1994 BMW 325i top

B
-
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ROBERT
BENTLEY,
INC
.
I
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PUBLISHERS

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Do
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practices
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procedures
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work
.
It
is
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and
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proper
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asan
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technician
.
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us
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anticipate
al¡
of
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conditions
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may
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or
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cautions
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to
all
of
the
possible
hazards
that
may
result
.

The
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information
updates
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retrofits
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.
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procedures
and
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.

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the
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.
Please
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information
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completeness
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EVEN
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ANYUSE
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.I
N
NO
EVENTSHALL
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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
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and
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dealers
specializing
in
BMW
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from
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.
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Bentley,
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.,
Publishers
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.

This
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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

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O

©Copyright
1999
Robert
Bentley,
Inc
.

All
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.
All
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in
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to
the
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at
the
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.
The
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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
.
...
.
.
.
..................
.
.
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.....
.
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.
...
.
.
.
.
.
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.
.
.
.....
.
......
.
................
.
.
.
.....
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

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

Non-returnable
Parts

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THEDO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
7

Many
independent
repair
shops
make
a
point
of
using
genu-



Original
body
paneis
and
other
large
components
are
identi-

ine
BMW
parts,
even
though
they
may
at
times
be
more
expen-



fied
by
a
label
bearing
the
VINand
two
BMW
roundellogos
.
Re-

sive
.
Theyknow
the
value
of
doing
thejob
right
with
the
right



placement
parts
have
a
similar
label,
bearing
one
BMW
roundel

parts
.
Parts
from
other
sources
can
beas
good,
particularly
if



logo
and
the
letters
DOT-R
.
See
Fig
.
6
.
Parts
or
assemblies

manufactured
by
one
of
BMWs
original
equipment
suppliers,



bearing
the
label
arethe
engine,
transmission,
front
and
rear

but
it
is
often
difficult
to
know
.



bumpers,
front
fenders,
rear
quarter
paneis,
hood,
trunk
lid
and

doors
.
These
labels
shouldnot
be
removed
as
they
will
tear

BMW
is
constantly
updating
and
improving
their
cars,
often



apart
.

making
improvements
during
a
given
model
year
.
BMW
may

recommend
a
newer,
improved
part
as
a
replacement,
and

your
authorized
dealer's
parts
department
will
know
about
it

and
provide
it
.
The
BMW
parts
organization
is
best
equipped
to
deal
with
any
BMW
parts
needs
.

Some
parts
cannot
be
returned
for
credit,
even
if
they
arethe

wrong
parts
forthe
car
.
The
best
example
is
electrical
parts,

which
are
almost
universally
considered
non-returnable
be-



,
..

cause
they
are
so
easily
damaged
internally
.

Buy
electrícal
parts
carefully,
and
beas
sure
as
possible
that
P-
DOT~
R

a
replacement
is
needed,
especially
for
expensive
parts
such
as
electronic
control
units
.
It
may
bewise
to
let
an
authorized



B328FUN

BMW
dealeror
other
qualified
shop
confirm
your
diagnosisbe-

fore
replacing
an
expensive
part
that
cannot
be
retuned
.



Fig
.
6
.



Labels
used
to
identiy
parts
.
Original
equipment
labelwith

VIN
number
and
roundel
logos
(top)
and
replacement
part
la-

bel
with
one
roundel
logos

Information
You
Need
to
Know

Engine
.
3-Seriescars
covered
in
this
manualare
powered

Model
.
When
ordering
parts
it
is
important
that
you
know
the



by
either
a
4-or
6-cylinder
engine
.
For
information
-
on
engine

correct
model
designation
for
your
car
.
Models
covered
in
this



codes
and
engine
applications,
see100
Engine-General
.

manual
are
E36
3
Series
in
both
4-
and
6-cylinderconfigura-

tions
.



Transmission
.
The
transmissiontype
with
its
identifying

code
may
be
important
when
buying
clutch
parts,
seals,
gas

Moda¡
Year
.
This
is
not
necessarily
the
same
as
date
of



kets,
and
othertransmission-relatedparts
.
For
information
on

manufacture
or
date
of
sale
.
A
1997
model
may
havebeen



transmission
codes
and
applications,
see200
Transmission

manufactured
in
late
1996,
and
perhaps
not
sold
until
early



General
.

1997
.
It
is
still
a1997
model
.
Model
years
covered
by
this
man-

ual
are
1992
to
1998
.

SERVICE
Date
of
Manufacture
.
This
information
is
helpful
when
or-

dering
replacement
parts
or
determining
if
any
of
the
warranty



BMW
dealers
are
uniquely
qualified
to
provide
service
for
recalls
are
applicable
to
your
car
.
The
label
on
the
driver's
door



BMW
cars
.
Their
authorized
relationship
with
the
large
BMW
below
the
door
latch
will
specify
the
month
and
year
that
the
car



serviceorganization
means
that
they
are
constantly
receiving
was
built
.



new
tools
and
equipment,
together
with
the
latest
and
most
ac-

curate
repair
information
.
Vehicle
Identification
Number
(VIN)
.
This
is
a
combination

of
letters
and
numbers
that
identify
the
particular
car
.
TheVIN

appears
on
the
state
registration
document,
and
on
thecar
it-

self
.
One
location
isin
the
rear
of
the
engine
compartment,
en-

other
in
the
lower
left
comer
of
the
windshield
.

The
National
Highway
Traffic
Safety
Administration
(NHT-

SA)
requires
passenger
cars
with
a
high
theftrateto
have
the

VINmarked
on
specific
parts
of
thecar
when
manufactured
.
On

BMW
cars,
these
parts
are
identified
byan
adhesive
label
.

)WBADK00000000

0
000
0

The
BMW
dealers
service
technicians
are
highlytrained
and

very
capable
.
Unfke
most
independent
repair
shops,
autho-

rized
BMW
dealers
are
intensely
committed
tosupporting
the

BMW
product
.
They
share
the
owners
interest
in
BMW
value,

performance,
and
reliability
.
On
the
other
hand,
there
are
many

independent
shops
that
specialize
in
BMW
service
and
are
ca-

pable
of
doing
high
quality
repair
work
.
Checking
with
other

BMW
owners
for
recommendations
on
service
facilitiesis
a

good
way
to
leam
of
reputable
BMW
shops
in
yourarea
.

SERVICE

010-
8



FUNDAMENTALSFORTHE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

TOOLS

Mostmaintenance
can
be
accomplished
with
a
small
selec-
tion
of
the
right
tools
.
Toolsrange
in
quality
from
inexpensive
junk,
which
may
brakk
at
first
use,
tovery
expensive
and
well-
made
tools
for
the
professional
.
The
best
tools
for
most
do-it
yourself
BMW
owners
He
somewhere
in
between
.



O

Many
reputable
tool
manufacturers
offer
good
quality,
mod-
erately
priced
tools
with
a
lifetime
guarantee
.
These
are
your
best
buy
.
They
cost
a
little
more,
but
they
are
good
quality
tools
that
will
dowhat
is
expected
of
them
.
Sears'
Craftsman®
line
is
one
such
source
of
good
quality
tools
.

Some
of
the
repairs
covered
in
this
manual
require
the
use
of
special
tools,
suchas
a
custom
puller
or
specialized
electrical
test
equipment
.
These
special
tools
are
called
out
in
the
text
andcan
be
purchased
through
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.
As
an
alternative,
some
special
tools
mentioned
may
be
pur-
chased
from
the
following
tool
manufacturers
andlor
distribu-
tors
:

"
Assenmacher
Specialty
Tools
6440
Odell
Place,Boulder,
CO
80301
(303)
530-2424

"
Baum
Tools
Unlimited
.
Inc
.
PO
.
Box
87,
Longboat
Key,
FL
34228
(800)
848-6657

"
Schley
Products
Inc
.
5350
E
.
Hunter
Ave
.,
Anaheim
Hills,
CA
92807
(714)
693-7666

"
Zelenda
Machine
and
Tool
Corp
.
66-02
Austin
Street,
Forest
Hills,
NY
11375
(718)
896-2288

Basic
Tool
Requirements

The
basic
hand
tools
described
below
canbe
used
to
accom-
plish
most
of
thesimple
maintenance
and
repair
tasks
.

Fig
.
8
.



Types
of
wrench
heads
.
From
left,
open-end,
12-point
box-
Screwdrivers
.
The
common
fíat-blade
type
and
the
Phillips



end,6-point
box-end,
fiare
nut
.
type
will
handlealmost
all
screws
used
on
BMWs
.
Two
orthree
different
sizes
of
each
type
will
be
required,
since
a
screwdriver



The
cómbination
wrench
is
the
most
universal
.
It
hasone
of
the
wrong
size
will
damage
the
screw
head
.
See
Fig
.
7
.



open-end
andone
box-end
.
10mm
and
13mm
wrenches
arethe
most
common
sizes
needed
.
A
more
complete
set
of
A
complete
set
of
screwdrivers
should
also
include
Torx@



wrenches
would
inciude
6mm
through
19mm
sizes
.
typescrewdrivers
.

Wrenches
.
Wrenches
come
in
different
styles
for
different
uses
.
Fig
.
8
shows
several
.
The
basic
open-end
wrench
is
the
most
widely
used,
but
grips
on
only
two
sides
.
It
can
spread
apart
and
slip
off
more
easily
.
The
box-end
wrench
has
better
grip,
on
al¡
six
sides
of
a
nut
or
bolt
.

A
12-point
box-end
can
loosen
a
nut
or
bolt
where
there
is
less
room
for
movement,
while
a
6-point
box-end
provides
bet-
ter
grip
.
Forhex
fasteners
on
fluid
lines,
like
brake
lines
and
fuel
lines,
a
fiare-nut
wrench
offers
the
acivantages
of
a
box-end
wrench
with
a
slot
that
ailows
it
to
fit
over
the
line
.

TOOLS

B005FNG

Fig
.
7
.



Common
flat-blade
(top)
and
Phillips
(bottom)
screwdrivers
.
Offset
screwdríver
(right)
is
used
for
screws
with
limited
ac-
cess
.

B002FNG

Sockets
.
Socketsperform
the
same
job
asbox-end
wrench-
es,
but
offer
greater
flexibility
.
They
are
used
with
a
ratchet
han-
dle
for
speed
and
conveniente
and
can
be
combined
with
extensions
and
universal
joints
(swivels)
to
reach
fasteners
more
easily
.
Sockets
come
with
different
size
connections
to
drive
handies
or
extensions,
called
the
drive
size
.
The
most
common
drive
sizes
are
1
/4
in
.,
318
in
.,
and
1
/2
in
.

Sockets
come
in
6-point
and
12-point
styles
.
For
use
with
a
ratchet,
the
6-point
offers
a
better
grip
on
tight
nuts
and
bolts
.
6mm
to
19mm
sockets
arethe
most
needed
sizes
.
Below
is
a
list
oftypical
bolt
diameters
and
the
corresponding
wrench
siz-
es
.

010-10



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-IT
YOURSELF
OWNER

TOOLS

Torque
Wrench

B021FNG

Fig
.
12
.
Jack
stand
for
safely
supporting
car
to
work
underneath
.

B022FNG

Fig
.
13
.
Oil
change
equipment
includesdrainplug
wrench
(17mm),
8
qt
.
drain
pan,
and
funnel
.

A
torque
wrench
is
used
to
precisely
tighten
threaded
fasten-



Fig
.
15
.
Feeler
gauge
set
.
ers
to
a
predetermined
value
.
Many
of
the
repair
procedures
in
this
manual
include
BMW-specified
torquevalues
in
Newton-
meters
(Nm)
and
the
equivalent
values
in
foot-pounds
(ft-Ib)
.



Digital
Multimeter

A
torque
wrench
with
a
range
up
to
about
150
Nm
(185
ft-lb)
has
adequate
capacity
for
most
of
the
repairs
covered
in
this
manual
.
For
recommended
torque
values
of
10
Nm
or
below,the
English
system
equivalent
is
given
in
inch-pounds
(in-lb)
.
These
small
values
may
be
most
easily
reached
using
a
torque
wrench
calibrated
in
inch-pounds
.
To
convert
inch-pounds
to
foot-pounds,
divide
by12
.

Fig
.
14
.
Torque
wrenches
.
Inexpensive
beam-type
(top)
is
adequate
but
must
be
read
visually
.
Ratchet-type
(bottom)
can
be
pre-
set
to
índicate
(click)
when
torquevalue
has
been
reached
.

Feeler
Gauges

B018FNG

Feeler
gauges
are
thin
metal
strips
of
precise
thickness,

used
to
measure
small
clearances
.
They
are
normally
available

as
a
set,
covering
a
range
of
sizes
.
See
Fig
.
15
.

Several
types
of
torque
wrenches
are
available
.
They
al¡
do



Many
of
the
electrical
tests
in
Chis
manual
cal¡
for
the
mea-
the
same
job,
bu¡
óffer
different
convenience
features
at
differ-



surement
of
resistance
(ohms)
or
voltage
values
.
For
safe
and
ent
prices
.
Two
typical
torque
wrenches
are
shown
in
Fig
.
14
.



accurate
tests
of
ignition,
fuel
injection,
and
emission
control
The
most
convenient
ones
have
a
built-in
ratchet,
and
can
be



systems,
the
multi-meter,
shown
in
Fig
.
16,
should
be
digital,
preset
to
indicate
when
a
specific
torque
value
has
been



with
high
(at
least
10,000
ohms)
input
impedance
.
Some
reached
.
Followthe
wrench
manufacturer's
directions
for
use



meters
have
automotive
functions
suchas
dweil
and
pulse
to
achieve
the
greatest
accuracy
.



width
that
are
useful
fortroubleshooting
ignition
and
fuel
injec-
tion
problems
.

CAUTION-

The
DME
system,
central
body
electronics,
and
other
electronic
systems
may
be
damaged
by
the
high
current
draw
of
a
test
fight
with
a
normal
in-
candescent
bulb
.
As
a
general
rule,
usea
high
ím-
pedance
digital
multimeter
or
an
LED
test
fightforall
electrfcal
testfng
.

B020FNG