Fuel pump would be my first guess, too. Like Bob said, listen for the whirring sound in the back when the key is turned to the first position. A similar thing happened to my E30 a couple years ago. If you don't hear the sound, check the connection under the back seat with a multimeter to make sure that current is getting there.
Forum: Technical Forum

Yesterday the Sports Car Club of Vermont held an ice time trial on Mallett's Bay on Lake Champlain, and I took the iX out to have some good fun sliding around on the ice. It had been a couple years since I was last on the ice, and it was great to get back at it. As usual, the iX proved its prowess on a slippery surface. Here's a video of my fastest run of the day. The audio makes it
Forum: Car Talk

QuoteJose PintoThe car to be serviced by the owner with a simple set of tools is old history. This is EXACTLY the complaint that my dear old Dad used to make 40 years ago. He also complained about planned obsolescence, cars not lasting as long as they used to, etc. etc. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The thing is, my Dad was wrong. Like him, I love old cars as much as any
Forum: Community Forum

Well, that was weird. I tested all four sensors, found the one in the front right that was different, and confirmed by spinning the wheel that the resistance on that one wasn't changing. OK, bad sensor, and I ordered a new one. The next day I got a call back from the vendor saying that ABS sensors for the iX are pure unobtanium. Even BMW in Germany doesn't have them -- they needed to
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteMichiel 318iS Checking the '90 iX electric scheme, I figured out the E30 is not using Hall sensors, but magnetic coils (so no need for a power supply when testing). Have you tried reading the signal when rotating the wheel? Best would be to use a scope, but a DVM should read something as well (though not accurate) in the AC range. I haven't had a chance to check that yet (busy w
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteMichiel 318iS Are you sure the wiring isn't broken internally? On my E46 I had the pad wear light on intermittently, flickering at times. I'm pretty sure, based on the resistance test I did at the connector. The sensors have a fairly long wire, so the connector is quite a distance away from the sensor. The resistance was < infinity, indicating a connection, and was the same on
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteBob in Everett If you turned on the ignition while the sensors were unplugged, for sure the computer set the warning light. That light may be difficult to reset. There is a special tool that plugs into the 20 pin connector and has some buttons on it to connect various pins and an internal circuit. Thanks. I actually have a SIL reset tool, but I don't think it does the ABS light. Any
Forum: Technical Forum

A while ago I removed both front struts in my iX to replace the upper strut mounts. (These are different from regular E30 struts, but the basic principles are the same.) After putting it all back together, I began having a problem with the ABS, where the ABS would engage at very low speeds, like when coming to a stop. Since the only thing I had changed since before the problem started was the fro
Forum: Technical Forum

Peter is correct -- automatic transmissions are designed to be left in gear. Any load placed on the engine by idling in Drive is trivial to the point of insignificance. The wear placed on the shift linkage from shifting back and forth is probably higher (but also insignificant). Here in the U.S., where automatics are the rule rather than the exception, what drives me most crazy is people who d
Forum: Car Talk

Quoterkj I'm busy getting the 5er ready for a trip, my daughter is graduating law school this Saturday and upper Vermont is calling! Should be pretty this time of year. Have a great trip! Congrats to your daughter, and yes, it is pretty this time of year.
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteBob in EverettMight try a bit of dielectric grease from the auto parts store on the connector pins. That was going to be my next plan, until this morning when discovered that it's working again! Procrastination pays off once again. I'll keep an eye on it and pull it apart one last time if I have to.
Forum: Technical Forum

QuoteBob in EverettMaybe the connector to the resistor block just needs to be cleaned. That's exactly what it was. I pulled it out, cleaned the contacts, and tested it -- it worked on all four positions! So I squeezed the cover back on, screwed everything back together, and... position 1 isn't working again. So I went and had a beer and will deal with it again tomorrow.
Forum: Technical Forum

Hmm. That sounds like a likely place to check. Thanks!
Forum: Technical Forum

I've been listening to the blower motor in my iX chirping and squeaking for a long time, so when it finally died altogether it was no big surprise. I just replaced the blower motor with a new one, and before buttoning everything up, decided to test it. It works perfectly -- in positions 2, 3, and 4. In position 1, there's nothing. Before it died, the old motor was working in all 4 posit
Forum: Technical Forum

Quotebam_loves_his_bmw_325i On the other side of the issue, my coolant pump is leaking rather rapidly. After I fixed the ground, I notices my coolant tank completely bone dry. Is it okay to use a silicone sealant on the bottom of this to try and fix it? Or should I wait for a complete replace? You'll never patch that leak from the outside -- the only effective way will be to pull off th
Forum: Technical Forum

That was great. Thanks for that.
Forum: Community Forum

Cool -- I like both of them! I see you wrestling with a champagne bottle on the podium, so it must have gone well!
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteKelly The smell is by far the strongest about 4" in front of the passenger door handle and below/under the rocker panel. The smell was OVERWHELMING. Kelly, If the smell is that strong by the passenger side rocker panel, check the vent lines in the rear passenger wheel well. It's a little farther back that what you're describing, but sometimes smells can travel a bit. There&
Forum: Technical Forum

Quotebam_loves_his_bmw_325i My E30 is missing the blue and brown sensor plugs. Not missing, mind you, but my temp gauge doesn't read accurately and I've been suspecting it to be the cause of many problems like running rich, shiesty performance and poor economy. I'd like to replace them and see what happens but there are few yards with e30s around here and the OEM replacements a
Forum: Technical Forum

I third the wheel bearing diagnosis. I don't know why it has to be the rear one, since I've heard front wheel bearings also make strange noises (though not like yours). But Peter is probably more well-versed in this! But yeah, after you've driven it a while, feel all four hubs to see which one is hot. Since it seems to happen when the car is turning left, my bet is a right-side whe
Forum: Technical Forum

BTW, what's that plastic thing in the lower left corner? Whatever it is, mine is missing it.
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteFerdinand First time I ever used any of those tools in the trunk. I'm amazed I remembered they were there. Good work! I always forget they're there, too, but then since I always keep a "real" (albeit small) toolbox in the trunk, that toy set in the trunk lid doesn't really serve much purpose for me. But it's still kinda cool that BMW thought enough of their cus
Forum: Community Forum

QuoteJose Pinto you may pull the back seat to gain access to the tank below, again check all hoses and clamps. That's where my E30 was leaking fuel: the pipe that runs across the top of the tank had rusted through and was leaking whenever the fuel tank was more than about 3/4 full. It's easy to see any fuel pooled on top of the tank if you pull out the seat bottom and remove the two ac
Forum: Technical Forum

We only got about 6-8" (20 cm) up here in central Vermont, not as much as coastal New England got, but enough to go out and have fun skiing up on the mountain. I have the perfect arrangement: I get to have fun driving the iX up the mountain in the snow, then I get to have fun skiing around the mountain, and then I get to have fun driving the iX back down the mountain in the snow. So much fun
Forum: Community Forum

Surprisingly enough, WD-40 works very well for this. It's worthless as a penetrating oil, and a terrible lubricant, but it's the best thing going for removing the gunk left behind by duct tape, and probably whatever tape you used. I keep it around mostly for that very purpose. If that doesn't work, there's a product called Goo Gone that works for removing a lot of gooey, st
Forum: Technical Forum

Here's an alternative to the jack test for testing the viscous coupling on an iX, from the 325iX Club Yahoo list: Quoteapply handbrake and jack up front of car (AT in park Manual in neutral) and see if you can turn the front driveshaft (might need a pipe wrench or strap wrench)if it takes a lot of effort or wont turn at all VC appears good ,if it spins easily VC is toast. your basicly locki
Forum: Technical Forum

The big thing to consider when buying an iX is the condition of the viscous coupling in the transfer case. They are tough as nails and last forever if treated well, but have an Achilles' heel if they're abused. By "abused" I mean towing with only two wheels on the ground, or any other action that forces the front and rear wheels to turn at different speeds. If that happens, th
Forum: Technical Forum

I wish it were easier to find good Belgian beer around here. We're currently experiencing a big Belgian witbier fad around here, so it's pretty easy to find a halfway decent selection of witbiers -- but beyond that, not so much. There's a place in town that has a rotating selection of interesting imported beers - maybe I should ask them to do a special order.
Forum: Community Forum

Quoterkj I have to ask, what's an Armco? Armco=guardrail (named after the steel company that used to make them) i.e., this:
Forum: Technical Forum

Quoterkj Are these older air bags something one wants to be in front of, seems like a libabilty to me. People always worry about old air bags exploding in their faces prematurely, but I challenge anyone to document a case of this ever happening. It seems to me that if this were a real threat, we'd have heard about it by now. Instead all we hear about are people afraid of it. On the other
Forum: Technical Forum