Inspection Troubles/ Blinkers

[mwalkup]

Finally added long awaited Euro bumpers with new spoiler for my 87 325is. Hooked up the turn signal wires and they light up on but don't blink on and off. The turn single is flashing on the dash. Checked fuses and my first thought was the relay under the steering wheel but haven't pulled it yet to check. Or it's wired up wrong.

Another issue are the bulbs themselves. They are the standard turn signal bulbs for US turn signals. Double filiment with two side prongs. These bulbs are so tight they would not turn and click in the housing without grinding the prongs which doesn't secure them in place very well. Even had to grind a bit on the two contact points on the bottom of the bulb to fit them in! What the hecks the story??

Appreciate any insight or suggestions so I can hand over my money over to the state of North Carolina and become legal again,

[richardodn]

Obviously you are using the wrong lamps. IIRC, the typical Euro layout has the blinker lights in the fender behind the wheel and the bumper light is a single driving light. How many wires did the fixture have? If it was only two, your dual filament lamp won't ever work right.

If I'm correct, there's two ways to approach this. Use the fixture as is (with the correct lamp) and you can wire it as either turn signal or driving lamp but not both. If it were me, I'd retrofit the original US socket into the Euro fixture and use both. If the lens isn't amber, you'll need amber lamps or maybe the lens from the US fixture works.

[mwalkup]

Richard- Thank you very much for your helpful reply! I did splice the two wires from the harness to the Euro two wire running lights. Hence the problem. I looked up the standard Euro turn signals behind the fenders. Not my cup of tea. And I have no idea how oncoming traffic could see them?

I think you're right in that simple would indicate using the blinker housing and standard 2 fil. bulb from my US bumper. I just saw a post that said JB Weld could secure them in place?! I hope to replace the housing with the bumper on as it wasn't the easiest to line the bumper up and bolt it in place. Whatever it takes though.

We really had to rework the valance too as it wasn't an exact fit.
The EU would be proud of my front end work- Euro bumpers from Germany / Fog LIghts from Greece & Spoiler from Slovakia. Wanted to post a pic or two but it's been so long since I have that it escapes me.
Happy Birthday America and thanks again buddy!!

[e30oe21]

US cars have a 3 wire front bumper light. Park / turn signal and ground. Euro cars have turn signal and ground in the bumper and the "park light" feature is the city light in the low beam headlight.

Grab an early model fuel pump plug. It's the exact same plug that you need for the euro blinkers. No need to cut and splice, you can get the wires to release with a small tool and transfer them over to the fuel pump plug leaving the park light feature disconnected and covered.

[mwalkup]

Can you be a bit more specific please about the make and model of fuel pump plug I'd have to use? So its really that simple huh. Using the plug I'd connect it to the blinker (running lights) housing in the Euro bumper and wire it up to the two wires that were my blinkers origianlly... Really.

[e30oe21]

1984 to 87 3 series in tank fuel pump plug. 2 pin with rubber boot cover. Pretty sure the 5 series used that type plug as well

[mwalkup]

Perfect- e30oe21
Thank you!

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Where in the great state of North Carolina are you located??