gmccormack

It means the water level is to low, but if you're sure there is plenty of water then the problem is more likely to be a fault in the water level sensing system. A faulty connector and or broken wire can cause it, as can corrosion of the magnet in the float or the float my be missing all together or it may have fallen off the sensor. Some cars also have a warning light to tell you it's time to flush the cooling system and replace the antifreeze, as it only has a limited life.

Hey Graeme, could a M40 have the same problem if smelling of fuel at all speeds, can't drive with the window open, stinks too much.

The fuel lines that run under the manifold are prone to cracking in M40's. If the engine is otherwise running well and the only problem you're having is the smell of fuel I would suspect them before anything else. Cleaning and checking that the AFM is moving freely is worth doing too in any case.

Temp sensor would be my first guess too. It's not a real sensor as such but a switch that trips at 70 degrees, earth out the temp sensor wire and see if that helps.

The screw on the AFM is only for idle mixture adjustment, you could play with it if the problem is only occuring at idle but otherwise I'd leave it alone.

Is it running rich WOT or no load/light throttle/overrun??. If it's running OK when you give it the jandal, but rich on light throttle it could be the AFM flap is not returning fully under spring tension. Clean it out and make sure the flap is moving smoothly, without any binding.

Connecting the two greens together should get it running. Once you have the engine running just take a stab in the dark with one of the others, if you get a nonsense reading from the tacho or fuel economy meter- you guessed wrong. I doubt it will do any damage.

Do you have a green one???

ohhhh i dont want to be buying more stuff lol

can i just cut and join the 3pin plug that goes from the key (im guesing) and into the wiring loom just to get it running?

thanks

Two of the wires are just outputs for the dash (tach and fuel economy) The other signals the ECU to switch on.

FL 316/318 have two common problems. They have tendancy to snap cam belts like clock work. So make sure you know when it was last changed in any car you are considering buying.

The tappets can be very noisy in cars that have not had regular maintainance, for that matter even cars with good service records and low mileages can suffer this problem too. It is really more of an annoyance than a major problem, but it results in premature cam wear which in turn kills off the engine performance at high revs.

A new cam, rockers and lifters is the only fix, but this cost more than the car is worth to have done.

One door not opening sounds like it could be a seized central locking motor rather than the control relay. I have plenty of spare CL motors and relays and the washer pump too. Ph Graeme 299 7942 or 021 136 7007 or PM me. $20 for all three

Most aftermarket head units have two remote output wires, usually one is blue and the other is blue with a white stripe.(depends on the brand)

One switches on an external amp (if fitted) whenever the head unit is on, the other is to signal the antenna to operate only when the radio is on. I think you probably have them mixed up.

From E30 Restoration Bible. Plastic bumper 320 auto should have a 4.45:1. No listing of a 4.49:1.

All 4.1:1 diffs were the small case ones with the exception of U.S. market M3s' and post 85 320 with LSD

Thanks for the info, thought that may be the case, but can you confirm that coding plug you mention as fitted in the front bottom right of the dash (below the idiot lights & sitting behind the lower part of the fascia trim? This dash has the plug you describe fitted there rather than in the back of the cluster.

Cheers

Grant

Yes.Sorry in the front, not the back.

The instrument clusters were fitted with a coding plug in 86. It's a 10 x 20mm plastic rectange with two clips holding it in to the back of the cluster assembly. Fit a 6 cylinder plug to your 4 cylinder tach and it should read correctly. If your car is pre 86 it's easier to swap the whole cluster

Does the Fuel Pmp run when the ignition is turned on or does it run when the computer gets a signal from the TDC sensor. If the later then I need someone to listen for Pump as I can't from opposite side of the car. Any help would be great.

The pump runs for 3 second once the ignition is turned on then stops if the ECU doesn't get a signal from the AFM.

The pump also runs when the starter is cranking, the pump is not effected by the crank angle/speed sensor

I would say they will. There is a small difference in Fuel pressure between the 2 pumps.

The pump does not determine the fuel pressure....the fuel pressure regulator does, you can interchange just about any of the pumps.

A 83 525 uses a M30 engine from memory, so the box is probably unsuitable. 2.5L M20s' didn't appear until late in 85.

- where does the car get its speed readings from?

The speedo pick up is in the rear of the diff, I doubt it is to blame however as it cannot affect the Tach too....

SA built cars have the brand name "Armourplate" on their windows as opposed to "Sekurit".

Sump guards and long range tanks are very common options on SA cars but were not fitted as standard, they were also optional on euro assembled cars, so not a good indicator.

All SA car had a km/h speedos and type 188 medium case diffs regardless of engine size. Even 316s' were fitted with medium case diffs.

"Courtesy of E30Restoration Bible"

some of the early e36's had the M42 engines..not just the e30iS or e36 coupes..

E36 318i = M40 (early)or M43 (later)

E36 318iS = M42 (early) or M44 (later)

M42 engines do not have a timing belt. they're timing chains

M42, that would be an "iS"...........blak_bmer only has an "i"

Which engine? If it's an M40 or M43 and turning over easily but not firing, check that the timing belt hasn't broken

Your idle speed is set to low.

318is is a single spinner...............

You're kidding........forget it then

1k? For that?

Perhaps start the bidding at something more realistic (i.e 0 or 500)

I wish..........anyway, who wan'ts the LSD out of it?

I've got one from a 325. $20 if you wan't it. PM me or ph 299 7942 or 021 136 7007

Might be time to fit new batteries to the S.I. board. The old batteries probably aren't charging or holding their charge as well as they did when they were new, then when the main battery goes flat as well the S.I. and or gauges start to do strange things.

I've got one in unkown condition (still in the car) $20. Ph Graeme on 299 7942 or 021 136 7007 or PM me