BMW Enthusists 1988 325i issues

[Bkflyer]

I saw someone else post a topic like this so i thought i could try to. Now on my 2nd BMW which is newer with less miles seems to have more problems than the first. Oh well, gotta love that buyers regret when unforseen problems arise.
Incase someone reads this that doesn't read the other posts i'll just list all the issues and feel free to respond with anything that might be of help.

Heat/ AC do not work: Blower works fine. Fuses ok, although the 30 Amp was very melted that was for the heat and A/C. Replaced that with no luck. The climate control switch seems to be ok, as i can hear and feel a difference in air comming out when its turned from blue to red. Air is all one temperature however, outside air temperature.

Glovebox permanently locked? Key will not seem to open it. Any hints?

Brake lights stick on unless you really hit the brakes. Of course they work and stay on with the car shut off. Not a good way to leave the car as the battery runs down. A sensor or something?

Rear clunking: replaced shock mounts with no fix. The shocks feel ok. Could warn out shocks cause this problem. What about the: "Shock Bump Stop" which i have no idea what it is, where it goes, or what it looks like but sounds promising.

Insturment cluster gauge problem: From left to right: the fuel gage works sometimes, othertimes it will stick on completly full, sometimes hitting the top of the insturment cluster puts it in place. The Speedometer has worked once since i've owned the car, for no apparent reason. The tach is the only thing that works normally. The temp gauge, after starting the car and letting it warm up suddenly pops to the normal range. After spending hours of research on these boards, I replaced the speedo sensor in the rear differential, no fix. Replaced the SI board with a refurbished unit with new batteires. Still no fix. Have heard of "reflow the connectors" but not quite sure where or what this means.

Another note: the guy i bought this from knew about the intermitent speedo issues and said it was a white chip. The only thing i can thing of but don't know what it is, is a small chip that goes into the front right of the insturment cluster. Could that be it? What is it and what does it do?

Now also have a check engine light on and very rough idle. Any ideas.

I'm about to throw in the towel on this car, as much as i love the convertible. Please help.

[jase007]

BKflyer (?)

The first thing you should do is buy the bentley repair manual. Most of your problems will be described and solutions provided in the manual. It is an easy read and VERY helpful if you plan to wrench on your car.

The climate control switch seems to be ok, as i can hear and feel a difference in air comming out when its turned from blue to red. Air is all one temperature however, outside air temperature.

The temp switch will adjust the air temp. If the air is all one temp then the switch is probably not OK. Look to see (in the engine bay) if the heater core was bypassed (b/c it was leaking). If so, you don't have heat.

Brake lights stick on unless you really hit the brakes.

Brake light switch / master cylinder. Bentley has procedure to troubleshoot.

Rear clunking:

Could be sway bar mount or subframe bushings, as well.

the fuel gage works sometimes, othertimes it will stick on completly full

Typically, this is a bad ground. When no ground ... goes to full (at least this is what I've learned from guages in other german cars).

Now also have a check engine light on and very rough idle. Any ideas.

Vacuum leaks.

Good luck.

Jason

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

what he said

[sasha]

"Heat/ AC do not work" for heating you need to check if the heating valve is actually opening at all, it is located on the drivers side to the right of the gas pedal in the center concole. Change in sound when you turn from cold to hot just means that the flaps are opening and closing and letting air in.
"Glove Box" Did you get more then one key with the car? There was so called valet key which unlocks only doors and ignition but not glove box and trunk, if not then the handle is stuck and the only way to open this is to actually brake it and get used one at the junk yard.
"Brake lights" Check the switch on your brake pedal under the dash, it may be bad or just simply misaligned.
"Instrument cluster" Its a convertible! mositure probably killed it Go to the junk yard and get the whole instrument cluster, I'm not sure if there is Ecology Wrecking in your area but you can get it there for cheap! Lots of good bimmer parts, you just have to bring your tools and take parts off yourself.
Sasha

[rich22]

Originally posted by Bkflyer
Glovebox permanently locked? Key will not seem to open it. Any hints?

The key doesn't open the glovebox. It only locks or unlocks it. You still have to pull on the handle if it's unlocked.

[Bkflyer]

Does anyone know if you can interchange VDO and motometer instrument cluster parts. My original cluster is a VDO. The only cluster i could find is a motometer. I was told i could put the Motometer in for the VDO. The motometer, however, has the 5K tach. Can i take the tach out of the VDO and put in the motometer? Also, the back of the cluster has the two self explanitory large plugs, but also two smaller plugs. Does anyone have a picture/wiring diagram for where those go?

Thanks,
Brad

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I dont belive the "e" and "i" boards are interchangeable.

I know that certian motometer and vdo boards wont work together. I'd give it a try, but you might damage something...

[sasha]

Why dont you just get a whole cluster at junk yard?
Find some ecology or pick your part junk yards and you should find it for around $25