Relay information needed urgently, please. [Archive]

View Full Version : Relay information needed urgently, please.

mikeyboy

11-05-2005, 05:27 PM

Hi, I am hoping someone can help me out.... I have just got a 1990 520i automatic as a non runner. The car was going to be scrapped due to a leaky transmission so the owner let people take parts off of the car. So to my point, all of the relays from both left and right engine bay compartments have been removed. I have got a number of relays from good old ebay but i need to know where to put them, as the engine does not even run. I could try guessing but I don't want to fry the electrics. So any help in the way of drawings or photos would be really appreciated, to help getting my first beemer running. Thanks.

Paul in NZ

11-05-2005, 05:49 PM

hmmmm i would suggest posting your location,then hopefully someone with a 520 will hook up with you.The 520 is a model that was not available in the US so bentley manual may be of limited use,in the meantime trye34.net (http://www.bmwe34.net/) there are pictures there of the ,boxes in question

mikeyboy

11-05-2005, 07:05 PM

I am in Britain, but maybe the 525 is similar if not the same as far as electrics go?? I have checked other postings but there dont seem to be any fuse/relay boxes that look like my one,

Paul in NZ

11-05-2005, 07:09 PM

yes thats a possibility too i think the 520 was a different spec in many cases.Have you tried a web search on 520 E34,s?

mikeyboy

11-06-2005, 04:27 AM

Yeah, I have spent ages trawling the net, what I seem to have learnt is that there always seem to be what looks like an orange and a white relay in the compartment where the ecu lives, I tried to upload a picture but I don't see it! I think they are the fuel pump and main relays, maybe someone can confirm this?

shogun

11-06-2005, 04:53 AM

It also depends on the year/month of production, options ordered with the new car, country specific items.
So it can be that there are many connections which even do not need a relay.
You can see the prongs of the plugs and the numbers, by that you can find something out what fits there.
And here
http://shrubbery.student.utwente.nl/johan/e_box/fuse_box.html
and here
http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_22a.htm
and go to the online parts catalog, there are the relais shown and also the numbers of each prong. Many of the relais are mulit-purpose use
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do

shogun

11-06-2005, 04:54 AM

Forgot:
and ask the chaps here, they also know E34 very well
http://www.bmw7resource.co.uk/forum/index.php

mikeyboy

11-07-2005, 05:23 PM

Thanks for all your help, I got her going tonight, (orange and white relays- fuel pump and dme) and she started second go, not bad after a year outside in Britain!! I tried some other relays and have got the horns and flashers working, only the lights, demister, blower motor and mirrors to do!!! Anyone know what colour relays do these?? It is a fairly basic mode, SE so theres not too much to go wrong. It doesnt have an LKM like most models, don't know why.

Springfield1952

11-08-2005, 12:22 AM

shogun

11-08-2005, 01:28 AM

Mikeyboy:
what year and month is the car built? Or better tell us the VIN and use some info in your profile also, that helps a lot to help you. (you mentioned 1992, but that can be from 01-12 and in between is the facelift always every year).
Then someone with an E34 Bentley Repair Manual can have a look into it depending on the model year.
But the Bentley is mainly for the US cars, so there might be some small difference.

That you do not have an LKM is probably due to the fact that you have the low version, that means without check control.
Maybe in this case easier to solve all the outstanding questions.
Another link
http://www.e34.hu/service/kieg94_540.html
And this one is good
http://www.carsoft.ru/avtorepair/bmw_e34/0670.0/index.html
here
http://www.carsoft.ru/avtorepair/bmw_e34/E34.html

Maybe someone can make a pic from his fuse box and mark the relais also for you.
Look into the sockets for the relais. The relay prongs also have a description. So you just read what is written and find the matching socket.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=HC12&mospid=47373&hg=61&fg=25

mikeyboy

11-13-2005, 04:06 PM

The Vin is bb76512 so I think this makes it a 1990 although I am not sure what month it was built. Everything seems fine with the car apart from it being able to start in any gear (1, 2 or Drive) any ideas? Maybe i'll post a new thread asking for help on this one, thanks for all the help and encouragement!

stevebuk

11-13-2005, 05:45 PM

I don't think the 520i has an LKM mine doesn't, I have a 520i auto but it's the 24 valve model which I think means that the wiring is quite different. I can always take a photo of my relays if that would help.

mikeyboy

11-13-2005, 05:55 PM

Thanks for the offer of a photo, but I am pretty sure the 24v models wiring is quite different. I have got all of the electrical accessories working ( i think) with trial and error and with the use of a 525 wiring diagram which appears to be similar but definitely not the same. Most of the relays seem pretty standard, I ran out of BMW orange 4 terminal relays and tried some Ford ones that had the same wiring diagram embossed onto them, they seem to work OK.