1985 325e Questions - BMW Forum

offabroadway · 03-10-2005, 01:49 AM

Hey everyone. Bought my car, and will have it on Saturday. A 1985 325e, 4 speed auto, 4 door with roughly 235,000km on the clock. Had a couple of questions about my soon-to-be-baby, even though the fellow selling me the car (my dad's friend/mechanic) is fixing everything for me for free.

First, he says it seems to run a little rough when its started up on dead cold mornings. He revs the engine a couple of times, keeps an eye on the idle with his foot for about 10 seconds, and then she's fine. Looking through the service records (I've got everything back to the delivery of the car

) it seems that this was usually a problem. What causes this?

Also, the temperature guage was doing some funny dancing. Car's temperature was actually fine. He figured it was the coolant temperature sensor. (When I say dancing, it was just wavering all over the place in quick succession... not taking wild temperature swings)... think he's right?

Thanks everyone.

Kowalski · 03-10-2005, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by offabroadway@Mar 10 2005, 12:49 AM
Hey everyone. Bought my car, and will have it on Saturday. A 1985 325e, 4 speed auto, 4 door with roughly 235,000km on the clock. Had a couple of questions about my soon-to-be-baby, even though the fellow selling me the car (my dad's friend/mechanic) is fixing everything for me for free.

First, he says it seems to run a little rough when its started up on dead cold mornings. He revs the engine a couple of times, keeps an eye on the idle with his foot for about 10 seconds, and then she's fine. Looking through the service records (I've got everything back to the delivery of the car ) it seems that this was usually a problem. What causes this?

Also, the temperature guage was doing some funny dancing. Car's temperature was actually fine. He figured it was the coolant temperature sensor. (When I say dancing, it was just wavering all over the place in quick succession... not taking wild temperature swings)... think he's right?

Thanks everyone.

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hes probably right with the temp sensor, however it could be the guage itself, but most likley the sensor. as for the rough starts when its cold, its the ICV valve, pull it out clean it with electrical cleaner like WD40 or somthing like that that wont harm electrical but will clean. and then put it back together and it should fix the problem, they seem to build up crap in them over time and stick, if this doesn't fix it, you might have to replace it. however, replace the temp sensor first.

offabroadway · 03-10-2005, 12:11 PM

ICV valve, I'll check that. When I find it in the Haynes manual. I'm used to nosing around K cars, so this is a little different.

One more question, if anyone knows where to find a stereo wiring diagram for the stock wiring in the dash of the 325... the previous owner took his headunit with him and left a clipped mess of wires (which he found when he bought the car, and he installed his own head unit). Does a good diagram, colour-to-colour explanation exist?

Thanks again.

Kowalski · 03-10-2005, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by offabroadway@Mar 10 2005, 11:11 AM
ICV valve, I'll check that. When I find it in the Haynes manual. I'm used to nosing around K cars, so this is a little different.

One more question, if anyone knows where to find a stereo wiring diagram for the stock wiring in the dash of the 325... the previous owner took his headunit with him and left a clipped mess of wires (which he found when he bought the car, and he installed his own head unit). Does a good diagram, colour-to-colour explanation exist?

Thanks again.

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yeah somone with the wiring cds should be able to help you, or if you have the radio manual that came with the car it also has one in there i believe. if not then the white wire is the power antena, brown is ground, and i can't remember the rest...

yamaha405 · 03-10-2005, 11:14 PM

i dont know if its the same, but for a 84 318i, the wiring colors and stuff can be found at http://www.archercc.net/tech/rewire.htm it tells you how to rewire the stereo, but it also gives you the original wiring colors and what they are first. Chris---

yamaha405 · 03-10-2005, 11:15 PM

You said to clean it with wd40. how exactly do you do this. just spray it in all the opening real good? thanks. Chris---

Kowalski · 03-10-2005, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yamaha405@Mar 10 2005, 10:15 PM
You said to clean it with wd40. how exactly do you do this. just spray it in all the opening real good? thanks. Chris---

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that or soak it in it, either way works it didn't really clean all that much out for me im trying to think of somthing that will clean it better then that.

rj7hills · 03-13-2005, 12:56 AM

Be sure to check the ground nuts for the gauges. A loose ground will cause the fluctuation you describe.

Go ahead and splurge on some electrical contact cleaner for your ICV. WD40 tends to leave a sticky residue on electrical parts - doesn't usually work to well.

e30fanm3 · 03-13-2005, 05:30 PM

carb or brake clean will work just fine. Its prolly the gauge not the sensor, ive never seen a bad sensor make the needle dance