Lessons learnt
BMW serviced – no thanks to the web or the manual
Last month’s addition to the Clark classic fleet, my BMW 323i, was overdue for a service according to the dashboard indicator. While it drives perfectly well, I don’t like the thought that routine maintenance may be outstanding, and servicing is always a great way to get to know a car that’s new to me.
The required fluids and filters were ready but I felt I probably had a lot to learn, as the BMW is 20 years younger than any car I’ve been used to working on. In particular, it’s equipped with more electrickery than I’ve tackled before. Starting the service felt a bit daunting.
With the front jacked up the oil drain plug was easy to get to, and the old lubricant was soon out of the sump. Accessing the oil filter was easier than anything I’ve come across before, as instead of being hidden in the depths of the engine bay, the filter housing sits on top of the engine, just behind the radiator. I fitted a new original equipment Mahle filter and refilled with a Bmw/mercedes spec fully synthetic oil. Next came the spark plugs. Not quite as simple as a Triumph, as the plastic engine top cover needed removing before stripping out the six coil packs with their associated wiring. Only then could the deeply-recessed plugs be removed, to be replaced by multi-electrode NGKS. Moving on to the coolant, it was simple to drain the radiator, though the cylinder block drain plug was a bit harder to get at, buried behind the exhaust manifold. I found it, removed it and even managed to replace it with a new washer.
The rad and block were thoroughly flushed through using the garden hose. To flush the heater, it’s necessary to turn on the ignition and turn the climate control to the maximum, so the electronically controlled heater inlet valve would be fully open. I refilled with a special BMW specification coolant.
Next, the cabin air filter, aka the pollen filter. Checking online suggested it would be found on the passenger side, behind the glovebox. I duly removed the glovebox, the vent panel above and some heater trunking that allegedly had to come out too. No sign of the pollen filter.
A well-known workshop manual suggested the filter would be behind the centre of the dash. The instruction was to remove the climate control unit, see Chapter 3. This in turn required removal of the trip computer and screen, see Chapter 11. You get the picture… having dismantled the passenger side then the centre of the dashboard, the inside of the car resembled a scrapyard but there was still no sign of the filter. Following
simple logic, I reasoned if it wasn’t on the left or in the middle, it was time to look on the right-hand side of the dash.
I removed the under-dash panel above the pedals, craned my head round the brake pedal and there it was. Getting the filter out was a contortionist act and, when it did budge, it was black with dirt and old leaves. So tight is the space, the official procedure is to break the new filter’s plastic frame in four places so it can slip into its housing!
Ahh. That’s better
Without the misdirection of the ’net and the workshop manual the whole job would have taken minutes rather than an-hour-and-a-half! But on the positive side, the cabin air now smells much sweeter, and BMW’S interior plastics are of such quality that everything went back into place without breakage.
Brakes pads, discs and pipework are all good, and I’ve changed the hydraulic fluid. Bleeding the new fluid through was rather slow, so I plan to fit new bleed nipples and try again. The differential oil was drained and replaced without incident; the autobox is supposedly sealed for life but I may try a fluid change there in the future. The service was completed by locating and replacing the fuel filter under the car. Finally, I reset the electronic service indicator. According to the online ‘experts’ this can be done by shorting out two terminals in the 20-pin on-board diagnostic socket, which all seemed a bit too risky given the accuracy of the internet information on the pollen filter. A mistake could potentially fry the engine electronics, so I played safe and bought a £10 plug-in gadget, which duly reset the dashboard indicator to green. Does the car go better for a service? Well, not really, as it went very well anyway; engine management electronics usually mean these cars either run perfectly or not at all. But I’m happy in the knowledge that the BMW is sound and fresh for at least another year, and I’ve learnt a great deal in the process, including where not to look for the pollen filter.