hotwire

Cam timing being out a tooth or more can alter engine operating temperature due to altering combustion characteristics.

Agreed on both counts - they are pricks to work on, the French stuff a close second I reacon

Are you talking dash illumination (orange) If so this has nothing to do with SI batteries. If heater controls & clock display are still lighting up then probably blown bulbs in the dash. If none working then possibly the dimmer control

Are you sure you have the cam belt timed correctly??

Different ECU, AFM, injectors, throttle body sizing, at least Sold a good M20B2.5 recently at $700

Jochen, What on earth did you want to own a Fiat Tipo for?? That leading to an E39 540i - hardly a comparison. Agreed though, get your fuel pressure/flow checked. Be aware that sometimes there can be good pressure but with poor flow rate (filter or pump/s) I have had both these senarios causing low flow & the problem discribed in the thread

You can mount them in pods but with inferior performance. You cannot cut any structural part of the car to fit them (you will fail a WOF & require a structual report being done to verify whether satisfactory or not). Not worth the cost or risk orf having to have reversed. Best bet is a quality speaker to fit the hole.

From your ride (1990 320) it will have projection lamps for low beam. When you say you have cleaned the glass - do you mean inside or outside? These lamps are notorius for a smokey discolouration build up on the inside of the glass & on the projector lens itself which causes at marked deterioration of light output. They can look ok but but once cleaned - makes a big improvement. To clean: Remove the lamp & dismantle from the back to gain access. Use clean cloth to clean both projector lens & inside of glass. If properly clean & with good reflector these lamps work well. Also headlight alighnment is critical.

If not H7 then possibly HB3 & HB4

Any automotive upolsterer should be able to do that easily enough.

Havent done a 6 button changeover from anologue but it wont be plug & play. Even change from anologue to standard digital needs one wiring mod - the digital has an acc supply in the wiring plug position that the anologue has illumination, an easy mod to do though.

Your only option is genuine BMW. The keys are all microchipped & vehicle specific (even the plastic valet one) to communicate with vehicle electronics to overide immoblisation. You cannot use any other key to start the car. You need to contact BMW parts & quote the chassis code (last 7 digits) of you car & they will source a replacement key directly out of Germany, only catch - about $300

Not correct. A "correct" fitment alternator does NOT draw current at rest (assumming no fault in it) they can do with a fault or if an incorrect unit is fitted for a specfic wiring set-up - Depending on whether a vehicle is wired for ign or battery sense. A fault in an alternator to create draw at rest (short in a diode or stator) would usually draw more than this - about 1.5 amps or so & will quite quickly flatten a battery while at rest. Without an alarm fitted, a vehicle will draw up to about .06 milli amps at rest -max (usually less) this being the the memory for electronics/clock/radio etc. With an alarm this can vary but sometimes up to .25 amp (usually less) which will accelerate discharge over time. As already said - with ammeter in line -remove each battery fuse at a time to confirm which circuit the draw is in. Glovebox light is the only bulb likely to cause this as the rest will all draw more current.

Pics as requested

Yep - does both plugs but not later OBD2 (2000 >)

Dark now -will take some pics tomorrow & post Cheers Grant

You say you thought oil was leaking from it - have you checked the level? Should be up to plug level in the back. If not then top up. If it has been running low or without then damage may already be done

Din 55 is the correct fitment battery for these cars. They are rated around the 450 -500 CCA depending on brand. Being a Euro spec battery they are more expensive than the common fitment types but they fit & secure as original. Standard type can be used but dont always have the ledge around the bottom of the case for the retaining bracket - a must for WOF purposes.

Ollie Early (big) & later (small) m20 starters both interchange freely without any mods at all. The set-up is the same for both. I have done this before both ways. Cant say I can remember pinion size relationship between them but they are totally different style starters (later is planitary gear redution type) which if pinion is different size - this will be compensated by its offset in relation to the front bracket mounting. As long as both are for an M20 then is a straight forward swap, the later doesnt use the third mounting into the side of the block though. Finally no - pinions cant be interchanged Cheers Grant

Had mine off for repair when I first got the car, cant remember exactly how I did it now but I also had the seat out at the same time so probably did that before removing panel itself. Knobs need pulling off for a start though. I dont remember it being an issue to remove the part. If there are no obvious securing points with seat in situ then probably requires removing first.

My Silver E39 has same alloys - 18" BBS shadow chrome & the car looks staunch!

I have a 323i ECU if you require PM or 027 6146607 Cheers Grant

Can do one, from a 90 325i, all works - but I just need to replace the display illumination bulbs first. Will do this over the next few days PM me or 027 6146607 Cheers Grant

TV cutout is either speed related, park brake related, or both. Or can be on all the time. Try as Huttey says or as said already -contact Jochen - he has a programme on laptop to "talk" to the car through the IBus control & programme the system for TV in motion. Dont let the boys in blue or WOF guys see that though!

Not really recommended, you can get Hella Cool blue or Ultra which are still 55w & are 30 -50% brighter than standard halogen & dont create excessive load upset the diagnostics