡
of
the
ways
orconditions
underwhich
vehicles
may
be
serviced
or
to
provide

cautions
as
to
all
of
the
possible
hazards
that
may

result
'

in
Nm
(max
.
permissible)
.
..
.
...
............
.
010-5

WARNING
-

Your
common
sense
and
good
judgment
are
crucial
tosale
and
successful
service
work
.
Read
proce-
dures
through
before
starting
them
.
Thinkabout
whether
the
condition
ofyour
car,
your
leve¡
of
me-

chanical
skill,
or
your
leve¡
of
reading
comprehen-
sion
might
result
in
orcontribute
in
some
way
to
an
occurrence
that
might
cause
you
injury
damage
your
car,
or
result
in
an
unsafe
repair
.
lf
you
havedoubts
for
these
or
other
reasonsaboutyour
abilíty
to
perform
sale
repair
work
onyour
car,
have
the

work
done
at
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
or
other
qualified
shop
.

This
section
of
the
manual
is
intended
to
helpthe
beginner

get
started
.
To
begin
with
there
is
a
discussion
on
How
To
Use

This
Manual
.
Tips
on
mechanicas
skills
and
workshop
practic-

es
that
can
help
the
beginner
do
a
faster
and
more
thorough
job

can
be
foundunderGettingStarted
.
The
basic
tools
needed

to
do
most
of
the
procedures
in
this
manual
are
foundunder
Tools
.
The
section
ends
with
a
quick
reference
guide
to
Emer-
gencies,
including
basictroubleshooting
and
information
on
how
to
gauge
the
seriousness
of
a
problem
.

GENERAL

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
.

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
.

GENERAL
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
100-1

Cylinder
Block
and
Crankshaft
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
100-1

Connecting
Rods
and
Pistons
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-1

Cylinder
Head
and
Valvetrain
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-2

VANOS
(Variable
Valve
Timing)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
100-2

DISA
(Dual
Resonance
Intake
System)
.
.
.
.
.
100-3

Engine
Management
System
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-3

Ignition
......
.
.
.
.........
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

Fuel
Delivery
..
.
.
.
.....
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

Cooling
System
.
...........
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
100-5

Lubrication
System
.........
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

MECHANICALTROUBLESHOOTING
.
.
.
.
100-5

Warnings
and
Cautions
..
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-5

Cylinder
compression,
checking
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-6

EngineMechanical
Troubleshooting
Table
.
.
.
100-7

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING
...
100-8

GENERAL

There
are
various
engíne
configurations
used
in
the
1992-

1998
E36
cars
.
See
Table
a
.

On
both
four-
and
6-cylinder
engines,
the
cylinder
block
is

cast
¡ron
with
integral
cyiinders
.
The
cyiinders
are
exposed
on

all
sides
to
circulating
coolant
.

The
fully
counterweighted
crankshaft
rotates
in
replaceable

split-shell
main
bearings
.
Oiiways
drilled
into
the
crankshaft
pro-

vide
bearing
lubrication
.
O¡I
seals
pressed
into
alloy
sea¡
hous-

ings
are
installedat
both
ends
of
the
crankshaft
.

100
Engine-General

Tablea
.
Engine
Specifications

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-1

On-Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
100-8

Basic
Requirements
....
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
....
.100-11

Preventive
Maintenance
......
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-11

Basic
Engine
Settings
..
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-11

Oxygen
Sensors
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
....
.100-11

Air
Flow
Measurement
and
Vacuum
Leaks
.
.100-12

Battery
Voltage
.
.
...........
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-12

Wiring
and
Harness
Connections
.
.
.
.
.....
100-13

Ground
Connections
...
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.....
100-13

Fue¡
Supply
....
.
...........
.
.
..
.....
.100-14

TABLES

a
.
Engine
Specifications
...
...
...........
.
..
..
.100-1

b
.
Engine
Management
Systems
..
..
...........
..
100-5

c
.
Engine
Mechanical
Troubleshooting
..........
.
.
100-8

d
.
OBD
1
Fault
(Blink)
Codes
(1992-1995
models
only)
.
...
..
..
..........
..
.100-9
e
.
Engine
Driveability
Troubleshooting
...........
.100-15
Model



Engine
code



No
.
of



Dispiacement



Compression



Horsepower
cyiinders



liters
(cu
.
in
.)



ratio



SAE
net
@
rpm

318i/is/¡C
1992-1995



M42



4



1
.8
(109
.6)



10
.0
:1



100
@
6000
1996-1998



M44



4



1
.9
(115
.6)



~
10
.0
:1



103
@
6000

323ís/iC
1998



M52



6



2
.5
(152
.2)



10
.5
:1



168
@
5,500

325i/is/iC
1992-1995



M50



6



2
.5
(152
.2)



10
.0
:1



110
@
5,900

328i/is/iC
1996-1998



M52



6



2
.8
(170
.4)



10
.2
:1



190
@
5,300

M3
1995



S50US



6



3
.0
(182
.5)



10
.5:1



240
@
6,000
1996-1998



S52US



6



3
.2
(192
.3)



10
.5:1



240
@
6,000
Cylinder
Block
and
Crankshaft



Connecting
Rods
and
Pistons

The
forged
connecting
rods
use
replaceable
split-shell

bearings
at
the
crankshaft
endand
solid
bushings
at
the
pis-

ton
pin
end
.
The
pistonsare
of
the
three-ring
typewith
two
up-
per
compression
rings
and
a
lowerone-piece
o¡i
scraper
ring
.

Fui¡-floating
piston
pins
are
retained
with
circlips
.

GENERAL