What Went Wrong With Your E34 Today?

[ross1]

I got a battery drain. Primary Suspect is the Idle Air Control Valve. I hums at me when the car is off. If I touch it, there's a slight vibration.

Band-aid? Disconnect battery every time I park. So no baby seat in the back, no wife in the front (since we can't travel in this car like this). Result: CLEANEST INTERIOR EVER.

IAC shouldn't have any power to hum with when the car is off. Main(DME) relay would be my first suspect.

[Mekihead]

IAC shouldn't have any power to hum with when the car is off. Main(DME) relay would be my first suspect.

Yeah, that's the funny thing. I'll investigate both, though. Thanks for the suggestion.

[BleedsBlue]

Not the E34's fault, but that's not specified by the thread title: I left the window cracked a millimeter or two during the last snow storm. It was so cold, the little pile of snow that accumulated in the driver seat didn't melt, and I got it all out, but still.

[AHenry014]

Not the E34's fault, but that's not specified by the thread title: I left the window cracked a millimeter or two during the last snow storm. It was so cold, the little pile of snow that accumulated in the driver seat didn't melt, and I got it all out, but still.

Also not e34 related. Father used to own a VW mk4 GTI that had a strange electrical issue with the passenger window. It would randomly lower itself on its own. I recall it happening twice vividly. The first time it lowered itself 3/4 of the way and it snowed a little less than a foot that night. Came out to the car, sat in the drivers seat, looked over and the right side of the car was FULL of snow. Jaw dropped. Got it out of there the best i could. No issues became of that instance, though my father didnt believe that the car did it on its own until he witnessed it do it to him.

No e34 related issues at the moment. I do have a hard time keeping grip on the rear tires. Gotta look into that...

[E38740iMD]

E34 water pump is leaking time to order a new one and gasket. In no rush because its still in the body shop since April :eyeroll

[Mykk]

I'm playing around with tuning; A/B/C'ing different chips I've burned and loading them in a Moates chip extender while on the road. One of my tunes went scary lean and was cruising around 18:1 AFR.... that's the only thing that went wrong for me today :-P

[Billyj]

Continued electrical issues and a flat tire. Could have been worse

[ypahihi]

Just replaced control arms, steering gear and a wheel alignment only to hear an audible clunk on the left front side on the test drive. Looks like I haven't tightened a bolt properly and will need to hoist and recheck it all.
If only we hadn't drunk that carton of beer I'm sure we wouldn't have missed it.

[Tre0Tre34]

After many little fixes the day before, i have now lost my blinkers and check control display....

Time to go hunting once more.

[Mykk]

Ran into an interesting heat related problem that appears to be in the DME compartment wiring. When cold engine is super rich, like 11's & 12's idling and driving. So I lower the value of injector constant in the tune, leans up to a clean 14's, low 15's and high 12's in power. When things heat up it leans way out, scary lean 16's & 17's with power in the 14's. So I add injector constant value and the AFR's get back into check. Things cool down again, same problem. Open the DME compartment while running and when I physically move the wiring harness to the DME the engine will react and you can hear the AFR's change in the exhaust note. Looks like I'll be re-wiring the DME harness in the near future as soon as I get a spare second.

[E38740iMD]

^Standalone I presume?

[Mykk]

^Standalone I presume?

Afraid not. 404DME and original harness. The tuning is via Moates Ostrich

[E38740iMD]

bump cause e34

[Fresco34]

Opened my hood to check oil level and when shutting it it snapped the coolant overflow line that comes out of the radiator that wraps behind the hood opening hinges.


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[theBMWbeast]

Hard starting is slowly coming back, tach bounce, no start. Gonna check out fusible links, grab a spare dme, and hope for the best.

[mdleers]

Not just today, but something I need to research.
No rear defroster - gotta check all of the 30 Amp fuses under the rear seat.
Oh, the ADV on the driver wiper is giving me fits!

[jehu]

540 has become hard to start... will turn over and just not start... eventually after three or four times holding ignition on for perhaps 10 seconds or more it will start weakly at first but get up to normal...

ICV? Starter? Clogged Fuel Filters? Weak Fuel Pump?

I have new plugs and no major intake leaks.

[fo3]

Opened my hood to check oil level and when shutting it it snapped the coolant overflow line that comes out of the radiator that wraps behind the hood opening hinges.


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Is that what it is? Is it in all cars? There was a mysterious clear strengthened small hose similar to the windshield washer line near the headlights on my 525 that I swear wasn't hanging loose before I was wrestling shoving a fan relay and t/stat behind my headlights. I couldn't see where it's from though. It's not the windshield washer line because that still works.

I've done nothing on mine for about a month since rewiring the thermofan. The AU$ tanked and I couldn't find a single supplier for all my wish list. I didn't feel like paying 2 different places $50 shipping each (which is AU$80!) just because there wasn't a one stop shop because the low AUD meant parts are up and shipping just hurts to much.

So I've been playing around on the falcon ute and saving the cash just in case I find an increasing rare e34 in local wrecking ads instead. Not much down here on the e34 unless wanting to buy a 540. They only sold 70 total in the entire country of the 'LE' 540/6. I saw 2 for sale last year in the eastern states -12k silver and 15k white. Never thought I'd see any out west but there's 2 local to me now - one being a DIY 540/6 for 12k right in my suburb, the other being a midnight blue original one of 70 in my city for 15k.
Neither are interesting to me, just checking for the m20 525 parked for blown susp/tyres/head that were so common before I bought my m50 but seem to have disappeared now. I need more of them around to fix my interior
Never thought I'd see a local 540/6 but now I don't care, I want the old cheap e34s for wrecking with decent interiors back in the classifieds!

I was putting off my USA parts orders due to the AU$ dropping for too long it seems. Today the reserve bank dropped our interest rates to 1% so I thought I may as well make my USA orders tonight because our dollar is only going to tank even more.
When I took my dash apart last month and found my busted stepper motor just playing around with it (trying to work out where it should be) broke the brittle bushing (part# 64111372638). When setting everything up in shopping carts last month they were available for $1.75 from pelican at least. That part has suddenly turned NLA from pelican, turner and ecs, so I waited too long Even if I DIY a bracket I have no bushing.
Plus the door lock/handle bushes that were $1 each are now $2.75 (the clear ones, part# 52208238999)

Oh well, back to the falcon ute for me I guess. But I have a storage locker to consolidate USA shipping now. It's in Nashua, NH (stackry.com). I hope their system works as I just sent a $150 fcp euro and a $110 pelican part orders to that new shipping address.
So if anyone knows any light small parts for sale...I did have a list but I haven't thought much about the e34 for a month or so.
E: Found it in a saved doc. I think my list is:
rear door lock solenoid (old style) - completely forgot I needed one as I hardly use one rear door
air box front and snorkel
alt cooling duct (91, nv part# 12311730064 ) The vanos/m50 TU later part# is different ; 12311735708 so don't know if newer ones fit

rear centre console (ultramarin)
rear cig lighter and panel
centre vent temp potentiometer, top mount stepper( heater air box mount style; set complete)


RHD ultramarin shifter console, knee dash panel, glovebox, dash

[Fresco34]

Is that what it is? Is it in all cars? There was a mysterious clear strengthened small hose similar to the windshield washer line near the headlights on my 525 that I swear wasn't hanging loose before I was wrestling shoving a fan relay and t/stat behind my headlights. I couldn't see where it's from though. It's not the windshield washer line because that still works.

I've done nothing on mine for about a month since rewiring the thermofan. The AU$ tanked and I couldn't find a single supplier for all my wish list. I didn't feel like paying 2 different places $50 shipping each (which is AU$80!) just because there wasn't a one stop shop because the low AUD meant parts are up and shipping just hurts to much.

So I've been playing around on the falcon ute and saving the cash just in case I find an increasing rare e34 in local wrecking ads instead. Not much down here on the e34 unless wanting to buy a 540. They only sold 70 total in the entire country of the 'LE' 540/6. I saw 2 for sale last year in the eastern states -12k silver and 15k white. Never thought I'd see any out west but there's 2 local to me now - one being a DIY 540/6 for 12k right in my suburb, the other being a midnight blue original one of 70 in my city for 15k.
Neither are interesting to me, just checking for the m20 525 parked for blown susp/tyres/head that were so common before I bought my m50 but seem to have disappeared now. I need more of them around to fix my interior
Never thought I'd see a local 540/6 but now I don't care, I want the old cheap e34s for wrecking with decent interiors back in the classifieds!

I was putting off my USA parts orders due to the AU$ dropping for too long it seems. Today the reserve bank dropped our interest rates to 1% so I thought I may as well make my USA orders tonight because our dollar is only going to tank even more.
When I took my dash apart last month and found my busted stepper motor just playing around with it (trying to work out where it should be) broke the brittle bushing (part# 64111372638). When setting everything up in shopping carts last month they were available for $1.75 from pelican at least. That part has suddenly turned NLA from pelican, turner and ecs, so I waited too long Even if I DIY a bracket I have no bushing.
Plus the door lock/handle bushes that were $1 each are now $2.75 (the clear ones, part# 52208238999)

Oh well, back to the falcon ute for me I guess. But I have a storage locker to consolidate USA shipping now. It's in Nashua, NH (stackry.com). I hope their system works as I just sent a $150 fcp euro and a $110 pelican part orders to that new shipping address.
So if anyone knows any light small parts for sale...I did have a list but I haven't thought much about the e34 for a month or so.
E: Found it in a saved doc. I think my list is:
rear door lock solenoid (old style) - completely forgot I needed one as I hardly use one rear door
air box front and snorkel
alt cooling duct (91, nv part# 12311730064 ) The vanos/m50 TU later part# is different ; 12311735708 so don't know if newer ones fit

rear centre console (ultramarin)
rear cig lighter and panel
centre vent temp potentiometer, top mount stepper( heater air box mount style; set complete)


RHD ultramarin shifter console, knee dash panel, glovebox, dash

The line i had was all black and from my knowledge at least it’s only in the v8 models because the water res is behind the engine and not by the radiator like the i6 ones. So I honestly have no idea what the line goes to, if you have headlight washers then it’s probably that. As for the parts your looking for I’ll look whenever I go to junkyards near me for those parts as long as you pay me back for the cost and shipping. There’s no e34’s or e32’s near my right now, but i check daily, so I’ll keep you updated if you are interested.


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[paperplane94]

The line i had was all black and from my knowledge at least it’s only in the v8 models because the water res is behind the engine and not by the radiator like the i6 ones. So I honestly have no idea what the line goes to, if you have headlight washers then it’s probably that. As for the parts your looking for I’ll look whenever I go to junkyards near me for those parts as long as you pay me back for the cost and shipping. There’s no e34’s or e32’s near my right now, but i check daily, so I’ll keep you updated if you are interested.


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Screw that hard plastic line. I replaced the whole thing with the same size rubber hose all the way to the reservoir. That plastic line was not meant to last this long.

[zkd]

Absolutely nothing it's running like a dream...(fingers crossed!!)

[xcastaway]

As good a place to vent as any, I guess. I recently cured an intermittent short that kept draining my battery overnight, which seems to have fixed my stomp test. Evidently, a major electrical short or low battery will keep that from working. So then I could try to find the 1221 error it gave me. I did my first ever smoke test, since most threads I've read mentioned vacuum leaks as the probable cause. And yay, it seems I really did cure all my vacuum leaks, since the only way I got smoke to come out of anywhere was when I pulled the oil fill cap. I finally crawled under it yesterday and discovered the o2 sensor had nearly disconnected itself. The twist on connector hadn't been fully locked into place so it unscrewed itself, and was only making occasional connections. The car runs much better when the o2 sensor isn't intermittently connecting. Poor computer was really confused!

I'd planned to replace the pinch bolt on my pitman arm at the same time, but thunder, lightning, torrential downpour, so I put it off until today. I stretched the bolt to just shy of snapping off when first I discovered the problem, since anything less left the arm loose and sliding up and down on the steering shaft. In the process, I tightened it in the wrong spot on the shaft. In my defense, Bentley says diddly about the pitman arm, including the proper torque for that bolt, but I knew I didn't know exactly where it was supposed to be on the shaft, so should have gone looking for the info elsewhere. My bad. I still haven't found it, but someone kindly provided it for me. I have it about 5mm too high, which changes the whole geometry of that part of the steering, and not for the better. It undoubtedly contributed to my center link and left lca ball joints failing. Between storms today I managed to get the 5mm gap that is called for between the arm and steering box, but ended up using the original bolt, since I couldn't see any way to get access to remove and install the new one without removing the steering box first. It may be that I didn't look hard enough, since it started raining again, but if there is access, it isn't much. I tightened the nut back to very snug, since I've still not found a torque setting for that bolt. I didn't stretch it within an inch of it's life this time, so I'm guessing it will slip again until I give in and pull the steering box enough to get clearance to change that bolt. I'm not certain a new bolt will cure it, anyway. I fear that either the pitman arm or the steering sector shaft are worn from all the movement it had. It's an issue that predates my 8 year ownership. It took until it started clunking at lock for me to finally figure why the handling changed so often.

Found that I have a power steering fluid leak, that appears to be coming from the base of the reservoir while under there, so that is next on the list. Then to figure out why the abs light is on all of a sudden.

First I have to thoroughly chastise my mechanic for not tightening the o2 sensor connector fully and for not figuring out the correct placement for the pitman arm when I first discovered it was loose. At least I work cheap!



Wish my sterling silber touring looked as good as that one ^^^.

[E38740iMD]

removed my head to see that i dropped a valve...........:angry

[cirrusblau]

removed my head to see that i dropped a valve...........:angry

Was this the reason for your hard start/no start issue? How did that valve drop?

[Hofmeister]

trannt doesnt want to come off while doing a clutch job