Newbie questions again

[SpidersWeb 0]

I'm still new to BMWs, so have a few questions with regards to my latest addition, a 1990 535i SE manual.

When I shut the key off, there is a buzzing noise from behind the dash, sounds like a winding motor, my other 535 does it too, what is that?

Can someone educate me on the BMW clutches? If I race off in 1st, then accidently hit 4th the clutch slips instead of the wheels, which I'd expect from a standard clutch, but it's absolutely brutal to use compared to any other manual I've ever driven, it has very tiny movement before it engages and then is very unforgiving. Is this why only 5% were made manual, or is mine broken? I'm used to it now, but it seems unnessecary. .

Is there anyway to make gear selection easier? Possibly mine is worse due to high kms (160,000 miles) but its very common for me and my partner to get 4th instead of second, and 3rd instead of 1st.

Why the hell did they put reverse right next to 1st? are they insane?

The intelligent being who previously had my car fitted a bright blue Momo race wheel, now until I find a standard wheel to put back on, I can live with not being able to read the rev guage, speed, or see where my indicators are set to without ducking my head, but the indicators don't auto cancel - is there a fix for this?

Below 2000 rpm the car seems to occasionaly do these small little jolts, almost like its stalling, if I keep the revs above 2500 its happy as, but below this it feels like a normal car would at bellow 900rpm. It doesn't idle well but I put that down to the old ISC due to high kms etc etc, is this related, or is this a sign of something else.

It also uses water, water pump has recently been replaced, pipes recently replaced, radiator is a gorgeous aluminium job that has just been redone, so only options I have left are 'heater' and 'gasket', being an M30 its a bit early for gasket trouble, so where do I stick my head to look for a heater leak, and how do I find out if I do have a gasket problem?

Edited May 20, 2007 by SpidersWeb

[SpidersWeb 0]

Oh and the water is bright green like it should be, and it doesn't use much, I filled it up and have done about 1000km in it so far, and the warning message hasn't come up yet.

325i is using lots, I suspect the heater on this car.

Thanks heaps, sorry for all the little questions but its much appreciated!

[kiwi535 538]

your clutch is on its last legs,and i would suggest the clutch is making the gearbox problems worse.Sounds like the gearbox has its own problems too.They are not "light" gearboxes to use,but i never never ever select the wrong gear.It should be a bit of a mission to select reverse,too.I think reverse is better next to first than next to fourth.

My car has a pretty steady idle but it is never dead steady and sometimes rises and falls buy itself but a throttle blip always steady,s it.Give the old girl a good tune up and go from there.I would suspect a sticky idle control valve(cylindrical object "embedded" in inlet hose) or a vacumn leak.And 160,000 miles is a fair bit it may be time for a head gasket,but heater core pipes are the likely culprit.With some care these engines do much more than 160,000 mikes