Burning Smell Coming From Vents.

[drewusmaximus]

Hi all, 1995 525i 5 SPD 283k

I replaced my blower motor last year. I was told to use a 20A fuse but, every time I turned on the blower the fuse blew So, I kept the 30A fuse on it. I made sure the compartment was cleaned out.
Not sure what is going on.

[ross1]

Your '95 has the blower resistor pack situated in the lower plenum just above the throttle pedal. Remove the carpet trim and you'll see a connector on a (likely blue) resistor pack.
Remove it and the cabin air filter to clean debris from the compartment. That resistor gets hot enough to start a fire.

On high speed the resistor is bypassed so ostensibly if this is the reason for the burning it should abate on high speed. ALWAYS a good idea to clean out that area.

[m60power]

Hi all, 1995 525i 5 SPD 283k

I replaced my blower motor last year. I was told to use a 20A fuse but, every time I turned on the blower the fuse blew So, I kept the 30A fuse on it. I made sure the compartment was cleaned out.
Not sure what is going on.

Hmm. Usually the burning smell is from the early cars that have the "sword" analog blower fan resistor which is mounted in the airflow path right next the cabin filter in the blower box. Usually debris gets piled up and the heat of the resistor starts to burn the debris and eventually the cabin filter.

Since your car is a 1995 model year I don't think you have the large sword resistor. Have you checked to see if there is debris around the blower motor itself and fan blades that could be making the motor have to draw more current to spin them at speed?

[drewusmaximus]

Hmm. Usually the burning smell is from the early cars that have the "sword" analog blower fan resistor which is mounted in the airflow path right next the cabin filter in the blower box. Usually debris gets piled up and the heat of the resistor starts to burn the debris and eventually the cabin filter.

Since your car is a 1995 model year I don't think you have the large sword resistor. Have you checked to see if there is debris around the blower motor itself and fan blades that could be making the motor have to draw more current to spin them at speed?

I cleaned out the entire area of the blower housing. I haven't checked the cabin filter because I don't know where that is. I though the filter would be around where the blower motor resides but, didn't see any filter. I think it was said that the filter is under the dash by the gas pedal.

[Sir Montalbon]

The resistor is under the dash by the gas pedal, and as Ross stated, most likely blue. The cabin filter is accessed on the passenger side after removing the glove box.

https://blog.bavauto.com/wp-content/...icrofilter.pdf

[moroza]

Burning what? Leaves, wires, oil, ganja...? Does it happen on fan speed 4?

[drewusmaximus]

Burning what? Leaves, wires, oil, ganja...? Does it happen on fan speed 4?

Yes but, now every time I turn it on, within 3 minutes it start to smell like something burning. The last time it did not smell electrical but, rather material combined with leaf burning smell.

- - - Updated - - -

Where is the cabin filter? I pulled the side cover by the gas pedal and I see a plastic according vent but, I see nothing that looks like a filter.

[moroza]

Filter is accessed through a beige plastic plate on the passenger side. Resistor is a blue plastic thing on the driver's side, with a four-wire plug going to it. It's difficult but possible to remove the resistor without removing the kick plate. Accessing the filter requires removing the glovebox.

[drewusmaximus]

Filter is accessed through a beige plastic plate on the passenger side. Resistor is a blue plastic thing on the driver's side, with a four-wire plug going to it. It's difficult but possible to remove the resistor without removing the kick plate. Accessing the filter requires removing the glovebox.

Here we go... Another nightmare..

Quick question... My brake light blew. Do I have to replace the entire socket, or does the bulb come out of the socket? I pulled the socket out but, the bulb broke as I tried to pull it out of the socket. The base of the bulb will not pop out, which leads me to believe I need the entire white socket?

[m60power]

The cabin filter is not by the blower housing. It's down in front of the heater core and evaporator. You access it from the passenger side footwell. On the e32 you only need to swing the glovebox forward to the service position, I think you have to remove the glovebox on the e34 to get to it.

- - - Updated - - -

Here we go... Another nightmare..

Quick question... My brake light blew. Do I have to replace the entire socket, or does the bulb come out of the socket? I pulled the socket out but, the bulb broke as I tried to pull it out of the socket. The base of the bulb will not pop out, which leads me to believe I need the entire white socket?

The bulb comes out of the socket. You push it inward and turn to remove it.

[bigsixe34]

You don’t need to replace the white socket. Push and twist. You might need pliers or to wear a glove now.

However you may at some point encounter a poor connection / flickering symptom with a good bulb which is an issue with the socket itself.

OT, but do us all (including you) a favor and don’t think of these problems as nightmares
You’re right in the middle of the road for a 24 year old car’s maintenance requirements.

[drewusmaximus]

You don’t need to replace the white socket. Push and twist. You might need pliers or to wear a glove now.

However you may at some point encounter a poor connection / flickering symptom with a good bulb which is an issue with the socket itself.

OT, but do us all (including you) a favor and don’t think of these problems as nightmares
You’re right in the middle of the road for a 24 year old car’s maintenance requirements.

It was just a figure of speech based on my luck when it comes to fixing Grandpa but, it is always rewarding when I myself get the job done. LOL!
I got the bulb out! Thanks!

[fo3]

Buying and fixing an E34 has cost me $6k, what a nightmare.
Just the normal things like brakes and tyres like any age car.
Plus the job of suspension mounts, struts, gaskets, o rings, rubber mounts/lines etc like anyone would need to consider doing for any car over 8 years old. E: doesn't matter what marque, cars over 8 y/o are
"old bombs" on our roads if suspension, hoses etc haven't been replaced after about 8 years old.

I'm thankful that nothing in the interior like BMW switches, gauges, displays or reg motors have broke as that would be an expensive nightmare E: I didn't expect them to, as the main reason why I got an E34 was this was the era where they and most other euros were actually solidly built. Any newer and stuff falls apart on their own. I only wanted to deal with susp, brakes, tyres and gaskets/rubber lines on my budget project car. AFter 1995 may as well buy a toyota.

You know what is a nightmare? Of the 6k I've spent on buying and fixing the car, $900 has been just on shipping! A nightmare you don't have to worry about in the USA.
Speaking of which, aren't you used to bayonet cap bulbs in the USA? Maybe most households have edison screw bulbs, but Bayonet cap are used for almost everything lighting related in houses and cars, and BC are the standard in cars - push and turn Anti clockwise. If they break in a 25 y/o car it's normal due to age, push and turn A.C. the remnants/base

[drewusmaximus]

Buying and fixing an E34 has cost me $6k, what a nightmare.
Just the normal things like brakes and tyres like any age car.
Plus the job of suspension mounts, struts, gaskets, o rings, rubber mounts/lines etc like anyone would need to consider doing for any car over 8 years old. E: doesn't matter what marque, cars over 8 y/o are
"old bombs" on our roads if suspension, hoses etc haven't been replaced after about 8 years old.

I'm thankful that nothing in the interior like BMW switches, gauges, displays or reg motors have broke as that would be an expensive nightmare E: I didn't expect them to, as the main reason why I got an E34 was this was the era where they and most other euros were actually solidly built. Any newer and stuff falls apart on their own. I only wanted to deal with susp, brakes, tyres and gaskets/rubber lines on my budget project car. AFter 1995 may as well buy a toyota.

You know what is a nightmare? Of the 6k I've spent on buying and fixing the car, $900 has been just on shipping! A nightmare you don't have to worry about in the USA.
Speaking of which, aren't you used to bayonet cap bulbs in the USA? Maybe most households have edison screw bulbs, but Bayonet cap are used for almost everything lighting related in houses and cars, and BC are the standard in cars - push and turn Anti clockwise. If they break in a 25 y/o car it's normal due to age, push and turn A.C. the remnants/base

Understood. I got the broken piece out of the socket. Now I have to figure out the cabin filter. I need to figure out what's burning. It gets cold here in the mornings at Upstate NY So, I can't risk turnign on the heat in fear of something burning. The past three days I drove to work without heat. Thankfully, it has warmed up on my way back home from work.

[fo3]

I can't see a filter burning up as that would start a fire. I'd start looking at the fan regulator.

Just to be clear - you replaced the fan motor last year and it still has a burning smell when the fan in on full speed/ "4"

As far as gettign to the filter, mine has more anger involved because the steering column is in the way, but maybe simpler to get to as I just have to remove 3 screws on the drivers pedal area, so I don't know the procedure for glovebox removal
But this site has pics for the filter cover you are looking for, so that's a help - just keep removing stuff until you can get a clear picture of the green cover with that plastic wingnut

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Mainte...ce/Filters.htm

Microfilter2.jpg

Microfilter1.jpg

Microfilter3.jpg

If you end up finding a blocked filter (some cars don't even have a filter fitted), make sure you buy a 2 piece filter to replace it. The cheapest replacement ones are single panel and they are a PITA to fit. Better replacements are an upper and lower panel 2 piece ones. Put the top one in first 2/3 the way and hold it up while you slide the lower one in and then slide them in together the rest of the way.

[CarterH]

Buying and fixing an E34 has cost me $6k, what a nightmare.
$900 has been just on shipping! A nightmare you don't have to worry about in the USA.

That's crazy! Where have you been buying parts from? I used to get all my E34 parts through a place in Victoria called PeninsulaBM. They have very reasonable shipping prices and have new and used parts. They saved me a bundle on stuff, they also rebuilt my blower sword and saved me a few hundred dollars.
My 535 cost me about 7k over the period of about 4 years. Almost 1k of that was on shocks and then the beefy tyres were almost 1k since the size was very rare. I probably got ripped off with both of those things but at the time I needed the car for work and couldn't be bothered to shop around. Time is money.

As for OP, what exactly is the smell? Is it a plastic smell, a leaves/wood smell or a sort of old burned coffee smell?

[drewusmaximus]

That's crazy! Where have you been buying parts from? I used to get all my E34 parts through a place in Victoria called PeninsulaBM. They have very reasonable shipping prices and have new and used parts. They saved me a bundle on stuff, they also rebuilt my blower sword and saved me a few hundred dollars.
My 535 cost me about 7k over the period of about 4 years. Almost 1k of that was on shocks and then the beefy tyres were almost 1k since the size was very rare. I probably got ripped off with both of those things but at the time I needed the car for work and couldn't be bothered to shop around. Time is money.

As for OP, what exactly is the smell? Is it a plastic smell, a leaves/wood smell or a sort of old burned coffee smell?

At first it smelled electrical then it started smelling like cloth and leaves.

[R Shaffner]

At first it smelled electrical then it started smelling like cloth and leaves.

Yes. This happened to me while driving the same car. You need to get down in the passenger foot well and remove the cabin filter. My bet is you'll see where it's burned. If you shine a light inside the filter cavity you'll see a bunch of burned leaves, etc. that you'll want to vacuum/blow out. Then put in a new filter.

[CarterH]

Yes. This happened to me while driving the same car. You need to get down in the passenger foot well and remove the cabin filter. My bet is you'll see where it's burned. If you shine a light inside the filter cavity you'll see a bunch of burned leaves, etc. that you'll want to vacuum/blow out. Then put in a new filter.

And like fo3 said, get one of the cabin filters that is split into two pieces. It won't be too much trouble if you got one of the complete units since you don't have a steering column in the way like RHD but the split one will be easier. Do it sooner than later though, with the smells gradually changing it just means that the heat is getting further and further through materials.

[drewusmaximus]

The weather has been mild the past few days. I'll take it apart this weekend, where I wil have plenty of time to tackle it. I got the bulb in but, the bulb with the black socket will not turn in. Now I have no tail light... I tried twisting it and turning it and it just won't fasten..

[R Shaffner]

And like fo3 said, get one of the cabin filters that is split into two pieces. It won't be too much trouble if you got one of the complete units since you don't have a steering column in the way like RHD but the split one will be easier. Do it sooner than later though, with the smells gradually changing it just means that the heat is getting further and further through materials.

I didn't understand the split filter reference or why it would matter. The single piece filter I swapped was easy, once I got access to it. Then I saw your Australia address. Are you referring to a RHD car, where pedals and steering might be in the way?

[E34M5ProjectCar]

I have the same burning issue in my ac pretty much to the T. I haven't even started addressing it yet. The joys of owning an old bimmer

[CarterH]

I didn't understand the split filter reference or why it would matter. The single piece filter I swapped was easy, once I got access to it. Then I saw your Australia address. Are you referring to a RHD car, where pedals and steering might be in the way?

Yep. On RHD models the clutch pedal and steering column get in the way so they have a split air filter since single piece filters won't fit.