I'm trying to get my 525E back on the road. Problem is I need a bit of help figuring out what goes where and was hoping someone on here would have (or could take) pictures of the motor so I can get a better idea. I never stripped the motor down so more as a precaution, but also because of the differences bewteen the normal E30 M20B25 and M20B27 motors.

Much appreciated!

Bit dark out there for photography at the moment, or I'd have nipped out and taken a few pics for you. Do you just want general shots of the engine bay or more specific areas.

A quick google search revealed these.

Cheers! those are great. I might need a closer look at some areas as I go along if that's ok? Many many thanks.

525e engine bay complete with tool

Right then.....there are three wires that are on a breakout from the injector harness, two are together and are green and black, the other is a single spade connector with a round rubber shroud. WTF do I do with these? Also....the water pipes on the throttle body......does the top one route back to the thermostat? Or the bottom one? The top one goes but it's a bit of a stretch.

Ta!

what you need is another 525e beside yours to do the job, maybe some one with one lives near you..

Took these in case they are any help. 1987 D reg 525e.
Click on thumbnails for larger image.

Cheers for that, they will help. These are the wires I am on about......

Added.....they are so long (even though they come from the same part as the injector harness) that they could go anywhere. I can see a male spade connector on the starter, but not sure if that's where the single one goes. The other two appear to screw onto something.

Ignition coil
Green +
Black -
?

I've just stared into the engine bay on mine for a few minutes, and that's the only green and black wires I can see like the ones in your picture. Only thing is, on mine, the coil is on the drivers side of the engine bay (towards the front), Is your coil connected already ? If not, and if the wires stretch to your coil, it could be what they're for.
(coil top, slightly right of centre in 1st picture I posted)

Aaah! yes thanks! the little buggers do stretch all the way over, I should have noticed by the odd sizes on the terminals. Damn! Thanks. Just the little black capped one now. Still won't start but I can't hear the fuel pump even though the relay seems to work.

BTW....the other wire is on the same main wire as the coil wires, just on it's own from about halfway down the harness. So it breaks off from the coil wire harness about a foot from the coil.

Sorry, missed that. I think it's the oil light sender wire (on drivers side of engine block).

Top bloke you are! Your assistance is much appreciated. I owe you a beer1

You never said what year it was, mine's a 1985 & has a different throttle bypass valve arrangement, might be able to get some pics together if you really need them, will take a few days though, as I've recently moved & can't find anything. But if yours looks the same as those posted then I'll keep my nose out to avoid confusing you.

Ok, the fuel pump runs if jumped but not on the key. The car starts with easystart so there's spark. Even if I bridge the relay I get no power to the pump. I have fuel pressure from jumping the pump with 12V direct but even then it still won't start.

Is the air flow meter plugged in ? Thought I'd better ask as I could see the wiring connector in your picture.

cars usually start with disconnected AFM but won't rev.

Just another thought. Is the crank sensor where it should be, in a clip, above the crank shaft pulley, and connected ?

Easy start is so volatile I wouldn't be surprised if a car with no coil would start with that, as long as it had compression. Regular use overheats and weakens the piston rings because it burns so hot.

Can anyone tell me where the little wire that connects to the top spade connector on the starter solenoid goes to? Ta!
( there's one on the E30 325i that goes into the main harness, but I can't find any wire on this one that would connect to it though the spade looks too clean not to have been used.)

It can also bend the con-rods slightly, causing engines to become "addicted" to it. Bad news that stuff, to be avoided at all costs I would say.

GOT THE BASTWARD!!!! I pulled the Fi rail off completely to discover that 5 injectors were knackered and one was half way there. Went to scrappy, pulled another rail from a 320i E30 (same injector part no as a 1986 525e so should be fine) swapped injectors and reassembled. Fires up. Yeeee-Haaa! Did all this in the snow, but will wait now till it clears so I can flush the engine and doo all the small checks. Oh, and fit the complete new exhaust.

Glad to hear this, well done.

Where did you get your exhaust from? Was it over #250 all in? (that's the best I've been quoted for a standard system, but can go stainless for #440)

(There is NO pound sign on this computer?!!, some idiot has put it onto american settings & I can't change it!! How very annoying )

Paid £150 for it from my local factor (who did have to search a bit) for the front/mid box (the two into one with the baffle) and the single pipe rear section.

Here's one in case you need it.


My last keyboard went tits up and several symbols stopped working. I copied them and pasted them into a text document, so I could still use them when needed.

Thanks anyway, but the keyboard's fine, it's just the person who set up the computer, but it's shared so I'd better just grin & bear it.

That exhaust price sounds about the same as what I was quoted, only I'm after the whole thing. Certain parts of this 4 piece system seem much more expensive than others, for no real reason. I still haven't made my mind up yet, & the money's not there yet either. I'm even tempted to sell the whole car & buy an e23!