Simple fix to an annoying thing

[stuartinmn]

My '88 325ix has been making an intermittent squealing noise for a while now. It comes and goes, and I haven't been able to nail it down.

Anyway, today I was changing the oil, and while laying under the car looking up I decided the air conditioner compressor pulley was probably the culprit. I don't drive this car in the summer, and the a/c hasn't worked for as long as I've owned the car, so one quick snip with a diagonal cutter and the belt was off.

After the oil change was done I started the car, and no more squealing.

[a]

Heh heh, The standard quick fix for a seized smog pump on the Jeep. My Ranger 4x4 came to me minus its electric shift motor. This part is notoriously unreliable. But, the mount is marked 2 w at 10 o'clock, 4 w high at 6 and 4 w lo at 1. A small pair of vise grips is all that is needed to shift ranges. Right now it is in 4 w high with the hubs unlocked. For my purposes, this is fine.

[1st 5er]

A bit , but... the "washer fluid low" cluster message has been on in the Touring for weeks.
Today my wife has a flat, so she runs off in the E34 ///M and I decide to tackle that annoying message.
I knew the washer bottle was full so I begin by shorting out the switch, no luck.
I remove the bottle, pump and switch and check it readings both open and closed. It's good.
Bentley comes off the shelf and I begin the search through wiring diagrams, etc.
Then the light comes on... there's a rear wiper, washer bottle, pump, and fluid level sensor.
Duh!!! Fill up the rear bottle, message disappears.

[cddallara]

A bit , but... the "washer fluid low" cluster message has been on in the Touring for weeks.
Today my wife has a flat, so she runs off in the E34 ///M and I decide to tackle that annoying message.
I knew the washer bottle was full so I begin by shorting out the switch, no luck.
I remove the bottle, pump and switch and check it readings both open and closed. It's good.
Bentley comes off the shelf and I begin the search through wiring diagrams, etc.
Then the light comes on... there's a rear wiper, washer bottle, pump, and fluid level sensor.
Duh!!! Fill up the rear bottle, message disappears.

my rear squirter works, but no wiper I've tried 2 motors, one worked for a day. I know about the hatch wiring issues, but it's the only thing back there giving me trouble.

[1st 5er]

You get the head room figured out?

[cddallara]

You get the head room figured out?

yep, I requoted you in the tilt wheel thread. Your tip worked like a charm, thanks!

[1st 5er]

Didn't see it, .

You're welcome.

[1st 5er]

my rear squirter works, but no wiper I've tried 2 motors, one worked for a day. I know about the hatch wiring issues, but it's the only thing back there giving me trouble.

You might look at how the arm sets in the motor thingy (not sure of proper name).
It works like a cam, and the arm shaft has to set down in it far enough to catch, it's adjustable.
That's about the best I can explain it.
I'll check BMW fans and see if there is a pic that shows it.

[1st 5er]

my rear squirter works, but no wiper I've tried 2 motors, one worked for a day. I know about the hatch wiring issues, but it's the only thing back there giving me trouble.

You might look at how the arm sets in the motor thingy (not sure of proper name).
It works like a cam, and the arm shaft has to set down in it far enough to catch, it's adjustable.
That's about the best I can explain it.
I'll check BMW fans and see if there is a pic that shows it.

I believe it's the top left part of #2 that has the offset hole (on the top right)...


...that the pin on the rear of #10 sets in.


I could be wrong on the pics, but I had to adjust mine to get it to set deep enough in the hole to catch all the time.

HTH.

[mooseheadm5]

Do you hear the motor or do you not hear the motor when you actuate it? It could be the relay, which is located in the rear e box on the passenger side near the rear shock tower. It could also be those pesky tailgate harnesses going bad.

[cddallara]

Do you hear the motor or do you not hear the motor when you actuate it? It could be the relay, which is located in the rear e box on the passenger side near the rear shock tower. It could also be those pesky tailgate harnesses going bad.

I can't hear the motor, I am going to swap relays next. Even as an electrician, I really, really don't want to deal with splicing the hatch wiring I wish there was a modular plug in the headliner and I could just plug in a new hatch harness.

[1st 5er]

Isn't that motor intermittent only, except when using the wash function?

Looks like this thread has moved a bit away from "Simple fix to an annoying thing".

[mooseheadm5]

The motor is intermittent only unless you are using wash, as you say, but it always comes on as soon as you push the switch forward.

[1st 5er]

[mechacode]

my rear squirter works, but no wipe...I've tried 2...but it's the only thing back there giving me trouble.

Liberal misquote of the day.

[winfred]

this one got me on moms touring till months later i noticed the little cap in the opening, i am use to volvos with the rear pump feeding from the front tank

A bit , but... the "washer fluid low" cluster message has been on in the Touring for weeks.
Today my wife has a flat, so she runs off in the E34 ///M and I decide to tackle that annoying message.
I knew the washer bottle was full so I begin by shorting out the switch, no luck.
I remove the bottle, pump and switch and check it readings both open and closed. It's good.
Bentley comes off the shelf and I begin the search through wiring diagrams, etc.
Then the light comes on... there's a rear wiper, washer bottle, pump, and fluid level sensor.
Duh!!! Fill up the rear bottle, message disappears.

[5280 JB]

Not my own "simple fix" but a story from a co-worker and over-the-top gearhead whom I have worked with for years: He has a Hummer that he has modified with a supercharger, chrome aftermarket everything, and countless mods just 'cuz that's what he does to all his cars. He has been fighting a squealing belt for about four years that neither he or several knowledgable techs could figure out. Had it in to a new shop for some work, and they got to the point of pulling the trigger on a complete re-design of the pulling routing config to cure this once and for all. The tech begins to unbolt the first custom made bracket for some of the pulleys and the assembly makes a big "thunk" sound and seems to shift in place. He suspects something may have been caught somewhere and just fell out, freed up, or aligned itself. He bolts it back down, fires up the rig and...............voila! No squeal! To his credit, the tech didn't pursue the original plan, even though he would have made a pretty good buck on the job.

Both were expecting a several hundred dollar or more job, on top of who-knows-how-much time/money/frustration has already been sunk into this little annoyance. Ten minutes later - it's fixed

Sometimes you just get lucky.

Jim

[1st 5er]

Not annoying, but...

I topped the oil off in my wife's car a few days ago, closed the hood, started the car and pressed on the gas and it died.
Raised the hood, replaced the oil filler cap on the valve cover, closed the hood and drove off.

[a]

Heh heh. In 03, I checked the oil, hopped in the Borman 6 and headed home. 2 hrs later, the LOL came on. Heart in my mouth , pulled over and popped the hood latch. The cap was on the fender and the stick was a qt low. That is the main functional difference between motronic 1.0 and 1.1. Super es can run really messed up but still run.

[Jase]

Recently i was under the hood for a bit, doing not a whole lot of good..

Had to go out and pick my wife up from work. Started the car and it began running extremely terribly. Once driving all was ok, until I let it idle.

Got to my wifes work.. popped the hood.. found the ICV not plugged in properly.

Started it again and it purred like a kitten.

[1st 5er]

Now I don't feel near as stupid. Thanks guys.

[C.R. Krieger]

Now I don't feel near as stupid. Thanks guys.

Well, that depends on whether you're truly stupid or merely negligent ...

[wkohler]

There is no simple fix for stupid.

[a]

Now I don't feel near as stupid. Thanks guys.

Well, that depends on whether you're truly stupid or merely negligent ...

Right or wrong , I'm blaming my meds for my horrific short term memory loss. Loss of acuity, they call it.. In n'other words, " That boy is as sharp as a bowling ball."

[wkohler]

I cut myself on my bowling ball last week. It split in half somehow. $245 down the drain.