SOT: Calling on shogun/Octane rating

[jj7]

Shogun, i got 525i,94 imported from Japan, if possible could you tell me about the octane rating in Japan, my car came without the owner`s manual from an auction house...
Thnx

JJ

[shogun]

Sorry, do not exactly know.
I usually take the socalled regular here, which is the normal fuel, then we have Hi-Ocu = something like high Octane and then super stuff as in any country.
Do not know where you live (no info in your profile here), but I assume N.Z. or AUS, as most cars are sold there from Japan.
If there is no info inside the fuel tank flap. take exactly what the same cars use in your country. I believe you have a M50 engine. Maybe someone can tell what is needed for that.
Basically the engines for Japan are based on the ECE standards in Europe. So whatever is recommended there, you can use.
A manual you can probably download from the net for this car. Only know the ones for the E32, sorry.

[jj7]

Sorry, do not exactly know.
I usually take the socalled regular here, which is the normal fuel, then we have Hi-Ocu = something like high Octane and then super stuff as in any country.
Do not know where you live (no info in your profile here), but I assume N.Z. or AUS, as most cars are sold there from Japan.
If there is no info inside the fuel tank flap. take exactly what the same cars use in your country. I believe you have a M50 engine. Maybe someone can tell what is needed for that.
Basically the engines for Japan are based on the ECE standards in Europe. So whatever is recommended there, you can use.
A manual you can probably download from the net for this car. Only know the ones for the E32, sorry.
No prob at all,thanks for the concern.I am currently in Malaysia but for a short while (but your guess was close), what is written on the fuel cap not much help,its in KANJI,but i think it says premium only :D , the octane i use is 97, i used to top up with shell,i turned to texaco because i feel the engine sounds smoother than shell.I will try to find any manual for the car,i got the deregistration card and that`s all that came with it,even the code for the radio was not provided so took it off and replaced it with a sony...

[shogun]

respectively outside Japan. Different frequency, only works in Japan, in Europe these frequencies are reserved for the police etc.
If you can make a pic of the cap I can translate it. But I guess this is easier here
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/wwwjdic.html

With 97 you are anyway on the save side. Since 2 months I add to the regular fuel 1 bottle of STP gas treatment stuff and engine cleaner. Never believed in that before, but the engine runs really smooth now. Apparently it cleaned all the valves etc. It also removes water from the fuel tank.(at least it says so). Maybe that would be something for you too, as Malaysia is very humid. I add it to every 5th tank refill, not always.
One 238 ml. bottle goes on 50-70 Ltr fuel. At the fuel stations they ask here for 4-5 times the price as one can buy in the discount car parts shops.

As for the owners manual, maybe someone here has a copy or knows where one is for download. I only have one for the E32 on my page (see below). Maybe that helps you a bit, as a lot is similar on E34 and E32.

[jj7]

respectively outside Japan. Different frequency, only works in Japan, in Europe these frequencies are reserved for the police etc.
If you can make a pic of the cap I can translate it. But I guess this is easier here
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/wwwjdic.html

With 97 you are anyway on the save side. Since 2 months I add to the regular fuel 1 bottle of STP gas treatment stuff and engine cleaner. Never believed in that before, but the engine runs really smooth now. Apparently it cleaned all the valves etc. It also removes water from the fuel tank.(at least it says so). Maybe that would be something for you too, as Malaysia is very humid. I add it to every 5th tank refill, not always.
One 238 ml. bottle goes on 50-70 Ltr fuel. At the fuel stations they ask here for 4-5 times the price as one can buy in the discount car parts shops.

As for the owners manual, maybe someone here has a copy or knows where one is for download. I only have one for the E32 on my page (see below). Maybe that helps you a bit, as a lot is similar on E34 and E32.
wow.thats plenty of info there...leaving the radio aside,the other day i replaced the valve cover gasket,i found at least 3 bad studs,when i bought new ones from a bmw shop i found the size of the standard ones that fit malaysian spec. bmw`s doesnt fit my japan import,i`ve been told there are some differences maybe present,i sent a request for quotation to buy the ones correct to my car,usually their service is fine and posting EMS service is rather cheap,other than those studs,i bought brake discs and pads from the US,and other parts can be found in singapore,but i fear in the future major engine parts fail and need to be imported from japan which are not CHEAP at all...

[Karl]

Owner's manual for my US spec 525i says 90 octane

[shogun]

from the dealer. They will not have them on stock in Malaysia, but they can order them from Germany, same as BMW Japan does.
By the way, that is sometimes very interesting to switch the ETK from European version to US version or vice versa. There are things in the ETK, which do not exist in the other country versions. Iluminated gear indication on the trans shifter indicator is often standard on US BMW, but not on European versions. Many E32 drivers in Germany bought these parts later after they found out.

I know that there are some different things also on my car, because when I look in the ETK spare parts catalog with my VIN there is often mentioned 'japanese version only'.
Some simple things, which just come into my mind:
the consumption in Japan is based on km per liter, while in other countries like in Europe it is based on xx Liter per 100 Km.
So the indicator in the dash in my car is different and also the BC shows the km/liter.
My E32 japanese version has almost 1 liter more engine oil as standard compared to European cars.
The differential ratio is different for Japanese/Australian and US cars compared to other countries. Sometimes even for Switzerland (only mountains) and some other countries.

Here are the info on different final drive ratios (http://www.thee32register.co.uk/attach/25571/Ratios3-embed.jpg)

If you want to buy cheap used parts in Japan in auctions, this is the best site. But you need someone with japanese language knowledge to order. Selection is no prob for you, as you can see the prices in Yen. Or use altavista.babelfish.
works quite alright, although not perfect, but it helps.
click here to Yahoo Japan E34 parts (http://search.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/search?sb=desc&desc=BMW+E34&auccat=0&acc=jp&f=0x12&alocale=0jp&mode=2)


Check that. Sometimes very interesting, parts which I have never seen before. Spoiler sets made in Japan very reasonable. Also change the search from E34 to E32. There are spoiler sets from 'Spitze', sound similar to Schnitzer ;)
and also Alpina well, erhh.... lets say replicas. and so on.