1997 BMW 328i electrical system general

100-
1
0
ENGINE-GENERAL

Table
d
.
OBD
I
Fault
(Blink)
Codes
(continued)

(1992-1995
modeis
only)

Graphic
representation
of
flashing
Check
Engine
light
fault
code
:
1221
-
;
5
Seconds
.
;--~
2
.5
r
----------------
Check
Engine
light
on

Fault
code
and
meaning



Corrective
action

Check
Engine
light
off

Code
1243
:
Crankshaft
position
sensor
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Test
crankshaft
position/rpm
sensor
and
wiring
from
sensor
lo
DME

control
module
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1244
:
Camshaft
position
sensor
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Test
camshaft
position
sensor
and
wiring
fromsensor
to
DME
con-
trol
module
.
Repair
Group
130

Code
1245
:
Electronic
transmission
control
intervention
(DME
3
.3
.1



Check
wiring
between
DME
control
module
and
auto
.
transmission
only)



control
module

Code
1247
:
Ignition
secondary
monitor
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Check
secondary
voltage
lo
ignition
coils
.
Check
wiringat
ignition

coils
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1251
:
Fuel
injector
#1
(DME
3
.113
.3
.1
only)



1
Test
injector
operation/signal
lo
injector
.
Repair
group130

Code
1252
:
Fuel
injector
#2
(DME
3
.113
.3
.1
only)



Test
injector
operation/signal
lo
injector
.
Repair
group130

Code
1253
:
Fuel
injector
#3
(DME
3
.1/3
.3
.1
only)



Test
injector
operation/signal
to
injector
.
Repair
group130

Code
1254
:
Fuel
injector
#4
(DME
3
.1/3
.3
.1
only)



Test
injector
operation/signal
to
injector
.
Repair
group
130

Code
1255
:
Fuel
injector
#5
(DME
3
.1/3
.3
.1
only)



Test
injector
operation/signal
to
injector
.
Repair
group130

Code
1256
:
Fuel
injector
#6
(DME
3
.1/3
.3
.1
only)



Test
injector
operation/signal
lo
injector
.
Repair
group130

Code
1261
:
Fuel
pump
control



Test
fuel
pump
relay
and
fuel
pump
circuit
.
Repairgroup
160

Code
1262
:
Idle
speed
control



Test
idleair
controlvalve
and
signalto
valve
.
Repair
Group
130

Code
1263
:
Fuel
tank
evaporative
(EVAP)
system



Test
EVAP
purge
valve
.
Repair
Group
160

Code
1264
:
Oxygen
sensor
heater



1
Test
oxygen
sensorheater
and
heater
relay
.
Repair
group
130

Code
1265
:
Check
engine
lamp
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



1
Test
for
faulty
bulb
or
wiring
.
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams

Code
1266
:
VANOS
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



1
Test
VANOS
solenoid
.
Check
for
signal
to
VANOS
solenoid
.

Code
1267
:
Air
pump
relay
control
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Test
air
pump
relay
and
wiring
(where
applicable)
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams
Code
1271
:
Ignition
coil
#1
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Test
ignitioncoil
and
wiring
toignitioncoil
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1272
:
Ignition
coil
#2
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Test
ignitioncoil
and
wiring
loignitioncoil
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1273
:
Ignition
coil
#3
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Test
ignitioncoil
and
wiring
loignitioncoil
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1274
:
Ignítion
coil
#4
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Test
ignitioncoil
and
wiring
toignitioncoil
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1275
:
Ignitioncoil
#5
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Test
ignition
coil
and
wiring
loignitioncoil
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1276
:
Ignition
coil
#6
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Test
ignitioncoil
and
wiring
loignitioncoil
.
Repair
Group
120

Code
1281
:
DME
control
module
memory
supply
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Check
voltage
supply
from
battery
lo
DME
control
module
.
Electri-

Code
1282
:
Fault
code
memory
(DME
3
.3.1
only)



Check
DME
control
module
inputs/outputs
.
Control
module
may
be
faulty
.
Repair
Group
130

Code
1283
:
Fuel
injector
output
stage
(DME
3
.3
.1
only)



Check
DME
control
module
inputs/outputs
.
Control
module
may
be
faulty
.
Repair
Group
130

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING

cal
Wiring
Diagrams

100-
1
2
ENGINE-GENERAL

NOTE-

The
oxygen
sensor
signal
is
ignored
until
the
engine
reachesa
specified
minimum
temperature
.
Therefore,



The
primary
input
usedby
the
fuel
injection
system
to
deter-

when
troubleshooting
cold
engine
driveability
prob-



mine
how
much
fuel
should
be
delivered
is
the
signal
from
the

lems,
the
oxygensensor
canbe
ruled
out
asa
possible



mass
air
flow
sensor
in
the
intake
air
ductwork
.

cause
.

As
the
oxygen
sensor
ages,
its
ability
to
react
quickly
to

changing
conditions
deteriorates,
and
it
may
eventually
cease

to
produce
any
signal
at
all
.
To
check
the
operation
of
the
oxy-

gen
sensor,
see
130
Fuel
Injection
:

NOTE-

On
1996
and
latercars,
OBD
11
enhanced
emission
standards
require
the
engine
control
module
(ECM)
to
monitor
the
oxygen
content
in
the
exhaust
both
before
and
after
the
catalytic
converter
.
Thisallows
for
tighter
control
of
the
tail
pipe
emissions
and
also
allowsthe
ECM
to
diagnose
converter
problems
.
If
the
DME
de-
tects
that
catalytic
converter
or
oxygensensor
efficien-
cyhas
degraded
pasta
certain
pre-programmed
limit,
it
will
turn
on
the
Check
Engine
light,
and
store
a
diag-
nostic
trouble
code
(DTC)
in
the
ECM
.

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING

Catalytic

B9506

Air
Flow
Measurement
and
Vacuum
Leaks

Because
proper
fuel
metering
depends
on
accurate
mea-

surement
of
the
incoming
air,
any
unmeasured
air
that
enters

the
engine
downstream
of
the
mass
air
flow
sensor
will
cause

a
lean
air-fuel
mixture
and
possibly
affectdriveability
.

NOTE-

Fig
.
10
.
Regulating
oxygen
sensor
measures
oxygen
content
of
ex-



gattery
Voltage
hausY
gas
as
indicator
of
.¡_fi
.1
ratio
and
"-k,
.

E-
effi-
ciency
.
Monitoríng
oxygen
sensor
(not
shown)
monitors

If
a
large
air
leak
is
causing
driveability
problems,
the
Check
Engine
light
will
usually
be
illuminated
and
a
fault
will
be
stored
in
the
fault
code
memory
.
See
On
Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)
.

There
are
many
places
for
unmeasured
air
to
enter
theen-

gine
.
First,
inspect
all
hoses,
fittings,
ducts,
seals,
and
gaskets

in
the
intake
air
tract
for
cracks
or
looseness
.
It
may
be
neces-

sary
to
remove
parts
that
cannot
be
fully
checked
in
their
in-

stalled
positions
.
Also
make
sure
all
of
the
intake
manifold
and

throttle
body
mounting
nuts
are
tight
.

In
addition
to
air
leaks,
air
restrictions
can
also
cause
drive-

ability
problems
.
Remove
the
air
filter
and
hold
it
up
to
a
strong

light
source
.
If
the
filter
does
not
pass
light,
it
is
restricted
and

should
be
replaced
.
Also,
remove
the
intake
air
ductwork
and

check
for
oily
deposits
at
the
throttle
plate
.
Buildup
in
this
area

can
cause
an
erratic
idle
.
Clean
away
any
deposits
using
a

cloth
wetted
withcarburetor
cleaner
and
reinstall
the
ductwork
.

CAUTION-

Do
not
spray
carburetor
cleaner
directly
in
the
throt-
tle
anea
.
Spraying
cleaner
may
force
it
into
the
throt-
tle
position
switch
or
sensor
and
cause
damage
.

catalytic
converter
operation
.



All
of
the
electrical
components
in
the
fuelinjection
and
igni-
tion
systems
require
a
minimum
voltage
to
operate
properly
.

When
troubleshooting
engine
driveability
problems,
one
of
Replacement
of
oxygensensors
at
the
specified
intenrals
en-



the
first
checks
should
be
to
make
sure
the
battery
is
fully
sures
that
the
engine
and
emission
control
system
wili
continue



charged
and
capable
of
delivering
allits
power
to
the
electricalto
operate
as
designed
.
As
the
oxygen
sensor
ages,
its
ability
to



system
.
react
quickly
to
changing
conditions
deteriorates,
and
it
may
eventually
cease
to
produceany
signal
at
all
.



To
make
a
quick
check
of
battery
charge,
measure
the
volt-
age
across
the
battery
terminals
with
all
cables
attached
and
As
the
oxygen
sensor
ages,
its
ability
to
react
quickly
to



the
ignition
off
.
A
fully
charged
battery
will
measure
12
.6
volts
changing
conditions
deteriorates,
and
it
may
eventually
cease



or
slightly
more,
compared
to
12
.15
volts
for
a
battery
with
a
to
produce
any
signal
at
all
.
To
check
theoperation
of
the
oxy-



25%
charge
.
gen
sensor,
see130
Fuel
Injection
.

Even
a
fully
charged
battery
cannot
deliver
power
unless
it

is
properly
connected
to
the
electrical
system
.
Check
the
bat-
tery
terminals
for
corrosion
and
loosecableconnections
.
If
the
battery
does
not
maintain
the
proper
voltage,
the
charging
system
may
be
atfault
.
See
121
Battery,
Starter,
Alternator
.

If
a
battery
cableconnection
hasno
visible
faults,
but
is
still
suspect,
measure
the
voltage
drop
across
the
connection
.
A
large
drop
indicates
excessive
resistance,
meaning
the
con-
nection
is
corroded,
dirty,
or
damaged
.
Clean
or
repair
the
connection
and
retest
.

NOTE-

For
instructions
on
conducting
a
voltage
drop
test,
and
other
general
electrical
troubleshooting
information,
see600
Electrical
System-General
.

Wiring
and
Harness
Connections

The
electronic
fuel
injection
and
ignition
systems
operate
at

low
voltage
and
current
values,
making
them
sensitive
to

small
increases
in
resistance
.
The
electrical
system
is
routine-

ly
subjected
to
corrosion,
vibration
and
wear,
so
faults
or
cor-

rosion
in
the
wiring
harness
and
connectors
are
common
causes
of
driveability
problems
.

Visually
inspect
all
wiring,
connectors,
switches
and
fuses
in
the
system
.
Loose
or
damaged
connectors
can
cause
inter-

mittent
problems,
especially
the
smallterminals
in
the
ECM

connectors
.
Disconnect
the
wiring
harness
connectors
to

check
for
corrosion
;
and
use
electrical
cleaning
spray
to
re-

move
contaminants
.
Often,
simply
disconnecting
and
recon-

necting
a
dirty
connector
several
times
will
clean
the
terminals
and
help
to
reestablish
good
electrical
contact
.

If
a
wiring
harnessconnectorhasno
visible
faults,
but
is
still

suspect,
measure
the
voltage
drop
across
the
connector
.
A

large
drop
indicates
excessive
resistance,
meaning
the
con-

nector
is
corroded,
dirty
or
damaged
.
Clean
or
repair
the
con-

nector
and
retest
.

Ground
Connections

For
any
electrical
circuit
to
work,
it
must
make
acomplete

path,
beginning
at
the
positive
(+)
battery
terminal
and
ending

at
the
negative
(-)
terminal
.
The
negative
(-)
battery
cable
is

attached
to
the
car's
chassis
.
Therefore,
any
wireor
metal

part
attached
to
the
chassis
provides
a
good
ground
path
back

to
the
negative
(-)
battery
terminal
.

Poorground
connections
are
amajor
source
of
driveabílity

problems
.
If
any
of
themainground
connections
for
the
igni-
tion
system
or
the
fuelinjection
system
are
faulty,
the
in-

creased
resistance
in
that
circuit
will
cause
problems
.

Visually
inspect
al¡
ground
wires
and
connections
for

breaks,
looseness
or
corrosion
.
Be
careful
because
wires

sometimes
break
internally
or
in
areas
not
easily
visible
.
The

main
grounds
for
the
DME
system
are
shown
in
Fig
.
11,Fig
.

12,
and
Fig
.
13
.
Also
check
the
main
fuel
pump
ground
in
the
center
console,
below
the
emergency
brake
handle
.

If
a
ground
connection
has
no
visiblefaults,
but
is
still
suspect,

measure
the
voltage
drop
acrossthe
connection
.
A
large
drop

indicates
high
resistance,
meaning
the
connection
is
corroded,

dirty
or
damaged
.
Clean
or
repair
the
connection
and
retest
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-
1
3

UU,~uyi

Fig
.
11
.
Mainground
(arrow)
for
engine
management
system
.
Grounds
are
in
right
rear
of
engine
compartment
.

Fig
.
12
.
Mainground
for
ignition
coils
on
MS
41
.1
engine
manage-
ment
system
(arrow)
.

DRIVEABILITY
TROLIBLESHOOTING

al
Icld

Table
e
.
Engine
Driveability
Troubleshooting

c
l



1



I



f



I



I
Oxygen
sensor
faulty



Test
oxygen
sensor
.

ENGINE-GENERAL
100-
1
5

SYMPTOMS

a
.
Engine
fafs
tostart

b
.
Engine
startsbut
stops
immediately

c
.
Erratic
engine
idle

d
.
Poor
engine
responseon
acceleration

e
.
Erratic
engine
operation
in
al¡
speed
ranges

f
.
Excessive
fuel
consumption
g
.
Poor
enginepower,
fails
to
rev
up
h
.
CO
content
toolow

i.
CO
content
too
high

CAUSES



CORRECTIVE
ACTION

a



Fuel
pump
faulty



Test
fuel
pump
.
Repair
Group
160

a



e



Ignition
system
faulty



Test
ignition
system
.
Repair
Group
120
a



Main
relay
or
fuel
pump
relay
faulty



Test
main
relay
.
Repair
Group
130
a



Crankshaft/rpm
position
sensor
faulty



Test
crankshaft/rpm
sensor
.
120
b



c



h



i



ldle
speed
control
valve
faulty



Test
idle
speed
control
valve
.

c



d



e



Throttle
position
sensor
faulty
or
idle
signal
to



Test
throttle
position
sensor
.
DME
control
module
missing
.

c



d



h



i



Mass
air
flow
sensor
faulty



Test
mass
air
flow
sensor
Repair
Group
130
a



b



c



d



e



h



Large
air
intake
system
leak



Check
for
major
intake
air
leaks
downstream
of
mass
air
flow
sensor
.

a



c



d



e



g



h



Fuel
pressure
too
low



Test
fuel
pressure
.
Repair
Group
130

?



I



F
ue
l
pr
essu
r
e
t
oo
high



T
est
f
u
el
pressure
.
Repair
Group
130
d



e



g



h



Fuel
pump
delivery
volume
too
low



Test
fuel
pump
delivery
volume
.
Repair
Group
160
a



c



e



f



h
q
C
oo
l
a
nt
t
e
mp
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
se
n
so
r
f
au
lty



--]
T
est
coo
l
a
n
t
temp
erature
sensor
.

c



e



~



f



i



~
Fuel
injectors
leaking



Check
fuel
injectors
and
replace
leaking
injectors
.

~
Repair
Group
130

Throttle
plate
binding
or
incorrectly
adjusted



Check
throttle
plate
and
adjust
if
necessary
.

a



c



Electrical
connections
loose,
broken,
or
cor-



Visually
inspect
connectors
and
correct
any
roded



faults
.
Repair
Group
600
Ground
connections
loose,
broken,
or
corroded



Visually
inspect
ground
connections
and
correct
any
faults
.
Repair
Group
600

c



e
~



f



CO
content
too
high



Test
air
flowor
mass
air
flow
sensor
.
Repair

~
Group
130
a



b



c



d



e



CO
content
too
low



Test
mass
air
flow
sensor
.
gb



c



d



e



f



g



h



i



Inputsignals
to
ECM
missing,
ECM
in
limp



Make
electrical
tests
at
DMEECM
relay
.
Repair

home
mode



Group
130
a
~
b
~
c
~
d



e]



f



g



h



i



ECM
faulty



Test
DMEECM
inputs
.
If
all
inputs
are
correct,
replace
ECM
.

DRIVEABILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING

120-2



IGNITION
SYSTEM

Fig
.1
.



Ignition
characteristic
map
.

Disabling
Ignition
System

WARNING
-

The
ignition
system
is
a
high-energy
system
operat-
ing
in
a
dangerous
voltage
range
that
couldprove
to
be
fatal
if
exposed
terminals
or
live
parts
are
con-
tacted
.
Use
extreme
caution
when
working
on
a
car
with
the
ignition
on
or
the
engine
running
.

The
ignition
system
operates
in
a
lethal
voltage
range
and
should
therefore
be
disabied
any
time
senrice
or
repair
work
is
being
doneon
the
engine
that
requires
the
ignition
to
be
switched
on
.

The
engine
management
system
can
be
disabled
byremov-
ingthe
main
relay
.
The
relay
is
located
in
the
power
distribution
box
in
the
left
rear
of
the
engine
compartment
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

0013134
Fig
.
2
.



Maínsystem
relay
(arrow)
in
power
distribution
box
(left
rear
of
engine
compartment)
.

GENERAL

WARNING
-

"
Do
not
touch
or
disconnect
any
of
the
high
ten-
sion
cables
at
the
cotls
orspark
plugs
while
the
engine
ts
running
orbeingcranked
by
the
starter
.
Fatalvoltages
are
present
.

"
Before
operating
the
starter
without
starting
the
engine
(for
example
when
making
a
compression
test)
always
disable
the
ignition
.

CAUTION-

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-tery
disconnection
cautions
gtven
at
the
front
of
thts
manual
on
page
viti
.

"
Do
not
attempt
to
disable
the
ignition
by
either
re-
moving
the
cotl
from
the
spark
plugs
(6-cylinder
engines)
or
disconnecting
the
coll
wires
from
the
plugs
(4-cylinder
engines)
.

"
Connect
or
disconnect
ignition
system
wires,
multiple
connectors,
and
ignition
test
equipment
leads
only
while
the
ignitionis
off
.
Switch
multtm-
eter
functions
or
measurement
ranges
onty
with
the
test
probes
disconnected
.

"
Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
while
the
engine
ts
running
.

"
Many
of
the
tests
of
ignition
system
components
require
the
use
of
high-impedance
test
equip-
ment
to
prevent
damage
to
the
electrical
compo-
nents
.
A
high
impedance
digital
multimeter
should
be
used
for
all
voltage
and
resistance
tests
.
AnLED
test
light
shouldbe
used
in
place
of
an
incandescent-type
test
lamp
.

"In
general,
make
test
connections
only
as
speci-fied
by
BMW,
as
described
inthis
manual,
or
as
described
by
the
instrumenta
manufacturer
.

IGNITION
SYSTEM
DIAGNOSTICS



IGNITION
SYSTEM
SERVICE

Poor
driveability
may
have
a
variety
of
causes
.
The
fault



On
4-cylinder
engines,
an
ignition
coil
pack
is
mounted
to

may
lie
with
the
ignition
system,
the
fuel
system,
parts
of
the



the
passenger
side
strut
tower
in
the
engine
compartment
.

emission
control
system,
or
a
combination
of
the
three
.
Be-



The
coil
pack
integrates
4
individual
coils
.

cause
of
these
interrelated
functions
and
their
effects
oneach

other,
it
is
often
difficult
to
know
where
to
begin
looking
for



On
6-cylinder
engines,
an
ignition
coil
is
located
directly

problems
.



above
each
spark
plug
.

For
this
reason,
effective
troubleshooting
should
alwaysbe-

gin
with
an
interrogation
of
the
On-Board
Diagnostic
(OBD)

system
.
The
OBD
system
detects
certain
emissions-related

engine
management
malfunctions
.
When
faults
are
detected,

the
OBD
system
stores
a
Diagnostic
Trouble
Code
(DTC)
in

the
system
ECM
.
In
addition,
the
Check
Enginewarning
light

will
come
on
if
an
emissions-related
fault
is
detected
.

Two
generations
of
OBD
areusedon
the
cars
coveredby

this
manual
.
See
100
Engine-General
for
OBD
information
.

On-Board
Diagnostics

"
1992-1995
models
............
...
.
..
...



OBD
I

"
1996
and
later
models
.........
.......
..
OBD
II

NOTE-

"
On
carswith
OBD
ti,
specialized
OBD
11
scan
tool

equipment
mustbeused
to
access
DTCs,
either
using

the
BMW
special
tool
or
a
`generic"
OBD
11
scan
tool
.

"
The
OBD
11
fault
memory
(including
an
illuminated

Check
Engine
light)
can
only
be
reset
using
the
spe-

cial
scan
tool
.
Removing
the
connector
from
the
ECM

or
dísconnecting
the
battery
will
not
erase
the
fault

memory
.

Basic
Troubleshooting
Principies

An
engine
that
starts
and
runs
indicates
the
ignition
system

is
fundamentally
working-delivering
voltage
toat
least
some

of
the
sparkplugs
.
A
hard-starting
or
poor-running
engine,

however,
may
indicate
ignition
coil
problems,
cracked
or
dete-

riorated
spark
plug
wires
(4-cylinder
engines
only),
and
worn

or
fouled
spark
plugs
.

WARNING
-

Inefficient
combustion
(richair/fuel
mixture)
can

cause
the
catalytic
converter
to
overheat
and
plug
.

An
overheated
catalytic
converter
can
also
bea
tire

hazard
.

Checking
for
Spark

IGNITION
SYSTEM



120-
3

WARNING
-

If
a
spark
test
is
done
incorrectly,
damage
to
theen-
gine
control
module
(ECM)
or
the
ignitioncoil(s)
may
result
.

Checking
for
spark
is
difficult
onengines
with
distributorless

ignition
systems
.

Try
Rmovng
the
plugs
and
inspecting
for
differences
be-

tween
them
.
A
poor-firing
plug
may
be
wet
with
fuel
and/or

black
and
sooty,
butnot
always
.
If
a
coil
is
not
operating,
the

engine
management
system
will
electrically
disable
the
fuel
injectorto
that
cylinder
.
The
key
is
to
look
for
differences
be-

tween
cylinders
.

Ignition
coil,
testing
and
replacing

(4-cylinder
engine)

1.
Disconnect
mainharness
connector
from
coils
:

"
On
M42
engine,
remove
plastic
covering
from
coils
and

disconnect
individual
harness
connectors
.

"
On
M44
engine,
disconnect
main
harness
connectorat

end
of
coil
pack
.
See
Fig
.
3
.

Fig
.
3
.



Ignition
coil
pack
for
M44
engine
(arrow)
.
Coil
harness
con-

nector
shown
at1
.

IGNITION
SYSTEM
SERVICE

CHARGING
SYSTEM

TROUBLESHOOTING
.............
.
.
.
.
.121-2

Charging
System
Quick-Check
...
.
..
.
...
.
121-2

Static
current
draw,
checking
........
.
...
.
121-2

BATTERY
SERVICE
....................
121-3

Battery
Testing
.
.
.
.
.
.........
.
........
.
121-3

Hydrometer
Testing
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
.........
121-3

Battery
Open-Circuit
Voltage
Test
....
.
....
121-4

Battery
Load
Voltage
Test
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-4

Battery
Charging
.
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-4

ALTERNATOR
SERVICE
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
...
121-4

Chargingsystem,checking
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-4

Alternator,
removingand
installing

(4-cylinder
engine)
....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-5

Alternator,
removingand
installing

(6-cylinder
engine)
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
121-6

GENERAL

The
charging
system
consists
of
a
belt-driven
alternator

with
integral
voltage
regulator
and
a
battery
mounted
in
the

luggage
compartment
.

Various
versions
of
alternators,
voltage
regulators,
starters,

and
batteries
are
used
in
the
E36
cars
.
It
is
important
to
re-

place
components
according
tothe
original
equipment
speci-

fication
.
Check
with
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
for
specific

application
and
parts
information
.

WARNING
-

"
Weargoggles,
rubbergloves,
and
a
rubberapron
when
working
around
batteries
and
battery
acid
(electrolyte)
.

"
Battery
acid
contains
sulfuric
acid
and
can
cause
skin
irritation
and
burning
.
ff
acid
is
spilled
onyour
skin
or
clothing,
flush
the
area
at
once
with
large
quantities
of
water
.
lf
electrolyte
gets
into
your
eyes,flush
them
with
largequantities
of
clean
wa-
terfor
several
minutes
and
call
a
physician
.

"
Batteries
that
are
being
charged
or
are
fully
charged
give
off
explosive
hydrogen
gas
.
Keep
sparks
and
open
flames
away
.
Do
not
smoke
.

BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR



121-1

121
Battery,
Starter,
Alternator

GENERAL
..
.
...
.
........
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
121-1



Voltage
regulator,
removing
and
ínstalling
.
.
.
121-6

Alternator
brushes,
inspecting
and
replacing
.121-7

STARTER
SERVICE
....
.
.
.
.
.
..........
.121-7

Starter
Troubleshootíng



121-7



15
..
.
.
.
.
.
........
.
.
.

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(4-cylinder
engine)
....
.
.
.
............
.
121-8

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(6-cylinder
engine
with
manual
transmission)
..
.
...........
.
...
121-8

Starter,
removing
and
installing

(6-cylinder
engine
with

automatic
transmission)
................
121-9

Solenoid
switch,
removingand
installing
....
121-10

TABLES

a
.
Battery,
Starter
and
Charging
System

Troubleshooting
............
.
.
.
.
:...
........
121-2

b
.
Specific
Gravity
of
Battery
Electrolyte
at
80°F
(27°C)
...............
.
.
..
..........
121-3

c
.
Open-Circuit
Voltage
and
Battery
Charge
........
121-4

d
.
Battery
Load
Test-Minimum
Voltage
.
..........
121-4

CAUTION
-

"
Prior
to
disconnectiog
the
battery,
read
the
bat-tery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
on
page
viii
.
"
Disconnecting
the
battery
cables
may
erase
fault
codes
stored
in
control
unit
memory
.

"
Always
disconnect
the
negative
()
battery
cable
first
and
reconnect
it
last
.
Cover
the
battery
post
with
an
insulating
material
whenever
the
cable
is
removed
.

"
After
reconnecting
the
battery,
the
power
window
motors
must
be
reinitialized
.
See
511
Door
Win-
dows
.

"
Never
reverse
the
battery
cables
.
Even
a
momen-
tary
wrong
connection
can
damage
the
alternatoror
other
electrical
components
.

"
Battery
cables
may
be
the
same
color
.
Label
ca-blebefore
removing
.

GENERAL

121-2



BATTERY,
STARTER,
ALTERNATOR

CHARGING
SYSTEM
TROUBLESHOOTING



Static
currentdraw,
checking

Charging
system
diagnostics
requires
special
test
equip-

ment
.
If
the
test
equipment
is
not
available,
charging
system

fault
diagnosis
can
be
performedby
an
authorized
BMW
deal-

eror
other
qualified
repair
shop
.
A
general
troubleshooting

guide
is
given
in
Table
a
.

Charging
System
Quick-Check

As
a
quick-check,
use
a
digital
multimeter
lo
measure
volt-



2
.
Disconnect
battery
negative
(-)
cable
.

age
across
the
battery
terminals
with
the
key
off
and
then

again
with
the
engine
running
.
The
battery
voltage
should
be



CAUTION-
about12
.6
volts
with
key
off
and
approximately
14
.0
volts
with



Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
battery
the
engine
running
.
If
the
voltage
does
not
increase
when
the



disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
engine
is
running,there
is
a
fault
in
the
charging
system
.



manual
onpaga
viii
.

NOTE
-

The
regulated
voltage
(engine
running)
should
be
be-
tween
13
.5
and
14
.5,
depending
on
temperatura
and
operating
conditions
.
If
the
voltage
is
higher
than
14
.8,
the
voltage
regulator
is
most
Mely
faulty
.

Check
for
clean
and
tight
battery
cables
.
Check
the
ground

cable
running
from
the
negative
(-)
battery
terminal
lo
the

chassis
and
the
ground
cable
running
from
the
engine
lo
the

chassis
.
Check
the
alternator
drive
belt
condition
and
tension
.

If
the
battery
discharges
over
time,
there
may
be
a
constant

drain
or
current
draw
on
the
battery
.
A
small
static
drain
on
the

battery
is
normal,
but
a
largedrain
will
cause
the
battery
lo

quickly
discharge
.
Make
a
static
current
draw
test
asthe
first

step
when
experiencing
battery
discharge
.

1
.
Make
sure
ignition
and
al¡
electrical
accessories
are

switched
off
.

3
.
Connect
a
digital
ammeter
between
negative
battery

post
and
negative
battery
cable
lo
measure
current
.

See
Fig
.
1
.
Wait
at
least
one
minuta
lo
get
an
accurate

reading
.

A
range
of
about
0
lo
100
milliamps
is
normal,
dependingon

the
number
of
accessories
that
need
constant
power
.
A
current

of
400
milliamps
(0.4
amp)
or
more
may
indicate
a
problem
.

Table
a
.
Battery,
Starter
and
Charging
System
Troubleshooting

Symptom



1



Probable
Cause



1



Correctiva
Action

1
.
Engine
cranks
slowlyor
not



a
.
Battery
cables
loose,
dirty
orcor-



a
.
Clean
or
replace
cables
.
See020
Maintenance
Program
.
a
tall,
solenoíd
clicks
when



roded
.
starter
is
operated
.



b
.
Battery
discharged
.



b
.
Charge
battery,
test
and
replace
if
necessary
.
c
.
Body
ground
straploose,
dirty
or



c
.
Inspect
ground
strap,
clean,
tighten
or
replace
if
necessary
.
corroded
.
d
.
Poor
connection
at
starter
motor



d
.
Check
connections,
test
for
voltage
at
starter
.
Test
for
voltage
at
terminal
30
.



neutral
safety
or
clutch
interlock
switch
.
e
.
Starter
motor
or
solenoid
faulty
.



e
.
Test
starter
.

2
.
Battery
will
not
stay



a
.
Short
circuit
draining
the
battery
.



a
.
Test
for
excessive
current
drainwith
everything
electrical
in
the
charged
more
than
a
few



vehicle
off
.
days
.



b
.
Short
driving
trips
and
high
elec-



b
.
Evaluate
driving
style
.
Where
possible,
reduce
electrical
con
trical
drain
on
charging
system



sumption
when
making
short
trips
.
does
not
allow
battery
to
re-
charge
.
c
.
Drive
belt(s)
worn
or
damaged
.



c
.
Inspect
or
replace
multi-ribbed
belt(s)
.
See
020
Maintenance
Program
.
d
.
Battery
faulty
.



d
.
Test
battery
and
replace
íf
necessary
.
e
.
Battery
cables
loose,
dirty
orcor-



e
.
Clean
or
replace
cables
.
See
020
Maintenance
Program
.
rodad
.
f
.
Alternatoror
voltage
regulator



f
.
Test
alternator
and
voltage
regulator
.
faulty
.

3
.
Battery
losing
water
.



1
a
.
Battery
overcharging
.



1
a
.
Test
voltage
regulator
for
proper
operation
.

4
.
Lights
dim,
light
intensity



a
.
Drive
belt(s)
worn
or
damaged
.



a
.
Inspect
or
replace
multi-ribbed
belt(s)
.
See
020
Maintenance
varies
with
engine
speed
.



Program
.
b
.
Alternatoror
voltage
regulator



b
.
Test
alternator
and
voltage
regulator
.
faulty
.
c
.
Body
ground
straps
loose,
dirty
or



c
.
Inspect
ground
straps,
clean,
tighten
or
replace
as
necessary
.
corroded
.

CHARGING
SYSTEM
TROUBLESHOOTING