Coolant/radio

[uls]

hi,
i have a few questions, so thanks for your time :) !! i just recently bought a 1989 525i executive. I'm a student so i really dont have much money to be spending on repairs and would like to do some repairs myself (if possible)..
Anyway here is my problem.. Every time i turn the car on or off a check coolant level - owners handbook light comes on, but ive checked the coolant level a couple of times and it's full and not going down drastically.. only a bit over the last three weeks or so... Just wondering if this is a sensor problem or something electronic like that.. ? and (hopefuly) i can fix myself without too much hassle...?

Secondly when i turn the volume control on my radio it makes a crackling noise and but when i turn it very slightly it goes away... but as soon as i adjust the volume again it happens... My mechanic said that it is something inside the radio and he knows how to fix it but once again im a student and want to get out of paying for any repairs i can (that aren't too hard obviously) and i want to get to know my car a little better and do some repairs myself... :D

Lastly (although this is a stupid question) the Outside temperature gauge that tells you the temperature outside (on the same screen as the clock) is in Fahrenheit and (scene as im from Australia) id like it to be in degrees Centigrade... and i dont know how to change it... i had a look in the handbook but i cant find where it says how.. i dont have an OBC... and i cant find any switches that change it..??

Thanks very much for your time, and i hope this isn't posted anywhere else... :)

[Yiorgos]

Every time i turn the car on or off a check coolant level - owners handbook light comes on, but ive checked the coolant level a couple of times and it's full and not going down drastically.. only a bit over the last three weeks or so... Just wondering if this is a sensor problem or something electronic like that.. ?

In the expansion tank, right at the bottom there is a sensor that will trip when there's no more coolant. You won't be able to see it if there is coolant in there (obviously), but I believe the way to get to it is to drain all the coolant and theres a huge bolt underneath that you can undo -- it will have some wires coming out of it (sorry for lack of technical explanation).



Lastly (although this is a stupid question) the Outside temperature gauge that tells you the temperature outside (on the same screen as the clock) is in Fahrenheit and (scene as im from Australia) id like it to be in degrees Centigrade... and i dont know how to change it... i had a look in the handbook but i cant find where it says how.. i dont have an OBC... and i cant find any switches that change it..??


I think this might be due to the language that the dash is in. There is a way to change the language of the Check Control, you might want to google this or wait for someone who knows more to give some insight.

[Bimmerman]

There is a small white switch to adjust the display on the back of the clock. You will need to remove it from the dash and adjust with a screwdriver. (not too hard on right hand drive cars).
One of the better write ups is this: http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_36.htm
Bruno has a good write up on his site about upgrading to the full OBC if you can find one nice and cheap... http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Upgrade/OBC.htm
for the radio, these guys had success cleaning their volume switch
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=10785&highlight=radio+volume

Welcome and good luck!

[DaveVoorhis]

Anyway here is my problem.. Every time i turn the car on or off a check coolant level - owners handbook light comes on, but ive checked the coolant level a couple of times and it's full and not going down drastically.. only a bit over the last three weeks or so... Just wondering if this is a sensor problem or something electronic like that.. ? and (hopefuly) i can fix myself without too much hassle...?

It might simply be the connector to the sensor, which is underneath the coolant reservoir. Pull off the air duct to the alternator and you'll see the sensor lead. Unplug it, and thoroughly clean the contacts on the lead and the sensor, then try again.

If it still throws warnings, it's probably the sensor itself. Changing it is easy: Drain the coolant, pop off the fan shroud, undo the coolant & tranny hoses, remove the rad clips, and pull out the rad. The sensor is held with a big plastic nut. When you remove it, you'll probably yank the float off the sensor, so be sure not to leave it in the reservoir.

This is a good opportunity to flush the cooling system.

Installation, as they say, is the reverse of disassembly. Don't tighten the sensor nut or tranny coolant lines too much or they'll strip, and be sure to properly bleed the cooling system.

[Qsilver7]

...the Outside temperature gauge that tells you the temperature outside (on the same screen as the clock) is in Fahrenheit and ([seeing] as im from Australia) id like it to be in degrees Centigrade...

There is a brief explanation of how to do it in the owners manual. In the image below..look in the center column under the topic: Notes for 12-Hour Clock ... to change from Fahrenheit to Celcius [centigrade] occurs when changing the clock from 24 hour display to 12-hour AM/PM display.

http://luuk.xs4all.nl/bmwboeken/bmwe34manual/small50/pg40.jpg

[uls]

ok.....
i disconected the battery, then took the radio out, took the face plate off and sprayed the pot or nob with RP7 (which is like WD-40)... then i took the outside temperature control out, and changed it to celcius then put it back in, and now the lights dont really work on it (they're very faint) and my radio reception is worse than before... (although my crackling sound has improved a fair bit...) obviously i know little about cars and fixing them, but im really keen on knowing how so if anyone could help me it would be much appreciated! :)
i tried to add some pictures i took when i did the work so you know what im talking about a bit... i think the grey cable is the reception cable... (hopefully i put them on right)

p.s thanks everyone who helped in the first place :)

[DL-]

Hi,

If it still throws warnings, it's probably the sensor itself. Changing it is easy: Drain the coolant, pop off the fan shroud, undo the coolant & tranny hoses, remove the rad clips, and pull out the rad. The sensor is held with a big plastic nut. When you remove it, you'll probably yank the float off the sensor, so be sure not to leave it in the reservoir.

Has anyone found a way to replace the coolant level sensor on an M20 without removing the transmission hoses or the radiator? I had coolant leaking from the sensor and was going to try using a crows foot wrench, but I couldn't find the right size (1-3/16 was the closest I could find). It turned out my sensor was just loose, so I used the wrench to tighten it.

It would be nice if there was a tool similar to the O2 sensor socket for M20's.

Regards,
Dennis

[genphreak]

RP7? hmm yuk

Crackling controls (it is the volume potentiometer- after years of heat and humidity and electricity) it has built up oxidation on the copper contacts inside it)

To fix, turn the radio off and turn the volume control a lot, very fast- ie use two fingers, one on each side to turn the volume control (a few hundred times) up and down. Work at it for a few minutes. It will clean itself and sound crystal clear again, for at least a little while.

Works every time. Welcome aboard for all the fun! :) Nick

[uls]

RP7? hmm yuk

Crackling controls (it is the volume potentiometer- after years of heat and humidity and electricity) it has built up oxidation on the copper contacts inside it)

To fix, turn the radio off and turn the volume control a lot, very fast- ie use two fingers, one on each side to turn the volume control (a few hundred times) up and down. Work at it for a few minutes. It will clean itself and sound crystal clear again, for at least a little while.

Works every time. Welcome aboard for all the fun! :) Nick

Thanks everyone who helped :) i managed to fix the radio problem, and the reception (the antenna kept coming off every time i put the radio back in) so i taped it this time (i would have thought it should have been taped in the first place anyway?) And i also figured out that you have to have the main wire AND the other wires around it attached.. not just the main wire... I've also managed to fix my clock/ outside temperature gauge (it just needed two new globes because i forgot to disconnect the battery when i put it back in and it blew them...) and i changed it to celcius rather than fahrenheit.... for anyone who doesn't know how to change it on a regular clock/outside temp gauge NOT an OBC (because they just have a button) email me and ill send you some pics and tell you the details... uli_asch@hotmail.com
Finally the matter of the coolant level.. well i haven't had the chance to do that, im not sure whether i should be tackling something like that (although it doesn't sound to hard)... dunno maybe i will a little later :)
well anyway thanks very much to everyone! my total repairs cost me $4 AUD instead of about $70-$100 in time for my mechanic...

[Yiorgos]

my total repairs cost me $4 AUD instead of about $70-$100 in time for my mechanic...

And you have learnt so much more about your car too -- that's worth way more than your savings.