Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

[Fair!]

So Paul knew a guy who knew a guy who had a 1995 BMW that was in the shop. It has been there for a month and apparently wasn't going to be fixed anytime soon and he wanted to dump it for what he owed the mechanic, so Paul did the right thing - he called me.

This 200K mile 1995 325i 4 door "wouldn't start" and the mechanic working on it was out of ideas. It was a red, 5-spd manual car and I figured "how bad could it be?" so I went and kidnapped my "volunteer" helper McCall last week and we took the truck and trailer to BFE Arlington to go take a look. It was in better shape than I had hoped for the amount we had discussed, and I actually gave him more for the car than we'd bargained. (thanks for helping me go get this thing, Jason!)


click to enlarge

It was still not much money, was still VERY dirty/full of trash, and I was still taking a risk that I could get it running easily. The former owner warned me that there was all sorts of stuff still in the car, plus "uhh, maybe some bullets". Here's how it looked when we dragged it here:



In the past week we've been super slammed with new product testing and preparation for the PRI show, but last Sunday I couldn't take it anymore and spent about 3 hours cleaning the car. I figured, with my Mr. Clean logic, that I'd rather work on a clean car than a filthy one, so yes - I cleaned it before ever starting to fix the mechanical problem. It cleaned up better than I thought it would, but still has a long way to go. Its a lot better than it was, and a lot of the missing interior parts were found inside the car (yes, it was that dirty) so now it looks like I only need floor mats and a deep carpet cleaning inside, plus swapping in another matching tan BMW seat we have into the driver's side.



I did manage to find a number of live rounds in the car, .22 and .45 caliber, and the "Red Bullet" name seems to have stuck.



Goals:

• Make a cheap, economical Daily Driver / delivery vehicle for me so I can quit driving a 3/4 ton truck everywhere (12mpg).
• Make this into a reliable, semi-respectable looking 4 door people mover
• Maybe throw a few Test parts on it when it makes sense (possibly a lower cost front strut insert, the new wheel studs, etc).
• Keep 15" wheels and cheap, tall, squishy tires on it for "no fear" driving on any roads.
• Gotta get this thing repainted...
• Get drunk one night and prep it for STX! hahaha... (well, its not like we don't have the parts laying around for that)

Known Issues:

• Won't start, or even crank. This car has BMW keyless entry alarm that I want to discombobulate from the car, first. Then I'll try a new ignition switch/steering column.
• Interior needs some help - filthy carpets, torn/worn driver's seat, droopy headliner. All stuff I've done before
• Exterior needs bodywork and repaint. About 50% of the paint is excellent, bright red, but everything on top is baked. (clear coat gone) Big dent in trunk and RR door. Needs some updated trim.
• Window tint has lived past its prime. Need to remove.

[Fair!]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

Here's the pics after a few hours of trash removal, washing, vacuuming, and a quickie detail of the trunk and underhood. This was enough therapeutic cleaning for one day and should tide me over until we get back from PRI next week. We have so many other pressing projects (EVO X suspension + exhaust, 08 STI exhaust, Alpha car motor swap, Alpha car safety/prep, etc) that this might be all I get to do for the rest of 2008. When I get some "free time" I will tinker with this until its running, either that or throw a match to it.

Trunk was completely disassembled, cleaned, and everthing reinstalled with replaced hardware from our stockpile of spares. I even found a CD changer in there, and it might even work, ha. Removed pounds of leaves, tree sap and other goo from the trunk sealing area, and got up in there with the brushes and cleaners. Cleaned the trunk carpet liner but its still drying.



I used aluminum foil to temporarily cover the missing fuse panel during cleaning/detail, but otherwise it looks to be "all there". Cleaned up nicely, but the magnesium cam cover needs to be re-plated, re-coated or painted. Its got an eBay cold air that looks brand new. Traction control (wtf?) and cruise control along with some weird contraption attached to the brake booster vacuum line. Unmolested stock suspension and perfect strut tower tops.



Wheels cleaned up pretty well. There's good original finish under pounds of brake dust.



Pounds of junk was vacuumed and compressed air blew more stuff out of every nook and crevice.



More soon... well, sort of soon.

[Fair!]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

This image just makes me chuckle...



The red car got shoved under the Alpha last night - the 325 was blocking a spot for the M3 and I was trying to get as many cars into the shop quickly when it looked like we were gonna get hit with a tornado (a nasty "tornadic wall cloud" went right over my head!). Might be the only time it gets parked indoors for... forever?



Its comical when the M3 and 325 are parked side by side - 15" x skinny vs 18 x 9" wheels.



Wish the whole car looked as good as the paint on the hood and front fenders.

[BrianGT]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

Looks like a good car! I hope to see you guys out there in STX.

[GotCone?]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

Nice.

My DD is a '92 325i in red.

They do look sharp cleaned up.

[Chris]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

Traction Control... could mean it has a Limited Slip Diff?

[bfitz]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

TC came standard on '95 325's, and the LSD was unavailable. Before '95, both were options, but they could not both be had on the same car.

Brian

[Redwood]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

Really? I thought the TC and no LSD thing wasn't until '96 with the 328.

[bfitz]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

I'm 95% certain that TC was standard and the LSD was unavailable in '95. I'm positive that TC and the LSD were available in '93 and '94 but not together.

[Fair!]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

I'm 95% certain that TC was standard and the LSD was unavailable in '95. I'm positive that TC and the LSD were available in '93 and '94 but not together.

Bad news - Brian seems to be correct that TC and an LSD are mutually exclusive, at least on this car. Just jacked up one side, and with one rear wheel still on the ground the other spun freely. No Limited Slip Diff. Not really a shock, though.

[Teucci]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

TC came standard on '95 325's, and the LSD was unavailable. Before '95, both were options, but they could not both be had on the same car.

Brian

My Green 1995 325is DSP car did not have traction control. Perhaps it was a "delete" option?

Brian

[Fair!]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!



OK, two months have passed and I finally have a free weekend to tinker with the Red Bullet again. Need to get it running before we tear the M3 apart for... some modificaitons.

Here's this 1995 325i-5psd's symptoms again:

Previous owner said the car had trouble starting one day. It cranked for a bit, no luck. He ran the battery down trying, I think. Then it wouldn't crank at all. He towed it to a pretty shady looking shop in a ghetto area. The mechanic there swapped in a new battery (which he later pulled out), "replaced the starter", had the DME (main engine computer) partially removed and told the previous owner it needed to be replaced ($$$). He jacked with all sorts of stuff, as I've found. This car has the BMW keyless entry security system.

From what I've uncovered with basic testing today, it seems:

• Still won't even crank. I can hear a relay click when I turn the key, but that's it. It gives both a "CHECK" and "CHECK ENGINE" standing lights after I try to crank it (see pic, below)
• The Odometer seems to read "000000".... edit: no, its a "Real" number but half the display is out and its just hard to read
• Code Reader gives codes "1A" (Controller Unit Supply) and "42" (DWA/EWS Input)
• An EWS lockout was possibly triggered?
• The battery won't hold a charge for more than a few days (not a big deal during testing)

To be honest I've never done much electrical diagnosis on a BMW. The ones I've had have always "worked". I've got the Bentley and am pouring over it, but it seems limited and doesn't cover the factory security system at all.

Here's what I can see:


The car has a build date of 2/95


Siren for dealer installed keyless entry alarm. Its all got to go (I hate car alarms!)


The Keyless Entry module (black) and EWS II module (white) are shown here. Disconnected the keyless entry module - no help


This is what shows after trying to start. Note... the odometer?!


The jackleg mechanic had been messing with relays. There's an "extra" marked "055" that doesn't seem to have a socket to go to. It looks original - it went somewhere!

I think the EWS reads a chip on the ignition key that, if incorrectly read, will lock out the starting & ignition systems - a theft deterrent system. I'll gladly bypass this system permanently if its the problem. I think I know how to do that...

To remove a BMW EWS:

• open hood
• look at the round connector next to fuse box.
• pull back the rubber cap.
• find green wire in pin #7
• cut wire.
• replace rubber cap
• close hood.
• happy motoring

Of course I read that on the internet, so its probably flawed.

Any suggestions?

[Fair!]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

OK, so I poked around for another 2 hours and found very little:

• Identified & Labeled all relays underhood and under the dash
• Tested all fuses underhood (none bad/missing)
• Tested the Fuel Pump, Main and DME relays - they all trigger at Crank Start
• Bypassed the clutch in/start switch - no effect
• Figured out the alternator and starter are brand new (too clean/new labels)
• Tested voltage at the two main starter terminals - it has battery voltage but at Crank Start it drops from 11V to around 4-5 V. Hmm, that's no good. The starter solenoid doesn't even begin to engage.
• Couldn't get to both low voltage terminals (even on the lift) to try to jump the starter solenoid.
• Next step - jump across the main starter terminals and see if it cranks...

Relays identified and all engine related ones close at Crank Start (Fuel Pump + Main


the DME and some relay next to it (that clicks at Crank Start)


Dealer installed BMW Keyless Entry Security module is now discombobulated/removed. It all came out at one main plug.


All modules identified under the glove box lid. The previous mechanic had the EWS II pulled out, but I replaced it in its cubby hole. Unseated/reseated all module connectors

Not too many ideas left other than checking voltage at a few key places and then jumping across the starter terminals. What else have I overlooked?

Still haven't figured out the trouble codes "1A" (Controller Unit Supply) and "42" (DWA/EWS Input)

Crank, you bastard!

[John in Houston]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

Sure sounds like EWS or DME. You can disbable EWS (you already know that)... but no one but the dealer can check the DME. do you have a spare you can drop in? Local BMWCCA guy have one you can pull and borrow?

[Fair!]

Re: Fair's '95 BMW 325i - the Red Bullet!

Sure sounds like EWS or DME. You can disbable EWS (you already know that)... but no one but the dealer can check the DME. do you have a spare you can drop in? Local BMWCCA guy have one you can pull and borrow?

I disabled the EWS (cut the green #7 wire at the main connector near the fuse box) last with no luck. I'm about to go swap in a spare battery then I'm going to try to jump across the starter terminals on the starter. I'll try to push start the damn thing if that doesn't work. Monday, if its still borked, I'll make an appointment at Eurosport to have them check the DME on their GT1.

OK, just tried to jump across the starter (no luck, only sparks) and then we nearly passed out trying to push start it multiple times. It feels like the motor isn't turning at all (tires nearly lock up), but I'll be damned if I can find a place to try to attach a socket to turn the motor over (crank pulley has 3 bolts on it). Ideas?

DME is the only thing that hasn't been replaced. Would that keep the car from even cranking, though?? The numbers on it are:

1 744 698 / 0 261 200 413

Its a silver Bosch unit but the part number matches the "red label" Bosch DME. Odd.