Newbie with TLC questions - BMW Forum

Intellirat · 12-20-2003, 08:03 AM

Just bought the newest member of the family, and she's a pretty lady - '98 touring SE (316) - little less HP than many, but the SE kit makes up for it!

So, now I've been taking some quality time out with her, she's got a couple of niggles - and I wonder if anyone has got some hints/tips etc.

1) A regular quiet knock at idle, or key in position 2, (sort of like a heartbeat - but single 'bump') - my guess from location (rear-low, off to one side), and from the lack of any other symptom was fuel pump - but there isn't smell/fuel drop/warning/leak (tried the cardboard underneath special)... I kinda like the noise - but I don't want her hurtin'
- oh yea... it isn't the CD player (which has a noise all of it's own - and the stealer didn't know was fitted - hehe!)

2) At *full* lock, either way, she groans (irregular mid-range whine), and tries to pull back to center - much more so at stationary.. I get that the engine is going to find it harder to pull the power steering round when at lower revs, but she makes out I'm trying to take her rallying, or something.. I checked the power steering fluid, and she isn't hitting the arches (thank heavens!)...

Anything to worry about, or am I just showing my newbiedom??

PS She's only got 40K on the clock, and FBMWSH

Thanks all

Intellirat (UK)

BMWPro77 · 12-22-2003, 04:19 PM

Hey Intellirat! Welcome. Just stopped by to give say whas' up from CT. USA and welcome you to the best BMW forum this side of the big pond and beyond! See ya around man!

Furious · 12-22-2003, 04:40 PM

welcome to the forums dude. as for your possible problems, im not familiar with those 316's but they both dont sound too harmless, however number two might be worth checking out, what i would do is get in under the hood and locate your steering fluid resivior, make sure shes topped up and there are no leaks from the bottom of the bottle.

schilke · 12-23-2003, 01:23 AM

Funny you would mention the heart beat -- I noticed it too. Mine seems to happen when the car is up to temp and the interior is up to temp. I have the digital, dual zone A/C unit. I did the stethoscope thing with a big screwdriver to my ear on several places on the engine and body but could not hear it. I now attribute it to some dampers flapping in the HVAC unit, but I am just guessing.

Has anyone else out there heard the heart beat?

used I kinda like it too.

BMWPro77 · 12-23-2003, 02:27 AM

New to me. Never heard about that before. Any particular model that it happens in?

used

Intellirat · 12-23-2003, 08:01 AM

Thanks for the welcomes all...

The steering fluid is good (level wise, anyhow) - does this stuff go off? I've PTFE taped on the side what the level is now, so we'll see if it's going down in a week or so.. No obvious leaks, and it was dry around..

The heartbeat isn't coming from the vents, or the engine compartment, as far as I can tell - much more from the rear somewhere - I'm pretty sure that the fuel pump runs with key position 2?? (one before ignition start) - it sounds too quiet, and regular to be a metal-on-metal type of affair.. Dunno if it's louder when warmed up - from a cold start, I'm normally in too much of a rush to hear anything! I'll try the screwdriver thing round and about - ta!

She's in for an service in the next month or so - she had an "inspection 1 / service / inspection 2" cycle before I got her - maybe I'll be brave (and rich), and mention it to the stealer..?

Nice person before I got her fitted a GPS tracker too... and didn't mention it to the stealer (he obviously never checked the invoices in with the log) - another freebie!