I promised myself that earlier than I began messing with the ECU setup and the associated electrical programs to help it, I might kind out all {the electrical} gremlins that have been authentic to the automotive.  Little did I do know that was going to loads tougher and take longer than I might ever think about.

After I attached the battery for the primary time after fully eradicating the wiring harness, I had some nice surprises and a few “what the hell” moments.  First off, once I turned the ignition key for the primary time, lights on the sprint lit up and the wiper motor began working and never parking.  You could possibly inform it was making an attempt to park, however the momentum would take it by means of the park hole and it could restart and park once more.  I unplugged the wiper motor and began going by means of {the electrical} system.

Headlights

The headlights on the early vehicles aren’t wired by means of relays for the high and low beam operation, however I believed why not improve!  I discovered an excellent straightforward repair for including relays by ordering a pre-wired resolution on Amazon that plugged into the motive force’s aspect headlight socket and supplied relays for each high and low beams.  I simply linked a floor wire, mounted the relays and linked the passenger aspect headlight socket. Pulled the headlight swap, low beams got here on, pulled the dip swap on the steering column, excessive beams got here on, the blue sprint mild got here on, every little thing working appropriately!

Flashers

I mounted my emergency flasher swap within the gap on the decrease steering wheel shroud that usually homes the handbook choke.  With the ignition off, pulled the emergency flasher knob and the knob began to flash and the entrance and rear flip indicators have been flashing and the flip sign indicator within the sprint was flashing, all good right here!

Flip Indicators

That is the place issues began to go south.  After I signaled for a proper flip, I’d get single flash or a few flashes after which nothing, and nothing on the left flip, nothing in any respect!  I had learn that if the emergency flashers work, then the flasher relay was most likely good and one thing else wasn’t working.  Properly the flasher relay was authentic and the cardboard on the again was torn in half, exposing the circuit board, so I began with an EL-13 Flasher improve.  I purchased one off of eBay and a relay harness, wired it up and plugged it into the inventory flasher relay connector.  Nope, nonetheless no flip indicators.  OK, let’s test the flip sign swap!.  Pulled off the higher and decrease covers on the steering column, pulled the swap, obtained out the multi-meter and checked the continuity between pin “54” and the “R” and “L” pins.  The “R” was good, however there was no continuity between “54” and “L”.  Tried cleansing it, nonetheless no good, unhealthy swap.  So again on eBay searching for a alternative.  Wow, pricing on used components is getting silly excessive!  I lastly discovered two switches on German eBay at an inexpensive worth, however no transport to USA.  I attempted contacting the vendor, however crickets.  In desperation, I reached out to @Seb on the FAQ and requested him for a favor.  He agreed to buy the switches for me and ship them to me within the US.  I can not thank him sufficient for serving to me supply these components.

A few weeks later they arrived.  I test the continuity on each switches, all working correctly!  I put in and linked one of many new switches, turned on the ignition and pulled the swap, nothing, now what?  After checking and re-checking the wiring diagram, there needed to be a problem in a single or all 4 of the inter-related programs that managed the flip indicators (Emergency Flasher Swap, Flasher Relay, Flip Sign Swap, Ignition Swap).  I eradicated the Flip Sign Swap, as a result of I simply checked it, and labored backward from there.  To ensure that the flip indicators to work, energy must get to pin #54 on the flip sign swap.  I examined this with the ignition on and obtained nothing on pin #54, so one thing wasn’t engaged on the flasher relay or the emergency flasher swap.  I made a decision to drag these 2 elements, take away the wires, re-verify the connections and clear and re-crimp all of the connections.  The “AHA” second was the connector to the flasher relay, it was actually soiled and unfastened.  I popped the feminine spade connections out of the plastic connector and cleaned them up and squeezed them for a tighter match.  After I was all finished, proper and left indicators labored, flasher relay clicked and the sunshine within the sprint flashed, all good proper?

Not fairly, this automotive, just like the Euro vehicles has a parking mild characteristic, which permits the consumer to light up the correct or left aspect of the flip indicators when parking the automotive on the aspect of the street at the hours of darkness.  The unhealthy a part of this characteristic is that one can unintentionally set it in the course of the day and never discover and are available again to a lifeless battery.  It runs off energy by means of the ignition swap and operates with the important thing off.  For some purpose, my parking mild characteristic wasn’t working.

Ignition Swap

So, with the intention to get the parking mild characteristic to work, I want energy on the flip sign swap pin “P” with the important thing off.  I checked the continuity of the wire “gray” between the ignition swap  and the flip sign swap and it was good. So, perhaps the swap was unhealthy?  I purchased a used one from @BLUNT simply in case, and pulled the present swap to examine the wiring.  Properly not one of the wires have been on the correct terminals, aside from the “gray” one.  I put the purple wires on the “30” terminal, inexperienced wires on the “15”, black wire on the “50” terminal, and the gray wire on “P”.  With the ignition off, pulled the flip sign stalk down and the left flip indicators got here on, moved the stalk up and the correct aspect flip indicators got here on.  I could wait till the used ignition swap arrives and examine the important thing place detents between the two switches and see which one is healthier earlier than buttoning the sprint up.

Wiper Motor

Again to the wiper motor now that the flip indicators are sorted.  I pulled the wiper swap out of the sprint to check the continuity within the varied positions.  Pin “53a” the blue/inexperienced wire is all the time scorching with the ignition on, it gives energy to the inexperienced wire on the motor.  When the wiper swap is pulled out to the primary (sluggish) place, there’s continuity from “53a”to pins “53” (black wire) and “53b” (yellow wire).  When the wiper swap is pulled out to the second (quick) place, there’s continuity from “53a”to pin “53” (black wire) and NOT to”53b” (yellow wire).  This did not make numerous sense assuming the yellow wire was the sluggish circuit, so I assumed the swap was unhealthy and solely pin “53b” ought to have energy within the first (sluggish) place, so I purchased one other swap I discovered on eBay.  I additionally begged @AceAndrew to promote me one among his spare wiper motors simply in case mine was unhealthy, and he got here by means of as all the time.

Whereas I waited for the brand new/previous components, I examined a few previous wiper motors I had that I assumed have been unhealthy as a result of the yellow wire (sluggish circuit), wouldn’t spin the motor when energy was utilized, however would when the black wire (quick circuit) was powered.  When simply the inexperienced wire was powered, the motor would spin, however you could possibly hear the motor attempt to park because it spun previous the break in spherical parking mechanism.  Duplicating the situations of the swap, I powered all three wires (inexperienced, black and yellow) and located that the motor would spin slowly.  I pulled the yellow wire and the motor spun quicker.  I powered all three wires once more after which pulled the black and yellow collectively, simulating the swap being pushed in to off, and low and behold, the motor spun a second and parked.

So why was my wiper motor working once I turned on the ignition?  Properly, it was turning as a result of it wasn’t in a “parked” place when the inexperienced wire obtained energy, and the momentum of the motor saved taking it previous the break within the spherical parking mechanism.  It additionally had a break within the hair-thin yellow wire that connects contained in the windings of the motor, however I did not uncover this till I put in the brand new motor.  With the brand new motor put in, I turned on the ignition, pulled the wiper swap to the primary place and the motor started to spin slowly. Pulled the swap out to the second place, the motor spun quicker.  Again to the primary place, the motor spun slower and swap pushed all the way in which in, parked and stopped.  All good?  Not so quick…

Windshield Washer Pump & Delay Relay

On the early vehicles, the flip sign swap stalk operates the windshield wipers and the windshield washer pump by pulling it in the direction of the motive force.  This motion grounds the Delay relay which triggers the windshield wiper motor to activate for 10 seconds, and in addition grounds the windshield washer pump so it squirts fluid on the windshield.  Pulling the flip sign swap stalk in the direction of the motive force did nothing on my automotive.

So I began testing the system elements beginning with the Delay relay.  My automotive was lacking this relay once I purchased it, however I managed to supply a used one, however by no means examined it.  I checked continuity to pin “31b” from the bottom wire on the flip sign swap and it was good.  I constructed a fast bench take a look at with a relay connector, a lightweight bulb and my 12V energy provide to check the operate of the delay relay and it was working nice.  I additionally purchased a delay relay alternative for the courtesy mild in a Dodge that additionally works nicely (stays on somewhat longer than the BMW unit.  Hit me up if in case you have the identical problem and I am going to get you extra data.

https://youtu.be/nHdE3jCRns4

With the Delay relay sorted, it was time to take a look at the pump motor.  My VDO washer reservoir was not typical.  As a substitute of getting a hose connection and nubs on the underside to carry the pump platform, my pump motor screwed instantly right into a gap within the backside of the reservoir.  The motor was toast, with energy by means of it, it could not spin.  How was I going to discover a alternative, it clearly wasn’t a BMW half.  Know-how to the rescue!  I downloaded the Google Lens app to my iPhone, took an image of it and up got here footage of the precise motor.  Seems it matches many Ford and Dodge fashions from the 70’s, so I ordered a alternative for a 1970 Thunderbird from eBay.  When it arrived, I screwed it into backside of my VDO reservoir and hooked it as much as the Delay relay.  After I went to check it, I might pull the flip sign stalk and after a second delay the wiper motor would interact, run for 8 – 10 seconds and cease, however I could not perceive why the washer pump motor would not run for the 8 – 10 seconds.  Typical operator error, I lastly realized that you have to pull and maintain the flip sign stalk to run the washer pump motor till sufficient water was on the windshield after which whenever you launched it, the delay relay would let the wiper motor run for an extra 8 – 10 seconds.  DUH!

Miscellaneous

Whereas I used to be ready for components, I did handle to put in my oil catch can.  On the S14, the OEM Oil Separator sits on high of the bolts for the motive force’s aspect motor mount.  I eliminated the Oil Separator, however nonetheless wanted an answer for the valve cowl vent.  I took the inventory hose that runs from the valve cowl all the way down to the oil separator and minimize it in half.  I plugged the minimize finish with a ten A/N barbed becoming after which made a customized 10 A/N hose to run between the ten A/N barbed becoming to the ten A/N becoming on the oil catch can.  End up good and matches the oil cooler.

On to the Gasoline Pump and ECU Testing and Setup.

Mark92131