Help, Electrics nghtmare..

[Ferret]

http://www.bmwe34.net/Wiki/tiki-inde...age=Electrical

http://www.bmwe34.net/Wiki/tiki-inde...e=Fusible+link

There is two of them... second one... go all the way down. Sounds exactly like your problem.

The diesel has a third as well in the E-box, good catch Tiger - I think you're probably right here.



You can just see it here, the metal link between the two phillips screws (hiding under the thick red wire.)

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Right. Figgured a test to see if ANY fusable links have gone is to by-pass all by connecting jump lead from battery to jump-start terminal under bonnet.No result BUT when I came back to car this morning all worked fine, turmed it off, closed house, got back into car and nothing worked..........bugger. Still got fast wipers only,no start, dash full of lights,no central locking, no windows. Anybody know which relay/connection might be at fault?????Driving a `64 volvo at the moment and I cant last much longer before I kill it...!

[Tiger]

Barney, I really don't know how you really can bypass any fusible link in the method you were talking about. Did you even test the fusible link by removing it?

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

I ran a jump lead from battery to terminal under bonnet which has a lead direct to starter. surely this bypasses any interruptions in the positive side of the system?

[Tiger]

Using battery jumper cable? I don't think it does because on E34 there are two fuse boxes where there is two direct battery positive cable goes there... and one monster positive cable goes to starter and alternator.

You are thinking of ground path... which doesn't care which path it takes. Positive side does care which way it goes and has a strict path.

You could have a ground issue but then again, if you don't do the process of elimination, then you will never get it done.

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

I traced the main lead, the thick one, and it ends up on the exposed terminal under the bonnet. The Fusable links on mine are a bastard to get at,but did not know about the third one in the other box, will investigate that in daylight but just confirm that my method of eliminating the other two works?

[Ferret]

I traced the main lead, the thick one, and it ends up on the exposed terminal under the bonnet. The Fusable links on mine are a bastard to get at,but did not know about the third one in the other box, will investigate that in daylight but just confirm that my method of eliminating the other two works?

Barney mate, I dont think this will eliminate the two fusible links - there arent any fusible links on the actual thick starter cable - they'd explode every time you tried to start the car.

They're on the smaller wire that comes off the battery - there's a .75 cm thick red cable that branches off the battery positive terminal as well - I think that's the cable this is on.


However, you may have found something - by jumping to the positive point you've made the car operate for a short period - try taking apart that positive post - there should be some fuse box supply cabling anchored to it... (I think) it's a distribution point. Before you do, take a voltage reading off the jump start post and see what it reads compared to the battery.

If you take it apart, dont forget to unplug the battery like I did!

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Nearly a week later! Tried both findable fusable links, the one by the battery and the one in the ECU box, both ok. still got same symptoms,any other ideas???

[632 Regal]

bypass the fusable links 1 at a time, I also believe this is the problem. Fusable links are intermittant and can check out good but really they are hiding their faults. usually they can crack on the inside and you will never guess they are bad. This is my guess.

Nearly a week later! Tried both findable fusable links, the one by the battery and the one in the ECU box, both ok. still got same symptoms,any other ideas???

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Have 12.8 volts all down the line,fuse in ECU box has volts both sides and looks perfect, link near battery looks the same and has power both sides. Now going to try to find fuse 37(!) after that ??????????? Assume that UK diesels have no underbonnet link as battery under seat,cannot find one there, make sense??