Bmw E34 540

[Palerider]

Hi all, new to this form and looking for some help please...I have a 1995 E34 540, had the car for under 8months with 146k on the clock, the car was driving very well until last week, all of a sudden the car decided to drive very rough, its rough at idle too. Have checked the maf and air intake hoses and all are ok. I am in 2 minds if its the plugs as the car has not been serviced as yet, just had a oil change since i have owned it.No engine management lights have come on. Its just very rough, any advice will be appreciated as to what i should or check before i get the plugs changed.Another problem is the rear windows, when pressing the down button, i can hear the motor trying to bring the window down but both don't move. The left window at times does decided to slide up and down... All advice will be appreciated and thanks in advance.

[Tiger]

Possible intake manifold leak. How do you check your MAF?

For the window... try slamming your door and see if that solves the problem... I think the window is sticking to the seal too hard that the motor could not overcome it.

[Palerider]

Hi Tiger, thanks for the advice buddy :)The way i was told to check the maf was i disconnected it from the plug, there was slight difference as to when it was plugged in or when it was not, i tried another maf from another 540 from a friends car and done the exact same. When i brought the car and when it had its oil change, the oil was filthy, the car sat for about 5 months as the owner moved abroad and just a one owner car. I did have doubts about the spark plugs as the condition of the old oil did indicate it might need a full service soon with one green service light left !! I am not mechanically educated but learning through this form. As i said, any advice will be great.Funny enough when my son slammed the rear door shut, thats when one window went down ! So i atleast know why that is. How can i soften the seal or is it new ones... Thanks.

[Palerider]

How do i check the intake manifold for leaks ??

[Palerider]

Got the car checked out later today and it is the plugs so as its time for a change, i have been looking at different plugs and in two minds wether to go for the Bosch or Champion plugs.

I have seen Champion EON 4 plugs and Bosch Platinum 4 plugs, What ones would be recommended and also what does the EON 4 mean as this number goes up to EON 7 in the champion range... As my 540 is V8, does this matter in any way.... The old plugs are Bosch ones in the car. Thanks

[Tiger]

Do NOT use +4 plugs... they cause too much problems in BMW. Stick with basic Bosch single electrode copper plugs. No platinum or anything fancy.

[Palerider]

Hi Tiger,

I got the plugs changed. I can only say this much that had i even attempted to take a picture of them and shown you them, i would have died of sheer embarresment.

though keeping in mind i have had the car for under a year and only done 400 odd miles, the previous owner had the service done about 3 years ago and covered under 2000 miles in the car, one owner with fsh all mot. Its beyond my understanding how on earth the plugs were in such a bad condition, they were burnt out and the white ceramic part (I think it's ceramic) was cracked in all 8 of them. very poor.

Anyway after this change, the car is purrring like it should and the V8 is running smooth and better :)

Next thing to sort out is the rear windows, waiting for a good dry day to see to that. As i mentioned the windows dont go down but you can hear the motor clicking whilst trying to pull it down, How do i soften the rubber seal and could it be the inner or outer seal...

I am also breaking my E34 525i Auto, 1995 model, if you need any parts then let me know as i need the car gone by mid july.

Thanks and regards

[cor_van_de_water]

Hi Palerider.
Where are you and what color is your 525?

[Palerider]

Hi, I am in Glasgow, UK...

[Palerider]

Sorry, Its a Sorrent Blu 525i, 1995 model.

[Tiger]

Since you got a part car, you can use the parts from your other car to fix your window. Silicone grease sold by Honda is great stuff... pick up a tube at the dealer... this is for all door, trunk and window seal.

I'd get in the back seat... hold the window down button and slam the door to see if the window frees up... or have someone slam the door.

Wow... that means the plugs were original to the car... wow...

[Palerider]

I think too that the plugs must have been 2/3+ old or older...

I went to my local Honda garage for the Silicone Grease and got a tube from them. Was pulling apart other things from the car today such as mudflaps, my crystal clear fog lamps. So was doing that today and weather permitting, will do the windows tomorrow. To put the mudflaps on and my front fog lamps, i just removed both bumpers at a time, came off very smoothly, not even abit of force, added on what i had too and stuck the bumpers back on, it was a doddle :) Too my amazement, the bumper nuts were new as gold, not abit of rust on them and after removing the bumpers, the car is as new ! very happy with that.

I wanted to ask, are front wind deflectors any good or do you know of anyone who has had them stuck on ??? One flaw about the E34 is that if your driving with the front windows open and spray your windscreen cleaner, the water always tends to drip into the car too through the window, This has happened in both my E34's, never had this in my 500se Merc or my Nissan 300C... I am in two minds as i want to know if this will look good on the car too...

Thanks

[Palerider]

Hi TIger,

Managed to see to the windows today, the silicon grease done wonders and the way you told me to slam the door worked a treat so Thanks for that buddy :) whilst at it, took off the rear door panel as the back driver side door would'nt open from the inside, Broken cable, so removed that from the car i am breaking and replaced that so all working now, Very Chuffed with the work i have done as its the first time for me doing mechanical jobs on the car.

Once again, Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

[Tiger]

All cars will splash windshield washer to front window when parked... It needs to aim high because if you aim low and on highway, it doesn't splash high enough.

[Tiger]

You are welcome... anytime!