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I can remove my ignition key with the car running. This is evidently the result of wear, but does anyone know if this "feature" correlates to impending failure? It's handy for checking my mailbox at the end of the street without having to turn off the car to remove the key. Yes it is wear...

Thanks Mike, this is very helpful. I've always had to push the key while turning to start the car. A few weeks ago it just stopped engaging the starter. I have juice in the accessory and start positions and can bump start the car. It's always been on my "to do" list but looks like now's t...

If the switch has failed, will the car still start with a remote starter or bump starting? Maybe. It depends on the failure mode, the switch has several contacts and functions, off, Acc, Run and Start. Failure of the start mode would probably be the most common, but again, not the only mode. The pl...

That would be either the ignition switch or the interface between the ignition lock and switch. The only wire in the column is for the ground for the horn.

Hey Dan, welcome back, your name vaguely rings a bell. Best I can find at various places in the US is around $53, plus shipping, or ~$38 plus shipping from Europe. Which is probably your best bet, I didn't run the shipping numbers, but they've been pretty reasonable in my experience. I once bought a...

canada karl wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2023 4:11 pm Thanks for the tip about the battery. Do you know where this plug is located and what it looks like?

On the doorpanel. Maybe about where your knee would be. Plastic, flat, 1.5" in diameter? Going off memory, not a precise measurement.

On some of them there is a plug in the door panel you can remove and use something, I think it's the special nylon tool in the tool kit to move the window. But if I recall correctly, it really doesn't work very well and is only designed for emergency use, meaning it probably only has a couple of use...

Barely enough room to swing the torque wrench and couldn't get enough force on it to apply the required torque. Torqued it as much as I could and called it a day. Cory As long as you can get it tight enough not to slip once in the air, you can fully torque it in the air as you locked it in position...

cory58 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 6:06 am Good morning fellow E12 fans.

I plan to replace the front control arms on my 530i this weekend. Do I need to load the front suspension before tightening the inner bushing bolt?
Thanks!

Cory

Yes.

Timing or the gulp valve.

They're not silent engines, but you've been around them for a while now and know what they sound like. Try readjusting them, I know one time I did valves and got one just on the start of the ramp when I adjusted it. Was .016 or something but made way too much noise.

Sure, just adjust the valves.

And there are no lifters, just rockers.

Cool! Yeah, getting the initial timing close enough to run after pulling the dist is always a pain. Glad to hear it's finally running.

If you're referring to the 002 and 004 ECUs, they are interchangeable. I suppose there must be some difference, but I have no idea what. If you're talking 528i ECUs, those I would not interchange.

Yes, once, briefly depending on the temp, only while cranking. Actually it cools off fairly rapidly, but not completely, so after a brief rest it will pump again even more briefly.