BMW M3 User manual

B
mw
3 Series
M3, 3181, 3231, 3251,
3281
Sedan, Coupe
and Convertible
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995,
1996,1997, 1998
Bentley,
Publishers
Cambridge,
Massachusetts

B - 1
ROBERT BENTLEY, INC . I AUTOMOTIVE PUBLISHERS
Information that makes

1734 Massachusetts Avenue
the difference o Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
800-423-45951617-547-4170
www .rb .co m

e-mail : sales@rb .co m
WARNING-Important Safety Notice
Technical Contact Information
We value your feedback . Technical comments and
suggestions are helpful to us . Please send your
comments and thoughts to Bentley Publishers
e-mail : tech .bmw@rb .co m
From time to time, updates may be made to this
manual . A listing of updates can be found on the web
Iat www .rb .com/update s
Do not use this manual unless you are familiar with basic automotive repair procedures and safe workshop practices . This manual
illustrates the workshop procedures required for most service work . It is not a substitute for fui¡ and up-to-date information from the
vehicie manufacturer or for proper training as an automotive technician . Note that it is not possible for us to anticipate al¡ of the ways
or conditions under which vehicles may be serviced or to provide cautions as to all of the possible hazards that may result .
The vehicie manufacturer will continue to issue service information updates and parts retrofits after the editorial closing of this
manual . Some of those updates and retrofits will apply to procedures and specifications in this manual . We regret that we cannot
supply updates to purchasers of this manual .
We have endeavored to ensure the accuracy of the information in this manual . Please note, however, that considering the vast
quantity
and
the complexity
of
the
service
information involved,
we cannot warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information
contained in this manual .
FORTHESE REASONS,NEITHERTHEPUBLISHER NORTHE AUTHOR MAKES ANY
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,THATTHE INFORMATION IN
THIS BOOK IS FREE OF ERRORS OR OMISSIONS, AND WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMTHE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND OF FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, EVEN IF THE PUBLISHER OR AUTHOR NAVEBEEN
ADVISED OF A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND EVEN IF A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS INDICATED IN THE MANUAL . THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHOR
ALSO DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM ANYUSE OF THE EXAMPLES,
INSTRUCTIONS OR OTHER INFORMATION IN THIS
BOOK .I N NO EVENTSHALL OUR LIABILITY WHETHER INTORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE
EXCEEDTHECOST OFTHIS MANUAL .
Your common sense and good judgment are crucial to safe and successful service work .
Read procedures through before starting
them . Think about whether the condition of your car, your leve¡ of mechanical
skill, or your leve¡ of reading comprehension might
result in or contribute in some way to an occurrence which might cause you injury,
damage your car, or result in an unsafe repair .
lf
you
have doubts for these or other reasons about your ability to perform safe repair work on
your car, have the work done at an
authorized
BMW dealer or other qualified shop .
Part numbers listed
in this manual are for identification purposes only, not for ordering .
Always check with your authorized BMW
dealer to verify part
numbers and availability before beginning service work that may
requíre new parts .
Before attempting any work on your
BMW, read the wamings and cautions on pages
vi¡
and vi¡¡,
and any waming or caution that
accompanies a procedure in the
service manual . Review the warnings and cautions on pages
vi¡ and viü each time you prepare to
work on your BMW .
Special tools required to perform certain
service operations are identified in the manual and
are recommended for use . Use of tools
other than those recommended in this service
manual may be detrimental to the car's safe
operation as well as the safety of the
person servicing the car .
Copies of this
manual may be purchased from most automotive accessories
and parts dealers specializing in
BMW automobiles, from
selected booksellers,
or directly from the publisher by mail .
The publisher encourages
comments from the reader of this manual .
These communications have been and will
be carefully considered in
the preparation of this and other
manuals . Please write to Robert Bentley, Inc
., Publishers at the address listed on the
top of this page .
This manual was published by Robert
Bentley, Inc ., Publishers . BMW has not
reviewed and does not vouch forthe accuracy
of
the technical
specifications and procedures
described in this manual .
Library of Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
BMW 3 Series Service Manual M3, 318i,
323i, 3251, 328i, Sedan, Coupe and
Convertible :
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997,
1998 .
p . c m .
Includes index .
ISBN 0-8376-0326-9
1 . BMW
3 Series automobile--Maintenance
and repair--Handbooks, manuals,
etc . I . Robert
Bentley, inc .
TL215
.13251356 1999
629 .28' 722--cic21

99-17179
CIP
Bentley
Stock No . B398
Editorial closing
01/99
0302010099 1098765432
The paper used in this
publication is acid free and
meets the requirements
of the National Standard for
Information Sciences-
Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials . O
©Copyright 1999 Robert Bentley, Inc
.
All rights
reserved . All information
contained in this manual is based
on the information available
to the publisher at the
time of editorial
closing .
The right is reserved to make
changes at any time without notice .
No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval
system, or
transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the prior
written
consent of the publisher
. This includes text,
figures, and tables . All rights reserved
under Berne and Pan-American
Copyright conventions .
Manufactured in the United States
of America

General
Data and

010
FundamentalsfortheDo-lt-YourselfOwner
Maintenance

020
Maintenance Program
Engine
Transmission
Suspension,
Steering and
Brakes
4 Body
100
Engine-General
110

Engine Removal and Installation
113

Cylinder Head Removal
and Installation
116

Cylinder Head and Valvetrain
117

Camshaft Timing
Chain
119

Lubrication
System
200
Transmission-General
210 Clutch
230 Manual Transmission
510

Exterior
Trim, Bumpers

520

Seats
Bo y
Equipment

512
DoorWTdws

540

nr t
513

InteriorTrim

541

Convertible Top
515

Central Locking and Anti-Theft
600

Electrical
System-General

620

Instruments
Electrical S

stem
610 Electrical
Component Locations

630
Exterior Lighting
611

Wipers
and Washers

640

Heating and Air
Conditioning
6

612

Switches and Electrical Accessories

650

Radio
Equipment
and

720
SeatBelts
Accessories

721 Airbag System
(SRS)
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ........ . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . v
Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... . . .. .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back of book
300

Suspension, Steering and

330

Rear Suspension
Brakes-General

331

Final Drive
310

Front Suspension

340

Brakes
320

Steering and Wheel
Alignment
400
Body-General

411 Doors
410

Fenders, Engine Hood

412

Trunk Lid
120

Ignition System
121

Battery, Starter, Alternator
130

Fue¡
Injection
160

Fuel Tank and Fuel Pump
170

Radiator and Cooling System
180

Exhaust System
240

Automatic
Transmission
250

Gearshift Linkage
260
Driveshaft